Add this scrumptious Brioche Stuffing to your holiday feast! This easy dressing recipe is rich, buttery, and loaded with fresh veggies and fragrant herbs. So delicious, and the perfect addition to your Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner!
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Ginnie's Take
Call me basic, but when it comes to Thanksgiving side dishes, I'm all about the stuffing! It's classic, comforting, and in my mind, no holiday meal is complete without it. I love experimenting with my family's favorite recipe, tweaking an ingredient here, adding a new one there. And in the process, this mouthwatering Brioche Stuffing has quickly earned a spot on my holiday table! Each bite of this luscious dressing is full of tender veggies and fragrant herbs, and the brioche gives it an irresistibly rich flavor that's extra delicious.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Buttery Flavor - Brioche bread, which is enriched with butter, milk, and eggs, gives this recipe its distinctive buttery, rich flavor, plus a hint of sweetness. Sautéed onions, celery, and mushrooms, plus a generous helping of fresh herbs, make it even tastier!
- Easy to Make - No tricky techniques here! This recipe is easy to make, and I'll walk your through the process step-by-step.
- Holiday Favorite - Make this decadent stuffing recipe once, and it's destined to become your family's holiday favorite! It's perfect for Thanksgiving and Christmas entertaining, and you'll love serving it for other fall feasts, too!
Jump to:
Ingredients
This recipe is made with easy to find ingredients! Here's what you'll need:
- Bread - You'll need a loaf of brioche bread, of course. I used Nature's Own Perfectly Crafted Brioche, which is easy to find in many U.S. grocery stores, but any good quality brioche will work fine.
- Veggies - Onions and celery sautéed in butter give this recipe its traditional flavor, while mushrooms add a cozy, umami-rich taste. I used affordable button mushrooms, but wild mushrooms would work great.
- Herbs - Don't skip the herbs! They add freshness to what's an otherwise heavy, bread-based dish. This recipe uses a combination of fresh sage, parsley, and rosemary.
- Other Ingredients - You'll use unsalted butter to cook the vegetables, vegetable broth to add moisture (I make my own from bouillon), and a large egg to hold everything together. I recommend seasoning the recipe with kosher salt and freshly cracked pepper for the best flavor.
This recipe is naturally vegetarian and nut free, and you can easily adapt it to other diets (such as gluten free, vegan, and dairy free) with a few changes. See the Variations section for tips!
You'll Also Need
You will need a sharp knife to prep the ingredients, a large frying pan (12-inches or larger) to cook the veggies, and a big 9 x 13-inch baking dish to cook the stuffing. I have (and love) this gorgeous ceramic dish, which is attractive enough to go straight from the oven to the table.
How to Make Brioche Dressing
This Brioche Bread Dressing is easy to prepare! You'll find a detailed recipe card below, but here's a quick overview:
- Prep bread. Start by cutting your bread into cubes, then let it dry overnight, or toast it in your oven. Tip: Using stale, dried out bread is essential for adding structure and for avoiding soggy stuffing.
- Sauté veggies. Next, you'll sauté the onion, celery, and mushrooms in butter. Once they are tender, mix in the fresh herbs. Season generously with salt and pepper to taste.
- Mix ingredients. Add the bread cubes, veggie mixture, and egg to a large bowl. Stir in the broth (a little at a time), mixing well after each addition.
- Bake. Transfer the mixture to a baking dish, then bake until hot and browned.
Okay, time to dig into your homemade Brioche Stuffing. Get ready to savor each and every buttery bite!
Variations
You can easily customize this vegetarian stuffing by making a few simple swaps:
- Herbs - Play around with different fresh herbs, such as thyme, marjoram, and savory. Poultry seasoning (which contains no chicken and is actually vegan) is also great for seasoning stuffing.
- Add-ins - Include other veggies (such as carrots, leeks, garlic, root vegetables, or squash), add fresh fruits (try apples or pears) to the sauté, give classic chestnuts a go, or stir in dried fruits (like cranberries / craisins, dates, prunes, or figs).
- Bread - I'm guessing you came to this recipe specifically for the brioche, but if not (or if you're running a little short), you can use any high quality white bread. I particularly love sourdough, and I've often used this this classic white bread when making stuffing.
- Vegan / Dairy Free -Unfortunately, brioche is not vegan / dairy free-friendly (it contains eggs, butter, and milk), however you can substitute vegan white bread. You'll also need to use plant based butter and vegan broth, and skip the egg.
- Gluten Free - For a gluten free option, use GF brioche bread or buns (if you have an allergy, read all other labels carefully, too). Keep in mind that GF bread often has a different texture, so take care when adding the broth.
