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Upgrade this year’s holiday stuffing with my Herby Mushroom Croissant Stuffing. Buttery croissants, cozy herbs, caramelized wild mushroom, kale, and Gruyère cheese take classic stuffing from bland and boring to flavorful and completely delicious. Even stuffing haters love this casserole. It’s just as good as a holiday side dish as it is a meal. Prep this stuffing in advance and then bake up just before you’re ready for dinner for super easy holiday entertaining.
Stuffing has never been a highly cherished Thanksgiving side dish for my family. I know that sounds crazy, since stuffing is one of the most classic Thanksgiving sides there is. But for whatever reason my family has just never been all that into it. In the last few years however, I’ve had to cook Thanksgiving for a lot of non family members. And because I love to please all, I knew that my Thanksgiving menu needed to include a good stuffing.
I’ve tried more classic recipes, but never found anything I absolutely loved.
Until this year. When I had the idea to swap out dry bread for buttery croissants, my views on stuffing changed immediately. Stuffing can be good, delicious actually. You just need to make it with croissants. Oh, and cheese…
Of course.
When I was thinking up this year’s Thanksgiving menu, and brainstorming stuffing concepts, I had just made a recipe that used croissants as the base. I had a ton of day old croissants left over, so I decided to do a quick stuffing test run with the ingredients I had on hand.
Pretty much immediately, I knew the recipe was going to be good. I mean? Croissant stuffing? With wild mushrooms and kale and Gruyère cheese?
It’s basically a meal on its own, and it’s all things delicious.
Like most stuffing recipes, you want to be using dry bread.
The key here is to toast your croissants up in the oven to dry them out a bit before adding any broth to them. This helps them hold up while baking, and gives them a nice crispness.
While that’s happening, caramelize the mushrooms with butter, fresh sage, thyme, and a good amount of kale. I love using a good mix of vegetables in my stuffing to give it color, flavor, and texture. The warming sage and thyme pair perfectly with the earthy mushrooms and kale. It’s one of my favorite fall combos and perfect for a Thanksgiving meal.
Once your croissants are toasted, toss them with the mushroom mixture, add cheese, and then bake.
Nothing too fancy, but the use of croissants is such an upgrade from the classic stuffing. And I have to say, everyone loved this dish. I ended up serving the leftovers to my family and they ate it multiple nights in a row. The verdict was two thumbs up all around, and everyone agreed that the croissants are a game changer.
Already excited to serve this pretty stuffing on Thanksgiving next week for the family we have coming into town.
FAQ:
Can I use store-bought croissants?
Yes—day-old is ideal. If they’re very fresh, tear and toast briefly so they dry out for better texture.
How do I know I’ve added enough stock?
When you squeeze a handful of the mixture it should hold together but not drip. In the pan, there shouldn’t be visible pooling.
How can I keep the top crispy when reheating?
Reheat covered until warm, then uncover to finish so the top re-crisps. A quick broil at the end helps—watch closely for color cues.
What mushrooms work best?
A mix (cremini + shiitake/oyster) brings savory depth. Slice thicker and brown in batches so they sear instead of steam.
PS. If you’re looking for a little different stuffing option, check out this oldie but goodie…Buffalo Cheddar Beer Bread Stuffing.
If you make this stuffing be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to also tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Herby Mushroom Croissant Stuffing
Servings: 8
Calories Per Serving: 1050 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 12 cups roughly torn, day old croissants (about 12-16 croissants)
- 2 tablespoons salted butter, thinly sliced
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 3 celery stalks, chopped
- 3-4 cups mixed mushrooms, torn if large
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt and black pepper
- 8 tablespoons (1 stick) salted butter, at room temperature
- 2 cloves garlic, minced or grated
- 2 cups roughly torn Tuscan kale
- 2 tablespoons fresh chopped sage
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped thyme
- 2-3 cups low sodium chicken, turkey, or veggie broth
- 3 eggs, beaten
- 1 cup shredded Gruyere cheese
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x13 inch casserole dish.2. Arrange the torn croissants in the baking dish and lay 2 tablespoons of thinly sliced butter over the croissants. Transfer to the oven and bake 5-8 minutes, until the croissants are lightly toasted.3. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil In a large skillet over medium heat. When the oil shimmers, add the onions and cook until fragrant, about 3-5 minutes. Add the celery and mushroom, and season with salt and pepper. Cook undisturbed for 5 minutes or until golden, stir and continue cooking until the mushrooms have caramelized, 3-5 minutes. Add the butter, garlic, kale, sage, and thyme. Cook, stirring occasionally until the kale has wilted down, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.4. In a very large mixing bowl, whisk together 2 cups broth and the eggs. Add the toasted croissants and the mushroom/kale mixture + all the butter left in the skillet, gently toss to combine. If the mix seems dry, add additional broth, 1/4 cup at a time until all the bread is moist. Pour the mixture into the casserole dish. Top evenly with cheese. 5. Cover the dish with foil and bake for 35 minutes. Remove the foil and check for dryness, if needed drizzle over extra broth, 1/4 cup at a time, to keep things moist, then continue baking for another 10-15 minutes or until the stuffing is golden on top. Serve warm.
