Stuffing From Scratch
There are a lot of holiday sides that I love, but one that is so quintessentially Thanksgiving is stuffing. I’ve always been huge fan- I remember in college I used to head to the grocery store after Thanksgiving was over while those ‘stuffing in a box’ mixes were super on sale to buy a bunch of them. I would make them in the dorm kitchen as comfort meals throughout the cold winter months. And while I do still love a box of stuffing on occasion, my favorite kind of stuffing now is stuffing from scratch!
Jump to Recipe
I know stuffing from scratch can seem rather time intensive, which is not something you want when you’re making dozens of dishes at a time during big family meals, but it really isn’t if you prep ahead! The actual prep time (aside from baking bread) is *maybe* 20 minutes, less if you’re quick with a knife!
Sourcing Bread
Now, speaking of bread, what kind of bread goes best in stuffing? The great thing about this is the answer is: pretty much anything. My personal favorite is a simple, Dutch oven bread. This can be plain, garlic, or even herb-infused! But most other savory breads work well- sourdough, whole grain, or even cornbread work! But the most important part of making sure the bread works is that it needs to be STALE! In order to get a great texture you want to make sure that you can add moisture without it becoming a sopping mess.
I know not everyone has stale bread just sitting around, so during this holiday season I make two loaves of my Dutch oven bread instead of one! One I use for sandwiches and the other turns into stuffing, breadcrumbs, or even croutons!
Here’s a quick hack if you happen to have fresh bread: in order to remove some of the moisture when you’re tearing the bread into pieces for the stuffing pop it on an unlined baking tray and bake until hard to the touch in the oven as it is preheating. ‘Stale’ bread without the wait!
Stuffing From Scratch Ingredients
One Loaf (about 12 cups) Bread
3-4 Cups Chicken or Vegetable Stock
1 Cup Diced Carrots (2-3 Carrots)
1 Cup Diced Celery (3-4 Celery Stalks)
1 Cup Diced Yellow Onion (1 Medium Onion)
½ Cup Butter (1 Stick)
2 Tbs Fresh Rosemary, Minced*
1 Tbs Fresh Thyme, Minced*
1 Tbs Fresh Sage, Minced*
1 Tsp Garlic Powder
1 Tsp Salt**
½ Tsp Pepper
*Personal preference, but I like leaving some larger chunks of herbs in the stuffing. However, I know many people do not like a full herb leaf in a bite, so you can choose which you prefer!
**If you are using salted butter or stock with salt already added, you can reduce this amount.
Stuffing From Scratch Method
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Prep your stale bread by tearing it into pieces about an inch long. I prefer the texture this way because you can get crust and soft bread in most pieces! However, if your bread is super stale and you need a knife to cut it, chop it into cubes.
In a large saucepan over medium heat (I’m using the same Dutch oven I used to bake the bread), combine the carrots, celery, onion, and butter. Stir occasionally until vegetables are soft, about ten minutes.
Remove pan from heat and add the bread chunks, herbs, and spices. Stir to combine.
Because every loaf of stale bread is different, we need to pay close attention to the texture of the bread as we start to add in the stock. Start by adding 2.5 cups and stir. Then slowly add in the remaining stock (up to four cups, more likely closer to three) until the bread looks moist but not completely saturated.
Transfer the bread mixture to a baking dish, use a spatula to smooth out the top, and then place in the oven to bake for 45-50 minutes. The top should turn beautifully golden brown and have some extra crunchy pieces!
Top with extra herbs if desired and serve warm!
Stuffing From Scratch
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Prep your stale bread by tearing it into pieces about an inch long. However, if your bread is super stale and you need a knife to cut it, chop it into cubes.
- In a large saucepan over medium heat combine the carrots, celery, onion, and butter. Stir occasionally until vegetables are soft, about ten minutes.
- Remove pan from heat and add the bread chunks, herbs, and spices. Stir to combine.
- Because every loaf of stale bread is different, we need to pay close attention to the texture of the bread as we start to add in the stock. Start by adding 2.5 cups and stir. Then slowly add in the remaining stock (up to four cups, more likely closer to three) until the bread looks moist but not completely saturated.
- Transfer the bread mixture to a baking dish, use a spatula to smooth out the top, and then place in the oven to bake for 45-50 minutes.
Some links are affiliate links. All opinions are my own. Photos by Becky Duffyhill
