Challah tossed with savory chestnuts, fresh herbs, and aromatic vegetables makes this Challah Chestnut Stuffing the perfect homemade stuffing recipe for all your holiday meals. With its crispy top and soft interior, this dish is packed with contrasting textures and flavors. And it's flexible enough to customize.
The star of this stuffing is the challah: I mean look at that golden color!
Challah works well in traditional stuffing because it's sturdy enough to absorb liquid without getting soggy. It has the best fluffy texture and a hint of sweetness.
In addition, I like to add chestnuts, like my grandma used to do. They give the stuffing a little crunch and a nostalgic seasonal touch. Then there's a generous amount of fresh herbs and vegetables to add lots of savory goodness.
Having stuffing is a must for Thanksgiving, Friendsgiving, and Christmas. Also, stuffing pairs well with a whole roasted chicken on shabbat. Serve along side other Thanksgiving side dishes like French Green Beans, Sweet Potato Biscuits, and Carrot Soufflé.
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Ingredients and Substitutions
See the recipe card below for a complete ingredient list and measurements.
- Challah - I think that challah is the best bread for stuffing because it has a fluffy yet sturdy texture and excellent flavor. Other bread options for stuffing include sourdough, rustic white, Italian, and French bread.
Make your own bread cubes from an unsliced loaf of challah using one of the methods in the recipe card. Or a shortcut is to buy ready-made, dried, unseasoned bread cubes from a bakery or supermarket, which is often available during holiday time.
- Olive oil adds flavor and moisture to this dish which is dairy-free and parve.
- Herbs and aromatic vegetables - For best flavor, use fresh herbs: parsley, sage, and thyme. This recipe uses a generous amount of herbs, celery, onions, and carrots to enhance the savory flavors and texture of the dish.
- Chestnuts add a nutty flavor and slight crunch. Buy them already peeled and steamed. During holiday time, chestnuts are often sold in supermarkets and in carts on the streets of New York City. Amazon carries them year-round. Try a shelf-stable brand like Gefen Chestnuts or the refrigerated one from Melissa's Produce in the supermarket produce department.
If you can't find chestnuts, substitute with sautéed sliced mushrooms. Don't substitute with water chestnuts- they are not the same thing.
- Broth - Use homemade turkey stock if you are making it for your gravy. If the stock is unsalted, add a little more salt to the stuffing mixture. Otherwise, use your favorite brand of salted turkey or chicken broth. For a parve or vegetarian stuffing, use Imagine Vegetarian No-Chicken Broth or a vegetable broth.
- Other ingredients include kosher salt, black pepper, and an egg.
- Optional add-ins - Chopped apples, dried cranberries, sliced mushrooms, minced garlic, chopped pecans, or sliced leeks would make a tasty addition to this recipe. Pick one or two if you want to personalize the stuffing.
This recipe has not been tested with substitutions or variations. If you replace or add any ingredients, please let us know how it turned out in the comments below.
How to Make Challah Stuffing (step by step photos)
I baked the stuffing in a casserole dish instead of inside the turkey. I prefer this method as it keeps the challah soft and moist on the inside while creating a perfectly crisp, golden top. It also helps the stuffing cook thoroughly and to reach the proper temperature (165ºF).
See the recipe card below for complete directions.
Use these process shots to help visualize each step.
Step 1. Cube: Cut the challah into cubes, leaving the crust on. Use one of the drying methods: leave stale bread out overnight, or bake until dry but not brown.
Step 2. Chop: Cut the carrots, onion, and celery into a small dice.
Step 3. Saute the vegetables in oil until softened.
Step 4. Combine: Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl. Wait a minute for liquid to absorb.
Step 5. Transfer the stuffing mixture into the casserole dish.
Step 6. Bake covered for 25 minutes and then uncovered for 25 minutes until golden brown on top and cooked through on the inside.
Top Tips for the Best Classic Stuffing
- If you have leftover bits of challah from shabbat, freeze them in an airtight bag until you accumulate enough to make stuffing.
- Cut uniform cubes of challah for more even cooking.
- Be sure to use dried out or stale cubes of challah or else the stuffing will be mushy.
- Use a food processor to chop the vegetables if you're not good with a knife. It will be faster.
- Sauté the vegetables before adding them to the stuffing mixture. Don't add them raw or else they will be too crunchy.
- Use enough broth to moisten the bread cubes but not so much that it's soggy. The stuffing gets a little drier as it bakes.
- Use ¼ cup more broth if you prefer a more moist stuffing.
- Do not overbake, or the stuffing will turn out dry.
Make Ahead and Storage
Make ahead options:
Prep the bread cubes: the bread cubes can be dried a day or two in advance. Store loosely sealed at room temperature.
Prep the vegetables: the vegetables can be chopped and sautéed one to two days in advance. Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator.
Prep the casserole: assemble the casserole up to a day ahead. Cover well and refrigerate. Bake the day of. Be sure to leave the casserole out on the counter for about a half hour before baking so you don't put a cold dish in a hot oven which could cause breakage.
Cooked casserole: I like to bake the stuffing on the day of serving. However, if you need to cook in advance, the stuffing can be prepared and baked a day ahead. Once cooled, cover well, and refrigerate. Follow re-heating instructions to serve.
Can you freeze stuffing? Yes, bake the stuffing first. Once cooled, cover the pan well, and place in a Ziploc bag. Freeze up to 3 months.
To serve, defrost in the refrigerator overnight, then continue with reheating instructions.
How to store: Store tightly covered in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
How to reheat stuffing: Let casserole sit out on the counter for a half hour first so that you don't put a cold dish in a hot oven, which could case the dish to break.
