Crispy Wild Mushroom Stuffing (the ULTIMATE Vegetarian Stuffing Recipe) (2024)

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Prepare bread cubes.There are a few different options for preparing bread cubes for this stuffing recipe, all of which are detailed in the Recipe Card below. The goal, though, is to dry out the bread, which helps it absorb all of the flavor of the stuffing without becoming soggy or falling apart. Stuffing Tip! ⇢ Don’t slice, tear instead! The rough edges of torn bread get perfectly craggy, crispy, & browned as the Thanksgiving stuffing bakes. It’s absolutely delicious!

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Reconstitute porcini mushrooms. Add dried porcinis to a small stockpot with vegetable broth or stock, & let it all simmer for 10 minutes until the mushrooms soften. Why? ⇢ The warm broth softens the dried mushrooms, so you can chop them up & add them to the stuffing. Plus, as the mushrooms reconstitute, they infuse incrediblerich umami flavor into the broth, which the bread soaks up as the stuffing bakes. It’s an easy way to add even more rich mushroom flavor to this wild mushroom stuffing!

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Brown the fresh mushrooms & cook the aromatics. Browning the fresh mushrooms is the first step for building rich umami flavor straight in our cast iron skillet. Once the mushrooms have browned we set them aside & cook our aromatics (onion, celery, garlic, and fresh herbs) with a little more butter until fragrant – your kitchen will smell heavenly! Mushroom tip! ⇢ Resist the urge to add salt when you sauté mushrooms. Salt pulls out all of their moisture, preventing the mushrooms from browning. Instead, season the mushrooms once they’ve developed good color.

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Assemble & Bake. Add the bread cubes, gloriously browned mushrooms, & softened aromatics to a large mixing bowl. Mix it all up with the cheese, some eggs, & the porcini-infused broth. Transfer the entire mixture back to the same skillet used for browning the mushrooms & cooking the aromatics (that’s where all the flavor is!). Once complete, the mixed mushroom stuffing ready for the oven!

Ingredients

Scale

• one 16-ounce loaf bread, sliced or torn into ½-inch cubes (see Recipe Notes)
• 3 cups vegetable stock
• one 1-ounce packagedried porcini mushrooms(see Recipe Notes)
• 1 bay leaf
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
• 24 ounces wild mushrooms, trimmed & cut into 1/2-inch pieces (see Recipe Notes)
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 2 ribs celery, finely diced
• 8 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
• 3 tablespoons finely choppedfresh parsley
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped hardy fresh herbs (e.g. a combination of rosemary, sage, & thyme)
• 6 ounces finely grated asiago (roughly 1 1/2 cups)
• 2 ounces grated parmesan (roughly 1/2 cup)
• 3large eggs, whisked
• kosher salt & ground black pepper, to season

