Wild Mushroom Stuffing

Why Should You Make This Recipe?

Savory, rich, and irresistibly fluffy, this gourmet recipe is easily the best mushroom stuffing out there. Add it to your Thanksgiving dinner or whip it up for a weeknight treat—you won’t be able to get enough of this delicious side.

• This is the best stuffing recipe for mushroom lovers. Using anything from shiitakes to porcinis to button mushrooms, this mixed mushroom stuffing abounds with robust, earthy flavor.
• Whether you use a buttery Brioche Loaf or a spongy Challah Bread, this recipe will stun your tastebuds with rich, sumptuous flavor. Treating yourself has never been so easy.
• Quick, simple, and tasty, this is the best Thanksgiving stuffing recipe with mushrooms. Prepare it a day ahead, pop it in the oven, and you’re ready to eat in only half an hour!
• Give your tired mushroom, onion, and celery stuffing a makeover with this fresh recipe. Using leeks and shallots, this five-star dish is as elegant as it is appetizing.

Ingredients

For this recipe, you’ll need olive oil, shallots, leeks, shiitake mushrooms and/or cremini mushrooms, garlic, salt, black pepper, thyme, unsalted butter, white wine, eggs, swiss or gruyere cheese, parsley, vegetable stock, and brioche bread.

Substitutions

You don’t have to scour grocery stores to make this hearty side dish. Easy substitutions will let you make this wild mushroom stuffing recipe using ingredients you already have at home.

• Mushrooms: Though I use a combination of shiitake and cremini mushrooms in this recipe, other types like chanterelle, oyster, and porcini mushrooms can be used. So, go ahead, use this recipe and transform it into a chanterelle stuffing recipe, a porcini mushroom stuffing recipe, or even a 3 mushroom stuffing recipe by using different types of edible mushrooms.
• Leeks and Shallots: No leeks? No problem! For a more traditional take on this stuffing recipe, you can take out the leeks and shallots and opt for a classic (and delicious!) stuffing with mushroom, celery, and onions.
• Fresh herbs: I use thyme and parsley in this recipe, but dozens of herb combinations would work. Adding sage will give your mushroom leek stuffing tasty pine-like undertones, or you can chop up fresh thyme for a crisp, herbal taste. No matter what herbs you have on hand, you can’t go wrong with this simple side.

How To Make Mushroom Stuffing?

Stuffing is everyone’s favorite part of Thanksgiving, but no one wants to break a sweat making it. With only 30 minutes of baking time, this mushroom stuffing recipe comes together in a snap.

1. Prepare the baking dish: Butter a large baking dish and set it aside.

2. Cook the vegetables: Heat oil in a Dutch oven or large sauté pan over medium high heat. Then, add the leeks and shallots. Cook the vegetables until they’re wilted (3-5 minutes), and then stir in the mushrooms, garlic, salt, pepper, and thyme. Cook the ingredients until the juices have mostly evaporated.
3. Add butter and wine: Add the butter, stirring until it’s fully melted, and then stir in the wine. Turn down the heat to medium-low and cook the mixture until the juices are mostly gone (5-8 minutes). Then, remove the pan from the heat, remove the sprigs of thyme, and let the mixture cool for 10-15 minutes.

4. Make the egg mixture: In a large mixing bowl, combine the eggs, cheese, parsley, and vegetable stock.
5. Combine the ingredients: Once the mushroom mixture has cooled, transfer it to a large bowl with the bread cubes. Then, add the egg mixture and gently stir to combine. Transfer the stuffing to the prepared baking dish, using a spatula to ensure even distribution.
6. Let the stuffing rest: Cover the baking dish with stretch film, place it in the refrigerator, and let it sit until the juices are absorbed (between 30 minutes and 3 hours). 
7. Bake the stuffing: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. and bake the stuffing for 30-35 minutes, or until the top of the stuffing turns golden.
8. Serve: Top the stuffing with chopped parsley and serve it while warm.

How to Make Ahead & Store

Stress-free meal prep? Yes, please! My favorite part about this wild mushroom stuffing casserole is how easy it is to prepare, store, and reheat. 

