Sourdough Stuffing

5 from 6 votes

This flavorful Sourdough Bread Stuffing recipe combines the rustic charm of crusty sourdough bread with a flavorful blend of aromatic vegetables, herbs, and seasonings.

Prep Time20

Cook Time40

Course: dinner, Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 305kcal

Author: Agnieszka

Ingredients

1 loaf crusty sourdough bread 1 to 1 ½ lbs or 12 cups cubed/ torn to pieces
8 tablespoon butter divided (1 stick + 2 tablespoons)
4 celery ribs diced small
2 small yellow onions or one large, chopped small
2 ½ cups chicken broth or turkey stock, homemade or store bought
3 large eggs
⅓ cup dry white wine optional
2 tablespoon fresh parsley leaves chopped
2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper freshly milled
3 garlic cloves minced
fresh sage and thyme

Instructions

Slice the sourdough bread into thick slices and then each slice into ½ to 1-inch cubes. If you prefer a more rustic look, tear the bread into bite-sized pieces instead of cubing with a knife.
Either leave the spread out bread on a large baking tray overnight to dry out or, if you're short on time, toast in the oven preheated to 300 degrees Fahrneheit for about 30 minutes or longer, tossing and turning from time to time until the bread pieces are dried out. Cool and set aside.
Preheat (or increase temperature) the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
Melt 1 stick (8 tablespoons) butter over low-medium heat, add chopped onions and celery and sauté, stirring often until softened but not browned, about 10-12 minutes.
Add minced garlic and cook for one minute until fragrant.
If using white wine, add it now and cook to reduce, about 4 minutes. Turn the heat off.
Whisk together chicken or turkey broth and eggs until combined.
Chop up all the herbs you're using (parsley, thyme, sage).
Transfer the dried out bread pieces into a large bowl. Add sautéed onions and celery. Make sure to scrape all the bits and butter from the pan - that's where the flavor is!
Season with salt and pepper. Add chopped herbs.
Pour in ¾ of the broth-egg mixture and stir it together until the bread absorbs all the liquid. If the mixture seems not wet enough, add the remaining ¼ of the liquid. I like my stuffing crispy on the outside and custardy and fluffy inside so I use all 2 ½ cups of broth.
Grease a 9 x 13 casserole dish with butter or spray lightly with non-stick spray.
Transfer the mixture to the prepared dish and dot with 2 tablespoons butter cubed small.
Bake uncovered for 40-45 minutes until the edges are crispy and golden brown. If the top is not browned enough, increase the temperature to 410 degrees and bake or broil for a few more minutes. Watch the stuffing so it doesn't get too dark or burn.

Notes

Use homemade or high quality store bought chicken or turkey broth. The quality of broth has a huge impact on the flavor of your stuffing. My favorite chicken broth brands are Imagine and Pacific Foods.

Don't press the stuffing mixture down when you transfer it to the baking dish. Just pour it in and spread around to form one layer but keep it loose so it stays nice and fluffy when baked.

This is a basic celery stuffing recipe without any additions. If you want, you can add chopped toasted walnuts, dried cranberries, browned sausage, fresh diced apple or whatever flavorings you like in your stuffing.

Use as many or as few fresh herbs as you like. I went with fresh parsley, sage and thyme but chives, oregano and rosemary will also work. You can also swap fresh herbs for dried, although fresh taste better in stuffing.

For a more traditional Thanksgiving stuffing flavor, mix in ½ to 1 teaspoon of poultry seasoning to the mix.

If you're making sourdough stuffing ahead of time, prepare the mixture, transfer to a baking dish, cover with plastic film or tinfoil and place in the refrigerator until ready to bake. Then, take out of the fridge 1h before baking for 45 mins or place in the oven cold (without tinfoil) and increase baking time by 10-15 minutes.

Nutrition