Best Stuffing Recipe
User Reviews
5
Best Stuffing Recipe
Description
The recipe begins by tearing day-old sourdough bread into chunks and optionally drying it further in the oven to ensure it absorbs moisture properly. A sauté of leeks, celery, and garlic with salt and pepper is combined with fresh herbs including sage, parsley, rosemary, and thyme, then mixed into the bread pieces. Vegetable broth is gradually added to reach a wetter consistency that moistens the bread without becoming soupy.
Beaten eggs are incorporated as a binder to hold the stuffing together. The mixture is transferred to a greased baking dish, topped with melted butter, and baked covered. This produces a stuffing with a soft interior and pleasant herb and vegetable flavor throughout. The recipe supports making ahead with refrigeration prior to baking.
This stuffing complements main dishes by adding savory and herbaceous elements. The use of fresh herbs and a mix of vegetables deepens the flavor profile. Proper drying of the bread and moisture balance in the mixture are keys to texture. The butter topping promotes a richer surface and overall richness.
Ingredients
- 1 small loaf (1 pound) sourdough bread not sandwich bread, day-old, crusty
- ½ cup butter plus 1 tablespoon melted butter for topping, salted
- 2 leek halved, thinly sliced, and rinsed well (2 cups
- 4 celery diced (1¾ cups, stalks
- 3 garlic chopped, cloves
- ¾ teaspoon salt sea salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
- ¼ cup sage chopped, fresh
- Heaping ¼ cup parsley chopped, fresh
- 1 teaspoon rosemary chopped, fresh
- 1 teaspoon thyme fresh leaves
- 1½ to 2 cups vegetable broth
- 2 egg beaten, large
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease an 8x11 or 9x13-inch baking dish.
- Tear the bread into 1-inch pieces* and place in a very large bowl.
- Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the leeks, celery, garlic, salt, and pepper, and sauté for 5 minutes, turning the heat to low halfway through. Pour the leek mixture over the bread and sprinkle with the sage, parsley, rosemary, and thyme. Use your hands to toss until coated. Pour 1½ cups of the broth evenly over the stuffing and toss to coat. Add the eggs and toss again. The bread should feel pretty wet. If it’s still a bit dry, mix in the remaining ½ cup of broth. The amount you use will depend on how dense and dry your bread was.
- Transfer the mixture to the baking dish. If making ahead, stop here, cover the dish with foil, and store in the refrigerator until ready to bake.
- When ready to bake, drizzle the 1 tablespoon melted butter on top and bake, covered, for 30 minutes. If the stuffing is still pretty wet, uncover the dish and bake for 5 to 10 more minutes to crisp the top a bit.
Notes
- If your bread is not sufficiently stale, dry the torn bread pieces in a 350°F oven for 10 to 15 minutes before mixing to improve moisture absorption.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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