Cranberry Stuffing

I’m here to set the record straight: You don't need meat to make a stuffing that everyone loves. This easy option is filled with everyone's favorite Thanksgiving flavors, from apples and cranberries to sage and thyme. If anyone asks about the meat, you can just refer them to the giant platter of turkey which is sure to be sitting close by. Looking to perfect this vegetarian holiday side? Keep reading on for all of my top tips down below:

What People Are Saying:
“!!! THIS !!! Look no further for an excellent stuffing recipe. My signature holiday dish is Sweet Potato Casserole but after making this for our Friendsgiving/Thanksgiving Dinner, by popular demand, I'm now required to bring this to all (stuffing required) dinners in the future.” - sta8652

How To Make Cranberry Stuffing

INGREDIENTS

• Sourdough: Our ideal stuffing is made with a crusty loaf of sourdough. The bread holds up well with all of the liquid and dries out beautifully to get the best results. Brioche is another option that will give stuffing a bit of a sweetness.
• Apples: Any tart, firm baking apple (like a Honeycrisp or a Golden Delicious) will work well in this stuffing. Basically, you just want to make sure that the fruit will hold its flavor and not go completely mushy while it’s baking.
• Celery: I prefer to use celery in this stuffing, which is a classic choice, but you can also use leeks (like we do in our classic stuffing).
• Onions: Two yellow onions are the best choice here. It'll incorporate nicely into the stuffing with its more mellow flavor.
• Herbs: Freshly chopped rosemary, sage, thyme, and parsley all add a warm, herbal punch to this stuffing that really nails the comforting vibes.
• Dried Cranberries: Dried cranberries are of course the signature addition to this stuffing, but if you’re not a fan, you can swap them out for golden raisins or even dried sour cherries.
• Vegetable Broth: Use low-sodium vegetable broth to avoid your stuffing becoming overly salty.
  

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS

Stale bread will absorb the liquid better in stuffing, but you don’t want it bone dry. To get the best possible texture, spread the cubed or torn bread out in a single layer on a sheet pan and leave it sitting overnight. This will dry out the bread just enough to help it absorb the liquid without getting soggy. Don’t have overnight? You can cheat this step by tossing it into a 200° oven for 20-30 minutes. The results won’t be quite the same as the overnight method, but it’ll be pretty close.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350º and butter a large baking dish.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat, then melt butter. Add the apple, celery, and onion, and cook them down until they are soft and fragrant, stirring every once in a while. Add the rosemary, sage, and thyme and cook for around 1 minute more, until everything is fragrant (and your kitchen smells like a dream). Season with salt and pepper to taste, then add in the remaining butter and parsley.

Place the bread and cranberries in a large bowl, then add in your cooked onion mixture as well as the vegetable broth.

Give everything a good mix to fully combine, then add the mixture to your prepared baking dish. Cover with foil and then bake until cooked through, around 45 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for another 15 minutes, until the bread is golden.

Once golden, garnish with some additional parsley before serving.

The full list of ingredients and instructions can be found in the recipe below.

Recipe Tips

• How do I keep my stuffing from drying out? The best way to keep stuffing moist while baking is tightly cover it with foil for most of the baking time. In this recipe, I actually suggest that you keep it under wraps for the first 45 minutes, which prevents it from drying out until the stuffing is cooked through. At that point, you can uncover it for the last 15 minutes of baking, just long enough to get beautifully brown and crisp on top.
• Can I make this vegan? You sure can. Since this version doesn’t contain eggs in the liquid mixture, it’s extra easy to veganize. You’ll just need to swap out the butter for a plant-based butter or margarine—or even a neutral oil, if you like—and make sure you’re using a vegan sourdough bread and a vegan vegetable stock. Otherwise, you should be good to go.
  

Storage

Keep any leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.