Prosciutto-Lined Sourdough Stuffing
This is our new favorite stuffing. I should be clear. When I say our favorite stuffing, I really mean my favorite stuffing. Karen doesn’t love stuffing—she’s always been a mashed potatoes gal—and that’s okay. I, on the other hand, am only even at your Thanksgiving dinner for the stuffing. I love all types of stuffing. I love my mother’s apricot, sausage, brown-bread version. I dig this loose, California-inspired version with kale and sherry. I’d make cornbread just to used the leftovers for stuffing. I would even enjoy a box of Stove Top, if I’m very honest.
What I love most about stuffing (besides the specialness of it since you’re only allowed to eat it once a year) is that it represents my favorite way to cook: pick your own adventure. You know you need some bread. Okay, that’s a given. Sourdough, challah, rye, wheat, corn, there isn’t truly a wrong answer here. Then some fat. That could be a simple as butter or oil, but as wild as sausage or lining your pan with prosciutto. You’ll definitely need some aromatics—I opt for onions, garlic, and leeks because cooked celery is honestly garbage—and some fresh herbs, like parsley, oregano, thyme, etc. Then, I like to add something sweet (Dried fruit! Apples! Sweet spice!) and something crunchy (Nuts!). Last, you need to decide what kind of binding liquid to use: broth, wine, egg yolk. What’s wonderful about this way of cooking is how flexible it is—the recipe below will yield you a dynamite stuffing. But If someone is allergic to almonds, grab some pine nuts. Or if you’re dairy free, replace butter with oil. When I started cooking, dishes like this helped me get rid of the fear of substitutions.
Our New Favorite Thanksgiving Stuffing
The key is this: feel free to change out ingredients. It’s your dish!
Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Active Time: 20 minutes
Serves: 8 people as a side dish
Drink: Thanksgiving wine advice, right this way.
1. Preheat oven to 375 F
2. Make croutons
Tear your bread into one-inch pieces; toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper; cook in the oven for 15–17 minutes until bread is nicely browned, with a touch of bounce on the inside.
*You can also tear up your bread the day before and leave it out overnight to get stale. I have a wild dog living in my house, so this is never an option.
While the croutons cook…
3. Reduce broth
Pour your chicken broth into a sauce pan and boil over high heat until it’s reduced by about half. Continue working on the rest of your dish while the broth reduces.
4. Cook the aromatics
Heat a large pan over medium heat. When hot, mix together one tablespoon of olive oil and one tablespoon of butter. When the butter begins to bubble, add the leeks and shallots. Cook for five minutes, stirring frequently, until the the mixture softens and browns. Then add the garlic and cook for another two minutes. Turn the heat off, and stir in the thyme, oregano, and parsley, and salt and pepper to taste.
5. Remove croutons from oven; let cool
Keep the oven on. Once cooled, place in a large mixing bowl.
6. Line your pan with prosciutto
I used a glass casserole dish, but you can use your favorite baking vessel. Give it a quick, light greasing with butter to ensure nothing sticks. (This will also make the prosciutto extra crispy.) Line the bottom and sides of the pan with prosciutto. Do not add multiple layers of prosciutto—one will be enough.
7. Add the cooked aromatics, currants, and almonds to the bread mixture
Stir well to evenly distribute.
8. Slowly add broth
Toss well to make sure the bread soaks up every last drop of liquid. The bread should feel damp and heavy, so add more broth if you reduced the liquid too much.
9. Let the mixture cool slightly
Warm to the touch is fine, but it should not burn your hands or feel uncomfortable.
10. Add egg to bind
You can crack the egg directly into the bowl and use your hands to mix the egg in. Careful not to crush the bread too much.
11. Cook stuffing in the oven for 25 minutes
Put the stuffing in your casserole dish, cover it with foil, and bake for 25 minutes.
12. Set oven temp to 425; cook for additional 25 minutes
Remove the foil and bake for another 20-25, or until the top of the stuffing is well browned.
13. Serve!
Um, excuse me?
Can I make this gluten free?
Sure! This is actually one of those bread dishes that won’t be ruined by a bread with different texture. You’re rehydrating this bread with tons of liquid and fat and other goodies. Give gluten-free a try! And if it sucks, just eat more mashed potatoes.
Can I make this vegetarian?
Yep! This will still be delicious if you skip the prosciutto and exchange the chicken broth for vegetable broth.
Should I stuff my bird with this?
I mean… you can if you really want to. However, I think stuffing is the best when it’s cooked outside of the bird as its own dish. Plus, cooking inside the bird makes everything take longer.
If stuffing isn’t stuffed inside the bird, isn’t is supposed to be called dressing?
Dressing. Stuffing. Who cares?
How far ahead can I make this?
You can make this a day in advance (through step 10) and wait to bake it until the day-of. Just reserve in the fridge and let it come to room temperature before you put it in the oven.
If I have eight people over for Thanksgiving is this recipe enough to give me left overs?
Nope! You may have a bit left over, but if you dream of open-faced sandwiches and stuffing-mashed potato tater tots the next day, make an extra batch.
Any other suggestions for Thanksgiving?
We’ve got TONS.