• Make ahead: You can make this Thanksgiving dressing with mushrooms up to one day ahead. Just cover the dish with aluminum foil, put it in the fridge, and remove it the next day, 30 minutes before you cook it. Once the stuffing has warmed up, bake it in the oven for 30-35 minutes at 350 degrees F.
• Storage: To store leftovers, let the dish reach room temperature. Then, transfer the stuffing to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. When ready to eat, reheat the leftovers in a 300 degree F. oven until they reach a desirable temperature.

Expert Tips

To make this savory stuffing recipe as tasty as possible, you can’t go wrong with a few foolproof tips. Your homemade stuffing will come out perfect every time with these handy suggestions.

• Dry out the bread: It’s important that your bread is dry so it can soak up all the flavorful custard mixture. To dry out your bread, I recommend slicing it into 1-inch pieces, covering it with a clean kitchen cloth, and leaving it out overnight. For a quicker fix, you can also follow the effortless method from my Brioche French Toast Recipe: Cut the brioche into cubes and place them in the oven at 300 degrees F for 10-12 minutes, flipping them halfway through.
• Mix and match mushrooms: Nearly all edible mushrooms will work in this stuffing recipe, so you can switch up which mushrooms you use for dozens of delectable flavor combinations. I sometimes use Roasted Portobello Mushrooms or Roasted Shiitake mushrooms or a combination of both.
• ½ cup vegetable stock: I found that ½ cup of vegetable stock was the perfect amount to keep my stuffing moist but not soggy. However, depending on how juicy your vegetables are and how dry your bread is, you might find you need to add a little more. If your stuffing mixture looks dry, add a little more vegetable stock to the mix.
• Season your vegetables: When cooking your vegetables, taste them to make sure they have sufficient seasoning. If your veggies are bland when they’re mixed in, your stuffing won’t pack the same flavorful punch.
• Any oven-proof casserole dish would work here: As you can see in the pictures, I used a 10-inch pie plate but any oven-proof casserole dish that can accommodate the brioche-vegetable mixture would work.

Recipe Variations

This versatile dish is the gift that just keeps giving. Give your savory mushroom dressing a tasty revamp every time you make it with these scrumptious modifications. 

• Add cheese: Changing up which cheese you use is a delicious way to adjust this recipe. From creamy gruyere to nutty swiss cheese and even sharp parmesan, almost any shredded cheese will work.
• Add meat: Adding cooked meats, like sausage, pancetta, or bacon, will give this stuffing an irresistible salty flavor. Meat eaters will fall head over heels for this protein-packed variation.
• Challah bread stuffing: Want to give your stuffing a slightly eggier, spongy flavor? Try substituting your brioche with challah bread, and voila! The perfect kosher challah stuffing recipe.
• Mushroom sage dressing: With an earthy, pine-like aroma and a tempting taste, sage can be the perfect herbal addition to your stuffing recipe. Just swap out the sprigs of thyme for fresh sage.
• Add cubed apples: The only thing that could make this mushroom dressing for turkey even more delicious is adding the fruity, sweet flavor of apples! Add enticing depth to your stuffing recipe with this fall-friendly addition.
• Use chicken stock: Give your stuffing an extra boost of flavor by using chicken stock instead of vegetable stock. Satisfying, simple, and undeniably tasty, my recipe for chicken stock will enliven your side dish without the extra hassle.
• Vegan mushroom stuffing: If you want to make this recipe vegan, omit the eggs, cheese, and butter, and use an extra ½ cup of vegetable stock. Then, swap out the brioche bread for a vegan-friendly option. I recommend using my No-Knead Bread with a little extra vegetable stock, though most any type of bread would work.

Other Thanksgiving Side Dishes You Might Like

I know that a lot of people like Bon Appetit and Epicurious’ mushroom stuffing recipe. However, I know that this version here is nothing short of incredible. I hope you give it a try.

Looking for other mouthwatering dishes to fill out your Thanksgiving table? Delectable, rich, and always satisfying, these savory recipes will have your guests asking for seconds.

• Carrot and Ginger Soup
• Baked Brie
• Sweet Potato Souffle
• Vegetarian Cornbread Stuffing