If you’ve been around here for a while, you might remember I grew up all over the country and spent half of my high school years in Toledo up until I was married. All the years I lived there, I had never heard of this apparently famous traditional tomato pudding from Toledo that originated in a former tea room called The Tally Ho.
During my research phases for this recipe, one of my dear high school friends shared her family’s recipe for this specialty side dish recipe and I set out to blend that with my research findings. It was my first time making tomato pudding and I can’t wait to make add it to my Thanksgiving menu.
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Tomato pudding is one of those dishes that will cause a stir. Translated: your guests will nervously take a spoonful of this crispy red bread pudding just to be kind. They’ll put it on the side of their plate, take a bite. And then another. And then get back in the buffet line.
It’s that good.
It’s the savory bread pudding crispy edges that everyone will fight over.
What to serve with tomato bread pudding
Serve this sweet and savory bread pudding alongside your Thanksgiving turkey, beef tenderloin…oooh especially our reader favorite pork loin roast!
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Notable ingredients
The best thing about this recipe is that it needs so few ingredients but a few of them are pretty unexpected for sure!
- Tomato purée. You can of course use garden tomatoes run through a food mill but canned tomatoes make this so easy!
- Brown sugar. The addition of brown sugar urges this into the sweet and savory category. Think of this as an alternative to sweet potato casserole for Thanksgiving or a side dish for fried chicken.
- Stale bread. This recipe makes Great use of leftover or slightly stale bread.
- Candied ginger. Don’t be scared! You only use a teeny amount of candied ginger (save the rest for your holiday cookies or pumpkin bread). It adds just a touch of warmth!
- Orange juice. An ingredient in my friend’s recipe and also cited as an ingredient that was included in the famed Toledo bread pudding recipe as well.
Where to find candied ginger
Candied ginger might be hard to find. I found mine in the spice section of my grocery store. You can also look in the baking section as well. Otherwise The Ginger People candied ginger is one of my favorites.
Equipment needed
- Baking or gratin dish. My favorite is an Apilco oval baking dish seen here because it lasts forever and doesn’t chip easily.
- Mixing bowl and wooden spoon. Mason and Cash are some of my favorite mixing bowls ever. I also love these melamine mixing bowls.
Step by step: how to make tomato pudding [with images]
In a small saucepan, combine tomatoes, brown sugar, fresh squeezed orange juice, ginger and boiling water to a simmer for about 5 minutes. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt [1].
Toss the bread cubes with melted butter and pour into a casserole dish [2].
Pour the tomato mixture over the bread [3].
Press down and make sure the bread is covered with the tomato sauce [4].
Bake for about 45 minutes or until the center is puffed and the edges are crispy and browned.
Substitution notes
- Candied ginger. Use ginger powder instead of candied ginger if necessary. You can also substitute cinnamon for the ginger all together. I would use ½ teaspoon.
- Bread. I used sourdough but the recipes I looked at also call for soft white bread from the grocery store which will result in a softer pudding texture. It all depends on what you like!
- Brown sugar. You can substitute light brown sugar for dark (as I did) but do not substitute white sugar for brown sugar in this recipe.
Easy Tomato Pudding Recipe
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 6 cups white bread (about 6-8 thick slices), cut into 1-inch cubes, crusts removed. I used day old sourdough but soft white grocery store bread works very well
- ½ cup butter, melted
- 1 cup tomato puree
- 1 cup brown sugar, dark preferred, but I used light
- ¼ cup fresh squeezed orange juice
- ¼ tsp candied ginger , minced
- ¼ cup boiling water
- ½ tsp salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350˚.
- Cut the bread into slices (if you haven't already) and remove the crusts from the bread. You want 5-6 cups total of bread. If you want the recipe firmer, use more bread and less if you want it softer.6 cups white bread (about 6-8 thick slices)
- In a medium bowl, toss bread with melted butter, mixing until coated.½ cup butter
- Brush any remaining butter inside the baking dish before adding the bread to the dish. Space evenly on the bottom of the dish.
- In a small saucepan, add the tomato puree, brown sugar, fresh orange juice, candied ginger, boiling water and salt. Bring to a simmer, thickening slightly for about 5 minutes.1 cup tomato puree, 1 cup brown sugar, ¼ cup fresh squeezed orange juice, ¼ tsp candied ginger, ¼ cup boiling water, ½ tsp salt
- Pour the tomato mixture over the bread and use a fork or wooden spoon to press down the tomatoes into the bread. Make sure the bread is coated completely.
- Bake uncovered for at least 45 minutes until the tomato pudding is caramelized on the edges and the center is puffy. Cover if the pudding gets too dark.
Notes
Absolutely! Whatever you do, just make sure you have enough liquid and keep the ratio of the sugar to the tomato puree. I can’t find candied ginger.
That’s ok! Substitute 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon instead of ginger powder. Make ahead.If you would like to make this the day before and bake the next day, add an extra ¼ cup of boiling water to the sauce. Storage. Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat. Reheat in the microwave in 15 second increments. To reheat in the oven, sprinkle with a little water and cover with foil. Heat in a 350˚ oven until warm, about 20 minutes.
The recipe directions do not say whether or when to add the boiling water. Is that only used if you are making ahead?
Thanks, I can’t wait to try this. I grew up near Toledo and this was always on my grandmother’s Thanksgiving table!
Hi Heather! Good catch and all fixed! Add it in when you make the sauce. The extra 1/4 cup of water (so 1/2 c total) is for making the recipe ahead of time. Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!