Savory Sweet Potato Bread Pudding | Nik Snacks

This post is sponsored by Cans Get You Cooking. I received compensation but, all words, opinions and photos are mine.

Savory sweet potato bread pudding is comforting, familiar and full of promise for breakfast, lunch, dinner and every meal in between. This time of year begs for something hot and comforting from the oven. So, crank it up, pull out your canned goods and let’s get cooking! Canned ingredients are the key to making convenient and delicious comfort foods, whether you’re in the mood for a classic childhood favorite or something with a modern spin. Canned sweet potatoes and evaporated milk are two items available year-round that make this recipe great. I love cooking with cans because canned ingredients are sustainable and help reduce the amount of perishable fruits and vegetables I purchase and then throw away.

Some canned food facts:

Canned produce goes from field to package within 4 hours vs. fresh produce takes 24 days from field to store.

The proximity of field to packaging facility, and the efficiency of modern canning facilities locks in nutrients at the peak of ripeness just hours after harvest.

One of my most prized possessions is my kitchen pantry. The best part is it's not in the kitchen: it's a converted coat closet! Bagged snacks and chips are at the top (just out of arms reach), then baking products and sauces, followed by cans and dried pasta. Even my cats have an organized pantry full of canned food! They know the secret joys of canned foods as well.







When the pandemic creeped its way into our homes back in March, the first thing I did was create A Well-Stocked Pantry list to help people who had no idea what to buy at the grocery store in case of emergency. High on the list? Canned tuna, tomatoes and other vegetables. Canned food portion sizes are just right for both individuals and families, and most recipes are designed around these sizes, helping minimize food waste and making the most out of your grocery budget.




In these stressful and uncertain times, canned ingredients are a great way to create easy, delicious and comforting recipes. Especially for Thanksgiving or end-of-year holiday meals. They provide serious value, convenience and nutrition in one affordable, shelf-stable and waste-free package allowing for a sustainable and simple ingredient to have on-hand. Canned goods are the glue that bring all other kinds of ingredients together quickly and creatively in a fun way. And, I created my Sweet Potato Bread Pudding to demonstrate how I use canned ingredients for a comforting, holiday-inspired dish.

Bread pudding is essentially a casserole that can be put together in a few minutes, refrigerated overnight and reheat throughout the week or baked immediately for a comforting dinner main dish or side. You can even turn it into macaroni and cheese, a layered breakfast strata or Scandinavian hot dish to take to a potluck supper. You can also set up the raw ingredients overnight for easy prep or store it in the freezer to enjoy later.






When your fork breaks through the buttery, crusty top layer of bread and hits the soft, creamy interior of pudding, you know that all is right with the world. Full of (five) day-old cubed bread, spicy bulk sausage, dried herbs, and bits of sweet pimiento peppers, this comforting bread pudding comes together with a smooth sweet potato custard, made with canned sweet potatoes and canned evaporated milk, and a little lovin' from the oven.

TIPS:

Don’t have 10-day old bread? Simply toast slices of bread under the broiler or in the toaster in order to dry it out before cutting it into cubes.


Vegetarian-friendly? Substitute a 15 oz. can of Cannellini or Great Northern White Beans for the ground sausage – creating a nutrient and protein-packed meal

Dairy-free? Substitute a 13.5 oz. Can of coconut milk for evaporated milk to get the same.

Use chopped parsley, chives or thinly sliced green onions for garnish to brighten and freshen up the dish before serving.