This was originally posted on November 19, 2012 on Cooking for Seven. Stuffing is one of my favorite Thanksgiving dishes, so I'm re-posting it here!
I’ve always wanted to try making stuffing from scratch. Though tasty, boxed dressings are often loaded with unnatural ingredients. But making it myself always seemed a bit daunting. How are you supposed to find a recipe with just the right amount of spices so it’s tasty and liquid so it isn’t soggy?
Then I decided to jump right in and give a recipe a try. To my surprise, it was uber easy and no-fuss.
Will it replace your beloved Stove Top? No. But what could without using high fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated oils and MSG? Is it a good natural, healthy alternate? Definitely yes!
The beauty of this recipe is that it’s a great canvas for your culinary creativity. You could so easily add your favorite ingredients: cranberries, wild rice, turkey, nuts, whatever you please!
Recipe Notes:
If you’re using homemade or low-sodium chicken broth, you’ll probably want to add a little extra salt to the stuffing mixture.
Simple Sage Stuffing from Scratch | adapted from Martha Stewart | Printable Page | makes 4-6 servings
Ingredients:
- 1 loaf bread (whole wheat, white, or whatever you please) torn into bite-sized pieces to make about 8 cups
- 2 tablespoons butter, plus more for baking dish and foil
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 1/2 large onion, diced
- Coarse salt and ground pepper
- 1-2 teaspoons dried rubbed sage (depending on how “sagey” you like your dressing)
- 1/2 teaspoon celery seed
- 1 eggs
- 1 3/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
Directions:
1) Preheat your oven to 350° F (175° C). Place the bread crumbs on two rimmed baking sheets and bake in preheated oven until nice and dry, about 14 minutes, stirring & rotating the pans halfway through baking. Set aside to cool (these can be made ahead of time and stored in an air-tight container for up to 1 week).
2) In a medium skillet set over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onion and celery, season with salt + pepper to taste, and cook until nice and tender, about 8 minutes. Add the sage and celery seeds and cook for an additional 3 minutes.
3) Place the bread crumbs in a bowl and add the sauted vegetables. In a separate bowl, mix together the chicken broth and egg. Add to the bread crumbs and toss together until evenly moistened. If you’re using homemade or low-sodium chicken broth, you may want to add a bit more salt at this point.
4) Place the stuffing in a buttered 13×9-inch pan or a 10-inch cast iron skillet and bake at 350 until warmed and the bread has soaked up the broth, about 25-35 minutes. You can also store the un-baked dressing in the refrigerator until ready to heat.
