Kick your stuffing up a notch with everyone’s favorite bread. This vegetarian-friendly recipe gets its meatiness from mushrooms instead of turkey. And while most versions require an overnight staling of the bread, I’ve found you can do the same thing in about 45 minutes in a warm oven.

Challah Stuffing

Serves 10

Ingredients

  • 10 cups challah, cut into ½-inch cubes
  • 2 onions, diced
  • 7 celery stalks, diced
  • 2 10-ounce packages button mushrooms, minced
  • 2 tablespoons oil, divided
  • 2 Gala apples, peeled and cut into ½-inch pieces
  • 2 teaspoons thyme, minced
  • 2 teaspoons sage, minced
  • 2 cups vegetable broth

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Spread challah cubes onto two sheet pans in one layer. Toast, stirring every 10 minutes, until bread has “staled,” about 45 minutes. Set aside. Increase oven temperature to 375 degrees.
  2. In a 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat 2 teaspoons oil over medium-high heat. Add onions and celery and cook until starting to brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer to medium bowl and set aside.
  3. In same skillet, heat 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon oil over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms until browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer to bowl with vegetables.
  4. Add challah and apples. Stir in broth, thyme and sage. Mix to combine.
  5. Butter or grease 13×9 baking dish. Transfer stuffing to pan and bake until top is brown and crisped, 45 minutes to an hour.