Healthier Bread Stuffing – Lower Calorie Option
Thanksgiving stuffing can be made healthier and still taste just like the heavy calorie one. Since I have started changing my recipes to reduce the amount of calories, and keeping the flavors intact, dishes like this healthier bread stuffing became a staple on my thanksgiving table along Carrot Souffle (everyone asks for it every year!).
For step by step instructions, visit this Bread Stuffing Recipe:
Is stuffing high in fat?
Bread stuffing recipes call for insane amounts of butter and they require to be cooked inside the turkey, which is also high in fat. And all that fat will transfer into the stuffing making it a very high fat dish. However, there is a way to tweak it just slightly and save tons of fat and calories and still get a delicious, full of flavor stuffing.
Why is stuffing so high in calories?
Stuffing is made mostly out of bread and butter, both very high in calories. Butter is an essential ingredient in stuffing. It gives it this rich flavor which we all love. I learned that a little butter goes a long way in this recipe. You can get away with cutting butter in half and get a stuffing that is just as good as the original.
When it comes to bread, I suggest you keep whatever bread you like, this is a holiday dish after all :). I use stale sourdough bread. My, improved recipe has 176 calories per big serving.
What will you need for this healthier bread stuffing
- sourdough bread (stale is best – couple days old)
- cremini or white mushroom
- onion
- celery
- butter
- chicken stock
- fresh spices: thyme, sage, parsley
- salt and pepper to taste
- casserole dish for baking
How to make bread stuffing healthier
Grease a casserole dish with butter and set aside.
Cut up a stale loaf of bread into small cubes. Lay them on a large tray. Bake at 350 F for 15 – 20 minutes until the bread becomes toasted and lightly brown.
While the bread is toasting, prepare vegetables: chop onion, celery and mushroom into small pieces. Chop herbs.
Preheat a nonstick pan and add a small amount of butter (out of the 4 tablespoons that we are going to be using). Add mushroom and let them brown.
Add half a tablespoon of butter and the rest of vegetables, season with salt and pepper, and cook until they soften.
Add some more butter and stir. You will be keep on adding small amount of butter throughout the cooking process (out of the 4 tablespoons the recipe requires).
Sprinkle herbs and continue cooking until vegetables are very soft.
Add the remaining butter, fold it until incorporated.
Pour chicken stock and cook for 5 minutes.
Taste and see if you need more seasoning. Add parsley. Bring to a boil.
Transfer the toasted bread into a large bowl.
Pour vegetables on top and stir until well incorporated and all the bread pieces are moist.
Spread bread stuffing onto greased 9 by 13 baking dish.
Preheat oven to 350 F and bake for 50 minutes.
Does stuffing reheat well?
Bread stuffing reheats very well. If you have any leftover, just pop it into oven preheated to 350 F and bake for 30 minutes. It will come out hot and crispy on top.
How do you moisten dry stuffing?
If your bread stuffing becomes dry, you can add some chicken stock before reheating it.
Healthier Bread Stuffing
Equipment
- 1 9 by 13 Baking pan
- 1 large frying pan
Ingredients
- 1 lb loaf sourdough bread (stale)
- 12 oz cremini mushroom (or white)
- 1 large onion
- 2 stalks celery
- 4 tbs butter
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 10 small thyme stalks
- 10 leaves sage
- 2 tbs chopped parsley
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Grease a casserole dish with butter and set aside.
- Cut up a stale loaf of bread into small cubes. Lay them on a large tray. Bake at 350 F for 15 – 20 minutes until the bread becomes toasted and lightly brown.
- Chop onion, celery and mushroom into small pieces. Chop herbs.
- Preheat a nonstick pan and add a small amount of butter (out of the 4 tablespoons that we are going to be using). Add mushroom and let them brown.
- Add half a tablespoon of butter and the rest of vegetables, season with salt and pepper, and cook until they soften.
- Add some more butter and stir. Keep on adding small amount of butter throughout the cooking process (out of the 4 tablespoons the recipe requires).
- Add herbs and continue cooking until vegetables are very soft.
- Add the remaining butter, fold it until incorporated.
- Add chicken stock and cook for 5 minutes.
- Taste and see if you need more seasoning. Add parsley. Bring to a boil.
- Transfer the toasted bread into a large bowl. Add the vegetables and stir until well incorporated and all the bread pieces are moist.
- Spread bread stuffing onto greased 9 by 13 baking dish.
- Preheat oven to 350 F and bake for 50 minutes.
GUILT FREE DESSERT RECIPES
NO BAKE YOGURT STRAWBERRY CHEESECAKE
COFFEE CHOCOLATE CHIP YOGURT ICE CREAM
*Links in this blog post are affiliate links, which means at no extra cost to you, I will make a small commission if you click them and make a qualifying purchase*
1 thought on “Healthier Bread Stuffing – Lower Calorie Option”