There are two types of stuffing that we've come across: dry and crumbly, or crisp on the outside, moist in the middle and full of flavour! And the latter perfectly describes our Sourdough Stuffing Balls, laced with rosemary flavour and studded with sweet cranberries. So if you are looking for an easy, but delicious addition to your holiday meal (or Sunday roast), look no further and put your stale sourdough to good use! This is the best stuffing for a Christmas or Thanksgiving meal that will look great on a plate too!
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The holiday season is finally upon us! Whether you're looking for a recipe for Thanksgiving dinner, or Christmas lunch or simply want to add something special to your Sunday roast any time of year, this stuffing is a perfect addition to your plate! Some of our favourite things to serve this crusty sourdough bread stuffing are Christmas Chicken, Apricot-Stuffed Lamb Leg or Grapefruit-Glazed Gammon!
Why You Will Love Sourdough Stuffing
- Sourdough bread adds a subtle but lovely tang.
- Super easy to make!
- It's vegetarian!
- Reduces food waste by using leftover stale sourdough bread! If you have lots, try our Sourdough Croutons and Sourdough Breadcrumbs too!
- Crispy top, slightly chewy texture and lots of herbaceous and sweet flavours from rosemary and cranberries - that's what makes good stuffing!
- The recipe can be adjusted to your own preferences: change the herbs and fruit you use!
- Sourdough stuffing balls look more elegant on a plate than traditional stuffing baked in a large casserole dish.
Ingredients and Substitutes
- butter: salted or unsalted, you choose. You may use a generous amount of olive oil too to make this sourdough stuffing dairy-free. We used unsalted butter and seasoned everything with a generous amount of kosher salt.
- brown onions: can be replaced with red onions, or shallots.
- fresh rosemary: alternatively, use other fresh herbs: try this sourdough stuffing recipe with fresh sage leaves, fresh parsley or thyme.
- stale sourdough bread: crusts removed. We use homemade sourdough bread in this recipe, but shop-bought should work too! Make sure to use at least 2-day-old bread for this homemade stuffing recipe.
- dried cranberries: can be replaced with chopped dried apricots or currants.
- egg: use large in the UK, or extra large in the US.
- salt and black pepper, to season.
You can find the quantities and full instructions in the recipe card below.
Step-By-Step Method
Add chunks of stale bread cubes to a food processor or a powerful smoothie maker and blitz it into fine crumbs. Tip them into a large mixing bowl and set them aside.
Preheat the oven to 200° C Fan. Line a baking tray with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
Melt butter in a large frying pan. Add the onions and rosemary and sauté over low-medium heat for 5-7 minutes, until the onion starts to soften. Leave them to cool down slightly.
Add the cooled onion mixture, egg and cranberries to the breadcrumbs. Season the bread mixture with salt and pepper.
Mix everything well. Shape 6-8 golf ball-sized balls of stuffing and place them onto the prepared baking dish.
Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.
Tips For Best Results
- Use older bread (2-3 days old sourdough loaf) for this sourdough bread stuffing to ensure the bread is dry enough to absorb the moisture and flavours of the rest of the ingredients.
- If you have fresh bread, remove the crusts, cut the bread into 1-inch cubes and spread them in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Place it in the oven at 150 C for 20-30 minutes to dry out, but don't let it brown much.
- Make sure your onions are soft before adding them to the stuffing mixture, as they won't soften much more in the oven.
- Make sure to chop your herbs very finely. Large bits of herbs on the outside of the stuffing balls will burn and turn bitter. If you don't have fresh herbs, feel free to add dried herbs.
Storage & Making Ahead
Make this Sourdough Bread Stuffing 2 days ahead of time and store the balls in the fridge, tightly covered with plastic warp (cling film). Cook them from chilled when you wish to serve them.
Alternatively, you can cook the stuffing, cool it to room temperature and reheat it in the oven for 10-15 minutes. This method will produce crispier, but slightly dryer stuffing.
Any leftover stuffing can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days and reheated in the oven (or a microwave if you don't mind not having crispy edges).
Serving Suggestions
Just like a classic stuffing recipe, these Sourdough Stuffing balls are best served with meat, vegetables, and a good amount of gravy or sauce (we love Red Wine Jus over the holiday period). Serve it with Aromatic Roast Chicken or Slow Cooked Lamb Shoulder. It goes well with Bangers and Mash Too!
Surround your meat with various colourful vegetables, like Balsamic Glazed Brussels Sprouts, Slow Cooker Red Cabbage and Orange-Glazed Carrots (or more traditional Honey Roasted Carrots And Parsnips, and you are on the way to having a wonderful meal!
Another great way to elevate your meal is to add a great sauce, like Red Wine Gravy, or Homemade Cranberry Sauce!
More Christmas Recipes Using Sourdough
Christmas Sourdough ebook
Celebrate the holiday season with a unique twist this year with our 24 Christmas Sourdough recipes! Discover the magic of using active sourdough starter, sourdough discard, and leftover baked sourdough bread to create a memorable and flavoursome Christmas feast.
Other Festive Side Dishes
Looking for another perfect side dish for your holiday table? Try some of the below recipes:
Sourdough Stuffing Balls With Rosemary & Cranberries
Equipment
- Food Processor or Powerful Smoothie Maker
Ingredients
- 40 g butter
- 2 brown onions finely chopped
- 2 sprigs rosemary finely chopped
- 125 g stale sourdough crusts removed, cut into cubes
- 20 g dried cranberries roughly chopped
- 1 egg large
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add chunks of stale bread cubes to a food processor or a powerful smoothie maker and blitz it into fine crumbs. Tip them into a large mixing bowl and set them aside.
- Preheat the oven to 200°C Fan. Line a baking tray with parchment paper or aluminium foil.
- Melt butter in a large frying pan. Add the onions and rosemary and sautee over low-medium heat for 5-7 minutes, until the onion starts to soften. Leave them to cool down slightly.
- Add the cooled onion mixture, egg and cranberries to the breadcrumbs. Season the bread mixture with salt and pepper.
- Mix everything well. Shape 6-8 golf ball-sized balls of stuffing and place them onto the prepared baking dish.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.
Nutrition
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