Thanksgiving Stuffing Recipe

Today I’m bringing you a truly classic, soul-satisfying side dish that is the absolute star of the holiday table: a homemade, deeply savory Thanksgiving Stuffing. This recipe is an absolute game-changer, featuring perfectly toasted bread cubes soaking up a buttery, herb-infused mixture of sautéed celery and onion. It’s incredibly easy to make, yields the most wonderful golden, crisp top, and the moist, tender interior you dream about. Trust me, your guests will be begging for this recipe!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• The Ultimate Comfort Factor: This stuffing is everything comfort food should be—warm, buttery, deeply aromatic, and perfect for soaking up all the savory goodness of your holiday plate.
• A Crowd-Pleaser: This is the traditional, beloved flavor profile everyone expects on Thanksgiving. It’s a guaranteed hit and easily doubles or triples for a big group.
• Fully Customizable: Whether you love a bit of sweet and savory with cranberries and pecans, or a deeper umami flavor with mushrooms, this recipe is a perfect canvas for all your favorite additions.
• Simple Steps, Stellar Results: Don’t be intimidated! The process is straightforward, and the result is a stuffing with a crisp, buttery top and a tender, moist inside. This one’s a game-changer!

Ingredients

Stuffing is one of those dishes that relies on a few key, high-quality ingredients to build that incredible depth of flavor. You’ve already got the cooking skills, so let’s check your pantry for these essentials!

• Day-Old Bread (French or Sourdough): This is the foundation! Using day-old or stale bread is crucial because fresh bread will turn mushy. Tosting it lightly creates little sponges ready to absorb all that buttery, herby broth.
• Unsalted Butter: The starting point for flavor! It’s what you’ll use to sauté your aromatics and create that wonderfully rich, comforting base.
• Onion and Celery: The classic stuffing foundation! They must be finely chopped so they cook down beautifully and disperse their savory flavor throughout the mixture.
• Garlic: A few cloves of minced garlic add an extra layer of savory depth that truly elevates the final dish.
• Salt and Black Pepper: Essential seasonings to make every other ingredient pop. Don’t be shy—stuffing needs generous seasoning!
• Dried Sage, Thyme, and Rosemary: The holy trinity of holiday flavors! These herbs are non-negotiable for creating that classic Thanksgiving aroma that fills your kitchen.
• Low-Sodium Chicken Broth (or Vegetable Broth): The liquid gold that moistens the bread. Use low-sodium so you can control the saltiness yourself.
• Large Eggs: The binder! The beaten eggs hold everything together just enough, ensuring the stuffing isn’t just a pile of crumbs, but a cohesive, sliceable side dish.
• Fresh Parsley: Adds a beautiful pop of color and a fresh, herbaceous note to cut through the richness.
• Optional Additions (Pecans, Dried Cranberries, Mushrooms): Your chance to customize! Pecans add crunch, cranberries add sweetness, and mushrooms add an earthy savoriness. Pick your favorite!

Note: The ingredients with specific measurements, calorie information, and serving sizes will be listed in the printable recipe card right below the article!

How to Make the Thanksgiving Stuffing

Making this classic stuffing is such a fun, satisfying process. Your kitchen is about to smell incredible!

Step 1: Toast the Bread Cubes

Preheat your oven to $350^{\circ}F$ ($175^{\circ}C$). Spread your cubed, day-old bread onto a baking sheet. Pop them into the oven for 10-15 minutes until they are lightly golden and crisp. This step is key for texture! Once done, set them aside to cool.

Step 2: Sauté the Aromatics

In a large skillet, melt your butter over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, celery, and minced garlic. Sauté for about 5-6 minutes until the vegetables are tender, soft, and smelling absolutely heavenly.

Step 3: Bloom the Herbs

Now, stir in your sage, thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Let this cook for just 1-2 minutes. This brief cooking time “blooms” the dried herbs, waking up their essential oils and releasing their full, wonderful fragrance.

Step 4: Combine the Mixture

In your largest mixing bowl, combine the toasted bread cubes with the cooked vegetable and herb mixture. Add your fresh parsley and any optional mix-ins you love (like those pecans or cranberries!). Toss gently to coat.

