I know I’m not alone when I say that stuffing is unequivocally the best part of Thanksgiving. Sure, there’s the turkey, there are other sides like green bean casserole or sweet potato casserole, but stuffing will always be near and dear to my heart.
I know that if it’s baked outside of a bird, that it should technically be called “dressing,” but I’ve always found that term weird and I don’t know anyone who actually stuffs this classic side inside the turkey anyway.
I’m essentially a stuffing purist – I’m not really too fond of adding sausage or oysters or even using cornbread. My recipe doesn’t, however, use celery. Instead, it’s allium forward with both leeks and onions – with plenty of sage and other herbal notes that make it perfect alongside any holiday meal.
How to Make Homemade Stuffing Without Using Celery
In my years of making stuffing, I’ve found that drying out the bread in the oven is just as effective, if not more so, than letting it sit out overnight. It also doesn’t take advance planning, so there’s a win for that.
So, start by drying out your bread. I like using a sourdough loaf because I like the texture it adds and the flavour it lends. Cut it into cubes and then put it into a 150°C/300°F oven for about 20 minutes, or until it’s dry and lightly toasted.
When the bread is done, make sure to increase the heat of the oven to 180°C/350°F.
Meanwhile, get the rest of your elements together. I don’t use celery in this recipe, but I do use leeks and I really like the sweet, oniony flavour they add to the stuffing.
Add some butter and olive oil to a large skillet and set over medium heat. Once melted and foamy, add your leeks, a diced onion and some salt. Cook until everything is softened and has reduced in size – this will take about 5-7 minutes.
Once you’ve reached that stage, add some garlic, plenty of sage, a bit of fresh thyme and a generous grind of black pepper to the leek and onion mixture. Cook this until very fragrant, only a few minutes longer. Go ahead and remove this from the heat now.
Once your bread is done, go ahead and add it to a large mixing bowl (you will need quite a large bowl to properly mix it!). You can then scrape the leek mixture over the bread.
Then, crack some eggs in a medium bowl and whisk them with a bit of chicken stock – or, use veggie stock if you want to keep this stuffing vegetarian-friendly. Also, season with a bit of salt. I like to use unsalted chicken stock so I have full control of just how salty the final dish is.
Pour the egg and stock mixture over the bread and mix it very well to ensure it’s thoroughly combined. Then, pile it into a greased baking dish and cover it tightly with foil.
Bake the stuffing for 30 minutes before removing the foil and baking for a further 20 minutes, just until it’s browned and crisp on top.
Make sure to let the stuffing cool for at least ten minutes before serving. After that, dig in and enjoy!
Thanksgiving Stuffing Without Celery
Ingredients
- 500 g (1 lb) sourdough bread cut into 2cm (1in) cubes
- 50 g (3 ½ tbsp) unsalted butter
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 2 leeks thinly sliced, white & light green parts only
- 5 g (1 tsp) salt divided (see note 1)
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 10 g (¼ cup) fresh sage finely chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme chopped
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 750 ml (3 cups) chicken stock (see note 2)
- 3 eggs
- 2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 150°C/300°F. Lightly grease a 33×23cm (13×9in) baking dish. Add the bread to a large baking tray (you may need to use 2 so as not to overcrowd) and place it in the oven. Toast or about 20 minutes, or until dry to the touch and lightly golden at the edges. Remove from the oven and transfer to a large mixing bowl. Increase the oven heat to 180°C/350°F.
- While the bread is toasting, add the butter and olive oil to a large skillet and set over medium heat. Once the butter is melted and foamy, add the onion, leeks and ¼ tsp of salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions and leeks are softened and fragrant, about 5-7 minutes.
- Add the garlic, sage, thyme and black pepper. Cook for 1-2 minutes longer, just until very fragrant. Remove from the heat and scrape the onion mixture over the bread.
- Add the chicken stock, eggs and remaining ¾ tsp of salt to a medium bowl and whisk to combine. Pour over the bread and onions. Add the parsley and stir until everything is well combined.
- Transfer the bread mixture to the prepared baking dish, spreading it out evenly. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake until the top is crisp and golden in places, another 15-20 minutes. Allow to cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
- For best results, measure salt by weight, as different salts vary in crystal size and density.
- For best results, use unsalted stock so you can control the seasoning of the final dish.
Nutrition
Disclaimer: Nutritional information is automatically generated and provided as guidance only. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
You won’t miss the celery in this classic Thanksgiving stuffing and, honestly, it may become one of your favourite additions to your holiday table.
Are you after a great stuffing recipe? Have any questions? Let me know in the comments!