Notes
To Make a Few Hours Ahead: This can be made assembled a few hours ahead of time and kept in the fridge. Allow the stuffing to come to room temperature before baking.
To Make a Few Days Ahead: complete the recipe through step 3. Toss the mushrooms, kale and croissants together. Store in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days. When ready to assemble, remove from the fridge. And continue on with step 4, tossing the croissants + mushrooms with the egg mix, then assemble in baking dish. This can be done up to 4 hours ahead of time. Bake as directed.
This post was originally published on November 14, 2018
I’m making this right now!!
I hope you love this Maria! Thank you!
would rosemary be overkill in here?
If you enjoy rosemary I am sure it would be great! Just use a little amount so that it is not over powering. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe. Thanks so much!! xTieghan
Hello! Planning on making this gorgeous dish for Thanksgiving! Could you please provide some clarity on how much butter to use when pre-baking the croissants and then how much to add to the skillet for the veggies? Thank you! Have a happy Thanksgiving!
It is 2 tablespoons. recipe is all fixed! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe. Thanks so much and happy Thanksgiving! xTieghan
So delish! Fed this to my friends for Friendsgiving last night and it was a hit. I used Jarlsburg. Geese instead of the Gruyere because it was on sale.
I am so glad this turned out so well for you Hailey! Thank you!
Made this for Friendsgiving – IT WAS AMAZING! Very highly recommend. I used butter croissants so cut out some of the butter in the recipe.
I am so happy to hear that! Thank you so much Jessica!
I couldn’t wait, I made it! Few things. I think I did a mistake by torning croissants into bite size pieces, looks like you mostly torn them in half. My stuffing was very wet and mushy. Also not very
clear directions on how much butter where to use. I end up using half stick on croissants and maybe a tablespoon on veggies. At the end flavor was good, but stuffing was very rich ( buttery croissants+butter+cheese). I would make this again, but with less butter and cheese. Thank you.
Hi Agne! Thank you so much for making this and I hope it turns out even better the next time you make it! Thank you so much and please let me know if you have any questions!
Tieghan–My mom and I are ready to get Thanksgiving 2018 started and using your menu to guide us…naturally. I happen to be allergic to egg, but this stuffing sounds almost too good to be true. Do you have a suggestion for a substitute on the eggs in your herby mushroom croissant stuffing?
Blessings,
Elli
Hey Elli! I would just omit the eggs and replace them with 1/4 cup plain yogurt (to help bind everything). I have not tested this so I can’t say for sure it will work, but I do think it will. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe. Thanks so much and happy Thanksgiving! xTieghan
Looks delicious! What brand is the pan you are using for this recipe?
Hi Jenna! Check out my shop page on the site, I will leave a link below! You can find almost anything you’re looking for! Thank you!
https://fett-weg.today/shop/kitchen/%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
Hey Jenna! This is a Dansk Kobenstyle. Link below. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe. Thanks so much and happy Thanksgiving! xTieghan
https://rstyle.me/n/dbx3cbb9wzf
Hi! Any substitute for the kale? PS..I tell everyone to look at your blog/book as EVERYTHING I have made is delish! Happy Thanksgiving!
Rona
Hey Rona!! You can use spinach or omit the kale all together. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe. Thanks so much and happy Thanksgiving! xTieghan
So has anyone actually made this and could share their tried comments? seems like most comments are not about the outcome.Those would be most helpful.
Hi Jennifer! A lot of the comments come from people loving the post and the photos, not just the recipe. I hope you try this recipe and enjoy it! Thank you!!
To make ahead would you suggest refrigerating, like overnight? Or will the croissants get soggy?
Hey Natalie, for best results I recommend making the morning of and then keeping in the fridge. You can make the night before, but the croissants might be a little softer. Still delicious, just a little softer due to the overnight soaking. Either option is great, so do what works best for you. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe. Thanks so much and happy Thanksgiving! xTieghan
Will be making
Thank you so much Karen!
Hi!!’ How far in advance can you prep??? 🙂 it looks awesome!!
HI! You can keep this in the fridge overnight and then bake the next day. Allow the casserole to come to room temp before baking. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe. Thanks so much and happy Thanksgiving! xTieghan
Very helpful article, Thank you for sharing. I love you
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Thank you!
This looks incredible!!! I’d love to make this next week for Thanksgiving. Its definitely a lot of servings for the amount of people that will be here. If I don’t cut the recipe in half, do you think it will freeze well or no?
HI! Yes, you can freeze any leftovers! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe. Thanks so much and happy Thanksgiving! xTieghan