Who’s getting excited for stuffing next week? Of course there’s no rule that says you can’t eat stuffing anytime during the year, but am I the only one who views this as a Thanksgiving-only dish? It’s special, and festive, and I’ve got a really nice classic version with a twist for you: Herbed Sourdough Stuffing.
Like most everybody’s, our Thanksgiving dinner is going to be smaller this year. We cancelled our annual Friendsgiving trip because 30 people from all over the country in one house is just a big COVID nope. I’m sad, and I’m really going to miss my peeps, but it’s what we’ve gotta do to keep everyone safe.
I’m still going to make a ton of food, though, because that’s what I do. And because leftovers. You can bet a big pan of this Herbed Sourdough Stuffing, with its deliciously crispy top and luscious, herby, almost pudding-like interior, will be front and center on my table.
Stuffing or Dressing?
It’s a regional thing, I think, and also depends on whether you cook it inside the bird (stuffing) or separately in a pan (dressing). My family always called it stuffing, even though we cooked it in a casserole dish, which totally defies the preceding logic. And that’s what I’m doing here (if you want to cook this stuffing inside a turkey, just make sure you are doing so safely).
This is not a reinvent-the-wheel type of stuffing recipe. I grew up on Pepperidge Farm stuffing from a box, and I loved it. I consider this a basic but grown-up version of that. It’s got traditional (extra) herbs, vegetables, homemade stock, and a delicious tangy twist from sourdough bread. Personally, I want nothing to do with sausage, mushrooms, apples, or kale in my stuffing (not on Thanksgiving, anyway). But if you have additions you’d really miss, you can easily incorporate them. It’s a highly customizable recipe.
The bread
Sourdough bread brings an unexpected tang to the dish and is the perfect complement to all the rich buttery flavors in the stuffing. I’m using my homemade sourdough because I pretty much always have a loaf or two on hand, but store-bought sourdough is just fine. Do use a crusty variety rather than a sandwich-bread-style loaf, though, to ensure lots of craggy, crispy edges on top.
It’s super important to make sure you dry the bread cubes out well. You really want them totally dry and hard, without a trace of moisture, or the bread will be at risk of disintegrating during cooking. The fresher your bread, the more you’ll have to dry it out, so this is a perfect use for that three-day old loaf languishing in your pantry. Stale bread is easier to slice, too!
Vegetables and herbs
A simple blend of onions, celery, and garlic – cooked in butter, of course – set the stage for the classic savory flavor we associate with stuffing. Splashing in a little white wine enhances sourdough’s tang and adds a slightly sophisticated nuance (plus, you can sip a little while you cook, which is pretty much always welcome during a cooking marathon, right?). As always, use a wine of a quality you’d actually drink (this is not the place for “cooking wine”).
Because this is such an herb-forward dish, we use loooootttts of herbs. I’ve found that the combination of fresh and dried herbs results in the best, most intense flavor, but if fresh are hard to find or you just want to use what you’ve got, you can double the listed amounts of dried rosemary, thyme, and/or sage. And please make sure they haven’t been in your pantry for more than six months – dried herbs lose their pungency and begin to taste dusty after a while.
For the record, I don’t recommend using dried parsley, which has a dull flavor and color.
Stock matters!
Because it’s so central to the flavor of the dish, the broth you choose is really important here. Chicken (my choice) or turkey stock will both work beautifully. Or you can use vegetable stock if you’re making this a vegetarian dish. If you’ve got time to make your own, or if like me you keep several quarts of homemade stock in the freezer at all times, you’re golden. If homemade isn’t an option, purchase a high-quality, low-sodium commercial brand (I like Kitchen Basics and Kettle & Fire). Some stores even sell fresh quarts of stock in their prepared food departments.
Baking
One of the things I love most about stuffing is the contrast between the crispy top and soft interior. To ensure your stuffing doesn’t dry out, bake it covered for a the majority of the time, and then let it crisp a bit at the end. Perfection.
