This Mushroom Stuffing Recipe is a must for your holiday dinner menu. This classic recipe gets a flavor boost from earthy mushrooms.

Stuffing is a holiday meal classic. There aren’t many American Thanksgiving or Christmas tables where you won’t find a casserole dish of stuffing. As a kid, I wasn’t always a fan of stuffing but now there is just something about that bite of soft bread with sautéed veggies that I can’t get enough of. I would say that it’s coming close to rivaling creamy mashed potatoes as my favorite holiday side dish.

For this Mushroom Stuffing recipe, I decided to take classic stuffing up a notch by introducing the umami packed flavor of mushrooms. They add an earthy heartiness to this stuffing that is sure to be the hit at your holiday table.

What ingredients do you need to make Mushroom Stuffing?

Ingredients for stuffing on white counter.

BREAD: Day old bread works the best. You can use a bread with a crusty outside like a french bread, but I’ve also made this with sourdough bread from the bread aisle. Whatever your bread, just make sure that it is dried out a bit.

DES TIP: To dry out bread a little faster, I put it on top of cooling racks on the counter for a few hours.

CELERY: I know some people have a love hate relationship with it but it is a must in stuffing for the subtle crunch factor.

ONION: Same with the celery, a must in stuffing.

CRIMINI MUSHROOMS: I prefer them to white button mushrooms because they have more flavor.

DRIED PORCINI MUSHROOMS: This is where the umami flavor in this recipe really comes from. You’ll rehydrate them in water first, then use some of that water to add even more mushroom flavor to this stuffing.

DRIED THYME AND FRESH THYME: I like to use dried thyme to sauté the veggies and then a sprinkle of fresh thyme for color at the end.

DRIED RUBBED SAGE: A slightly earthy, peppery taste.

BUTTER: And LOTS of it. Trust me. The butter soaks into the bread and the mushrooms and oh man, it is the best.

CHICKEN BROTH: This helps moisten the stuffing. You can also use vegetable broth to make it completely vegetarian.

STEP BY STEP PHOTOS AND INSTRUCTIONS:

This stuffing is incredibly easy to make! I’ve included some step by step photos to guide you along.

STEP #1: Rehydrate the dried mushrooms in about 1/2 cup of water about 30 minutes before you want to use them.

STEP #2: Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the fresh mushrooms and cook until they start to brown, about 7 minutes.

STEP# 3: Add the celery, onions and rehydrated mushrooms and cook just until the celery and onions are softened. About 5 minutes.

STEP #4: Place the bread pieces in a large bowl. Pour the mixture over the top and mix to combine. Add 1 – 2 tablespoons of mushroom water. Add in thyme, sage, salt and pepper and chicken broth.

DES’ TIP: Sometimes the mushroom water can be gritty. The grit should sink to the bottom so when you take the water take it only from the top.

STEP #5: Place stuffing in a 9 x 13 dish. Cover and bake at 350 for 25 – 30 minutes or until warmed through. Uncover, sprinkle with fresh thyme. Serve.

Can you make this in advance?

When we’re making holiday meals it’s always nice when things can be made in advance. This Mushroom stuffing is great because it can be made about a day in advance. Just make it to the point of baking, cover and refrigerate. Bring it up to room temperature before cooking.