I started this recipe back in 2011, when all our kids had some sort of allergy. We bought gluten free bread and used that, but now we can use fresh milled bread, making it even better than before. This fresh milled stuffing recipe will become a staple at our table.
This recipe is perfect for those bread “fails” that you turned into croutons or for a loaf of bread that’s a day or two (or more) old. You can use freshly baked bread, but dry bread or croutons is what we need to soak up all the flavor. With fresh milled stuffing, want a different spin? Use cornbread, turn that into croutons and carry on!
Ingredients
- 6 slices of thick sliced, fresh milled bread or 8 slices of thinner sliced
- 3 tablespoons butter or coconut oil
- 1 – 2 yellow onions, chopped (depending on your taste preference)
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- ½ leek, chopped
- ¼ cup finely chopped fresh parsley
- 1 sprig fresh sage, leaves finely chopped
- 1 sprig fresh marjoram, finely chopped
- 1 sprig fresh thyme, finely chopped
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary, leaves finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons butter or coconut oil, melted
- 1 cup vegetable broth, or as needed
Directions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
- Cut bread slices into cubes and spread onto a baking sheet.
- Bake in the preheated oven until cubes are dry and crisp, 15 to 20 minutes.
- Heat 3 tablespoons of butter or coconut oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook and stir onions, celery, and leek in the hot oil until soft, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer vegetables into a bowl and stir gluten-free bread cubes, parsley, sage, marjoram, thyme, rosemary, and 2 tablespoons of melted butter or coconut oil into the vegetables. Moisten dressing with vegetable broth, about 1/2 cup at a time, mixing thoroughly for fresh milled stuffing. Transfer into a 9-inch square baking dish and cover with aluminum foil.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake until stuffing is heated through and top is lightly golden brown, about 15 more minutes. You will love this fresh milled stuffing.
Jazz Up your Stuffing!
My mother made this stuffing one year, adding a pound of pasture raised, organic sausage and some dried cranberries – and I believe hers topped mine by lightyears! But if you’re wanting to keep it vegan, use coconut oil or extra virgin olive oil instead of butter and leave out the sausage.
Garlic could step this up even more, if you’re a fan of garlic. If you have fresh made turkey stock, using that instead of veggie broth would be out of this world!
Want cornbread stuffing? Replace the bread with cornbread – cube it and bake it in the oven until dry and crunchy, and carry on with the same recipe. It would be phenomenal! This fresh milled stuffing variation with cornbread will surprise your guests.
I hope you give it a try this year, and enjoy!
Need to make Turkey Gravy?
Use our fresh milled roux, and mix with drippings from the pan. Remember to mix COLD roux with HOT drippings so it’s best to make the roux before the day for quick turkey gravy on Thanksgiving day. Also, serve it with the fresh milled stuffing for a perfect meal.
How to Make Gravy with Roux
Mix 1 tbsp of roux per cup of drippings, keeping the rule above in mind. It will thicken well, and keep the corn starch where it belongs – not on your table!
