Scottish Oat Stuffing (Scottish Skirlie)
This Scottish version will outshine your Thanksgiving classic.
you're making mealtime meaningful.
Scottish Oat Stuffing is the stuffing you wish you had heard of sooner. This hearty side dish uses quick-cook oats as the carby base. Laced with savory aromatic and herbal touches, this is a side dish that’s perfect for a holiday dinner table.
Called skirlie, this is a dish native to Scotland. Traditionally it’s a simple mixture of oats, onion, and lard cooked until everything is tender. While it is a side dish, it is also used as a filling to stuff the cavity of birds and roasts.
Here, this recipe adds some extra ingredients like celery and fresh herbs to add a bit more of that classic holiday feeling to the dish!
Unlike homemade stuffing, which requires you to cube and dry out your bread days in advance, this recipe has no crazy prep work involved.
Celery and onions cook until tender alongside butter.
Once softened, the oats are added. A lot of Scottish recipes call for pinhead oatmeal, but quick cook oats are a great stateside alternative.
Next, the fresh herbs get tossed in, followed by a bit of chicken stock. If you want to make it vegetarian-friendly, you can swap out the chicken stock for vegetable stock.
Next, the stuffing gets poured into the prepared pan. If you want a firmer stuffing with a lot of crispy bits, use a 9×13. For a softer and moister stuffing, opt for a 8×8 or 9×9 casserole dish. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Garnish with parsley, and serve warm!
Scottish Oat Stuffing is hearty, but without being overly dense. The aromatic vegetables and the fresh herbs cut through any potential heaviness with a wonderful fresh and earthy savoriness.
The onions and celery are the same small size as the oatmeal, making it a textually consistent bite. Butter and stock keep the Scottish Oat Stuffing moist without becoming soupy, giving it the right consistency.
This Scottish Oat Stuffing is a great way to change up the same old lineup of dishes.
Scottish Oat Stuffing (Scottish Skirlie)
Yield(s): Serves about 6 to 8
25m prep time
15m cook time
you're making mealtime meaningful.
Ingredients
- 2 cups diced onion
- 2 cups diced celery
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 5 cups quick-cook oats
- 2 tablespoons chopped sage
- 2 tablespoons chopped thyme
- 2 tablespoons chopped rosemary
- 3 1/2 to 5 cups chicken stock
- 2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley (for garnish)
Preparation
- Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 9x13 (for a drier stuffing) or 8x8 or 9x9 (for a moister stuffing), set aside.
- In a large saucepan, add onions, celery, butter, salt and pepper. Set over medium heat and cook until the butter is melted and the onions and celery start to soften, about 10 minutes.
- Add in oats and herbs, stirring to combine.
- Pour in the stock. Start with 3 1/2 cups and gradually add more if needed. You want it to be wet but not soupy.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared casserole dish and bake for about 20 to 25 minutes.
- Serve warm, garnish with parsley, and enjoy!
Recipe adapted from Nicole's Tasting Spoon.