Learn to make Sourdough Stuffing this holiday season with thyme, sage, fennel, kale, and onion; a hearty, aromatic side dish packed with rustic flavors. This bread dressing is prepped and ready for the oven in just 15 minutes!
OK, I know. I shouldn't call it stuffing if it isn't stuffed in the bird.
Whether you call it stuffing or dressing, this sourdough dressing has the perfect combination of tastes and textures to make you say "wow!", a classic recipe.
I highly recommend making your own stuffing, because the flavor is so much better than anything at the store. One of the very best Thanksgiving side dishes!
I've also perfected a Traditional Bread Stuffing that you can enjoy. If you want something different for your Thanksgiving table, why not a Southern Broccoli Cheese Rice Casserole?
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Making sourdough bread stuffing from scratch means you get all of the amazing fresh herb flavors that can be lost in a dried stuffing mix.
- Ramp up the nutrition by adding kale to this holiday stuffing! Not everyone loves kale on its own, but when it is wilted into a family favorite dish it is more than tolerable. Use any extra kale to make this Harvest Kale Apple Salad!
- The crusty bread holds up well to the broth, creating a perfect balance of crispy edges and soft, flavorful bites.
Recipe Ingredients
- Bread: If you're in the habit of making homemade bread, make a loaf earlier in the week to start drying. Otherwise, look for a sturdy, hearty loaf at the bakery you can use.
- Chicken Stock and Wine: I like to combine chicken broth and a dry white wine as my liquid for sourdough stuffing because the wine adds quite a bit of flavor. Chardonnay is my go-to and you can use the leftover for this spicy Lobster Pasta!
- Eggs: Ever wondered why eggs are in stuffing? They help hold the dressing together for easy scooping.
- Onion: Red onion adds a ton of flavor and looks pretty too!
- Kale: Cut the stems out of the leaves and then give them a nice chop. Thin shreds or small pieces are your best bet.
- Herbs: Fresh herbs are well worth the added flavor in this sourdough stuffing recipe. If you are in a warmer area you might still have some in your garden. Otherwise, the produce section will often have small containers of fresh thyme and fresh sage.
- Unsalted Butter: I also go with an unsalted butter so I can add in my own salt exactly as I want it.
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Substitutions & Variations
- My favorite wine to use is a chardonnay, but pinot grigio is also a great choice. Always use a wine you would drink, and not "cooking wine" which just isn't worth the cost. You can usually find mini bottles if you aren't a wine drinker or use the rest of a larger bottle in this Rigatoni Bolognese recipe.
- You can replace the wine with more broth in this Thanksgiving stuffing if you prefer not to use it.
- I love using stock concentrates because they don't go bad like an open carton of broth would. Knorr liquid stock concentrate is my fave! You can use whatever you prefer.
- If you don't love the bite of red onion, feel free to use white or yellow in this sourdough stuffing recipe.
- Make a sausage stuffing by adding pork sausage, boudin sausage or turkey sausage to this sourdough stuffing recipe for the perfect addition.
This recipe has not been tested with other substitutions or variations. If you replace or add any ingredients, please let us know how it turned out in the comments below!
How To Make Herbed Sourdough Dressing
Step 1: Sauté the onion and celery in large skillet until over medium heat they begin to soften.
Step 2: Add the kale and stir to wilt.
Step 3: Deglaze the pan with the white wine, ensuring you scrape up all the flavor from the pan.
Step 4: Combine broth, eggs, and herbs in a large bowl, then stir in the bread and the produce from the pan.
Step 5: Gently press the stuffing mix into a prepared baking dish.
Step 6: Bake sourdough stuffing until crispy and golden brown.
Expert Cooking Tips
- Cut or tear the bread into bite-sized chunks. It's up to you the look you're going for with Thanksgiving stuffing as far as neat cubes or torn bits. Just try and make them all roughly the same size.
- Lots of fresh herbs and garlic are a must here. Dried herbs are never as fresh and I never use jarred garlic!
- Whisk the eggs well with the broth before combining with remaining ingredients so you don't have chunks of egg in the finished dish.
- Add aluminum foil over the pan if the bread begins to brown more quickly than it sets.
- If you're having Glazed Shallots at your Thanksgiving table then add a few to the top of the sourdough stuffing!
Recipe FAQs
I find that with using a very crusty sourdough loaf in this sourdough stuffing recipe, and especially buying it a day or two in advance, I am okay to skip the extra step of toasting. If your bread is super fresh you will want to either leave the cubes on a large rimmed baking sheet to dry out for a little or speed things along in the oven. Super fresh bread will soak up too much of the liquid and turn soggy however, you don't have to use stale bread either.
Sourdough stuffing with kale will be perfect in the fridge, in an airtight container or Ziplock Bag, for up to 3 days. You can reheat leftover stuffing in the microwave or oven if you want more crunch. I also enjoy leftovers straight from the fridge. It's best to make it the day you are serving it though, as truly nothing beats the taste and texture straight from the oven.
Always make a quick gravy with your pan drippings, whether that's turkey or chicken for my homemade stuffing. This sourdough stuffing pairs so well with either main dish, and especially well on your Thanksgiving table. It is moist on its own, but I never say "no" to gravy!
Sourdough bread is a great bread for stuffing or dressing. It's unique texture, soft inside with crunchy edges makes for great mouthfeel.
Get a head start and prepare this sourdough stuffing recipe exactly as directed then just before placing it in the oven, stop...wrap it with heavy duty aluminum foil then place it in the freezer instead. This homemade stuffing recipe will keep in the freezer for up to 2 months. When turkey day comes, just pop it in the oven at 350°F for about 1 hour. Uncover and cook an additional 10 minutes. You're looking for an internal temperature of 165°F-185°F, which you can check by inserting a meat thermometer into the center of the sourdough stuffing.
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📖Recipe
Sourdough Stuffing
Equipment
- 1 13x9 baking dish
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 large red onion julienne cut
- ½ cup celery small dice
- 2 cups kale torn
- 2½ teaspoon kosher salt divided, Diamond Crystal
- ¾ teaspoon black pepper divided
- 1 teaspoon fennel seed
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- ¼ cup dry white wine
- 3 large eggs
- 2 cups chicken broth Knorr Liquid Concentrate mixed with water
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme stemmed and rough chop
- 2 teaspoon fresh sage minced
- 1 loaf sourdough cut into 1 inch pieces
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F then spray a 9x13 pan with non-stick cooking spray. Heat butter in a large skillet over medium heat until melted then add onion and celery. Cook 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally until onions begin to lightly brown
- Add kale, salt, pepper and fennel seeds. Cook an additional 2-3 minutes
- Stir in garlic until fragrant, about 20 seconds. Deglaze pan with white wine and allow to cook 1 more minute then remove from heat
- Whisk eggs, chicken stock, fresh thyme and sage in a large mixing bowl
- Add sourdough bread pieces to egg mixture and stir to coat. Fold in onion mixture then place stuffing mixture into prepared pan
- Bake 1 hour or until bread becomes golden brown and slightly crispy on top
Kay
Wow! What a change from the normal stuffing I make. This one is 10x better! Start of the show at thanksgiving!
Krista
Sourdough stuffing is packed with herbs and veggies! We love the flavor with or without the addition of sausage. Soft and crispy bites make it so good.