Gluten Free Stuffing

Dry the bread. Heat the oven to 300°F. Spread the gluten free bread cubes on a sheet pan in an even layer. Bake 20 to 30 minutes, stirring once, until the cubes feel dry on the outside but not deeply toasted. Set aside to cool.

Brown the sausage (optional). Increase oven temperature to 350°F. In a large skillet over medium heat, cook sausage, breaking it up, until browned and cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a large mixing bowl with a slotted spoon, leaving the drippings in the pan.

If there is a lot of grease, carefully drain off the excess, leaving about 1 to 2 tablespoons in the skillet. If there is barely any fat (it happens), no stress, just add an extra tablespoon of butter in the next step.

Sauté the aromatics. Add 6 tablespoons of the butter to the skillet (plus that extra tablespoon if your sausage left the pan basically dry). Once melted, add onion and celery. Cook 8 to 10 minutes, stirring, until softened and lightly golden. Add garlic, sage, thyme, salt, and pepper, and cook 1 minute more.

Combine. Add the dried bread cubes to the mixing bowl with the sausage (if using). Pour the hot vegetable mixture over the bread and toss gently. Stir in parsley (and Parmesan if using).

Add eggs and broth. In a small bowl, whisk eggs. Drizzle the eggs over the bread mixture and toss well. Slowly pour in 2 1/2 cups warmed broth, tossing between additions. Let the mixture sit 5 minutes. It should be moist but not soupy. Add a little more broth if it looks dry.

If eggs make you nervous, I get it. They are here for structure and a tender bite, and they fully cook in the oven. If you want a concrete finish line, aim for 165°F in the center.

Bake. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with the remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Spoon stuffing into the dish and gently press into an even layer without packing it down hard. Cover with foil and bake 25 minutes.

Make-ahead note: You can assemble the stuffing in the dish, cover, and refrigerate up to 24 hours. Before baking, let it sit at room temperature 20 to 30 minutes. Bake covered until hot in the center (it may need 10 to 15 minutes longer than usual), then continue with the next step.

Crisp the top. Remove foil and bake 20 to 25 minutes more, until the top is golden and the edges are crisp. The center should be hot and steamy, or 165°F if you are checking with a thermometer. Rest 10 minutes before serving so it sets up.