Serving Suggestions
Pair this Brioche Bread Stuffing with all your favorite Thanksgiving and Christmas dishes! I love serving it with a Classic Cranberry Sauce, seasonal salads (like this easy Kale Cranberry Salad or this lovely Wild Rice Salad), tasty Garlic Mashed Potatoes (or these unique Squash Mashed Potatoes), and yummy Broccoli Rice Casserole, as well as simple vegetable side dishes, like this easy Roasted Delicata Squash and these colorful Brussels Sprouts with Pomegranate Seeds.
Need a vegetarian main course to pair with this delicious dressing? Try my scrumptious Quinoa Stuffed Delicata Squash, impressive but surprisingly easy Mushroom Wellington, or for a make ahead idea, this delish Fall Pasta Salad.
Storage
Store leftover stuffing in an airtight container in your refrigerator for up to four days. Then rewarm it gently in your microwave before eating.
Related Recipes
Looking for more stuffing ideas? You'll love these recipe, too:
- For a tried-and-true classic with no frills, I love my Dad's Traditional Stuffing recipe, which is a Leeming family favorite! The recipe comes from my grandmother Nona.
- Speaking of faves, this delicious Sourdough Stuffing is a hit with Hello Little Home readers. It's been one of my most popular recipes for years!
- If you're a mushroom lover, this yummy Mushroom Stuffing is for you.
- This tasty Chestnut Stuffing is another mouthwatering classic that will put you in a cheery holiday mood!
- Can't get enough stuffing? You'll love this flavorful Stuffed Acorn Squash, which makes a wonderful vegetarian holiday entrée.
- Have leftover dressing? Use it to make these Stuffed Mushrooms or these Stuffin Muffins!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Brioche is a type of French white bread that has been enriched with butter, eggs, and milk. It has a light, soft texture and a rich, lightly sweetened, buttery flavor.
Brioche is a French word that's pronounced “bri-yosh.” Listen to the pronunciation of brioche.
Brioche bread is really good for stuffing! It gives the finished dressing a rich, buttery flavor and a tender texture that's so delicious.
Yes, you can use brioche buns for stuffing. Depending on their texture, you may need to adjust the amount of broth.
Stuffing and dressing are essentially the same thing, and the names are often used interchangeably. Traditionally, the word stuffing signifies that the bread mixture is cooked inside the turkey, while dressing is baked in a separate dish (outside the turkey). Regional vernacular also affects which word you use: northerners typically using stuffing (no matter how the dish is cooked), while southerners usually use dressing.
The most common stuffing mistakes to avoid are: 1. adding too much liquid (resulting in soggy stuffing); 2. adding too little liquid (resulting in dry stuffing); 3. not seasoning stuffing properly (bread has a bland flavor, be generous with salt and pepper, and season to taste); and 4. skimping on veggies and herbs (they add tons of flavor and texture).
Brioche Stuffing
Ingredients
- nonstick cooking spray
- 1 (22 ounce / 624 gram) loaf brioche bread, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 16 cups)
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 cups diced celery (about 6 stalks)
- 2 cups diced onion (about 1 large onion)
- 8 ounces (227 grams) white mushrooms, chopped (about 3 cups chopped)
- ½ cup chopped flat leaf parsley
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 2 to 3 cups vegetable broth
- kosher salt
- pepper
Equipment
- Large Bowl
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Spray a large (9 x 13-inch) baking dish with nonstick spray (or coat with butter), then set aside.
- Spread cubed bread over 2 large baking sheets. Bake for 10 minutes, then flip. Cook for another 5 to 10 minutes, or until edges are crunchy. Set aside.
- While bread cooks, melt 4 tablespoons butter in a large frying pan over medium heat.
- When butter is hot, add 3 cups diced celery and 2 cups diced onion, then season with salt and pepper (to taste). Cook until onion starts to turn translucent, stirring frequently (about 7 to 10 minutes).
- Add 8 ounces mushrooms, then cook (stirring frequently) until all liquid has evaporated and mushrooms are starting to brown (about 10 to 15 minutes).
- Remove pan from heat, then stir in ½ cup chopped parsley, 2 tablespoons chopped sage, and 1 tablespoon chopped rosemary. Season generously with salt and pepper to taste.
- Place dried bread cubes in a large bowl. Top with sautéed veggies and 1 large egg.
- Mix in 2 to 3 cups broth, a little at a time (stirring well after each addition). Add just enough broth so that the stuffing is moistened, but not soggy. (You may have leftover broth, or you may need more, depending on your bread.)
- Transfer stuffing to prepared baking dish, then bake until hot and lightly browned on top (about 35 to 40 minutes).
- Serve stuffing hot. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
