Sourdough Stuffing with Garden Herbs

There’s nothing like true sourdough and the way it offers up a rich and complex tartness that speaks of true, artisan-style old world breads.  And if you’re an avid sourdough baker, you probably end up with extra bread.  One of the best ways to make use of day-old sourdough bread is to cube it, toss it in broth, butter and herbs and make sourdough stuffing.

Like sourdough bread, sourdough stuffing has a richly complex acidity that balances beautifully well with fresh herbs, roasted meats and well-salted gravy.  Stuffings made with bakers yeast lack that acidity, that complexity and the multi-leveled flavors that develop when you use real, artisan-style sourdough.  A stuffing’s only as good as its bread.

How to Make Sourdough Stuffing

To make sourdough stuffing, you’ll need to start first with a large loaf or two of day-old bread.  Because artisan-style sourdough breads tend to be crusty, you’ll want to trim away the crust to reveal the tender crumb, and then chop the remaining crustless bread into cubes – just perfect for a mouthful. After toasting the cubed bread, you’ll mix it with eggs and chicken or turkey bone broth, sautéed onions and celery and fresh herbs before layering it in a baking dish.

As the sourdough stuffing bakes, the cubed bread absorbs the broth and eggs forming a soft and tender, custard-like texture. The baking dish you use to baking your stuffing will influence your results; and if you like a stuffing that has crunchy bits of savory bread, a shallower dish that allows more surface area to be exposed will result in crisp top layer; however, if you prefer a sourdough stuffing that’s wonderfully soft, a deeper dish will minimize the surface area of the stuffing as it bakes – giving you a softer stuffing.