If the stuffing seems dry, sprinkle broth (or water) over the top before heating. Reheat covered in the oven at 350°F for 10 minutes, then increase to 400°F, and heat for another 10 minutes uncovered until fully warmed through and the top is crispy.
Alternatively, stuffing can be reheated in the microwave, but it won't be as crispy on top.
More Side Dish Ideas
Stuffing is one of my all time favorite side dishes. If you're looking for more sensational options, then try my Carrot Ring, Vegetable Farro, Sweet Noodle Kugel (parve), or one of these below:
- Red Cabbage Slaw (no mayo)
- Italian Zucchini Ribbon Salad
- Moroccan Carrot Salad- with updated twist
- Italian Zucchini Latkes
Frequently Asked Questions
No, there is no need to remove the crusts. Challah crust is quite soft.
Add a little hot broth over the top, and wait a minute for it to absorb. Or serve with gravy over the top. Make a note to use a little more broth or to bake a few minutes less next time.
Bake it a few minutes more uncovered until the liquid has evaporated. Make a note to use a little less broth or to bake a few minutes more next time.
Technically, stuffing is made inside the bird while "dressing" is made outside of the bird. However, I have called this recipe stuffing though it is cooked in a baking pan.
Eggs help bind the mixture together. They also add moisture and a richness.
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Recipe
Challah Stuffing with Chestnuts and Herbs
Ingredients
- 1 medium loaf challah 1 pound, unsliced (makes about 7 to 8 cups loosely packed bread cubes.) See note for options.
- cooking spray or oil to grease casserole dish
- 3 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 3 celery stalks small dice (1½ cups chopped)
- 1 large yellow onion small dice (1½ cups chopped)
- 2 medium carrots peeled and small dice (½ cup chopped)
- ½ cup chopped peeled and steamed chestnuts drained (3 ounce package)
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme
- 1½ teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt divided
- ¼ teaspoon freshly cracked ground black pepper
- 2¾ cups salted chicken or turkey broth or Imagine Vegetarian No-Chicken Broth for a parve version
- 1 large egg beaten
- Serving suggestion: top with turkey gravy or serve alongside cranberry sauce.
Instructions
Prepare the challah cubes
- Cut the challah loaf into ¾ inch cubes. Keep the crust. Spread cubes on a baking sheet. There are two options for drying out the bread cubes:
- Drying option #1 (in advance): Leave the cubes to dry out on the counter uncovered overnight or up to one day ahead. This works well with stale challah.
- Drying option #2 (just prior to cooking):Alternatively, dry out the cubes in a 300ºF oven uncovered on a baking sheet in a single layer for about 25 minutes. They are ready when the cubes are just getting firm, nicely dry, but are not browned. Remove from oven.
Make the stuffing
- While the challah dries out, grease a 9”x13” rectangular casserole dish (or similar sized oval dish) with cooking spray or brush with oil. Set aside.
- Preheat oven: Once the bread cubes are ready and out of the oven, increase the oven temperature to 350°F.
- Combine all the ingredients together in a large mixing bowl: dried bread cubes, sautéed vegetables, chopped chestnuts, parsley, sage, thyme, ½ teaspoon salt, pepper, 1 tablespoon oil, broth, and beaten egg. Gently fold together distributing all the ingredients throughout. Wait a couple minutes for the liquid to absorb into the bread cubes.
- Transfer the mixture to the prepared casserole dish, and spread out into an even layer. Do NOT press down on the mixture.
- Bake covered with foil for 25 minutes, then uncover and bake for another 25 minutes, until the liquid has evaporated and the bread has achieved a golden brown color on top. If you want the top a little crispier, run it under the broiler for 1 to 2 minutes, but watch carefully so it doesn't burn.
- Serve hot with turkey gravy or cranberry sauce.
Notes
- Bread cube options:
- Buy a bread: cut into cubes, let dry out uncovered overnight.
- Buy a bread: cut into cubes, dry out in the oven.
- Save leftover shabbat challah in the freezer. Once you have enough, make cubes as per one of the methods above.
- Buy ready-made, unseasoned bread cubes from the market/bakery.
- Use ¼ cup more broth if you prefer a more moist stuffing.
- Sourcing chestnuts: During holiday time, chestnuts are often sold in supermarkets, and Amazon carries them year-round. Look for already steamed and peeled. Try a shelf-stable brand like Gefen Chestnuts or the refrigerated one from Melissa's Produce in the supermarket produce department.
If you can't find chestnuts, substitute with sautéed sliced mushrooms.
Don't substitute with water chestnuts- they are not the same thing. - Make ahead options:
- Prep the bread cubes: bread cubes can be dried 1-2 days in advance. Store at room temperature.
- Prep the vegetables: the vegetables can be chopped and sautéed 1-2 days in advance. Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator.
- Prep the casserole: assemble the casserole up to a day ahead, then refrigerate covered. Bake the day of. Leave casserole on the counter for a half hour before baking so you don't put a cold dish in a hot oven which could cause breakage.
- Cooked casserole: Although I prefer stuffing baked the day of, stuffing can be prepared and baked a day or two ahead. Store in the refrigerator, and follow re-heating instructions to serve.
- Freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight, then continue with reheating instructions.
- Store tightly wrapped in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
- Reheat: If the stuffing is dry, sprinkle with broth. Cover, and reheat at 350°F for 10 minutes, then uncover and bake at 400°F for 10 more minutes until hot and crispy on top. Alternatively, reheat in microwave.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimation only.
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