By Eric Kim
- Total Time
- 45 minutes, plus drying bread
- Rating
- 4(473)
- Notes
- Read community notes
Imagine Thanksgiving stuffing, but with the red-sauce flavors of cheese pizza. Tomato paste and dried oregano, bloomed in buttery onions, do the heavy lifting in this comforting dish, as does an ivory shower of shredded mozzarella, which melts and gets gooey in spots. Stale bread works best, so dry out the bread the night before you plan to make this, or bake the torn pieces in a 250-degree oven until they’re brittle. You can also assemble the stuffing the night before Thanksgiving; just keep it covered in the refrigerator and bake it the next day while the turkey is resting. Serve this warm, while the cheese is still molten.
Featured in: A Beginner’s Thanksgiving: 7 Recipes That Lighten the Workload
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Ingredients
Yield:4 to 6 servings
- 1(12- to 14-ounce) loaf brioche or challah, torn into bite-size pieces (about 4 cups)
- 4tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more softened butter for greasing dish
- 1large yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced
- Salt and black pepper
- 1teaspoon dried oregano, plus more for topping
- 2tablespoons tomato paste
- 1cup vegetable stock
- 1large egg
- 1cup whole milk
- 2cups shredded low-moisture mozzarella
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)
432 calories; 24 grams fat; 13 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 7 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 36 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 5 grams sugars; 17 grams protein; 547 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
Step
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The night before serving, spread the bread pieces on a sheet pan and let sit on the counter to dry out. Alternatively, you can bake them at 250 degrees until completely dried out and no longer soft, 20 to 30 minutes.
Step
2
When ready to make the stuffing, transfer the bread to a large bowl. Heat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9-by-13-inch or 8-by-11-inch baking dish with softened butter.
Step
3
Melt the 4 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium-high and add the onion. Season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent and slightly browned at the edges, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the oregano and tomato paste and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the stock and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
Step
4
In a medium bowl, beat the egg with a fork, then beat in the milk. Pour the stock mixture and milk mixture over the bread and toss with two spoons until evenly coated. Add 1 cup mozzarella, and toss again until well combined. Let sit until the bread fully absorbs the liquid, about 5 minutes.
Step
5
Transfer the stuffing and any accumulated liquid to the greased baking dish, spread out evenly and top with the remaining 1 cup mozzarella. (To make ahead, you can stop at this stage, cover the dish and refrigerate for up to 24 hours.)
Step
6
Bake, uncovered, until heated through and the cheese is melted, 15 to 25 minutes. (You may need to add a few minutes to the bake time if the stuffing has been refrigerated.) Sprinkle a pinch of oregano over the top and serve immediately.
Ratings
4
out of 5
473
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Private Notes
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Cooking Notes
Sue
Yes, and you could probably add chicken, turkey, or pork sausage if you wanted to make it a meal in itself.
The Clean Plate Club, NoFo, NY
Use the equivalent amount of garlic knots from the pizzeria, torn up and toasted. They are a go-to for any recipe calling for stale bread or croutons, with the garlic already on board. Think Caesar salad, or whole, nestled under a roasting chicken.
Celia Milton
OMG, you had me at "Pizza". Who cares if there is a turkey shortage? Just make this, add some sausage or chicken and a salad and you're good to go!
CarieG
Added pepperoni and olives and it was a hit.
PlainsGal
Kids big and small would probably like this-I've noticed that most children don't eat much but mashed potatoes, bread and dessert at the Thanksgiving feast.
Alexandra
This was amazing and such a crowd pleaser at our Thanksgiving! I did add three cloves of garlic and I think for next time, I'll throw a couple of anchovies in the sauce.
Susan in San Francisco
Add sauteed mushrooms and small cubes of salami or pepperoni - my favorite pizza in casserole form. This is favorite with kids, too!
Jenna
Why not just use tomato sauce instead of paste and stock?
Ellen Ford
I made this on Saturday, and it was a HUGE hit and so easy! Five stars all the way!
