TRADITIONAL TURKEY STUFFING WITH FRESH HERBS AND CIABATTA BREAD

Stuffing is one of the favorite things on the Thanksgiving table. I take the most time cutting vegetables and herbs for the stuffing than any other dish it seems. This year I decided to use a ciabatta bread mix as well. It was awesome!!

Everyone loved it and there was nothing left!! Very flavorful and moist, just how stuffing should be.



We don't stuff a bird with stuffing, and we didn't cook a full turkey this year, so this was the perfect pairing with our slow cooker turkey breast and tri-tip.

Melt butter and sauté all the veggies until soft. 

chop the fresh thyme, sage and rosemary. Mmmm this is my favorite part. Fresh herbs smell so yummy!

Add them to the veggies. Cook a couple more minutes. 

This is how they should look when fully cooked. This smells amazing!

when fully cooked and well, mixed together, add in 1 cup of broth to deglaze the pan and make it easier to transfer
to the bread. 

Add to the mix. With a heavy spoon, stir and add more broth/stock until the bread is nice and moist. It may take more/less depending on what type of bread you are using. 

Put moistened stuffing into a baking dish.

Bake at 350 degrees until heated through and begins to brown. 

Traditional Turkey Stuffing with Fresh Herbs

Ingredients

12 ounces dry bread cubes (I used a seasoned Ciabatta bread)

2 cups diced celery

2 cups chopped onions

2 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley

1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage

1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary

1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

8 tablespoons butter, melted

2 1/2 cups turkey broth or 2 1/2 cups chicken broth

Giblets if roasting whole turkey

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

If using giblets, boil for two hours in water and save water to use in place of broth. Pick meat off of bones and add to stuffing.

Sauté onion and celery in the butter until softened, add herbs and continue to cook for 3-5 minutes. Deglaze pan with some of the broth before adding to the dry mixture. 

Combine onion mixture with bread, pepper and salt in large mixing bowl.

Stir in broth until well moistened.

Place into a casserole dish or shallow dutch oven. Bake 35-40 minutes covered.

Take the cover off the last 5 minutes to brown.

Variations

1 apple, cored and diced

1/2 c walnuts or pecans, coarsely chopped

1/2 pound bacon, fat rendered and used in place of butter

2 Leeks, peeled sliced and cut into half moons. Soak in cold water for 10 minutes, then drain. Add to onion and celery while sautéing.