That’s it! Easy, right?
I’ll leave you with a confession: although I love stuffing as a component of my Thanksgiving Day plate, there are so many sides competing for attention that I don’t feel it gets its full due on the big day. My favorite favorite way to eat stuffing is the next day, on a Thanksgiving Leftover Sandwich (so iconic, it deserves capitalization). It’s a precise composition of white bread, a generous smear of mayonnaise, a slab of cranberry jelly (from the can, Team Canned Cranberry all the way), a couple thin slices of turkey, and a BIG dollop of stuffing.
I look forward to this sandwich all year, possibly even more than Thanksgiving dinner, and this Herbed Sourdough Stuffing is going to take it Over. The. Top. Judge me if you will, but try it yourself first.
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Herbed Sourdough Stuffing
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 45 mins
- Total Time: 1 hr 25 mins
- Yield: 12 side servings 1x
Description
A classic stuffing recipe featuring lots of aromatic fresh herbs and tangy, buttery sourdough bread.
Ingredients
- 18-oz loaf sourdough bread, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (10–12 cups of cubes)
- 1/4 cup (4 TB, 1/2 stick) unsalted butter, plus 2 TB more for dotting on top
- 1 large onion, diced (about 2 cups)
- 4 medium celery stalks, diced (about 1 cup)
- 2 medium garlic cloves, finely minced (about 2 tsp)
- 2 tsp dried sage
- 1 tsp dried rosemary
- 2 tsp dried thyme
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1/3 cup dry white wine (optional)
- 1/4 cup fresh sage leaves, finely chopped
- 2 TB fresh thyme leaves, finely chopped
- 1 TB fresh rosemary leaves, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 2–4 cups flavorful vegetable, chicken, or turkey stock, preferably homemade
Instructions
- Dry your bread cubes. This can be done simply by leaving them out in the open overnight, or by toasting in the oven. If using the oven method, preheat oven to 250 degrees F. Place bread cubes on two rimmed baking sheets and toast for 35-45 minutes, until bread is completely dry and crisp. Remove from oven and set aside.
- In a medium saute pan, melt 4 TB unsalted butter over medium heat. Add the onions, celery, dried herbs (not the fresh ones just yet), salt, and pepper and sauté, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are tender (but not browned), about 7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds more. If you’re using the white wine, add it now and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid has mostly evaporated. Stir in the fresh sage, thyme, and rosemary and cook another 30 seconds to 1 minute, until the herbs are fragrant. Remove mixture from heat and allow to cool slightly.
- Transfer the vegetable/herb mixture to a very large bowl, and mix in the bread until everything is uniformly combined. Drizzle two cups of stock over the bread, stirring as you go and adding additional liquid until the bread is evenly saturated. If you prefer a moister stuffing, use more stock; if you like a more crumbly texture, use less (I use a total of about three cups). Once the bread is thoroughly moistened, stir in the fresh parsley. Taste and adjust salt and pepper if needed.
- Butter a 9×13″ casserole dish or baking pan. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Transfer the stuffing to the prepared dish and dot with the remaining 2 TB of butter. Cover the dish with foil coated in a little oil or butter to prevent sticking. Bake for 20 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes, until the top is crispy and the stuffing is hot. Sprinkle with additional fresh parsley before serving.
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container.
Notes
… this is an excellent use for day-old or even completely stale leftover bread, as you want the bread as dry as possible.
… save time by chopping your fresh herbs in a food processor or giving them a whirl in a spice grinder
… if you use store-bought stock, be sure to use a low-sodium variety to avoid overly-salty stuffing.
… the stuffing can be assembled up to a day in advance and baked just before your meal.
This stuffing sounds absolutely superb!
I’m so sorry you’re not able to do your traditional trip!
You’ll make it nice… you always do!
Thanks, P. Wish you were gonna be at my table. XO