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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 made this tonight for Thanksgiving instead of my usual cornbread stuffing. I wanted to try something new and this did not disappoint! Thanks, Tieghan!
I am so glad you loved this Lauren! Thank you so much! xTieghan
Sorry, I’m making this right now and was confused. Do we put the room temp butter and the sliced butter all in together or did I not see where it said what to do with the sliced butter?
Hi Sara! The sliced butter is meant to be use in the very first step with the croissant. You’ll place it on the croissants and then toast them in the oven. Does this makes sense?
On Step 3 it says to heat the pan to medium and a few sentences later says to lower it to medium, should it be higher when first adding onions?
Hey Sara! So sorry, that is a typo. I fixed the recipe to read correctly. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you and happy holidays! xTieghan
Instant favorite. Will be making this every single year, no doubt. I’m allergic to mushrooms, so I substituted an equal amount of tempeh soaked in a little soy sauce. Incredible. Can’t wait to share this with my family tomorrow. Thank you SO MUCH
I am so glad you have been loving this recipe Ellen! Thank you so much! xTieghan
I am making all your recipes for Thanksgiving this year! I looked at your Thanksgiving planner and saw you prepped the stuffing and pecan bourbon sweet potato dish on Tuesday. I just made them both ?…. but I didn’t read all the fine print at the bottom of the stuffing recipe and I completed ALL the steps of the herby much room crossiant tuffing (except to bake it) …. will it turn out on Thanksgiving? Or do you think I should start over ??♀️ Thank you for any advise.
Hey Lisa!! I think you should be OK to leave it as is. You might need to cook the stuffing longer to cook it throughout, maybe an additional 20 minutes, but just be checking for doneness. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!! xTieghan
So I made this Monday, which you advised on your Thanksgiving schedule. Now I’m worried it won’t last until Thursday. Should I freeze it unbaked until Thursday? Or will it be ok?
Hi Julie, I do recommend adding the liquid day of, but how is your stuffing looking? I am thinking it should still be OK, but you may need to bake a bit longer to ensure the stuffing is cooked. I think it should still turn out great! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!! xTieghan
how would you recommend making this ahead of time?
Hi Sydney, See detailed directions below. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!! xTieghan
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. Stare 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.
I made this the yesterday (Monday) per the posted thanksgiving schedule but worried that sitting 3 days might not be good. Should I freeze (unbaked) h til Thursday?
Hey Julie! I do recommend adding the liquid day of, but how is your stuffing looking? I am thinking it should still be OK, but you may need to bake a bit longer to ensure the stuffing is cooked. I think it should still turn out great! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!! xTieghan
What size croissants should be used? Are the 12 croissants based on Costco size croissants?
HI! Use large croissants. The Costco size is great! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!! xTieghan
Super tasty! Made it last night and loved it. The veggie option is nice but I added sausage to mine and it was wonderful!
I am so glad you loved this Alex! Thank you! xTieghan
What’s the best onion to use for this recipe? I never know which one to buy.
Hi Johanna! I love using yellow onions for this stuffing. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!! xTieghan
How many would you say this feeds?
Hi Holly! The recipe should serve 8 people, but you can change the number of servings in the bar and the recipe will change to match! Let me know if you have any questions! xTieghan
Hi Holly, this feeds 8. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!! xTieghan
Can you let this sit fully assembled overnight and bake the following day ?
Hey Katie! I recommend only letting this sit fully assembled for a few hours. See detailed directions below. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!! xTieghan
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. Stare 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 stuffing tasted delicious, and was a huge hit at my Friendsgiving party, so much so that I’m making it again for my work holiday party. My only complaint is that it definitely took much longer than 20 minutes to prepare, but it was worth it.
I am so glad this turned out so well for you Katie! Thank you so much for trying this! xTieghan
I love this idea! I’m going to try it next week for sure. I always put ground sausage in my stuffing- any thoughts on including that in this recipe/ what kind of sausage would work best?
Hey Zane! I would recommend a spicy Italian sausage. Add the sausage with the mushroom mix. I am sure that will be great. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you!Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!! xTieghan