Bacon Stuffing
This bacon stuffing recipe is smoky, savory, and perfect for Thanksgiving. Easy to prep ahead and bake with crispy edges and a soft, flavorful center.
Servings: 8 servings
Ingredients
- 9 ounce loaf Ciabatta bread cut into 1" squares
- 1 pound thick cut bacon diced
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 sweet onion diced
- 2 stalks celery diced
- 1/2 teaspoon ground sage
- 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 egg beaten
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375F. Place bread cubes on a large cookie sheet with a silicon mat or lightly spray. Bake for 10-15 minutes until the bread becomes golden brown and toasted all the way through mixing half way through.
- While the bread is in the oven, cook bacon in a large skillet until crispy. Remove cooked bacon bits from skillet using a slotted spoon and place on a plate with a paper towel. Drain the rest of the bacon grease. (Optionally you can reserve 2-3 tbsp bacon fat to saute the onions and celery in.)
- Add butter to skillet and let melt. Add onion and celery and coat with butter. Mix in sage, parsley, rosemary, thyme, salt, and pepper to the veggie mix. Continue to cook until onions and celery are soft, about 6-8 minutes. Add chicken broth to skillet to deglaze the pan.
- In a glass 9x13 pan, add in toasted bread. Mix in the veggies, bacon (reserve a little for topping if desired) and chicken broth until all bread pieces are coated. Mix in egg and continue to gently blend together. Let sit until all chicken broth is soaked up, about 5 minutes.
- Bake for about 25-30 minutes until top of the stuffing is golden brown and is heated through.
Notes
- Use day-old or toasted bread for best texture.
- Reserve 2-3 Tbsp bacon fat for sautéing onions and celery.
- For a crisp top, bake uncovered; for a softer stuffing, cover for first 20 minutes.
- Use low-sodium broth to balance the salt from bacon.
- Let the mixture rest before baking so bread absorbs liquid evenly.
- Add apples or mushrooms for variation (optional).
- Can be assembled ahead and baked later — just add a little extra broth before baking.
- Store leftovers up to 4 days; reheat covered with foil to retain moisture.
- Freeze up to 2 months; thaw overnight and bake until warm.
Nutrition
Calories: 431kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 65mg | Sodium: 1029mg | Potassium: 280mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 138IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 40mg | Iron: 2mg
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