Step 5: Moisten and Bind

Gradually pour the chicken (or vegetable) broth over the mixture, stirring as you go. You want the bread to be moistened but definitely not drowning or soggy. Once you reach that point, pour in the beaten eggs and mix until everything is evenly coated.

Step 6: Bake to Perfection

Transfer the entire mixture to your greased baking dish and cover it tightly with aluminum foil. Bake for 30 minutes. Then, remove the foil and bake for another 15–20 minutes until the top is beautifully golden brown and slightly crispy.

Step 7: Serve and Savor

Let it cool for just a minute or two, and then serve this beautiful, fragrant stuffing warm! It’s the perfect addition to your Thanksgiving feast.

Pro Tips for Making the Recipe

• Don’t Skip the Toasting Step: This is arguably the most important step for texture. Toasting prevents the stuffing from becoming mushy and ensures you get that delightful contrast between the crisp exterior and the moist interior.
• Butter the Foil: Before covering the baking dish, rub a little butter on the side of the foil that faces the stuffing. This prevents the top layer from sticking to the foil as it cooks.
• Taste and Adjust Seasoning: Before adding the eggs, taste a small amount of the bread/vegetable mixture. Does it need more salt? A pinch more pepper? Adjusting the seasoning here is key to a flavorful finished product.
• Use Low-Sodium Broth: Always use low-sodium broth so you have full control over the salt level. A lot of store-bought broths can be too salty for a recipe like this.

How to Serve

This stuffing is delicious enough to eat straight from the dish, but here are some ways to truly make it shine on your holiday table!

• The Classic Pairing: Serve it alongside roast turkey, creamy mashed potatoes, and your favorite gravy. The gravy soaked into the stuffing is truly next-level!
• Garnishes: Before serving, sprinkle the top with extra fresh parsley for a pop of color, or for a festive touch, tuck a few sprigs of fresh rosemary into the baked stuffing.
• Leftover Remix: If you’re lucky enough to have leftovers, try using a scoop of cold stuffing to create a savory stuffing waffle—perfect for a post-holiday brunch!
• The Ultimate Sandwich: Place a generous scoop of cold stuffing onto your leftover turkey and cranberry sandwich. Trust me, this one’s a game-changer.

Make Ahead and Storage

A dish that can be prepped ahead is a lifesaver during the busy holidays!

Storing Leftovers

Place any leftovers in an airtight container and store them in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days. The flavors actually deepen overnight!

Freezing

You can freeze baked and cooled leftover stuffing. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, then aluminum foil, or use a freezer-safe container. It will keep for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

Reheating

To reheat, place the stuffing in a baking dish, cover with foil to keep it moist, and bake at $350^{\circ}F$ ($175^{\circ}C$) until warmed through. If you like a crispy top, remove the foil for the last 5-10 minutes. You can also reheat small portions in the microwave.

FAQs

1. Can I prepare this stuffing a day ahead of time?

Absolutely! To save time on the big day, you can do all the prep work (toasting the bread, cooking the vegetables, and mixing everything together) and stop before adding the broth and eggs. Store the dry mixture covered in the fridge. On Thanksgiving morning, bring the mixture to room temperature, add the broth and eggs, and then bake as directed. This makes the morning so much easier!

2. Is it safe to cook the stuffing inside the turkey (in the cavity)?

While traditional, it is generally recommended by food safety experts to bake stuffing in a separate dish. Stuffing cooked inside the turkey often doesn’t reach a high enough internal temperature ($165^{\circ}F$, or $74^{\circ}C$) before the turkey is done, which can be unsafe. Baking it separately also guarantees that coveted crispy top!

3. My stuffing turned out too dry (or too soggy). What did I do wrong?

If it’s too dry, you likely needed more broth. Next time, add the broth slowly until the bread is thoroughly moistened but not dripping. If it’s too soggy, the bread was likely too fresh or you added too much broth. Make sure you use truly day-old or toasted bread for the best absorption!

4. Can I use fresh herbs instead of dried ones?

Yes, and it’s delicious! When swapping, remember that fresh herbs are generally less potent than dried. Use roughly three times the amount of fresh herbs compared to dried. For this recipe, you would use about 3 teaspoons of fresh chopped sage, thyme, and rosemary instead of 1 teaspoon of each dried.