Sourdough Stuffing

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This Sourdough Stuffing is incredibly flavorful and has the perfect balance of textures. The top is crispy with a soft, tender middle without being mushy. It will be a go-to Thanksgiving recipe year after year. 

sourdough stuffing in a small bowl

This is a classic stuffing recipe made with a loaf of crusty homemade sourdough bread. This sourdough stuffing is soft, but not too soft and mushy, with a crispy top. It is full of fresh herbs, sautéed onions, and celery, enhanced by the richness of eggs and milk. Dried cranberries add a touch of sweetness, while parmesan cheese adds a rich, nutty flavor. It’s everything you love about traditional stuffing, but with a few extra flavors to take it to the next level. Trust me, as someone who grew up hating stuffing I’ve never been more obsessed with a recipe!

close up on sourdough stuffing

Sourdough Thanksgiving Recipes

Side dishes are my favorite part of Thanksgiving, and of course, I had to take all my favorite sides and put a sourdough twist on them! No holiday table is complete without classics like Sourdough Sweet Potato CasseroleSourdough Corn Casserole, or Sourdough Dinner Rolls. Or you can make Thanksgiving-inspired focaccia recipes such as Sweet Potato Sourdough FocacciaCranberry Orange Sourdough Focaccia, or Stuffing Sourdough Focaccia

Reasons you will love this recipe

  • This Sourdough Stuffing is full of herby and savory flavor that is the perfect addition to your holiday table. 
  • It’s a great use for stale, dry bread or a loaf you have in the freezer. 
  • You can prepare the stuffing ahead of time and bake the day of Thanksgiving to save time and energy in the kitchen the day of. 
  • Dried cranberries are an optional ingredient, but they add a pop of sweetness that compliments the savory flavors beautifully. 
  • If you would like to make this recipe dairy-free, you can replace the milk with more broth, swap for plant-based butter, and omit the parmesan cheese. 
sourdough stuffing in 9x13 pan

What bread should I use in stuffing?

I recommend using a white, crusty loaf of bread for stuffing. My favorite to use is a loaf of homemade sourdough bread. Both my beginner-friendly Overnight Sourdough Bread and Same Day Sourdough Bread recipes are great options. Because you are using stale bread to make the stuffing, you can make your sourdough loaf ahead of time, you will at least want day-old bread. Or if you bake same day you can toast the bread in the oven to dry it out for the recipe. You can even use sourdough bread that has been previously frozen. Or if you are in a time crunch you can buy a loaf of store-bought crusty bread.

If you are new to sourdough baking, you can take my online Sourdough Course to learn my easy, no-fuss sourdough baking method! 

close up on sourdough stuffing in 9x13

Helpful tools to make the Sourdough Stuffing recipe

9×13 baking dish – The stuffing is baked in a 9×13 size casserole dish. 

Bread knife – Using a good bread knife makes cutting the bread into cubes so much easier. This is my favorite bread knife, and I use it for all of my sourdough slicing needs! 

Kitchen scale or Measuring cups and spoons – The recipe has both grams and cups, so you can use either method for measuring your ingredients. 

overhead view of sourdough stuffing

Tips for success

  • The bread should be somewhat moist before baking but not soaking or have a lot of extra liquid in the pan.
  • This is not a mushy stuffing. It does clump somewhat but not like mushy stuffing does. If you prefer it to clump more just add more liquid.  
  • The recipe calls for fresh herbs which bring so much freshness and flavor. However, if you do not have any on hand you can substitute with dried herbs instead. 

Can this recipe be made ahead of time?

If you would like to make your homemade stuffing ahead of time to save some work in the kitchen on the day of Thanksgiving you can absolutely can! You can prep the stuffing 1-2 days ahead of time and then bake fresh on Thanksgiving. To do so, follow the instructions and prep everything until you add it to a 9×13 pan. Instead of baking, cover the prepped stuffing in a 9×13 pan and refrigerate. When you are ready to bake, pull the stuffing out of the fridge and preheat the oven. If you are using a glass pan, let the stuffing sit on the counter until it reaches room temperature and then bake. If you are using a non-glass or metal pan, you can bake directly from the fridge. 

sourdough stuffing in a small bowl next to 9x13 pan

Ingredients for Sourdough Stuffing

  • Stale sourdough bread cubes – It is important to use stale bread because it will soak up the liquids and not become soggy. If you use fresh, soft bread, the stuffing will have a really mushy texture. See the instructions below to get the perfect texture for your bread. 
  • Onion – one large onion, diced. 
  • Celery – You will need about 4 celery stalks, diced. 
  • Garlic – minced garlic 
  • Butter – Lots of butter to give the stuffing a rich, buttery flavor. 
  • Fresh herbs – the recipes called for fresh sage, rosemary, and thyme. If you do not have fresh, you can substitute with a teaspoon of dried instead. 
  • Salt & black pepper- to season
  • Dried cranberries- the cranberries are optional. However, I highly recommend! They add a lovely sweetness that compliments the herby flavors so well.
  • Chicken broth – You can replace the chicken broth with turkey, beef, bone, or vegetable broth. 
  • Whole milk – Using milk adds a beautiful richness to the dish. You can replace it with more broth for a dairy-free option if you would like. 
  • Eggs – the eggs act as a binder in the stuffing and add richness to the stuffing. 
  • Parmesan cheese – freshly shredded parmesan cheese. You can omit it if you are making this dairy-free.
close up view of sourdough stuffing with parmesan cheese melted on top

Instructions to make Sourdough Stuffing 

Prep the bread

To make stale bread, the day before you make the stuffing, chop up a loaf of sourdough bread into 1-inch cubes.  Place the bread crumbs on a large pan uncovered to dry out overnight. Alternatively, you can chop up a loaf and place it in the oven at 300F for 15-20 minutes or until dry. Let cool while prepping the stuffing mix. 

