Challah is a bread that’s steeped in tradition, holding a symbolic place at Jewish Sabbath meals and in the Rosh Hashanah spread.
But beyond its ritual significance, challah has a certain universal appeal, with a fluffy texture and eggy richness that can be exquisite even in decidedly non-kosher dishes. It’s ideal for sweets like french toast and bread pudding, and can also add an extra layer of decadence to savory sandwiches and bready casseroles.
You could easily keep a loaf of challah your drawer and find ways to eat it with every meal (and dessert, too). So ditch the squishy supermarket slices and make challah your soft-as-a-pillow bread of choice with one of these nine recipes.
Making any of the following recipes assumes you have a loaf to start off with. Just in case you don’t have one handy, our challah recipe will set you on the right track. Get our Challah recipe.
2. Challah French Toast with Strawberries
Gently crisped and caramelized on the outside, soft and tender on the inside, French toast is simply better with a bread like challah. Pair it up with some fruit, which will help perk up all of that eggy flavor. Get our Challah French Toast with Strawberries recipe.
3. Roasted Peach and Dulce de Leche Bread Pudding
If you’ve got a loaf that’s starting to turn stale, turn it into bread pudding, Only an armful of cream, eggs, and butter could hide those rough edges and turn them into something that’s incredibly luxurious and dreamy. Get our Roasted Peach and Dulce de Leche Bread Pudding recipe.
4. Egg in a Hole
While you could use almost any bread to make toads in the hole, eggs in a basket, or whatever you like to call a hollowed out slice, challah is especially suited for the task because of its eggy-bread-on-egg action. Get the Egg in a Hole recipe.
5. Challah Breakfast Casserole
Challah could be your best friend when looking to feed brunch to a crowd. Just let it soak overnight with some sweet Italian sausage, onions or shallots, and cheese, then pop it in the oven the next morning for a stove-less recipe that makes more than enough to go around. Get the Challah Breakfast Casserole recipe.
6. Mushroom and Gruyere Bread Pudding
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Challah’s richness can also help you add a bit of decadence to an otherwise simple meal. The meaty mushrooms and melty cheese here certainly don’t hurt. This savory bread pudding can serve as a side dish or be the star with a simple salad to prop it up. Get the Mushroom and Gruyere Bread Pudding recipe.
7. Summer Berry Pudding
Treat challah like a sponge and you’ll be vastly rewarded. It’s a pro at soaking up sweet fruit juices, like in this cheerful berry-laden summer pudding—which is way easier than it looks, and even better since it’s a totally no-bake dessert. Get our Summer Berry Pudding recipe.
8. Buffalo Chicken Grilled Cheese
The hint of sweetness in challah makes it perfect for experimenting with salty-sweet combos. A classic grilled cheese tastes brand new on this bread, but you can take it over the top with the addition of spicy fried chicken, blue cheese sauce, and smoked gouda. Oh, yeah. Get our Buffalo Chicken Grilled Cheese recipe.
9. Nutella-Stuffed French Toast
One more word for French toast. You can make any recipe for it with challah, but this stuffed version crosses the line into dessert territory…especially if you serve it with a scoop of ice cream. Even unadorned, this marriage of molten chocolate and crisp, fluffy bread is just about the most lavish thing that could happen between two slices. Get our Nutella Stuffed French Toast recipe.