CLASSIC THANKSGIVING STUFFING
This classic stuffing is a crowd-pleaser. Better than any box, made easily from scratch with variations like Apple Cranberry Pecan or Bacon Parmesan. It's a frugal yet delightful way to enhance any meal.
Ingredients
- 1 16-ounce loaf bread, cut into1- inch pieces and dried
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 12 - 16 ounces sausage, bacon, or mushrooms
- 1 ½ cups onion, diced
- 1 ½ cups celery, diced
- 2 cups add-ins, optional see suggestions below
- 2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
- ¾ cup butter, divided
- 2 eggs
- 2 to 4 cups chicken or turkey broth
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F degrees.
- Butter a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Place dried bread in a large bowl.
- In a skillet over medium heat, warm olive oil. Cook selected meat, breaking into crumbles, until well browned. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to bowl with bread mixture.
- Into the same skillet, add onions, celery, and any additional aromatics. Season with salt, pepper, and poultry seasoning.
- Cook, stirring often, until onions are translucent. Add any add-ins, like apple or peppers, cooking until soft.
- Add ½ cup butter, letting it melt. This infuses the butter with all that aromatic flavor.
- Scrape aromatics and butter into the bread mixture.
- In another bowl, whisk together eggs, 2 cups broth, and add to bread mixture.
- Season with salt, pepper and toss until combined, adding more stock (if needed) ½ cup at a time to ensure bread is fully moistened.
- Transfer stuffing to prepared baking dish. Cut remaining butter into small pieces and dot the top.
- Cover with foil, bake 30 minutes, then uncover and bake until golden, 20 more minutes.
Notes
Variations:
Apple Cranberry Pecan – Use 12-ounces maple sausage, add 1 cup apple, chopped, ½ cup pecans, chopped, ½ cup dried cranberries (pictured).
Bacon Parmesan – Use 12-ounces thick cut bacon, chopped. As you mix the stuffing, add 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary.
Vegetarian or Vegan – Substitute 1-pound mushrooms, coarsely chopped, for the meat. Sauté with aromatics until they’re lovely and caramelized. To make it vegan, substitute olive or coconut oil for butter, swap vegetable broth for the chicken stock, and omit the eggs.
Nutrition
Calories: 354kcalCarbohydrates: 5gProtein: 10gFat: 34gSaturated Fat: 16gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 117mgSodium: 458mgPotassium: 273mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 722IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 37mgIron: 1mg
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