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My Favorite Bread Stuffing

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Makes About 6 cups (enough for an 8-inch pan) 1x

Time 20 minutes, plus time to bake

Units Scale

Ingredients

  • 1 / 2 pound (2 sticks) butter, plus more for the pan
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1/2 cup pine nuts or chopped walnuts
  • 6 to 8 cups fresh bread crumbs (see below)
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage or 1 teaspoon dried sage
  • 1/2 cup chopped scallions
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
  • 1 cup chicken or vegetable stock, or as needed

Instructions

  1. Heat the oven to 350°F. Grease an ovenproof glass or enamel baking dish. Put the butter in a large skillet or pot over medium heat. When it has melted, add the onion and cook, stirring, until it softens, about 5 minutes. Add the nuts and cook, stirring almost constantly, until they begin to brown, about 3 minutes.
  2. Add the bread crumbs and sage and toss to mix. Turn the heat down to low. Add the scallions and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss again; taste and adjust the seasoning. Stir in the parsley. Turn off the heat. Add the stock a little at a time and stir until the mixture has the consistency of streusel and sticks together when you pinch it. (At this point, you can refrigerate the stuffing, well wrapped or in a covered container, for up to a day before proceeding.)
  3. Transfer the stuffing to the prepared dish and bake until golden on top and cooked through, about 45 minutes. (Or you can cook it up to 3 days in advance and just warm it up right before dinner.)

—Recipe from How to Cook Everything: Completely Revised 20th Anniversary Edition

Recipe variations

How To Make Fresh Bread Crumbs

To make 6 to 8 cups of bread crumbs (enough for the recipe above), start with about 16 ounces good-quality bread, preferably a day or 2 old. Tear the bread into pieces and put about a quarter of it in a food processor. Pulse a few times, then let the machine run for a few seconds until coarsely chopped. Remove and repeat three more times with the remaining bread. Use immediately or store in an airtight container for up to a month.