Thanksgiving is just around the corner so I am here today sharing one of my favorite side dishes… my Apple Chestnut Stuffing. Its easy to make and so full of flavor. A perfect addition to your holiday menu.
There are so many incredible recipes out there for stuffing. A few years ago I shared my Mushroom, Sausage & Leek Stuffing which is absolutely delicious but I wanted this time to create a vegetarian friendly stuffing. I wanted something that had an element of sweetness to it and flavors that really remind me of Fall so I came up with this Apple Chestnut Stuffing.
Stuffing really is one of my favorite dishes at Thanksgiving. There are basically just a few elements to make up a great stuffing and it really is so versatile so feel free to switch things up to your liking for your own creation!
In my Apple Chestnut Stuffing I start with carrot, celery, onion, garlic, apple and chestnuts as my veggies. For the herbs I used fresh parsley and thyme. The bread element is simply bagged country style stuffing cubes. I added some grated pecorino cheese in there for a little more Italian flare as well. All thats left is the broth- I used low sodium chicken broth because I just prefer the flavor but you can sub out vegetable or turkey stock.
The flavor of this stuffing is so perfect! The nutty flavor of the chestnuts is wonderful and really reminds me of the holidays because my grandparents always roasted chestnuts for Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years. No worries- you can now find them roasted and peeled at the grocery store now so you don’t have to go through all the work. The slightly tart and sweet from the apple adds a great brightness to this.
You can definitely make this a day ahead then warm up before serving. If you are rewarming be sure to have a little extra broth on hand in case it dries out a little bit- the easy fix is simply pouring a little extra over top before reheating. I hope you all enjoy this one as much as we do! PS…. I’m using leftovers to make a stuffed chicken breast so stay tuned for that! A great leftover repurpose!
- 12 oz country style stuffing cubes
- 10 roasted & peeled chestnuts, rough chop
- 1 granny smith apple, peeled, diced
- 1 carrot, diced
- 1 celery stalk, diced
- 4 garlic cloves, rough chop
- 1/2 small red onion, diced
- 4-5 sprigs of thyme, stems discarded
- a palmful of parsley leaves, rough chop
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1/4 cup grated pecorino
- approx 2 1/2 cups broth
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
- In a large skillet, over medium heat, add the olive oil and butter. Stir in the chestnuts, apple, carrot, celery, onion, garlic, thyme and parsley. Season with salt & pepper. Cook until the veggies are softened.
- In a large bowl mix together the stuffing cubes, pecorino and veggies. Start pouring in the broth, stirring to distribute evenly. You don’t want overly soggy bread… you can always add more near the end if needed.
- Bake uncovered for about 35 minutes.
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Natalie B
Yum! This looks amazing! Love the new site too!