Make the stuffing

Preheat oven to 350F. 

In a large skillet, melt ¾ cup butter over medium heat. Finely chop the onion and celery and add to the butter. Cook for 5-8 minutes until softened. 

Mince garlic and fresh seasonings if you are using them and add it to the pan along with salt and pepper. Let it simmer for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. 

In a bowl mix together chicken broth, whole milk, and eggs. Remove the pan from the heat and add the liquids to the pan to incorporate. 

If the bread fits in the pan you can toss the bread and cranberries into the pan to incorporate. If not, add the bread and cranberries to an extra large bowl and pour the mixture over top, and stir until the bread is moistened. 

Spray a 9×13” pan and dump the bread mixture into the pan. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese if desired. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes covered followed by 20-25 minutes uncovered to crisp the top. Remove from the oven when the stuffing is golden brown and serve.

sourdough stuffing in a 9x13 pan

Storage for leftover stuffing

You can store leftover stuffing in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. To reheat, you can microwave or add to the oven to warm through. You can also freeze the stuffing for up to 3 months. To reheat, let the stuffing thaw in the fridge and then reheat in a 350F degree oven until warmed through.

sourdough stuffing with cranberries

Frequently Asked Questions

Air dry method

The day before you are going to make the stuffing, you can cut the sourdough bread into 1″ cubes and then spread the cubes out on a large baking pan or cookie sheet. Allow the bread to sit uncovered overnight to become stale.  

Oven method

The oven method can be done on the same day that you prepare the stuffing. Cut the bread into cubes and spread it out on a large baking pan or cookie sheet. Add the bread cubes to a 300F degree oven for 15-20 minutes or until dry. Then let it cool while you are preparing the stuffing.

This recipe clumps somewhat but is a looser stuffing to avoid a mushy stuffing. However, if you want stuffing to stick together more add a little extra broth and an extra egg.

While I have never done this you should be able to add this stuffing to your turkey. However, if you like the tops of your stuffing crispy I would bake it separately.

To stuff the turkey with stuffing you will want about 3/4 cup of stuffing for every 1lb of turkey. Be sure the temperature of the middle of the stuffing reaches at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

More Holiday Sourdough Recipes

A small bowl filled with sourdough stuffing next to a 9x13 pan.

Sourdough Stuffing

Emily Christensen
This Sourdough Stuffing is incredibly flavorful and the perfect balance of textures. The top is crispy with a soft, tender middle without being mushy. It will be a go-to Thanksgiving recipe year after year.
No ratings yet
Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 35 minutes
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 12 servings
Calories 314 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • ~860 grams stale sourdough bread (1 large loaf) 12-14 cups
  • 200 grams onion (1 large) 1 cup
  • 200 grams celery (4 large stalks) 1 cup
  • 30 grams garlic 2 Tablespoons
  • 170 grams butter ¾ cup
  • 2 grams fresh sage 1 Tablespoon (can replace with 1 teaspoon of dried)
  • 2 grams fresh rosemary 1 Tablespoon (can replace with 1 teaspoon of dried)
  • 2 grams fresh thyme 1 Tablespoon (can replace with 1 teaspoon of dried)
  • 5 grams salt 1 teaspoon
  • 1 gram pepper ½ teaspoon
  • 60 grams dried cranberries, optional ½ cup
  • 360 grams chicken broth 1 ½ cup (can replace with vegetable, bone, or beef)
  • 120 grams whole milk ½ cup (can replace with more broth for a dairy free option)
  • 2 eggs 100 grams
  • 75 grams parmesan cheese, freshly shredded ¾ cup

Instructions
 

Prep the bread

  • Make Ahead: To make stale bread, the day before you make the stuffing, chop up a loaf of sourdough bread into 1-inch cubes.  Place the bread crumbs on a large pan uncovered to dry out overnight.
  • Same Day: Alternatively, you can chop up a loaf and place it in the oven at 300℉ for 15-20 minutes or until dry. Let cool while prepping the stuffing mix. 

Make the stuffing

  • Preheat oven to 350℉. 
  • In a large skillet, melt ¾ cup butter over medium heat. Finely chop the onion and celery and add to the butter. Cook for 5-8 minutes until softened. 
    170 grams butter, 200 grams onion (1 large), 200 grams celery (4 large stalks)
  • Mince garlic and fresh seasonings, if you are using them, and add it to the pan along with salt and pepper. Let it simmer for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. 
    30 grams garlic, 2 grams fresh sage , 2 grams fresh rosemary, 2 grams fresh thyme, 5 grams salt, 1 gram pepper
  • In a bowl mix together chicken broth, whole milk, and eggs. Remove the pan from the heat and add the liquids to the pan to incorporate. 
    360 grams chicken broth , 120 grams whole milk, 2 eggs
  • If the bread fits in the pan you can toss the bread and cranberries into the pan to incorporate. If not, add the bread and cranberries to an extra large bowl and pour the mixture over top, and stir until the bread is moistened. 
    60 grams dried cranberries, optional
  • Spray a 9×13” pan and dump the bread mixture into the pan. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese if desired. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes covered followed by 20-25 minutes uncovered to crisp the top. Remove from the oven when the stuffing is golden brown and serve.
    75 grams parmesan cheese, freshly shredded

Notes

You can make this stuffing 1-2 days ahead of time by preparing it in the 9×13" pan and placing it in the fridge covered. If you use a metal pan bake directly from the fridge. If using a glass pan, let the stuffing come to room temperature for 20-30 minutes before baking.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 314kcalCarbohydrates: 35gProtein: 9gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 69mgSodium: 828mgFiber: 2gSugar: 9g
Keyword holiday recipe, sourdough bread, Thanksgiving
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