This caramelized onion and miso stuffing recipe is a perfect and easy Thanksgiving stuffing recipe. It’s decadent, lightly sweet, a little salty, and works perfectly with anything else you may be serving this year.
I admit, I always skip or go light on the stuffing at Thanksgiving. I don’t have anything against it, it just always falls low on the priority list in comparison to all of the other delicious sides at the table.
For this recipe, I wanted to experiment with creating a rich, almost bread-pudding consistency for stuffing. What I love about this Thanksgiving stuffing recipe is that it’s a perfect compromise between wet and dry stuffing. The bottom layer is almost like a custardy consistency while the top is browned and crispy.
The secret ingredient in this recipe? Miso, of course! Specifically, I used Fig Miso which has a beautiful fruity undertone that pairs perfectly with the rich, aromatic flavors of the stuffing.
Let’s talk about this flavor profile:
- Sweet caramelized flavors of the onion
- Warm, aromatic flavors from celery, thyme, sage, and rosemary
- Buttery, salty, fruity, umami decadence from the fig miso butter
The result? A stuffing that has the it factor. You’ll absolutely love the melody of flavors in this gorgeous stuffing dish.
How to make this caramelized onion and miso stuffing recipe:
Aside from caramelizing the onions, this miso stuffing recipe is very, very easy to make and just so delicious! Be sure to use rich bread, like brioche or challah.
First, chop up the bread. Dry it out by placing it on a baking sheet or in an oval braising dish at 200ºF for about 20 minutes. Remove it from the oven and set it aside.
Next, caramelize the onions. This will take a solid 30–40 minutes, so be patient. Stir them occasionally to ensure they don’t burn, but don’t rush the process. Add half of the caramelized onions to the diced bread and toss to distribute evenly. Set the remaining caramelized onions aside.
Next, sauté diced celery in the same skillet you used for the onions. Add minced fresh thyme, sage, and rosemary, and cook for 1 minute. Pour the celery and herbs over the bread and toss again to distribute.
From there, simply whisk together two eggs and vegetable stock until completely combined. Pour it over the pred and toss gently to combine. Don’t overmix; you don’t want to break up the bread too much! Scatter the remaining caramelized onions on top. Transfer the stuffing to the oven for 35–45 minutes.
After the stuffing has been baked, prepare the miso butter. Melt 4 tablespoons of butter and whisk the miso into the butter until smooth. Pour that over the warm stuffing and transfer to the broiler for just 2–3 minutes until the bread crisps and chars on top. That’s it!
Looking for more side dish recipes? Check my archives!
If you made this recipe, please rate it and comment below! You can also follow me and share your creations by tagging me! I’d love to feature your #triedandtruerecipes creation on my feed.
Caramelized Onion and Miso Stuffing Recipe
Equipment
- Skillet
- 9×13 Baking Dish
- Baking sheet
Ingredients
- 1 pound challah or brioche bread cut into bite-sized cubes
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 sweet onions peeled and thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons butter divided
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 4 ribs celery with leaves trimmed and small-diced
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh sage leaves minced
- 2 teaspoons fresh rosemary minced
- 3 cups vegetable stock
- 2 eggs
- 4 tablespoons butter melted
- 2 teaspoons fig miso or white miso
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Cooking spray or butter for greasing the baking dish
Instructions
Dry out the bread:
- Preheat oven to 200ºF. Arrange the diced bread on a baking sheet and transfer to the oven for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, grease a 9×13 baking dish.
- Remove the bread from the oven and transfer to the prepared baking dish. Turn the heat on the oven to 350ºF.
Caramelize the onions:
- Heat the oil in the skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes until they just begin to deepen in color. Sprinkle with salt and reduce heat to medium-low. Continue cooking for 30 minutes or until the onions begin to caramelize. Stir them occasionally, but don’t disturb them too often or else they won’t caramelize.
- Melt 1 tablespoon butter into the onions and sprinkle the sugar on top. Continue cooking for 10–15 minutes until they are fully caramelized.
- Spoon half of the onions into a bowl and pour the remaining half over the diced bread and toss gently to distribute them evenly.
Cook the celery:
- Return the skillet to the stovetop over medium heat. Melt the remaining 1 tablespoon butter into the celery and cook for 7–8 minutes until it just begins to soften. Add the minced herbs and toss to coat. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Season with salt and pepper. Pour the celery mixture over the bread and toss gently to distribute the celery evenly.
Prepare the liquid:
- Combine the vegetable stock and eggs in a bowl and whisk until completely combined. Pour over the bread.
Bake the stuffing:
- Scatter the remaining caramelized onions on top of the stuffing. Cover with foil and transfer to the oven for 30–40 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking for an additional 10 minutes until the middle has set and the top is golden brown. in the middle. Remove the stuffing from the oven and turn on the broiler.
Prepare the miso butter:
- Combine the melted butter and miso in a bowl and whisk until smooth. Pour the mixture over the stuffing.
Broil the stuffing:
- Transfer the stuffing to the oven under the broiler for 2–3 minutes. Keep an eye on it so that it doesn’t burn, but the butter should cause the bread to crisp up and turn deep golden brown. Remove from the oven.
To serve:
- Serve the stuffing warm. Keep leftovers in an airtight container for 3–4 days in the refrigerator or in the freezer for up to a month. Enjoy!
How far in advance could you put it all together? Trying to be as prepared for Thanksgiving as possible!
Hi, Amanda! Because of the eggs, you’ll need to cook it immediately upon assembly. That said, you could prepare a few individual components ahead of time and then combine it later on.
You can prepare the caramelized onions up to 5 days in advance and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
You can also prepare the sauteed celery (with the herbs) 3–5 days in advance and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
The day of, simply use the dried out bread, toss with half the onions, all of the celery and then continue on with the recipe starting at “Prepare the liquid.”
Hope that helps and happy cooking!
It was perfect, moist, and tasty!