Made from scratch, this is the best stuffing recipe made with bread cubes, butter, onion, and celery that’s perfect for a Thanksgiving feast or served as a side dish to chicken or pork.
The BEST Stuffing Recipe
If I were to stand at a table loaded with the classic Thanksgiving dinner dishes, and have to choose just one to eat for the rest of my Thanksgiving dinner days, it wouldn’t be the turkey, it wouldn’t be the mashed potatoes, and it wouldn’t even be my grandma’s ambrosia salad that would make the cut.
The one dish I could never miss is super simple, totally basic, bread stuffing recipe I’ve been eating since I could put food in my hungry little mouth. It’s buttery, it’s savory, it’s everything you could ask for in a stuffing. It’s simply the best stuffing recipe and my side dish kryptonite.
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What’s In the Best Stuffing
There are only six ingredients in this stuffing recipe, plus salt and pepper. What makes this Thanksgiving stuffing so crave-worthy is the trifecta of onions and celery sautéed in more butter than you think you should use. The aroma of these three ingredients sautéing on the stove is enough to send visions of turkey day memories flooding through my brain like a food memory time capsule.
Here’s what you’ll need to make this stuffing recipe:
- Dried bread cubes
- Onion
- Celery
- Butter—don’t skimp on the butter here, it’s crucial for amazing flavor!
- Chicken broth or turkey stock
- Dried poultry seasoning (more on this in a moment)
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Stuffing Seasonings
I season the stuffing the same way my mom always did, with dried poultry seasoning. I buy it already pre-mixed in the little red topped spice jar. Here’s what’s in it:
- Thyme
- Sage
- Marjoram
- Rosemary
- Nutmeg
- Black pepper
How to Make Traditional Stuffing
This truly is the best Thanksgiving stuffing recipe. Here’s how to make it:
Sauté your veggies. Melt the butter in a skillet, then add in the chopped onion and celery and cook until softened.
Drizzle, season, and toss. Add the dried bread cubes to a large mixing bowl and top with the sautéed veggies. Drizzle with chicken broth and sprinkle with stuffing seasoning. Toss to mix, tasting as you go, and add more seasoning to taste. Bake either inside the turkey or in a 9×13-inch baking dish.
see more: 21 Easy Thanksgiving Side Dishes
The Best Bread for Stuffing
The best Thanksgiving stuffing recipe starts with basic dried sandwich bread. Dried bread does the best job of absorbing the seasonings and flavors.
My mom always used boxed seasoned bread cubes, but I have fallen into favor of the dried bread cubes I purchase from my grocery store bakery. Or, you can make your own. A 1-pound loaf of bread will make about 12 cups of cubed bread.
To make your own dried bread for stuffing, cut a loaf of white or French bread into 1/2-inch slices and place on a baking sheet or rack to sit out overnight, or for two night, until dried. Cut into smaller pieces if desired.
To prepare bread stuffing in the oven, place the sliced bread in a 225°F oven for 30 minutes or until dried, and cut into smaller pieces.
What is the Difference Between Dressing and Stuffing?
Though often used interchangeably (depending on what region you’re from), there is a small difference between dressing and stuffing. Historically, while the basic concept of the dish doesn’t change too much (a baked mixture of cubed bread mixed with sautéed veggies and herbs), “dressing” is more of a Southern thing, while “stuffing” tends to be more recognized in Northern states. There are variations made with sourdough, cornbread, dried fruits and nuts, sausage, or even oysters. But no matter the ingredients, biggest difference is whether you stuff your your mixture inside the turkey to bake (stuffing), or bake it in a baking dish (dressing). Potato, po-tah-to, let’s call both delicious.
Why Do Some Stuffings Call for Eggs?
Some stuffing recipes call for eggs, and you may be wondering why you’d put eggs in stuffing? The eggs act as a binder so the stuffing holds together more. I don’t usually add eggs to my stuffing, but if you’d like to try it, whisk 2 eggs and add to the cooled stuffing mixture so you don’t get scrambled eggs in with your stuffing.
