Homemade Stuffing is a staple side dish for every Thanksgiving table! This is a traditional recipe made with dried bread cubes mixed with onions and celery sauteed in plenty of butter then mixed with herbs and broth (and more butter) and baked until golden and delicious!
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If you prefer your stuffing with a little sausage, pop over to this recipe for Sausage Stuffing.
Set the perfect holiday table with Mashed Potatoes, Gravy, Corn Casserole, Green Bean Casserole, Turkey, and this Thanksgiving Stuffing Recipe!
Stuffing or Dressing?
The old argument – is it stuffing or dressing?
Traditionally you call this dish stuffing only if it is stuffed and cooked inside of the turkey. It is dressing if it is served on the side of the turkey.
Even though this recipe is not cooked INSIDE of the bird I am still calling it stuffing. That has more to do with people being able to find it on the internet than tradition.
Bread
Bread is the main ingredient in traditional stuffing (dressing). So you want to make sure that you buy a nice hearty bread that will stand up to the butter, eggs and broth that are added.
Look for a thicker cut, quality bread. I have used these brands and they work perfectly:
- Sara Lee Artesano Bakery Bread
- Pepperidge Farm Farmhouse Hearty White, Butter or Potato Bread
You will also want to make sure that your bread is stale. This is key to allowing the bread to absorb the butter, broth and eggs, which makes your stuffing so buttery and golden!
Five Star Review
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Wonderful recipe! I’ve made it once with the Artesano bread (came out amazing!) and once with Udi’s gluten free hot dog buns – also came out amazing. I have been using recipes from your website for a few years now, and have yet to find a recipe that isn’t excellent. Thank you for the work you do – you’ve added variety and yum to my monthly meal rotations as well as to our holidays.”
-Vic
How To Make Stale Bread Cubes
You have 2 options to make your bread nice and stale for this stuffing recipe:
Stale Bread Cubes
- Overnight– Cut the bread into 1 inch cubes and let it sit on a sheet pan, on the counter overnight.
- Quick Method– Cut the bread into 1 inch cubes and spread on a large sheet pan. Dry in a 250 degree oven for 30 minutes, tossing every 5-10 minutes so it doesn’t brown. (You will have time for this while the onions and celery soften!)
Making stale bread cubes allows the bread to absorb all the flavor (butter, broth, seasonings) and not disintegrate! Don’t skip this step.
How to Make Homemade Stuffing
You can also watch Susie make this Stuffing Recipe and Sausage Stuffing Recipe on a 30 minute episode of Pinterest TV!
Make sure that you are starting with stale bread cubes -see the section above for help with that! These steps will give you a general over view of how to make homemade stuffing. For more detailed instructions and ingredient amounts, jump down to the recipe card.
Step 1
Dry your bread cubes using one of the two methods above.
Step 2
Preheat the oven to 350°F and generously butter a 9×9 baking pan, if doubling use a 9×13 or 10×15 baking pan.
Step 3
In a large skillet over medium heat melt the ¾ cup butter. Add the onions and celery and sauté until they are completely softened, this will take about 20-30 minutes.
Step 4
Off the heat stir in the salt, pepper, poultry seasoning, marjoram, fresh chopped sage, and fresh chopped parsley.
Step 5
Whisk together the 2 eggs and cup of chicken broth.
Step 6
In a large bowl stir together the onion/herb mixture and stale bread cubes. Now pour in the egg/broth mixture and stir until the bread absorbs the liquid.
Step 7
Pour into the buttered pan. Cube 2 tablespoon of butter and dot the top of the stuffing.
Step 7
Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 15 minutes. If you like a really crispy top you can broil for the last minute or two!
Doubling The Recipe
If you are hosting a larger crowd you can absolutely double this stuffing recipe. Simply double all the ingredients, bake in a 9×13 or 10×15 dish, and the baking time will be the same.
Recipe Card Shortcut
Use the +/- buttons and change for the amount of people you are serving. It will change all the ingredient amounts for you!!
More Holiday Recipes To Love
Build a beautiful holiday meal around your delicious Homemade Stuffing by adding some of the recipes below:
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Did you make this recipe?
I would love to hear your review, especially if you have tips and tricks to add! Pop down to the comment section and connect with me
Homemade Stuffing Recipe + Video
Equipment
- 9×9 baking dish (use a 9×13 if doubling the recipe)
Ingredients
- 12 cups Stale White Bread – cut into 1 inch cubes - (approx 1 lb 4 oz loaf of bread – see notes below for details)
- ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoon butter - divided
- 1 large yellow or white onion - chopped
- 2 cup celery, chopped - stalks and leaves!
- 1 ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
- ½ teaspoon marjoram
- 3 tablespoon (heaping) fresh sage - , chopped
- ⅓ cup fresh parsley - , chopped – Curly or Italian will work
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup chicken broth or stock
Instructions
Stale Bread Cubes
- Cut the bread into 1 inch cubes.12 cups Stale White Bread – cut into 1 inch cubes
- Make the bread stale by one of the two options:A. Overnight – Lay the bread cubes on a sheet pan on the counter overnight to dry out.B. Quick Method – Preheat the oven to 250°, lay the bread cubes on a sheet pan and pop in the oven for 30 minutes, tossing every 5-10 minutes.
