Bacon and Sourdough Stuffing Recipe with Dried Cranberries

Everything’s better with bacon and this Bacon and Sourdough Stuffing recipe is no exception. Loaded with nearly a pound of bacon, dried cranberries, and pear, it’s the perfect side dish to serve alongside roast turkey, baked ham, or pork tenderloin. It is a delicious addition to any holiday table, but don’t limit this goodness to just Thanksgiving! 

Sourdough Stuffing

Many stuffing recipes use cornbread. Growing up, cornbread stuffing or Stove Top were served at EVERY turkey dinner. But sourdough is great to use as a stuffing base. Its tangy flavor complements many other flavors. This recipe adds sweet pears, dried cranberries, almonds, leek, and bacon to the bread for a slightly sweet, bacon-filled side dish.

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Like so many people I started baking sourdough bread in March 2020. What else was I going to do with all my free time and no yeast on store shelves? But today, I am still baking sourdough because I love that pungent, tangy sourdough flavor. 4-5 days after baking day, if there is any bread left, I really like to cube it up, drizzle with olive oil and some fresh garlic to create salad croutons. Making stuffing or dressing takes those croutons a step further to create a really tasty side dish that my family really likes.

Make-Ahead Sides for Thanksgiving

For big holiday meals like Thanksgiving or Christmas, I like to make as much food as possible ahead of time. That way, I can spend less time in the kitchen on the actual holiday and have more time enjoying being with friends and family. 

Want other make ahead side dish recipes? Try these:

• Mom’s Potato Salad with Egg
• Rudy’s BBQ Copycat Coleslaw
• Shaved Brussel Sprouts Salad
• Celery, Apple, Walnut Salad

Here’s What You’ll Need for this Recipe

• 1 pound loaf sourdough bread, cut into one inch cubes (about 12 cups) 
• 1/4 cup olive oil 
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced 
• 12 ounces of thick cut bacon 
• 1 large onion, chopped (about 1 cup) 
• 1 cup chopped celery 
• 1 large leek, white and light green parts rinsed and thinly sliced
• 2 ripe pears – cored, peeled, and chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley 
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries 
• 1/2 cup toasted sliced almonds 
• 1 teaspoon salt 
• 1 teaspoon pepper 
• 2 eggs
• 1.5 cups chicken broth
• 1/2 teaspoon butter for baking dish

Here’s how to prep this recipe ahead of time: 

1. Cut your bread into cubes and allow to dry out for at least a day or two before you are ready to use. 
2. You can also toast your bread cubes with the olive oil and garlic ahead of time. Then store in an airtight container. I would recommend storing at room temperature for up to 3 days. 
3. Prep all of your vegetables the day before and store in covered containers in the refrigerator. Note: This works with almost all your vegetable side dishes.
4. If you can avoid temptation, fry your bacon the day before. Save the bacon fat in a container and store the cooked bacon in an airtight container in the refrigerator. {Note: I would not be able to do this since everyone in my house LOVES bacon. It would be gone if it made it to the refrigerator.}

How To Make This Bacon Sourdough Dressing

1. Heat oven to 375˚F. 

2. Mix the bread cubes, olive oil, and garlic together in a large bowl. 

3. Spread the bread cubes onto one large cookie sheet or two smaller baking sheets so that they are one even layer.

4. Bake bread cubes for 12 minutes or until golden brown. Stir bread halfway through and, if using two baking sheets, rotate position in the oven.

4. Remove the toasted bread cubes and return to the large bowl. 

5. Lower the oven temperature to 350˚F. 

6. Cut up bacon into smaller pieces and place in a large skillet or dutch oven over medium heat. Fry until crispy and then drain on paper towels.  

7. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of bacon fat from the skillet. 

8. Add the onions, celery, and leek to the skillet. Cook over medium heat for 12 minutes or until onions soften. Stir occasionally. 

9. Add chopped pears and cook until tender, about 3 minutes. 

10. Remove vegetables from heat and add the toasted bread cubes, fresh parsley, dried cranberries, almonds, salt, and pepper. Toss well to combine.

11. In a mixing bowl, whisk together eggs and chicken broth. 

12. Add eggs and chicken broth to the stuffing mixture and stir well to combine. 

13. Butter a 9×13 inch baking dish or 2quart casserole dish. 

14. Add stuffing mixture to the baking dish. If stuffing is too dry, you can add up to an extra 1/2 cup of broth. Stuffing should be moist, but not soggy. 

15. Place into a preheated oven and bake uncovered for 40 minutes, or until crisp and lightly brown on top. 

16. Allow it to rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Continue to Content

Yield: 12

Bacon Sourdough Stuffing with Dried Cranberries

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Additional Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes

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Ingredients

• 1 pound loaf sourdough bread, cut into 3/4 inch cubes (about 12 cups)
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 12 ounces of thick cut bacon
• 2 large onions, chopped (1/2 inch pieces)
• 1 bunch of celery, sliced 1/2 thick
• 2 small leeks, thinly sliced white and green parts
• 3 ripe pears, cored and chopped into 3/4 inch pieces
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup toasted sliced almonds
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons pepper
• 1 teaspoon butter for baking dish

Instructions

1. Place your oven racks on the upper and lower thirds of the oven. Heat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Mix the bread cubes, oil, and garlic together in a large bowl. Spread the bread cubes on two cookie sheets in even layers. Set the bowl aside.
3. Bake bread cubes for 12 minutes or until golden brown. Stir bread often while baking and swap the cookie sheets half way thru baking.
4. Remove the bread and return the large bowl.
5. Lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees F.
6. Place bacon in a large skillet over medium heat. Fry until crispy, turning occasionally. Drain on paper towels, then crumble into small pieces.
7. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of bacon fat from skillet.
8. Add the onions, celery, and leeks to the skillet. Cook for 12 minutes, stirring often.
9. Add pears and cook until tender, about 3 minutes.
10. Add the bread, parsley, cranberries, almonds, salt, and pepper.
11. Butter a 9x13 inch baking dish.
12. Whisk eggs in a medium bowl.
13. Whisk broth into the eggs.
14. Pour the egg mixture over the stuffing. Allow it sit untouched for 5 minutes while liquid is absorbed. Stir and let sit for another 5 minutes.
15. Toss and add up to an additional 1/2 cup of broth if stuffing it too dry. Stuffing should be moist, but not soggy.
16. Transfer to the baking dish. Bake for 40 minutes, or until crisp and lightly brown on top.
17. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Recommended Products

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• 
  Nordic Ware Half Sheets
• 
  ZWILLING 22x16x1.5-inch Natural Beechwood Cutting Board
• 
  ZWILLING Professional S 8" Chef's Knife

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

12

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 370Total Fat: 18gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 29mgSodium: 1069mgCarbohydrates: 38gFiber: 4gSugar: 13gProtein: 15g

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