Easy caramelized onion and apple stuffing recipe

Thanksgiving is just around the corner and I have been trying to cut back on bread lately so I can enjoy some really good homemade Caramelized Onion and Apple Stuffing on the day. As John Wooden once said “it’s not who starts the game, it’s who finishes” I am keeping my eyes on the biggest prize of the night – Stuffing!

Looking for more holiday dishes?  You’ve got to try my Scalloped Potatoes and Ham,  Mushroom and Potato Gratin  or Roasted Fingerling Potatoes

I don’t know about you, BUT…I don’t get that excited thinking of glazed roast turkey.I am daydreaming about lots and lots of stuffing. Very unhealthy, I know 🙁 This year, I’ll be serving Caramelized Onion and Apple Stuffing. The moment I saw this recipe in the latest Eating Well magazine, I knew I have to make it, test it and hopefully give its thumbs up for Thanksgiving dinner. Lots and lots of delicious caramelized onions and fragrant apples, celery and fresh thyme…yum!

Let me walk you briefly through the process of making your own stuffing so you can put that stuffing box away and create your own one from scratch. Not that is anything wrong with the boxed one but homemade ones taste so much much better. Not to mention you skip all those unnecessary additives they use.

It all starts with the bread. Don’t try making stuffing using fresh bread. No-one likes soggy stuffing and thats exactly what you’ll get. Use your favorite type and let it dry overnight on a baking sheet.

We are moving to add-ins: butter, onions, celery and fresh thyme. This my magical formula to start an amazing stuffing! You can always add mushrooms, ground Italian sausage, bacon, dried cranberries or even dried cherries but for this particular recipe we keep it simple. Then a couple of fall best natural treats, apples. I love Honey crisp or Fuji and both types work just perfect, so choose whatever is easiest for you.

Now, the last part: stock – enough to bind everything together but not too much to ruin the whole stuffing. We want crunchy top and bottom! I always follow this rule: 1 cup stock to 4 cups bread and it has never failed me!

Yield: 12 servings

Easy caramelized onion and apple stuffing recipe

Print

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour 10 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes

Ingredients

• Caramelized Onions
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 8 cups thinly sliced onions, 2-3 large ones
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
• 1/4 cup red wine
• 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
• salt and pepper
• Stuffing
• 8 cups cubed day old bread
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 cups diced celery
• 1 cup diced onion
• 2 medium red apples, chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh sage, roughly chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh thyme, roughly chopped
• 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
• salt and pepper

Instructions

1. To prepare caramelized onions: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add sliced onions, 2 teaspoons thyme and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, for about 10 minutes. Add wine and cook, stirring occasionally and reducing heat if necessary, until the onions are deep golden brown, for another 10 minutes. Add vinegar, increase heat to high and cook, scraping up the browned bits, until the vinegar evaporates, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and transfer to a large bowl.
2. To prepare stuffing: Preheat oven to 400F/ 200C. Coat a baking dish (9x13-inch) with cooking spray. Toss cubed bread with oil and pepper on a large rimmed baking sheet. Bake, stirring once, until crispy, about 15 minutes. Add to the bowl with the onions. Meanwhile, heat butter in the skillet over medium-high heat. Add celery and diced onion; cook, stirring, until the onion starts to brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Add apples, sage, thyme and salt. Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until the apples start to soften, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer to the bowl with the onions and bread. Add chicken broth and gently stir until well combined. Transfer to the prepared baking dish. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and continue baking until the top is crispy, about 15 minutes more.

Notes

Recipe from EatingWell Magazine, November/December 2016

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

12

Serving Size:

1 grams
Amount Per Serving: Unsaturated Fat: 0g