Seriously Good Mushroom Stuffing
- PREP 20min
- COOK 1hrs
- TOTAL 1hrs 20min
This homemade mushroom stuffing is super flavorful and absolutely delicious. It is loaded with fresh mushrooms, onions, sage, and thyme. The stuffing is savory, soft in the middle, and perfectly crisp on top.
This stuffing is naturally vegan when you use vegetable broth and vegan bread. It is absolutely delicious this way, but if you prefer, you can use chicken or turkey broth as a substitute. You can also substitute butter for olive oil.
You Will Need
1 large bakery-style rustic bread loaf, like French bread or sourdough (1 pound)
6 tablespoons (90ml) olive oil
1 pound (450g) mushrooms, see tips
2 cups diced yellow onion (1 large)
1 ½ cups diced celery (3 celery ribs)
1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves)
2 tablespoons finely minced fresh sage or 2 teaspoons dried sage
1 tablespoon finely minced fresh thyme leaves or 3/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup, see tips
2 to 3 cups (470ml to 700ml) rich broth or stock, see tips
1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley or 1 ½ tablespoons dried parsley
3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more to taste
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C).
Cut the bread into 1-inch cubes, spread them out onto a large rimmed baking sheet, and bake, stirring occasionally, until the bread is dry and hard on the outside, 20 to 25 minutes.
While the bread bakes, prepare and cook the vegetables. Chop the mushrooms into very small pieces by hand or using a food processor. If using a food processor (the quickest method), place half the mushrooms in the bowl of your food processor and pulse until roughly chopped into pieces the size of rice. Transfer to a bowl, and then repeat with the remaining mushrooms.
Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or deep pot over medium heat, then add the mushrooms. Cook, stirring often, until the liquid has evaporated and they are starting to brown, 5 to 8 minutes.
Stir in the onions, celery, garlic, sage, and thyme. Cook, stirring often, until the onions have softened and smell sweet, about 5 minutes. Add the maple syrup, and season with salt and pepper (start with 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, taste, and then add from there).
Take the pot off the heat and stir in 2 cups (470ml) of the broth. Taste the mixture once more and check the seasoning. If it needs it, add a pinch of salt.
Stir in the bread cubes and half of the parsley. If the bread looks dry after being well mixed into the vegetable mixture, add 1/4 cup (60ml) more broth or more until it looks moist, but stop before there is excess liquid at the bottom of the pot.
Transfer the stuffing mixture to a lightly greased baking dish (use a deep 8×8-inch square pan, 9×13-inch dish, or similar).
Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover the stuffing and bake for another 10 minutes or until the top is golden brown and crisp.
Serve with the remaining parsley scattered on top.
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- Mushrooms: Use white button, cremini, shiitake, wild mushrooms, or a mixture.
- Broth or stock: Use homemade or store-bought veggie, chicken, or turkey broth. Here’s my favorite homemade veggie broth.
- Vegan stuffing: Use vegan-certified bread and broth. Otherwise, the recipe is vegan.
- Make ahead: Store this stuffing in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 3 days. Freeze it for up to 3 months. Thaw and reheat in the oven until it reaches 165°F (74°C).
- The nutrition facts provided below are estimates.