Sage & Caramelised Onion Stuffing
This sage & caramelised onion stuffing is a great way to use up day old bread & is a fantastic addition to any roast dinner!
This recipe is a twist on a classic sage & onion stuffing…
We’re making this bread based stuffing the classic way, with chopped sage, onions & eggs, but we’re using whole milk as the liquid, instead of stock, for a richer flavour. We’re also going to be slowly cooking the onions in butter, to caramelise them before they’re added into the mix.
This stuffing’s packed full of flavour & is definitely tastier than it looks! It has a perfectly crisp top, a soft texture underneath & is a fantastic accompaniment to any roast dinner, whether it’s beef, pork, chicken, turkey or lamb!
If you’re looking for more side dishes to try, you should check out our collection of side dish recipes! There’s a whole of load of roast dinner sides to make as well as chips, pickles, slaws & sauces…
Ingredient Notes
- Bread – White bread works best for stuffing! It should preferably be a day or two old. Don’t worry about cutting off the crusts.
- Onions – We’re using 2 white onions for this stuffing but you could use 5-6 shallots instead.
- Sage – I like to use fresh sage in my stuffing but dried will also work. You’ll need to use half the amount of dried to fresh.
- Milk – Whole milk gives our stuffing the richest flavour but semi skimmed will work as well.
- Eggs – 2 large eggs are needed to bind our stuffing mix.
How To Make Caramelised Onion & Sage Stuffing
The full, printable recipe card for this sage & onion stuffing can be found at the bottom of this post! Here’s a quick rundown of the recipe…
Caramelised Onions
The key to making properly caramelised onions is cooking them really slowly over a low heat. Cooking them this way means that the natural sugars in the onions will be released & will caramelise without burning.
Here’s how to make caramelised onions from scratch…
- Peel your onions, cut them in half then slice thinly.
- Add butter & veg oil into a saucepan then set over a medium-low heat & leave to melt.
- Add in the sliced onions & a good pinch of salt then leave to cook gently, until soft & caramelised, making sure to stir regularly. This will take at least 20 minutes.
- To the onions, add a small amount of brown sugar & balsamic vinegar then cook for another couple of minutes, until sticky.
- Transfer the onions to a bowl & leave to cool before making the stuffing.
Sage & Onion Stuffing
I like to make my stuffing with milk instead of stock, for a richer flavour. Other than that, we’re making our stuffing the classic way, with breadcrumbs, eggs, onions & sage. Here’s how…
- Add white bread into a food processor & blitz into coarse breadcrumbs (don’t worry about removing the crusts!).
- To a large mixing bowl, add the breadcrumbs, caramelised onions, finely chopped sage, eggs & milk. Season well with salt & pepper then mix to combine.
- Transfer the stuffing mix into a buttered, medium size baking dish (I used an enamel tin) then bake at 180°c/356°f for 20-25 minutes, until golden brown & crisp on top.
- Use a spoon to scoop out portions & serve immediately.
Frequently Asked Questions
White bread that’s a day or two old makes the best stuffing. You don’t need to cut the crusts off either!
This sage & caramelised onion stuffing can be cooked in advance, cut into portions then stored in the fridge for up to 3 days. The stuffing should be reheated in a 180°c/356°f oven or in a microwave.
You’ll know when your stuffing is cooked because it will be crisp & a deep, golden brown colour on top. This will take 20-25 minutes of cooking.
Due to the high amount of liquid in the stuffing mix, it’s not really suitable for making stuffing balls with.
Cooking Stuffing In An Aga
With all of my recipes, I include cooking instructions for conventional ovens, fan ovens & also Agas. Here’s how to cook this recipe in an Aga…
Use the simmering plate to cook the caramelised onions. Cook the stuffing in the baking oven, on the second from bottom set of runners.
More Roast Dinner Recipes To Try!
- Slow Roasted Sirloin Of Beef
- Aga Roast Chicken
- Red Wine Gravy
- Goose Fat Yorkshire Puddings
- Black Garlic Roast Potatoes
- Honey Roasted Carrots & Parsnips
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Sage & Caramelised Onion Stuffing
Equipment
- 10" x 8" Baking Dish
- Food Processor
- Large Saucepan
- Mixing Bowl
Ingredients
Caramelised Onions
- 2 White Onions
- 1 tbsp Vegetable Oil
- 50 g Unsalted Butter
- 1 tbsp Light Brown Sugar
- ½ tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
Stuffing
- 300 g White Bread
- 75 g Whole Milk
- 2 Large Eggs
- 1 tbsp Finely Chopped Sage
Instructions
Caramelised Onions
- Peel the onions, cut in half then thinly slice.
- Next, add the vegetable oil & butter into a large saucepan then set over a medium-low heat. Leave to melt, then add in the onions & a good pinch of salt.
- Cook the onions, stirring regularly until they are soft, caramelised & golden. This will take at least 20 minutes.
- Once caramelised, stir in the sugar & vinegar & cook for another 2-3 minutes, until sticky. Transfer to a bowl & leave to cool.
Sage & Onion Stuffing
- Preheat an oven to 180°c/160°c fan (356°f/320°f).
- Butter a medium sized baking dish with butter then set aside.
- Next, blitz the bread in a food processor, into coarse breadcrumbs.You might have to do this in batches!
- Add the breadcrumbs into a bowl, along with the caramelised onions, chopped sage, milk & eggs. Season generously with salt & pepper then transfer to the greased dish, lightly pressing it into an even layer.
- Bake the stuffing for 20-25 minutes, until crisp & golden brown then use a spoon to scoop out portions of stuffing.
