Sage Stuffing
Sage Stuffing is made with fresh white bread, herbs, and the unique addition of hard-boiled eggs. It’s the perfect side dish for your Thanksgiving or Christmas feast!
There are a million things that go great with Roast Turkey during the holidays, but hands down, year after year, we have a few mainstays like buttermilk cornbread, pumpkin pie, pumpkin roll, and of course, this Sage Stuffing.
Savory Sage Stuffing
This sage stuffing is a twist on the traditional takes you see during the holidays. For one, it’s not actually stuffed in a bird. It’s all baked outside in a cast iron skillet, small baking dish, or loaf pan. Once it’s cooled a bit, you can remove it from the pan and slice or scoop it into individual servings making a great presentation and a little something different.
Another reason this stuffing stands out from the rest is that it contains some chopped hard-boiled eggs in the mix. These eggs add a rich flavor and texture that just make sense and once you try it, you’ll never go back!
Enjoy this stuffing on your holiday table, or make it during the week as a comforting side dish with your favorite proteins. No matter how you enjoy it, this simple stuffing recipe is sure to be a hit in your home year after year!
How To Make Sage Stuffing
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. If using something other than cast iron, lightly grease it with cooking spray.
- Dice the hard-boiled eggs into small pieces and chop the celery, onion into thin slices. Mince the garlic until fine and place everything into a large mixing bowl.
- Take the loaf of white bread and tear it into small bite-sized pieces that are similar to rough crouton sizes and add them into the bowl with the prepared vegetables and eggs.
- Add everything else excluding the butter into the bowl. With your hands, toss everything together and mix until well combined and coated. Add the mixture to the prepared cast iron skillet and press it down to evenly distribute.
- Add cubes of butter on top in an even layer. Cover the top tightly with foil to prevent the top from burning.
- Add the prepared stuffing into the oven for one hour. If you enjoy a crispier top, remove the foil layer during the last 15 minutes of cooking.
- After removing from the oven, let the stuffing cool and set for 20 minutes before serving with your favorite comforting sides.
Recipe Tips
- When chopping vegetables and bread for the stuffing, try to cut everything into roughly the same sized pieces. This will make it blend easier and you’ll get more flavor in each bite.
- For best results, make sure the egg is at room temperature before adding it to the stuffing. This will keep everything at an even temperature when baking.
- If you make this stuffing in something other than cast iron, be sure to great the pan well to ensure the stuffing comes out easily.
- It’s very important to make sure you give the stuffing some time to cool before slicing as this sage stuffing is still setting as it cools.
- This stuffing is best mixed with your hands as it allows all of the ingredients to combine and become moist and rich with flavor.
- We love adding a little extra sage for added flavor. Adjust any of the seasonings to your liking.
Variations
- If you’ve got some extra time on your hands, you can use fresh herbs instead of dried to mix into this easy loaf stuffing mix.
- Vegetable stock or mushroom stock can be used in place of chicken stock for an even deeper vegetable flavor.
- Fresh mushrooms can be used instead of canned, but just make sure they are cooked before adding them to the base of the stuffing as they will need to release their moisture.
- Even though we love serving this stuffing in cast iron, you can also make it in your favorite pan, small casserole dish, or even a loaf pan.
Storing and Freezing
Refrigerator: Any leftover stuffing can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat using the microwave or add to a skillet over medium heat until warmed through.
Freezing: The best way to freeze this side dish is by wrapping a large, unsliced piece or individual slices tightly in plastic wrap, then again in a layer of foil to prevent freezer burn. Place in a sealed freezer-safe bag or airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before serving.
Ingredients
- 2 large eggs, hard boiled and diced
- 1 medium celery stalk, finely chopped
- ½ large white onion, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 loaf of white sandwich bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 ½ cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 4 ounce can of mushrooms, drained
- 1 large egg, (raw) for binding
- 2 teaspoons ground sage
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, diced into small cubes
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. If using something other than cast iron, lightly grease it with cooking spray.
- Place the hard boiled eggs, celery, onion, and garlic in a large bowl. Stir to combine.2 large eggs1 medium celery stalk½ large white onion3 garlic cloves
- Add the bread, broth, mushrooms, egg, garlic powder, onion powder, poultry seasoning, ground sage, salt, and pepper. Use a sturdy spoon (or your hands) to mix the ingredients until the bread soaks up the broth and everything is well mixed.1 loaf of white sandwich bread1 ½ cup low-sodium chicken broth4 ounce can of mushrooms1 large egg1 teaspoon garlic powder1 teaspoon onion powder1 teaspoon poultry seasoning2 teaspoons ground sage½ teaspoon salt½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Place stuffing in the skillet or pan and form to fit. Dot the top with the cubed butter, and cover with aluminum foil.2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Bake for 55-65 minutes. Optional: For a crispy crust remove the foil for the last 15 minutes.
- Allow the stuffing to cool for 20 minutes before serving.
- See post for tips, variations, and storage options.