The Best Temperature to Cook Stuffing
Stuffing cooked outside the bird: To be sure there’s no contamination for your stuffing, cook it in a baking dish prepared with butter as noted in the recipe instructions below. When cooking outside the bird, drizzle with ¼ cup more stock and dot with 1-2 tablespoons more butter, so the stuffing doesn’t dry out in the oven. Bake covered with aluminum foil.
Stuffing cooked in the bird: Cooking the turkey unstuffed creates a more level cooking field so the white and dark meat will be done at the same time. Dense bread stuffing reduces air flow inside the bird and slows the cooking time. Dark meat cooks slower than white breast meat, and stuffing the bird compounds the issue. If cooking the stuffing inside the bird, it’s VERY important to use a food or meat thermometer to be sure the internal temperature in the middle of the stuffing hits 165°F.
see more: 31 Days of Weeknight Chicken Dinners to Make Now
Stuffing Mix-Ins to Try
This traditional stuffing recipe can be the building block base to all your stuffing cravings by adding other ingredients to take it from simple to special:
- Sausage, ham, or bacon. Plain sausage, mild Italian or apple sausage all add a savory bite
- Nuts like pecans, pine nuts, walnuts
- Dried fruit like cranberries, currants, raisins, dried apricots, or cherries
- Chopped apples, mushrooms, or fennel
- Roasted vegetables like butternut squash or caramelized onions
- Smoked oysters or water chestnuts
How to Keep Stuffing Warm
Thanksgiving stuffing is one of the first side dishes to cool down once it’s been removed from the oven (bread just doesn’t hold heat well).
To keep this traditional bread stuffing warm until you’re ready to serve it, cover it tightly with foil and place it in the drawer underneath your oven (it should be fairly warm in there if your oven is still on), or in a 200°F oven.
How to Reheat Stuffing
You can reheat leftover Thanksgiving stuffing on the stove or in the oven. Simply drizzle a tablespoon or two of broth over the stuffing, then either heat in a skillet on the stove or cover with foil and cook in a 350°F oven.
Tips for Making the Best Stuffing
The aromatics of dried herbs are stronger than fresh herbs, which is why I use poultry seasoning every time. Plus, using dried herbs I already have in my pantry means there’s one less Thanksgiving ingredient I need to stock up on.
I like to make my own chicken or turkey stock to flavor this homemade stuffing recipe, and use for making my homemade gravy. I use my recipe for Homemade Turkey Stock or Homemade Chicken Stock.
If I’m making the stock recipe for turkey, I usually sub in the carcass after making my juicy roasted turkey breasts (because I always want extra white meat) and a few roasted turkey wings. Or, simply use chicken stock for turkey stuffing instead.
What to Serve with This Stuffing Recipe: My Thanksgiving Dinner Menu
- How to Make the Best Juicy Turkey Brine
- How to Make the Best Mashed Potatoes
- Easy Glazed Carrots
- Pan Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta
- Easy Green Beans with Browned Butter Almondine
- Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes
- 5-Ingredient Stovetop Creamed Spinach
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The BEST Stuffing Recipe
Ingredients
- 9 tablespoons butter , reserve 1 tablespoon for preparing the baking dish
- 2 cups celery , chopped (about 4-5 ribs)
- 2 cups yellow onion , chopped (1 large)
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 10 cups dried bread cubes , 1 pound package dried
- 2 teaspoons dried poultry seasoning
- 1 1/2 cups chicken broth , or use homemade turkey or chicken stock
Instructions
- Melt 8 tablespoons of the butter over medium heat in a large, high sided skillet or Dutch oven. Add the chopped onion and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 6-7 minutes. Season with the kosher salt and black pepper and remove from the heat.
- Add the dried bread cubes to a large mixing bowl with the sautéed onion and celery. Sprinkle with the dried poultry seasoning and drizzle with the chicken broth. Gently toss until the ingredients until mixed.
- To bake outside the bird, prepare a 9x13-inch baking dish with the 1 tablespoon reserved butter and spoon the stuffing in the dish. Drizzle with an additional 1/4 cup of chicken broth and dot with and additional 2 tablespoons of butter to keep moist, cover with foil and bake at 400°F for 20-25 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes or until golden brown.
