Description
Rustic Herb Stuffing is a flavorful and savory side dish featuring toasted French bread cubes mixed with a medley of fresh herbs, sautéed shallots, celery, and green onions, combined with eggs and chicken broth, then baked to golden perfection with Parmesan cheese for a comforting holiday classic.
Ingredients
Scale
Bread
- 1 loaf country-style French bread with crust, cut into 1-inch cubes (roughly 8 cups)
Vegetable Mixture
- 10 tablespoons butter
- 2 shallots, finely sliced
- 2 stalks celery, finely chopped
- 2 bunches green onions, thinly sliced
- 3/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
- 3 large garlic cloves, minced
- 2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Binding and Flavor
- 3 large eggs
- 2 cups chicken broth (plus additional 1/2 to 3/4 cup if needed)
- 4 ounces coarsely grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Toast the Bread: Preheat the oven to 375°F. Spread the cubed French bread evenly on a large rimmed baking sheet. Bake the bread cubes until they are dry and lightly toasted, about 15 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.
- Prepare the Vegetable Herb Mixture: Melt 10 tablespoons of butter in a heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add the finely sliced shallots and chopped celery, sautéing for 5-6 minutes until they begin to soften. Add the sliced green onions, chopped Italian parsley, oregano, sage, thyme, minced garlic, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Continue to sauté the mixture until the celery is tender and the herbs are fragrant, approximately 6 to 8 minutes more.
- Combine Bread and Vegetable Mixture: Generously grease a large skillet or baking dish. Place the cooled toasted bread cubes into a very large bowl. Add the warm sautéed vegetable and herb mixture to the bread cubes and toss thoroughly to combine all ingredients evenly.
- Add Eggs and Broth: In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs and 3/4 cup of chicken broth until fully blended. Pour the egg mixture over the bread and vegetable mixture, tossing well to coat all the bread cubes. Next, mix in the coarsely grated Parmesan cheese. If the stuffing appears dry, add an additional 1/2 to 3/4 cup of chicken broth to achieve a moist consistency suitable for baking.
- Bake the Stuffing: Transfer the stuffing mixture into the prepared baking dish. Cover the dish with buttered aluminum foil to keep moisture in. Bake in the preheated 375°F oven for 30 minutes covered. After 30 minutes, remove the foil and continue baking until the stuffing is golden brown on top, about 30 minutes more. Remove from oven and serve warm.
Notes
- If you’re looking for the best stuffing ever (no nuts, no sausage, no mushrooms), this is it!
- Adjust the amount of chicken broth depending on your preferred stuffing moisture level.
- Fresh herbs are key to the vibrant flavor, use fresh rather than dried for best results.
- This dish pairs wonderfully with roast poultry or as part of a holiday feast.
- For a vegetarian version, substitute vegetable broth for chicken broth and omit Parmesan cheese or replace with a plant-based alternative.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 368 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 1498 mg
- Fat: 21 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 32 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 13 g
- Cholesterol: 113 mg
