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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
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
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Did you make this recipe? Please rate & comment below.
Hi! Could you do this in a Crock-Pot? If so, would the steps be the same or would it change the consistency of the croissants?
Thanks!
Hi Devyn,
So sorry, I probably wouldn’t do this one in the crockpot. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xx
Hi Tieghan,
If I make this in the morning and reheat it when I get to my family’s house will it dry it out? Would I do it at like 350 for 10-15 min?
Hey Jordan,
Can you just prep it and have it ready to go and then bake when you are ready to serve? I think that would work best for you! I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xx
Hello! How big should we tear the croissant pieces ? Thank you 😊
Hi Nichole,
Please refer to the photos above, but I keep my tears pretty large. Please let me know if you have any other questions! Happy Thanksgiving! xT
This will be my third time making this. We love it!! Such a great combination of flavors and versatile.
Thank you for this fabulous recipe!!
Hey Laura,
Wonderful!! Thanks so much for making this recipe, I love to hear that it was enjoyed!! Happy Thanksgiving! 🦃
This looks delicious.
If I don’t add the kale will it be too much bread and not enough vegetable?
Hey Rhonda,
It should be just fine without the kale, you could also use spinach in place of that. I hope you love the recipe! Happy Thanksgiving! xx
This looks so yummy! If I can’t find croissants, do you think sourdough would work ok?
Hey Bryna,
Sure, that would work well for you! I hope this recipe turns out amazing, please let me know if you give it a try! xx
We have a dairy allergy and I can’t find croissants that are nondairy. How do you think if I subbed bread stuffing instead? I could incorporate some melted margarine to replace the butter? Thanks
Hey Sharryn,
Sure that should be just fine for you to do! Please let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope you love it! xx
Hi – can I use Spinach instead of Kale in this recipe?
Sorry – one more question! If I used butternut squash instead of mushrooms – do I need to pre-bake them to soften them first?
Yes, that would be a good idea:)
Hey Carrie,
Sure, spinach will be great! Please let me know if you have any other questions! xT
Hi! I’m a ‘shroom newbie cooking for ‘shroom fanatics. What kinds of mixed mushrooms would you recommend?
Hey Courtney,
Your local grocery store should have a “mixed mushrooms” box, I just use that, makes it super easy! I hope this recipe is a hit! xT
This looks so so tasty. I’d like to incorporate this into the Thanksgiving feast this year, but there are many who are not so keen on mushrooms. Is there anything you suggest adding as an alternative? Artichoke hearts? Roasted red pepper? I don’t want ruin it 🙂
Hey Monica,
You can really use any veggies that you enjoy! Roasted red pepper would be yummy, squash would also be delicious!! I hope this helps! xT
Hi Tieghan! So I LOVE mushrooms but my husband does not (boooo). Would not including them completely ruin the dish? Any suggestions on a adding a substitute? It sounds delicious and is gorgeous for the table.
Hey Jordan,
You could use another veggie that your husband does enjoy like squash or do half with mushroom half without:) I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions!
Hi Tieghan! My hubby is a sausage-in-the-dressing guy – could sausage be incorporated into this well?
Hey Nancy,
Totally, sausage would work well for you! I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try!! xx
Do you have the recipe for original Southern d dressing?
Hi Lucy,
So sorry, I don’t. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xT
Do you think this could be made ahead of time and frozen?
Hi Andrea,
Yes, that would work well for you! I hope this recipe turns out tasty, please let me know if you give it a try! xT
Could I omit the eggs? Or substitute then some how?
Hey Mike,
I think buttermilk should work well for you in place of the eggs! I hope you love this recipe, let me know if I can help in any other way! xx