Stuffing is one of the most versatile side dishes if you are looking to mix things up a bit for your Thanksgiving dinner menu. Nana likes to make a very traditional stuffing; she cooks the stuffing in the turkey so that the stuffing can soak up the juices while it cooks. Our dad goes the non-traditional route and likes to mix up the flavor profile; he likes to incorporate sausage and vegetables for an extra hearty side dish. For Tuck & Tate’s Thanksgiving Menu, we wanted something in between so that we could have the best of both worlds. We chose to make this stuffing in a casserole dish and have incorporated caramelized onions, spinach, and mushrooms to sneak in extra veggies. We topped the stuffing with crumbled feta cheese for a little bit of salty decadence. It’s all about balance, right?!

Spinach and Caramelized Onion Stuffing

• Servings: 8-10
• Prep Time: 60 minutes
• Cook Time: 40 minutes
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A traditionally seasoned stuffing that sneaks in onions, spinach and mushrooms for extra vegetables!

Ingredients

• 1 loaf of sourdough bread, cut into cubes and ideally left out overnight so it is hard and crusty
• 4 tbs butter
• 2 yellow onions, sliced
• 2 tbs olive oil
• 16 oz sliced mushrooms (we used a mixed variety of cremini and portobello but use whatever you like best)
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 10 oz fresh spinach leaves
• 32 oz chicken stock
• 1 egg
• 4 oz feta cheese
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper

Filling Directions

1. In a large sauté pan, melt the butter over low heat. Add the onions and cook for 40 minutes, stirring frequently. The onions will begin to brown and caramelize during this time. It is important that you don’t adjust the heat and that the onions cook low and slow.
2. When the onions have caramelized, turn the heat up to medium and add the olive oil, mushrooms, salt, pepper, garam masala and garlic powder. Sauté for 5 minutes.
3. Add the spinach and sauté until all of the spinach is wilted. Depending on the size of you pan, you may need to do this in batches. Remove the mix from heat and set aside.
*If you are preparing the filling in advance, you can stop now. Cool the mixture and refrigerate for up to 2 days.

Assembly and Baking Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the chicken stock, egg, salt and pepper.
3. Spray a 8×12 baking dish with cooking spray. Add a layer of bread cubes, followed by a layer of the filling mixture and topped with the remaining bread cubes. Pour the liquid mixture evenly over the entire baking dish.
4. Sprinkle the top with feta and bake for 40 minutes. Serve hot out of the oven!