Kim Grover
Ohmygod, this stuffing is off the charts! I would have scrolled past it, if my husband hadn't been walking by and exclaimed how we needed to try it. I could see making this and serving with sauteed spinach and tomatoes as a side. Or bringing it to a potluck so I know I wouldn't have to bring home any leftovers. Thanks Eric Kim!
MyKidsAreMyToughestFoodCritics
Make sure you really dry out your bread. I used challah, baked it for 20 minutes and thought it was dried out enough, but it soaked up too much liquid and tasted doughy after cooking.
KB
Oof, huge fail for me, but the blame lies not at the feet of Mr. Kim but rather with the bizarre-tasting GF “brioche” from Canyon Bakehouse (whose other products are generally excellent). I bet this is terrific made with normal brioche (which I, the daughter of a European professional baker, wish I could eat with impunity). Try adding red pepper flakes with the oregano and/or sliced black olives along with the cheese.
Marcia V
While this looked promising, the finished product made as directed looks very little like the image. Should have used marinara sauce (more than 2 T.) and more cheese. Otherwise, it’s very uninspiring.
Elexa
So so good! Far from your traditional stuffing but it is a crowd pleaser and a delicious side for a small gathering with friends
Reader
I imagine the stock and paste rather than sauce is to make it more "stuffing" like.
RRL
"SGM"'s (here, from 11 mos ago) asks: "Which is correct: 1 whole challah (weighing 12 -14 ounces) or four cups (weighing about 4 ounces)? They aren’t equivalent..." Can anyone answer this? Also, I'm very interested in making this for Thanksgiving, but can anyone say how well this 'really' pairs with traditional turkey and gravy?
RoRider
I'm guessing that the 4 cups come from torn bread taking more volume than a loaf. Tearing the bread will render the 12-14 oz loaf into ~4 cups of torn bread.
Susan in San Francisco
Add sauteed mushrooms and small cubes of salami or pepperoni - my favorite pizza in casserole form. This is favorite with kids, too!
Donna2
IMHO this was WAYYY too cheesy (never thought I’d hear myself utter those words!) I left out the onion because I have an allium allergy but I doubt that made much difference. Also the challah bread couldn’t stand up to the heavy cheese. I’ll def try again but next time I’ll use stale Italian bread and cut the cheese in half.
Kim Grover
Ohmygod, this stuffing is off the charts! I would have scrolled past it, if my husband hadn't been walking by and exclaimed how we needed to try it. I could see making this and serving with sauteed spinach and tomatoes as a side. Or bringing it to a potluck so I know I wouldn't have to bring home any leftovers. Thanks Eric Kim!
Nana D
Not sure what happened but I followed the recipe and my entire gang gave it a thumbs down as far as making it again. It just wasn’t that flavorful, seemed like a blob of slightly soggy red bread with lots of cheese. First time for a thumbs down out of all I’ve made following NYT recipe’s, lucky they have been a hit otherwise.
Pamela
This tastesThere isn’t enough tomato to make it look or taste at all like pizza.
Alexandra
This was amazing and such a crowd pleaser at our Thanksgiving! I did add three cloves of garlic and I think for next time, I'll throw a couple of anchovies in the sauce.
SGM
Made this for Sunday Brunch. It tasted good but the instructions left me confused. Which is correct: 1 whole challah (weighing 12 -14 ounces) or four cups (weighing about 4 ounces)? They aren’t equivalent. I chose the four cup measurements and it came out quite flat. Is there a mistake in the recipe or list of ingredients?
nic
i added pepperoni, spinach, and a couple T of marinara sauce that I had leftover, and also broiled for a couple minutes to brown the cheese. Also cooked the onions in a skillet and refilled the skillet with the entire mixture - it absorbed the flavors and saved me from using and cleaning another dish.
iteachforshoes
While this was delicious and kid-friendly, it doesn’t really stand as a meal on its own.
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