Stuffing Waffles (No Leftovers Needed)
Unleash the potential of stuffing waffles. A year-round comfort food that can be enjoyed for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or as a holiday appetizer.
Stuffing Waffles: The Year-Round Comfort Food
We’re talking about a year-round, anytime-you-want-it comfort food that’ll have you feeling like you’re wrapped in a cozy flannel blanket of flavors. Let me tell you, the first time I whipped these up, my kitchen smelled like Thanksgiving had exploded in the best way possible.
These Stuffing Waffles are the Swiss Army knife of the food world, I swear. Breakfast? Slap an egg on top and call it brunch. Lunch? Stack it high with turkey and cranberry sauce. Dinner? Oh, the possibilities are endless. And don’t even get me started on using these crispy, savory squares as a base for holiday appetizers – your guests will be fighting over the last crumb!
The best part? We’re taking simple ingredients that you probably already have hanging around. Let me tell you, there’s something magical about transforming humble bread cubes and broth into golden, crispy, savory waffles!
Gather Your Ingredients
Raid the pantry for nearly everything you need!
- Day-old bread – use any day-old or stale bread you like.
- Unsalted butter – you’ll need some to sauté the veggies, and a little melted butter to brush onto the waffle iron. Feel free to use olive oil instead.
- Veggies – onion and celery.
- Low-sodium chicken broth – or vegetable broth.
- Large eggs – helps to bind the waffle ingredients together.
- Fresh herbs + seasonings – sage, thyme, kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper.
Let’s Get Cooking
Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you on your way.
- Sauté the veggies – Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and celery; season with kosher salt and black pepper. Sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.
- Mix up the stuffing – Add the bread cubes, eggs, herbs, salt, and pepper. Pour in some of the broth and toss to combine. Add more broth if needed to make sure all the bread gets moistened. Let it sit for 10 minutes.
- Cook the waffles – Preheat a waffle iron. Brush the plates with a light coating of melted butter, then add some stuffing mixture. Cook until crispy and golden on the outside and tender on the inside.
Your Recipe Questions Answered
You can if you toast it until it’s dry first. Cube it up and toast it in a low oven until the moisture has evaporated. But, even day-old bread can still contain a lot of moisture and may benefit from a toasting cycle in the oven. Stale or dry bread will absorb the broth and other flavors better than fresh. Fresh bread can become too water-logged and soggy and not cook up properly in the waffle maker.
Absolutely! The rule of thumb is to use 1 teaspoon of dried herbs for every 1 tablespoon of fresh herbs. (There are 3 teaspoons in a tablespoon so the conversion ration is 3:1.)
All the bread cubes should be moist, but not fall apart soggy. It should clump together when you scoop it, but the bread cubes should maintain some shape. When adding the broth, start with only 3/4 of a cup; you can always add more. You can always make one test waffle to determine if you need to add more broth.
You can! Once mixed, cover it tightly and refrigerate. Cook within a day.
It depends on the size of your waffle maker. In the recipe card below, I suggest using 1/3 cup of stuffing per waffle. This does not fill the entire space in my waffle maker, but it ensures 9 uniformly sized waffles, about 3-inches in diameter. You can make them larger or smaller.
Every waffle maker is different, so cooking time will vary. There will be a lot of steam at the start of cooking – so I keep an eye on that. I like to check them when there are still some wisps of steam so I know there’s still some moisture inside the waffle. This takes about 5 minutes with my waffle maker. Cooking them too long, or until there’s no steam left, may result in really dry waffles.
Aha…of course you can! Your leftover Thanksgiving stuffing is nearly ready to go. For every 4 cups of crumbled stuffing, combine it with 2 beaten eggs. If needed, add 2 tablespoons of broth at a time to get the texture you desire. Preheat your waffle maker, grease the plates, then proceed to make waffles.
Creative Ways to Serve Stuffing Waffles
These guys are really versatile. In addition to simply enjoying them as a side dish, here are some fun ways to spruce them up!
- Thanksgiving-style “Chicken and Waffles” – Top with fried chicken or breaded turkey cutlets and drizzle with cranberry syrup.
- Thanksgiving Poutine – Layer with turkey gravy and cheese curds for a seasonal twist on the Canadian classic.
- Monte Cristo-style – Make a sandwich with ham, turkey, and Swiss cheese, then dip in egg and pan-fry for a decadent brunch item. Don’t forget a side of cranberry sauce or jam!
- Thanksgiving Benedicts – Use as a base for an eggs benedict-inspired dish. Top with sliced turkey, a poached egg and drizzle of gravy.
- Stuffing Waffle Grilled Cheese – Use as the bread for an ultra-comforting grilled cheese sandwich.
- Thanksgiving Canapés – Cut into small squares and top with various seasonal ingredients for a buffet of mini bites.
- Stuffing Waffle “Fries” – Cut into strips, crisp up in the oven, and serve with cranberry ketchup or gravy for dipping.
- Thanksgiving Eggs in a Basket – Cut a hole in the center, crack an egg in, and bake for a festive breakfast. (Make larger sized waffles for this version.)
- Stuffing Waffle Croutons – Cube and toast for a crunchy topping on creamy fall soups or autumn-inspired salads.
Storing and Reheating
- Storing leftover stuffing waffles – Let your waffles cool to room temperature to prevent condensation and sogginess. Place in an airtight container or resealable plastic bag and refrigerate for 3 to 4 days.
- Long-term freezing – Arrange cooled waffles on a parchment lined tray and pop in the freezer to flash-freeze. Once frozen, place wrapped waffles in a freezer-safe bag or container. Label with the date and freeze for up to 2 to 3 months.
- Reheating from the refrigerator – 1) Bake on a baking in a preheated 350°F oven for 5 to 7 minutes until crispy. 2) Pop them in the toaster for a quick crisp-up. 3) Air fry at 350°F for 2-3 minutes for maximum crispiness.
- Reheating from frozen – 1) Bake on a baking sheet in a preheated 350°F oven for 10 to 12 minutes, flipping halfway through. 2) Microwave for 30 seconds to defrost, then finish in the toaster for crispiness.
- To avoid drying out – If using the oven, cover the waffles with foil for the first few minutes, then uncover to crisp up.
Check Out These Tasty Recipes…
- Cornbread + Bacon Stuffing Stuffed Mushrooms
- Homemade Garlic + Herb Croutons
- Leftover Corned Beef Hash Waffles
- Spiced Apple Waffles
Stuffing Waffles (No Leftovers Needed)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- ½ cup onion, diced fine
- ½ cup celery, diced fine
- kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper
- 6 ounces day old bread, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 1 tablespoon fresh sage, chopped (or 1 tsp dried)
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped (or 1/3 tsp dried)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and celery; season with a generous pinch kosher salt and black pepper. Sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.
- Add the bread cubes, eggs, herbs, salt, and season with black pepper. Pour in 3/4 cup of the broth and toss to combine. Add more broth if needed to make sure all the bread gets moistened. Let it sit for 10 minutes.
- Preheat a waffle iron. Melt the remaining butter to grease the waffle iron. Use about 1/3 cup of stuffing mixture per waffle. Cook until crispy and golden (cook time will vary based on waffle maker; mine took about 5 minutes).
- Set aside on a baking sheet as they’re done. You can warm them up in a 300°F oven until hot. Serve warm.
Notes
- Number of servings – this may vary based on how much filling you use per waffle; I used 1/3 cup of filling.
- Cook time – each batch of waffles were cooked to my liking in about 5 minutes on my waffle maker, which makes 2 waffles at a time. The cook time will vary based on the appliance and how many waffles you can make at a time.
Nutrition
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