One of my favorite parts of holidays meals is the stuffing. A crunchy top with the savory flavors of onion and celery and a little soft underneath- it’s the perfect side to poultry. This Rye Bread Stuffing uses rye bread and apple to make a standout stuffing that’s as unique as it is flavorful.
For this recipe I like to use the rye and pumpernickel swirl bread so that it has that dark color. It also signals to guests that this is no ordinary stuffing. But, you can use any type of rye bread you like and the flavor will be just as good.
Cut into cubes as you would for other types of stuffing, then bake the cubes until they’re a little dried out. This allows them to soak up the broth a lot better.
The apple here gives just a bit of sweetness that balances so well with the rye flavor. This subtle flavor also means this stuffing goes well with pork, too.
To keep this stuffing from being super dry on top and too moist on the bottom stir it every ten minutes. Doing it this way the texture comes out perfect.
If you’re cooking this stuffing inside the bird prepare steps 1 and 2 then combine the stuffing ingredients in a large bowl and stuff the bird. Spread some stuffing around the bird as well. Cook until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reads 165˚F for chicken and 180˚F for turkey.
Don’t forget a little melted butter poured over the top for the last ten minutes of baking to give the stuffing an extra rich flavor and to ensure the top layer gets a nice crisp to it.
Served with some chicken or turkey this stuffing hits the spot. It’s a special take on the classic and one that is sure to liven up the holiday table.
Rye Bread Stuffing
Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 1 (16 oz) loaf marbled rye bread, cubed
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 1 granny smith apple, diced
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- salt and pepper to taste
- 3 garlic cloves, pressed
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 ½ tablespoons dried sage
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
- 1 egg, beaten
- 2 ½ cups vegetable broth
Preparation
- Preheat oven to 350˚F. Spread bread cubes on large baking tray and bake for 10 minutes to dry them out. Remove from oven and set aside.
- In large skillet melt 3 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add in onion, apple, and celery and cook for 8-10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste and garlic, thyme, sage, and parsley.
- Combine all ingredients in large mixing bowl and then spread in a 9”x13” baking dish. Let sit for 5 minutes.
- Bake for 40 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. Melt butter and pour over top for last 10 minutes of baking. Top should be golden brown when done.
Recipe adapted from Cook In Dine Out.