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1. Prepare bread cubes.First, you’ll prepare the bread cubes. There are a couple different approaches you can take in preparing the bread cubes, each of them work well. Take your pick from the bullet list below. Once the bread cubes are prepared (time varies based on option chosen) transfer them to a large mixing bowl & proceed with the following steps assemble & bake your mushroom stuffing.
   • Option #1: Make-ahead bread cubes at room temperature: 2-3 days before you plan to make & serve your mushroom stuffing, slice or tear the bread into 1/2-inch cubes. Set the cubes on a baking sheet, spreading them out in an even layer.Set aside, uncovered, for 2-3 days or until the bread is dried out. (Tip: Provided I’m not planning on baking anything, I like to set the baking sheet of bread cubes in the oven to keep it out of the way.) Once dried, transfer to an airtight bag & set aside until you’d like to prepare your mushroom stuffing.
   • Option #2: Day of bread cubes in the oven: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.Slice or tear the bread into 1/2-inch cubes. Set the cubes on a baking sheet, spreading them out in an even layer. Transfer to the oven to toast until dried out, 10-15 minutes. Set aside to cool before mixing the bread cubes in the stuffing.
   • Option #3: Store-bought bread cubes: Let the store do the work! Buy a bag of prepared bread cubes. You’ll need 16 ounces for this mushroom stuffing recipe.
2. Reconstitute the porcini mushrooms:Add the vegetable broth,dried porcini mushrooms & bay leaf to a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil & reduce to a gentle simmer. Simmer 10 minutes to reconstitute the mushrooms. Use a slotted spoon or spider strainerto remove the mushrooms & bay leaf from the pot, allowing all excess liquid to drain back into the pot. Transfer reconstituted porcini mushrooms to acutting board & finely chop. Transfer the chopped mushrooms to the bowl with the prepared bread cubes. Discard the bay leaf & remove the porcini-infused stock from the heat. Set aside.
3. Brown the mushrooms: Meanwhile, as the porcini mushrooms reconstitute, brown the fresh mushrooms.Add 4 tablespoons of the unsalted butter to an 11-inch cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Once melted, add the mushrooms. Cook, stirring occasionally, until deeply browned & golden, about 10-12 minutes. Transfer the browned mushrooms to the bowl with the bread cubes. Season with 2 teaspoons kosher salt & ground black pepper as desired. Return skillet over medium-high heat.
4. Cook aromatics: Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter to the cast iron skillet. Once melted, add the onion & celery, seasoning with 1 teaspoon kosher salt & ground black pepper as desired. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened & fragrant, about 5-6 minutes. Add in the garlic & fresh herbs. Cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes longer. Remove from the heat & transfer to the bowl with the bread cubes & mushrooms.
5. Mix & assemble the mushroom stuffing: Add the grated asiago & grated parmesan to the mixing bowl with the bread mixture. Pour the eggs over top. Toss well to combine. Pour in 1 cup of the porcini-infused stock & toss well to combine. The egg & stock should rehydrate the bread cubes such that they’re softened but not soggy. If they seem a little too dry, add in 1/2 cup more stock & toss well to combine. Repeat once more with the remaining stock if needed. Transfer the mushroom stuffing to the same skillet used to cook the aromatics.
6. Bake the mushroom stuffing: Bake at 350 degrees, uncovered, for 50-60 minutes, until the top of the stuffing is crispy & browned.Serveimmediately. Enjoy!

• Ingredient Notes:
  • Best bread for mushroom stuffing: I love making this mushroom stuffing with sourdough bread – its tangy flavor balances out the richness of the mushrooms beautifully. You can also make this mushroom stuffing recipe with “country” style French bread (a large loaf, not a baguette) or Italian bread.
  • Wild mushrooms:You can make this mushroom stuffing with whatever mushrooms are most readily available to you. I like to splurge for really beautiful wild mushrooms – maitake (pictured), oyster, chanterelle, & shiitake are all great. You can also make this recipe using simple white button mushrooms or cremini (baby bella) mushrooms.
  • Porcini mushrooms are an Italian mushroom with especially rich & deep umami flavor. They are the star ingredient in this mushroom stuffing! Dried porcini mushroomsare more readily available throughout the year here in the States, which you can typically find in the bulk section or in 1-ounce packages at grocery stores or natural food stores that stock dried mushrooms. You can also purchasedried porcini mushroomsonline.
• Storage & Freezing:
  • Storage & Reheating: Leftover mushroom stuffing will keep, stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, for 3-4 days. Reheat in the microwave or oven, until warmed through.
  • Freezer Instructions: You can also freeze leftover mushroom stuffing. Transfer leftover stuffing to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat in the microwave or oven, until warmed through.
• Meal Prep: A little meal prep goes a long way in pulling this homemade mushroom stuffing together on Thanksgiving day! Between prepping the bread cubes, chopping the veggies & herbs, & shredding the cheese, there are many components of this sourdough stuffing that can be prepared 3-5 days in advance. Pick & choose from the below list, or do it all ahead of time & all you have to do on Thanksgiving is toss it all together – easy!
  • Bread cubes: Prep according to Step 1 of Recipe Directions, above. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. (10 minutes active prep)
  • Chop veggies & herbs: Finely dice 1 large onion, 2 ribs of celery, & 8 cloves of garlic. Finely chop 1/3 cup fresh parsley & 1/3 cup hardy fresh herbs (e.g. rosemary, sage, thyme). Clean & cut 24 ounces mushrooms into 1/2-inch pieces. Store in individual airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. (20 minutes active prep)
  • Grate cheese: Grate 6 ounces asiago cheese & 2 ounces parmesan. Store in individual airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. (10 minutes active prep)