Wild Mushroom Stuffing

This wild mushroom stuffing recipe combines a variety of umami-rich mushrooms with soft brioche bread, leeks, and nutty cheese to create a deeply flavorful, slightly non-traditional stuffing. Be sure to make plenty as everyone at your holiday table will be clamoring for seconds.

Adapted from Karen Mordechai | Sunday Suppers | Clarkson Potter, 2014

Earthy flavors combine with slightly sweet brioche bread to create this beautiful brioche and wild mushroom stuffing. One could certainly experiment with other breads—raisin or nut varieties could work well. Homemade challah would also be an excellent choice.–Karen Mordechai

Why our testers loved this

Our testers are describing this stuffing as “savory and decadent” and “a nice change from traditional flavored stuffing.” They loved that even after baking, the stuffing stayed moist and tender.

Notes on ingredients

Wild mushrooms–You can substitute any of your favorite wild mushrooms here.
White wine–Stay away from any type of sweet wine as the bread already lends the stuffing a slightly sweet flavor. If you need to avoid using alcohol, use additional chicken stock.
Brioche or challah bread-Using brioche or challah is going to give your stuffing a soft texture with a slightly sweet flavor. If you prefer a more traditional stuffing texture, use a sturdier artisan-style bread.

How to make this recipe

Sauté the vegetables. Cook the shallots, leeks, mushrooms, and garlic in butter until tender.
Mix the stuffing. Combine the eggs, cheese, bread, vegetables, and parsley with some chicken stock and mix until everything is thoroughly moistened.
Bake the stuffing. Plop the stuffing into a baking dish, cover, and cook at 350°F until heated through. Remove the foil and continue to cook until golden and crispy on top.

FAQs

Can I make this ahead of time?

You can. Prepare the stuffing through step 3, up to 48 hours in advance. Transfer it to a buttered baking dish, cover it with buttered foil, and stash it in the fridge until you’re ready to bake. If baking directly from the fridge, you may need to add a few extra minutes to the cooking time.

What’s the difference between stuffing and dressing?

Stuffing is generally cooked inside a turkey, while dressing is baked separately in a baking dish. So, yes, this wild mushroom stuffing recipe should technically be called a dressing, although you can cook it inside your roast turkey, if you like.

Can I stuff my Thanksgiving turkey with this?

You can, although our recommendation would be to cook it separately. Cooking it in a baking dish gives you a crisp, golden crust, and avoids the potential for overcooking your turkey while waiting for the internal temperature of your stuffing to reach 165°F. If you do cook it inside your turkey, don’t add any extra stock as the turkey will add extra liquid as it cooks.

Helpful tips

To cut down on dishes, sauté your vegetables in a Dutch oven or cast-iron skillet. Mix up the stuffing and place it back into the Dutch oven or skillet and bake.
Leftover stuffing will keep in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or can be frozen for up to 1 month.

A person holding a plate filled with mushroom stuffing, sliced turkey, gravy, and cranberry sauce.

More great stuffing recipes

A white rectangular dish filled with herbed bread and celery stuffing with a fork and spoon next to it on a napkin. — Herbed Bread and Celery Stuffing

A white oval serving platter topped with green olives and chouriço stuffing with two serving spoons nestled in it. — Herbed Bread and Celery Stuffing

☞ If you make this recipe, or any dish on LC, consider leaving a review, a star rating, and your best photo in the comments below. I love hearing from you.–David