What We Call Stuffing: Challah, Mushroom, and Celery
The recipe said to leave the challah cubes out overnight (or even two!) We didn't have that kind of time, so we dried the cubes (but did not toast them) in a 350 degree oven. It took about...
An excellent way to use up all of those ends of butter in the fridge.
Be sure to season and taste the mixture before you bake it.
Amanda uses a spoon, Merrill her hands. Typical.
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Author Notes: Our holiday entertaining guest list includes a number of vegetarians. I make every effort to have many Thanksgiving standards in a vegetarian form. In this case, I use homemade challah, cut it into cubes, and then let the bread cubes sit out on the counter for a couple of days to get a little stale. I also use only mushroom stems in this stuffing, just as a matter of economy. The caps are sauteed in butter and dusted with cayenne, then set aside for mushroom gravy, another vegetarian option. - MrsWheelbarrow
Food52 Review: No one would ever guess that this is a vegetarian stuffing, and why should it matter? It's rich yet light and teeming with fresh herbs -- a wonderful dish for everyone. Most memorable of all is its texture -- the challah soaks up the vegetable broth and melted butter and then puffs up in the oven, creating a stuffing with a thick, crisp top and fluffy, almost pudding-like interior. We baked it in a large cast-iron skillet because we didn't have right casserole dish. The stuffing didn't suffer a bit -- in fact, it looked like something out of Little House on the Prairie. - A&M - A&M
Serves 12
- 1 large loaf of challah or brioche
- 2 cups celery, diced
- 2 cups onion, diced
- 2 cups cremini mushroom, diced
- 8-10 sprigs thyme, chopped
- 3 sprigs rosemary, chopped
- 1/4 cup chopped flat leaf parsley
- 3 cups vegetable stock, preferably homemade
- 3 ounces butter
- 4 ounces melted butter
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
- Cut the challah into 1" cubes. Leave the cubes out on a parchment lined sheet pan on the counter to get stale, at least overnight, and preferably 2 days.
- Melt 3 oz. of butter in a large heavy saute pan. Saute the onions until wilted, add the herbs, celery and mushrooms and cook until just slightly cooked through.
- In a large bowl, combine bread cubes, vegetables, melted butter and vegetable stock, and salt and pepper. Test for seasoning and adjust.
- Press stuffing into a large buttered baking dish. Cover with buttered parchment, and then foil. At this point, the stuffing can be held for several hours, but should be at room temperature before baking.
- Bake at 350 for 45-55 minutes, the last 10-15 minutes without the foil and parchment, to crisp the surface.
- Your Best Thanksgiving Stuffing Contest Finalist!
- This recipe was entered in the contest for Your Best Vegetarian Holiday Side
Tags: can be made ahead, comfort food, family, hearty, Holidays, stir fry, Vegetarian
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5 months ago Lorey21
I made this stuffing for our family Christmas dinner. I subbed portabella for the cremini mushrooms, but otherwise followed the recipe. It surpassed my expectations & was by far the best stuffing I've ever made.
Thank-you MrsWheelbarrow !
5 months ago MrsWheelbarrow
Cathy is a trusted source on Pickling/Preserving.
Thank you, Lorey21. I'm so glad you made and enjoyed the stuffing. We love it, too, and I'll admit to making small batches throughout the year. Happy New Year!
6 months ago JadeTree
Thanksgiving success! This was tender, herbaceous and crisp on top. Yum. Did make some changes. To my surprise, our matriarch does not like mushrooms (?!) so omitted those and added toasted pecans (Southerners, here) and sautéed pears (about five smallish Boscs). It was delicious and very gracious about changes, as you say! Now, I do think I will make it with the mushrooms another day to give it more heft. The pears were meting and sweet and I recommend them, but I have to say that I want to make this completely savory next time, just because. Thank you!
6 months ago MrsWheelbarrow
Cathy is a trusted source on Pickling/Preserving.
I'm thrilled you liked the stuffing, and think the pear/pecan additions sound delicious!
6 months ago sega10028
Hi -- I made this this weekend but it didn't puff up at all. I used brioche instead of challah (read online that they're similar), and dried the cubes for 4 days beforehand. I used about a loaf and a half (the loaves looked just like the braided challah loaves in the US). Used 3 cups of broth as directed, but when I added it, the bread became quite mushy. Any guess as to why it didn't puff? I'm wondering if I had too high a liquid-bread ratio. Besides that, the flavor was perfect. Just trying to figure out how to adjust it for the next time :)
6 months ago MrsWheelbarrow
Cathy is a trusted source on Pickling/Preserving.
My guess is the brioche was not as large as a challah, so the ratio was off. You may need one and a half brioche? Or less broth?
6 months ago Tara Offenberger
Do you think adding some TART apples would be a nice touch?
6 months ago MrsWheelbarrow
Cathy is a trusted source on Pickling/Preserving.
Hi Tara, I am not a fan of apples and mushrooms together, so I might do one or the other. But that's just me! This is a great stuffing that takes to adding, subtracting and multiplying ingredients.
6 months ago ChocolateDiva
If you wanted to make ahead perhaps after the 45-55 minutes you could take it out of the oven and finish the final 10-15, which of course would be longer from the frig, the next day. What do you think??
