Sourdough stuffing is pretty much my favorite dish in the Thanksgiving spread. Turkey and potatoes are great don’t get me wrong, but every year the stuffing steals the show for me. My cooking has evolved over the years, but I used to make the stove-top boxed stuffing, all throughout the year. I used to love that stuff…until I created this sourdough stuffing recipe. If you know me you know I love sourdough bread, it just makes everything better. How could you not love it?
Why sourdough bread?
If you know me, you know that I love sourdough bread. I not only love it, but I believe in it. Sourdough is made with fermented flour, which makes it easier to digest. I try to use sourdough in recipes whenever I can. Maintaining a sourdough starter is worth the effort, it makes everything better – I promise. I love to make sourdough English muffins, waffles, and pumpkin sourdough discard pancakes.
Ingredients you need for sourdough stuffing
- 1 loaf of sourdough bread
- 1 cup celery
- 1 medium white onion
- 2 1/2 – 3 cups chicken bone broth
- 1 stick or 8 tbsp melted grass-fed butter
- 2 eggs
- Ground sage
- Thyme
- Rosemary
- Salt & Pepper
Supplies you may need
- Large cast-iron skillet or casserole glass baking dish
- Knife
- Cutting board
- Bowl
How to make sourdough stuffing
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Cube the bread into 1-inch cubes.
- Transfer cubed bread to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Pour half of the butter over the bread, stir until evenly coated.
- Bake for 30-40 minutes stirring halfway through, or until the bread is crispy and lightly browned.
- While the bread is getting toasty, prep your vegetables.
- Slice onions and celery.
- Heat the other half of the butter in a cast-iron skillet, sautee onions and celery for about 5 minutes or until onions are translucent. You don’t want to brown them.
- Next, add the bread to the skillet and gently combine.
- Whisk the eggs and chicken broth together.
- Add seasoning and chicken broth/egg mixture, gently stir to combine.
- Bake covered for 25 minutes, then remove the cover and bake for additional 10-15 minutes.
- Once it comes out of the oven, I like to mix it up again and let it sit covered for an additional 10 minutes for the best results.
Tips for making the best sourdough stuffing
- Dry your bread out in the oven the day before if you remember, the drier the bread the better the texture.
- You don’t want the bread to be soggy, just moist. If you feel like you need more broth, add more 1/4 cup at a time.
- Stale bread works great in this recipe if you have a loaf that you need to use up.
- Use the most flavorful best-tasting stock or broth, you will get most of the flavor from it.
- If you’re using salted broth, take that into account when seasoning with salt. You can always add more, but you can’t really fix it if it’s too salty.
- Use good quality butter, and don’t skimp out on it. Also, don’t substitute it with oil – you need the butter.
- If you have picky kids, slice the onions and celery very fine and it’s less likely they’ll notice it’s there.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this a day ahead?
Yes you can. If you make it a day ahead, only add about one cup of liquid without the eggs. Do not bake and put it into the refrigerator. When you are ready to bake it the day of, take it out of the fridge, mix the remaining broth with the eggs and give it a good toss to evenly coat the bread. Then, bake it per the instructions above.
Can I use fresh herbs?
Absolutely, fresh herbs would be great in this sourdough stuffing. I did not use fresh herbs because for my family it is more economical to use dried herbs since I already have them on hand. Unless I have another recipe to use the fresh herbs in, I don’t really bother.
What if I don’t have a cast-iron skillet?
You can bake it in a glass baking dish instead. I like using the cast-iron skillet because it means fewer dishes. I highly recommend getting a cast iron skillet though if you don’t have one, they are pretty economical albeit heavy.
Do I have to use eggs?
If you have an egg allergy or simply don’t have any on hand, you can omit the eggs. Just know that the stuffing won’t hold together as well. The egg acts as a binder so it really gives it that perfect texture I love in a good stuffing. Nonetheless, it will still be great, I have made it without eggs and it turned out fine.
Do I have to bake the bread first?
Yes, it’s really recommended to bake the bread first. You want to dry it out pretty well because it will keep the end result from getting soggy. It’s even better to bake the bread the day before if you remember to do it, the drier the better.
What if I don’t have sourdough bread?
You could use a good quality white bread if you don’t have sourdough bread. I wouldn’t recommend whole wheat or rye bread.