Description
This Classic Sage and Onion Stuffing is a traditional British side dish that’s perfect for holiday meals or any comforting dinner. Made with soft white sandwich bread, fragrant fresh herbs, and sautéed onions and celery, it’s baked to golden perfection with a crisp top and tender, flavorful inside.
Ingredients
Scale
Base Ingredients
- 250g / 9oz White Sandwich Bread, preferably 1-2 days old
- 5 tbsp / 75g Butter, diced into cubes
- 80ml / 1/3 cup Vegetable Stock
Vegetables & Herbs
- 2 large White Onions, finely diced (approx 200g/7oz each)
- 1 large rib of Celery, finely diced
- 2 large cloves of Garlic, finely diced
- 2 tbsp Fresh Sage, finely diced
- 1 tsp Fresh Thyme, finely diced
Seasoning & Others
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- 1/4 tsp Black Pepper
- Oil Spray, as needed
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven: Set your oven to 180°C (350°F) and allow it to fully heat while you prepare the stuffing mixture to ensure even cooking.
- Prepare Breadcrumbs: Place the white sandwich bread into a food processor and blitz until you get coarse breadcrumbs. You may need to process in batches if your processor is small.
- Sauté Vegetables and Herbs: Melt the butter in a large pan over medium heat. Add the finely diced onions and celery and gently sweat them until they’re soft and just beginning to turn light golden—a process that takes about 15 minutes for optimal sweetness. Then add the garlic, sage, and thyme, frying for an additional 1-2 minutes to release their fragrance.
- Combine Ingredients: Stir in the vegetable stock to the vegetable mixture, followed by the coarse breadcrumbs, salt, and pepper. Fold everything together until the breadcrumbs are thoroughly coated with the buttery herb mixture.
- Prepare Baking Dish: Spray a baking dish with oil to prevent sticking. Transfer the stuffing mixture into the dish, gently pressing down and leveling the top with a wooden spoon to create an even layer.
- Bake the Stuffing: Liberally spray the top of the stuffing with oil to promote crisping. Bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes or until the top is crisp and a deep golden brown.
- Rest and Serve: Allow the stuffing to rest for a few minutes after baking. This helps it to firm up slightly before serving.
Notes
- This stuffing is best made with bread that’s a day or two old, as slightly stale bread absorbs the butter and stock better without becoming mushy.
- Take your time gently sweating the onions and celery to bring out their natural sweetness and develop flavor.
- For a richer flavor, you can substitute vegetable stock with chicken stock if desired.
- You can prepare the breadcrumb mixture a day ahead and keep it refrigerated, then bake fresh before serving.
- Use fresh herbs for the best aroma and taste, though dried herbs can be used in a pinch (reduce quantity accordingly).
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 221 kcal
- Sugar: 4.65 g
- Sodium: 388 mg
- Fat: 11.15 g
- Saturated Fat: 6.445 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3.821 g
- Trans Fat: 0.399 g
- Carbohydrates: 26.43 g
- Fiber: 2.5 g
- Protein: 4.57 g
- Cholesterol: 25 mg
