Can I bake this stuffing inside the turkey instead of in a dish?

Food safety guidance is firm on this: bake stuffing separately in a dish. A stuffed bird cooks unevenly, and the center of the stuffing may not reach 165 degrees F before the meat overcooks. Baked apart, this dish reaches temperature evenly and still crisps on top.

Which broth works better here, vegetable or chicken?

Low sodium vegetable broth keeps the dish vegetarian and lets the mushrooms lead. Low sodium chicken broth adds a rounder, more traditional background note. Either works at the same quantity; just keep the low sodium part, since the recipe seasons deliberately with measured salt.

My whole grain bread is very dense. Should I change the broth amount?

Dense loaves drink more. Mix the stuffing with the full amount, rest it ten minutes, then squeeze one cube: if the center still feels dry, drizzle in up to a quarter cup more warm broth. The mixture should look evenly moist with no puddle in the bowl.

Can I freeze mushroom herb stuffing, baked or unbaked?

Both work. Freeze the assembled unbaked dish, well wrapped, for up to one month and bake from thawed with ten extra covered minutes. Baked leftovers freeze in portions for up to two months and reheat, covered, at 350 degrees F until steaming.

What can replace the shiitake mushrooms if my store is out?

Use all cremini and add half a teaspoon of smoked paprika to the vegetables to restore the darker note. Oyster mushrooms are the other good swap, torn rather than sliced, added in the second batch so their delicate edges brown without breaking down.

Healthy Mushroom Herb Stuffing, Savory and Light

Ingredients

Scale

10 cups whole grain bread cubes, cut 3/4 inch, dried (about 1 pound loaf)
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 pound cremini mushrooms, sliced 1/4 inch thick
8 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, caps sliced
1 large yellow onion, finely diced
3 celery ribs, finely diced
2 medium carrots, finely diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley, divided
2 1/2 cups low sodium vegetable broth, warmed
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/4 teaspoons fine sea salt
3/4 teaspoon black pepper

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Instructions

Heat the oven to 300°F. Spread the bread cubes on two sheet pans and dry for 18 to 20 minutes, until the surfaces feel firm and dry. Raise the oven temperature to 375°F and lightly oil a 9 by 13 inch baking dish.
Warm 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large wide skillet over medium high heat. Add the cremini in a single layer and cook undisturbed for 3 minutes, then stir and cook 2 minutes more, until deeply browned. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.
Repeat with the shiitake and the second tablespoon of oil. Add them to the bowl with the cremini, scraping every browned bit from the pan as you go.
Lower the heat to medium and add the last tablespoon of oil. Cook the onion, celery and carrots with a pinch of the salt for 7 to 8 minutes, until soft and sweet at the edges. Stir in the garlic, sage, thyme and rosemary and cook 1 minute, until fragrant.
Add the vegetable mixture to the bowl. Add the bread cubes and half the parsley, then toss everything together with your hands until the bread and vegetables are evenly mixed.
Whisk the beaten eggs into the warm broth with the remaining salt and the pepper. Pour over the bread mixture in two additions, tossing gently after each, until the cubes look evenly moist with no dry centers and no puddle at the bottom of the bowl. Rest 10 minutes.
Turn the mixture into the prepared dish and press it down lightly, keeping the top rough. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
Remove the foil and bake 18 to 20 minutes more, until the top is crisp and deeply golden and the center registers 165°F on a thermometer. Rest 10 minutes, scatter the remaining parsley, and serve warm.

Author: Nora Ellis
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1
Calories: 185
Sugar: 4
Sodium: 380
Fat: 7
Saturated Fat: 1
Unsaturated Fat: 5
Trans Fat: 0
Carbohydrates: 27
Fiber: 4
Protein: 7
Cholesterol: 37