Stuffing
- Preheat the oven to 350° and prep a 9×9 baking dish by generously greasing with butter or oil. (if you are doubling the recipe use a 9×13 or 10×15 baking dish)
- In a large sauté pan over medium heat melt ¾ cup butter. Add the onions and celery and sauté until they are completely softened, this will take about 20-30 minutes.1 large yellow or white onion, 2 cup celery, chopped
- Off the heat add the salt, pepper, poultry seasoning, marjoram, fresh sage and parsley to the onions.1 ½ teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning, ½ teaspoon marjoram, 3 tablespoon (heaping) fresh sage, ⅓ cup fresh parsley
- In a small bowl whisk together the eggs and broth.2 eggs, 1 cup chicken broth or stock
- Add the bread cubes to a large bowl, pour the onions/herb mixture over the bread and stir to combine. Pour the egg mixture over the bread cubes and stir until the liquid is absorbed.
- Pour the stuffing mixture into the buttered baking dish. Cube the remaining 2 tablespoon of butter and dot the top of the stuffing.
- Cover the dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 15 minutes. For an extra crispy top turn the broiler on for a minute or two!
- Serve right away!
Recipe Tips and Notes:
To make a meat stuffing, pop over to this recipe for Sausage Stuffing! You can also watch Susie make this stuffing recipe and sausage stuffing recipe on a 30 minutes episode of Pinterest TV!
Susan Nicastro
Can I use croutons instead of the bread?
Mary Ann
Can you freeze this a week or two before Thanksgiving, baked or unbaked, thaw in the refrigerator the night before , then finish baking the next day ?
Susie Weinrich
This is a tough one… I haven’t tested it, so I am hesitant to say yes. From my research it looks like you can freeze stuffing, but I can’t guarantee the texture will be right after the bread freezes and gets re-saturated with the liquid from thawing. Other sites also say that it is better to freeze the leftovers and not in a make ahead situation.
If you are looking for make-ahead options I would make the mashed potatoes ahead, portion them onto a baking sheet with an ice cream scoop, freeze them. Then reheat in a skillet with added milk. This Turkey Gravy is also a great make ahead dish.
Let me know if you have any other questions!! -Susie
Susan Nicastro
Can I use croutons instead of the bread?
Susie Weinrich
I wouldn’t recommend that. You could go to your local grocery store bakery and see if they have dried bread cubes in bags. Or you can use the Pepperidge Farms dried bread cubes for stuffing. If you use the Pepperidge Farms dried bread cubes I would dial the kosher salt back to 1/2 tsp.
Susan Creagh
I Want to try this recipe Can I make it a day ahead I would to make on Wed or Should I wait until Thurs
Susie Weinrich
You should definitely be able to assemble it a day ahead! Make it completely, put the pats of butter on top, cover it up and pop it in the fridge. On Thursday I would probably add a few minutes to the baking time since you are baking it straight out of the fridge.
You’re going to love it!
Jo
Hello, could you make this recipe in a crock pot?? Would you need to add more chicken broth to it??
Susie Weinrich
I think it will definitely work in the crockpot or slow cooker. I haven’t tested it but from research, here is what I would do:
Assemble all the ingredients as normal (dry the bread cubes and sauté the celery and onions in the butter then add the herbs/seasonings, whisk together the eggs and broth.).
Stir the celery/onion mixture into the bread cubes, then pour in the egg/ broth mixture in.
Then grease the inner pot of the crockpot with butter. Pour the stuffing mixture into the slow cooker. Turn it on low for 3-4 hours, until it is
warmed all the way through.
LeJuen
So easy. So good. I’ll never go back to bagged or box again
Karen
I don’t have fresh sage. How much of dried spice of sage?
Susie Weinrich
I would start with 2 tsp dried sage and then add more as needed.
Vic
Wonderful recipe! I’ve made it once with the artesano bread (came out amazing!) and once with Udi’s gluten free hot dog buns – also came out amazing. I have been using recipes from your website for a few years now, and have yet to find a recipe that isn’t excellent. Thank you for the work you do – you’ve added variety and yum to my monthly meal rotations as well as to our holidays.
Susie Weinrich
Thank you so much, Vic! I LOVE that you said you made it with gluten free hot dog buns and it still worked, this is the kind of info that helps others that are making making this recipe! Happy Holidays to you.
Rita
I made this 2 times now. The bottom of it gets too brown. I used cooking spray on the pan before putting everything in pan. What causes it to brown on the bottom like that?
Susie Weinrich
I’m sorry that happened to you, I haven’t experienced that. Is it burning on the bottom or just crisping/browning? A couple things can make that happen, but my first question would be are you using a dark or metal baking pan? That can definitely cause the over browning. A glass, ceramic or glazed cast iron pan will work best.
Gail
I need 4 cups of stuffing for a turkey casserole I am making. Would your homemade stuffing recipe in the square pan give me that amount?
Susie Weinrich
Absolutely! You will have more than enough. That square pan is STUFFED! You should have around 8-10 cups.
Sp
Can this be made a day ahead of time? Thanks
Susie Weinrich
Definitely, just prep completely and dot the top with butter, cover with foil and pop in the fridge. Then remove from the fridge and bake as directed. May need to add a few minutes to the baking time when baking straight from the fridge.
Nicole
Great recipe! I’m always on stuffing duty and having a young baby doesn’t leave a lot of time. I have made this a few times for family festivities and it’s always a hit and so simple, thank you!
Susie Weinrich
That is wonderful, Nicole! I know cooking with little ones, especially babies, can be so hard! Kudos to you for still getting in the kitchen to contribute to the holiday meals. I hope you had a great holiday season!
Karen Alguire
Actually it has way more flavor if you make the day before and pop it in the fridge.
Kelli
Would sourdough bread work for this recipe?
Susie Weinrich
Definitely!