- To bake inside the bird, spoon 3-5 cups of the stuffing into the bird's cavity, stuffing it loosely but not overfilling, then follow your bird's cooking directions. Be sure the internal temperature of the stuffing comes to 165°F on an instant read meat or food thermometer before serving.
Notes
- Do ahead: You can make this stuffing a day ahead of time, cover, and refrigerate. Just know you may need to add an extra 10 minutes to the bake time.
- You can reheat leftover stuffing in a 350ºF oven or in a skillet on the stove. Whichever method you choose, you'll want to drizzle a little chicken broth over the stuffing before reheating it to prevent it from drying out.
Nutrition
Main Dishes to Serve with Stuffing
- Juicy Roast Turkey Breast
- Herb Butter Rotisserie Turkey
- Roasted Turkey Breast with Lemon and Oregano
- Braised Pork Roast in Almond Milk
- Buffalo Roasted Turkey
- Oven Roasted Chicken with Lemon Rosemary Garlic Butter
- Slow Cooker Balsamic Chicken
More Easy Stuffed Recipes You’ll Want to Make Too
- Stuffed Pork Chops Plus 10 More Ways To Use Leftover Stuffing
- Cranberry And Walnut Stuffing
- Farro, Butternut Squash, Sausage And Dried Cherry Stuffing
GET THE THANKSGIVING PREP GUIDE: Get your FREE Thanksgiving plan, timeline, recipe and menu inspiration, plus all the tips & tricks you need to pull off the best Thanksgiving yet. AND! FREE printable.
Are you a basic stuffing fan or do you like it best with more stuff added to the mix? Leave a comment below and tell us your favorite stuffing to make now.
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Don Snyder says
Heidi,
Your basic stuffing recipe is what I use during the week and is, as you say, simple…BUT for thanksgiving the addition of good, loose, pork sausage is a must (and I saw you had it, among other things, after the recipe).
While we are communicating… I also make my own cranberry sauce. The recipe is on the bag… but as and extra touch… I add a can of tangerine segments. Try it, you will like it.
Have a great turkey day.
Don Snyder
Heidi says
Don, you always have great additions to make! Thanks for the rec, I bet other readers will likely agree.
Kermit says
Don,
Try making honey fermented Cranberries.
Fermenting creates beneficial yeasts which are good for gut health.
Try putting them over vanilla ice cream. Add some chocolate m & ms, and add a dople of plain greek yogurt on top.
The sweet and sour is too die for.
I also add a few cheerios as I eat it (they will go soggy if you add them all at once) for a nice crunchy texture.
Bonita says
This is the stuffing I have been making forever but now I use the crockpot saving oven space…plus the house smells amazing…Bonita
Ashley @ Foodie Crush says
Great idea! The crockpot is a great space saver!
Stefanie Barnhouse says
how long in the crockpot?
Sidstatus says
Wow I like this also try this
Debbie says
Can you make this a day ahead of time, and finish the baking time the next day?
Heidi says
Yes for sure Debbie. If you put it in the oven straight from the fridge it may take an extra 10 minutes to cook through.
Petra says
My husband’s grandfather made the same dressing with added green peppers. We all make it on Thanksgiving. Debbie the vegetables are raw and it’s best to cook it all the way. Check above for reheating instructions?
Heidi says
That’s a great savory addition Petra. Happy to see this brought back some food memories for your family.
Vasyl says
I made it yesterday and everyone loved it!! Simple yet delish!!
Heidi says
So glad you liked it too Vasyl! Another example of basic is sometimes best.
Bonnie Bolan says
Can I add eggs to this recipe?
Heidi says
Hi Bonnie, as in raw egg? Yes, you could whisk an egg or two and mix in so it is more solid and casserole-ish.
Ashley @ Foodie Crush says
If you’d like!
Vicki says
What size dish do you bake this in?
Ashley @ Foodie Crush says
9×13
Lesley says
Really good! I added Italian sausage.
Joann Urdiales says
Thank you. Im trying this stuffing easy recipe. For thanksgiving.
Ronne Clohessy says
Wow ! These are very helpful and relatively simple recipes for just two people ( me and Hubs) this Christmas. I will be cooking turkey breasts and more from your recipes. Thanks for lots of ideas. Any particular brand of turkey Breasts? I am a health food nut .Ronne’