6 months ago MrsWheelbarrow
Cathy is a trusted source on Pickling/Preserving.
Worth a try! It's a very forgiving stuffing. I chop the veg the day ahead and find that putting it together is very quick, so I've never bothered making it the day before
over 1 year ago Kathy Cooks
This was by far the best stuffing I've ever had and the easiest to cook! Thank you so much for sharing this...I will always be eternally grateful!
over 1 year ago MrsWheelbarrow
Cathy is a trusted source on Pickling/Preserving.
So glad! Happy holidays!
over 1 year ago ATG117
Stuffing was phenomenal, even a few days later. I could not make it home for Thanksgiving, but I sent my mom this recipe when she told me she was looking for one. Finally tasted the leftovers she sent me over the weekend. A definite keeper.
over 1 year ago jonahgail
BEST STUFFING EVER !!!! This will now be the go-to stuffing for Thanksgiving ! Noone even complained that I didn't stuff the turkey, since this stuffing was so moist ! Thanks !
over 1 year ago danasaur
Hi!
Just wondering about how much bread you use. I bought two smaller challah loaves from trader joes, a pound each. Do you think one is enough or should I use both?
over 1 year ago MrsWheelbarrow
Cathy is a trusted source on Pickling/Preserving.
I'd start with one loaf and be prepared to add about half of the other loaf if it doesn't fill up your pan!
over 1 year ago ACK Kitchen
Can I prepare this today; fridge it, then bake it up tomorrow pre-turkey?
over 1 year ago MrsWheelbarrow
Cathy is a trusted source on Pickling/Preserving.
I usually saute the vegetables the day before and then assemble the stuffing right before baking. However, that's not to say your method won't work. I am a creature of habit!
over 2 years ago Midge
Once again, this stuffing was by far the best thing on our Thanksgiving table. Thanks so much MrsW.
over 2 years ago lastnightsdinner
This is the best stuffing we've ever made. Seriously, Cathy, wow. I used Farmstead's bacon challah bread and subbed leeks for the onion, plus I added some chopped celery leaves and savory to the herb mixture since I had them around. The texture was incredible, and the flavor was out of this world. Mike is already begging me to make it again. Thanks for inspiring our new go-to version!
over 2 years ago Viviane
Well, I did it in the cast iron skillet after all w/o sausage and it was dynamite. Thank you so much for your help. I finally have a studding recipe that I and guests love so now I can stop looking.
over 2 years ago TakeThymeToCook
Favorite new recipe. Had to work with potato bread because of limited groceries in store where I live but worked great! Was a little worried when it came out looking pretty wet still, but the butter re-formed and it was a big hit at thanksgiving potluck. Also great leftovers in an omelet. Two thumbs up :)
over 2 years ago sticksnscones
Your stuffing was the favorite at our Thanksgiving table. Instead of mushrooms I added sauteed leeks, apples and chestnuts....delish. Baking in a cast-iron skillet gave it the crunchy crust it deserved. It will be put in the "favorite" file for stuffing! Thanks for such a great recipe.
over 2 years ago MrsWheelbarrow
Cathy is a trusted source on Pickling/Preserving.
Really glad you liked it. I agree, since A&M made this in a skillet last year, I've done the same. Crispy!
over 2 years ago TheWimpyVegetarian
Everyone really loved your stuffing today, especially the kids! I added an apple and dried apricots in place of the mushrooms as a couple people weren't mushroom lovers. Wonderful recipe, Cathy!
over 2 years ago MrsWheelbarrow
Cathy is a trusted source on Pickling/Preserving.
Really glad you liked it, Suzanne. Happy T'giving to you and yours.
over 2 years ago SugarDumplin'
Made it today...loved it... Thank You!!!
over 2 years ago MrsWheelbarrow
Cathy is a trusted source on Pickling/Preserving.
I'm so glad you enjoyed it. Happy Thanksgiving!
over 2 years ago cara
Some of my thyme sprigs are 7 + inches and some are only 2 inches--what are we talking here as far as the amount that should og into this dish? Any help would be appreciated as I don't want anyone to od on thyme at the table!
over 2 years ago MrsWheelbarrow
Cathy is a trusted source on Pickling/Preserving.
I would guesstimate a healthy tablespoon - maybe a little more.
over 2 years ago Viviane
OK I am making it on the grill in the cast iron skillet, but I also am going to make some in the slow cooker. If I add turkey sausage can I use turkey or chicken broth instead of vegetable broth.
over 2 years ago MrsWheelbarrow
Cathy is a trusted source on Pickling/Preserving.
When my mother made this stuffing, she used sausage and turkey broth! I adjusted the recipe to suit my mostly vegetarian husband.
over 2 years ago Viviane
Why do you think so? Is it the challah bread ? I have seen quite a number of stuffing recipes that indicate a slow cooker can be used and reviews have been stellar!
over 2 years ago MrsWheelbarrow
Cathy is a trusted source on Pickling/Preserving.
I love the crusty outsides - maybe the slow cooker would do it? Give it a try and let me know, please. I would love more oven space.