Take homemade stuffing to the next level with sourdough and fresh herbs! This recipe is the perfect addition to your Thanksgiving table and is vegetarian as-is.
Tear the stale sourdough bread into 1-inch cubes. Aim for 9 to 10 cups of torn bread cubes. Set aside. See note #1 is your sourdough loaf is not stale.
Preheat the oven to 350F. Lightly grease a 7x11 or similarly sized baking dish.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil. Once hot, add onion, carrot, celery, and salt. Sauté until softened, about 6 to 8 minutes. Add garlic and sauté an additional 2 to 3 minutes, or until golden and aromatic.
Stir in the rosemary, parsley, thyme, and sage. Cook for another minute to bloom the herbs, stirring frequently.
Stir in the vegetable broth and pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium-high heat.
Meanwhile, add stale bread to the baking dish. Drizzle with melted butter. Pour in the simmering vegetable broth mixture, stirring to combine. Sprinkle Parmesan evenly over the stuffing.
Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes at 350F. Remove the foil and bake another 10 to 15 minutes, until the cheese is golden and bubbling. Enjoy!
Notes
Sourdough bread: To make stale bread with a fresh loaf, start by tearing bread into bite-sized pieces. Evenly layer pieces of sourdough on a large sheet pan. Bake at 300F until almost toasted, about 15 to 20 minutes. The bread should still be a little soft and not competely dried out, as stale bread would be.
Herbs: One tablespoon of fresh chopped herbs can be replaced with one teaspoon of dry herbs.
Making ahead: Fresh bread can be torn into bite-sized pieces 2-3 days in advance. Store in a closed container at room temperature. Prepare the sautéed vegetables and vegetable broth 1-2 days in advance. When you are ready to make the stuffing, simply pour melted butter and simmering vegetable broth mixture over the stuffing and follow recipe instructions to cook.
Leftovers: Keep leftovers refrigerated in a closed container for 3-4 days. Reheat in the oven at 350 degrees until warmed through for the best texture. Reheating in the microwave works but will yield softer stuffing.