Elisabeth Prueitt considers her savory bread pudding a mix-and-match affair. One day the staple of San Francisco’s Tartine Bakery may come studded with Swiss chard, smoked ham and Gruyère. Another, it may be mushrooms, radicchio and cheddar instead.

But though the flavors may change, Prueitt—who recently updated her first cookbook to “Tartine: A Classic Revisited”—nonetheless follows a template to produce a tender, custardy dish that falls somewhere between a bread pudding and a proper holiday dressing.

Her method is simple. White bread is cut and toasted, then layered with savory ingredients—often some combination of cooked vegetables—then soaked with a blend of cream, milk and eggs. The result is almost impossible to mess up—and has infinite variations.

At Milk Street, we loved Prueitt’s simple, adaptable formula. We also saw an opportunity to dial back the richness. We reduced the dairy and added chicken broth, which kept the flavors lighter, while also adding savory richness. Try our variations using mushrooms, Gruyère and tarragon or kale and pepper Jack cheese.