Ingredients:

  • 6 cups (about 240–300 g) stale/cubed bread (white, sourdough, or country loaf), cut into 1/2–1-inch cubes
  • 4 tablespoons (56 g) unsalted butter
  • 1 medium yellow or white onion, finely diced (about 1 cup / 150 g)
  • 2 celery stalks, finely diced (about 1 cup / 100 g)
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tablespoon fresh sage, finely chopped (or 1 tsp dried sage)
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped (or 1/2 tsp dried thyme)
  • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
  • 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1 cup (240 ml) low-sodium chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt (adjust to taste)
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • Optional mix-in: 1 cup (115 g) cooked, crumbled breakfast sausage or cooked chopped turkey
  • Optional mix-in: 1/2 cup (50 g) shredded cheddar or Gruyère
  • Optional mix-in: 1/3–1/2 cup (40–60 g) dried cranberries or chopped dried apricots
  • Optional mix-in: 1 small apple, peeled and diced (about 1 cup / 120 g), sautéed with the onions
  • Finishing (optional): 1–2 tablespoons melted butter or olive oil to brush tops before baking
  • Finishing (optional): Fresh chopped parsley for garnish

Instructions:

  1. Prep bread and pan: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease a 12-cup muffin tin well or line with paper liners. If bread is not stale, dry cubes on a sheet pan at 300°F (150°C) for 8–12 minutes until just dry; cool.
  2. Sauté aromatics: Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Sauté onion and celery until softened and translucent, about 5–7 minutes. Add garlic and cook 30–60 seconds until fragrant. Stir in sage, thyme and parsley; cool slightly.
  3. Combine stuffing mixture: In a large bowl, combine bread cubes and sautéed aromatics. Add any chosen mix-ins (sausage, cheese, cranberries, apple). Whisk eggs into the broth, then pour over the bread mixture and toss gently to coat. Season with salt and pepper.
  4. Rest mixture: Let the mixture rest 15–30 minutes so the bread soaks up the liquid. The mixture should be moist but not soupy—adjust with a splash more broth if too dry.
  5. Fill muffin tin: Spoon about 1/2 cup of mixture into each muffin cup, pressing lightly to compact and create pockets with crisp edges. Optionally brush tops with melted butter or oil.
  6. Bake: Bake 22–28 minutes until tops and edges are golden brown and a tester inserted into the center comes out hot and mostly cleaned of wet crumbs. For crisper tops, broil 1–2 minutes—watch closely.
  7. Rest and unmold: Let muffins rest in the pan 5 minutes, then invert onto a cooling rack. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve warm.