Description
A classic, savory stuffing recipe made with crusty sourdough bread, sautéed leeks, celery, fresh herbs, and vegetable broth, baked to perfection for a moist and flavorful Thanksgiving side dish.
Ingredients
Scale
Stuffing
- 1 small loaf (1 pound) day-old crusty sourdough bread (not sandwich bread)
- ½ cup salted butter (plus 1 tablespoon melted butter for topping)
- 2 leeks (halved, thinly sliced, and rinsed well, about 2 cups)
- 4 celery stalks (diced, about 1¾ cups)
- 3 garlic cloves (chopped)
- ¾ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ cup chopped fresh sage
- Heaping ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- 1½ to 2 cups vegetable broth
- 2 large eggs (beaten)
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare dish: Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease an 8×11 or 9×13-inch baking dish to prevent sticking during baking.
- Tear bread: Tear the day-old sourdough bread into 1-inch pieces and place them in a very large bowl to prepare the base of the stuffing.
- Sauté vegetables: Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the leeks, celery, garlic, sea salt, and black pepper. Sauté for 5 minutes, turning the heat to low halfway through to soften the vegetables and develop their flavors.
- Combine ingredients: Pour the sautéed leek mixture over the bread pieces. Sprinkle with the chopped sage, parsley, rosemary, and thyme. Use your hands to toss the mixture until the bread is evenly coated with vegetables and herbs.
- Add broth and eggs: Pour 1½ cups of vegetable broth evenly over the stuffing and toss again to coat. Add the beaten eggs and toss once more. The bread should feel quite wet; if it feels dry, gradually add the remaining ½ cup of broth as needed depending on the bread’s dryness.
- Transfer and store: Transfer the stuffing mixture into the prepared baking dish. If making ahead, cover the dish tightly with foil and refrigerate until ready to bake.
- Bake covered: When ready to bake, drizzle the 1 tablespoon of melted butter on top. Cover the dish with foil and bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes.
- Crisp the top: If the stuffing is still moist after 30 minutes, remove the foil and bake uncovered for an additional 5 to 10 minutes to crisp up the top layer.
Notes
- This classic stuffing recipe is a must-have side dish for Thanksgiving, bursting with the savory flavors of leeks, celery, and fresh herbs.
- Using day-old crusty sourdough bread gives the best texture and absorption for the stuffing.
- You can make the stuffing ahead of time and refrigerate it before baking to save time on the holiday.
- Adjust the amount of vegetable broth based on the dryness of the bread to ensure a moist stuffing.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/8 of recipe
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 450mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 7g
- Cholesterol: 55mg
