This homemade stuffing recipe has been my favorite Thanksgiving side dish since the first time I tasted it. It’s inspired by the classic stuffing recipe I grew up eating at (my Nan) Grandma Dee’s house at Thanksgiving, and it’s just so far superior to store-bought options. In fact, I easily could enjoy the leftovers as a comfort food main dish all on its own (and I have!).
This dressing recipe is so similar to the one my Nan served all her life with buttery bread cubes and fresh herbs, but I tweaked it just a bit to work in a few more veggies. It bakes until it’s crispy and golden on top with a soft, savory center. My family requests it every year, and I’m always more than happy to make this nostalgic recipe as a simple comfort food that reminds me of my Nan.
Recipe Highlights
Easy to make: This stuffing comes together with simple steps in just an hour. All I do is sauté the veggies, toss everything in a large bowl, whisk in the eggs and broth, and bake. There are no complicated techniques required, leaving me free to focus on the rest of my Thanksgiving menu.
A classic side dish: Thanksgiving just wouldn’t feel complete for me without the stuffing. This simple recipe has all the traditional stuffing flavors and textures that make it a timeless holiday favorite.
Veggie-forward: With a full cup of leeks, plenty of onions, celery, and garlic, this recipe packs in a lot of nutrition, including fiber from vegetables, while still being flavorful and satisfying.
Not just for Thanksgiving: This recipe is so simple that it doesn’t have to be reserved just for special holiday meals. I’ll often make a batch to round out meals like my air fryer pork chops and green beans.
Ingredients And Substitution Notes
A few real-food ingredients come together to make a traditional Thanksgiving stuffing recipe. Unlike sausage stuffing or cornbread stuffing, my basic bread stuffing recipe uses a handful of fresh ingredients to create a comfort food flavor while being nutritious, too. There are no dried herbs or poultry seasoning, but there is a delicious, crunchy exterior and savory flavor that make it the best stuffing recipe ever, in my opinion. Here are a few key notes regarding a few of the primary components:
- Dried bread: Similar to French toast casserole, toasted or stale bread is the secret to the best stuffing, as it absorbs the liquid well without becoming soggy. I often cut bread into pieces and let it sit overnight covered loosely with foil, or I make my own croutons. I find that the best type of bread is a soft white bread or sourdough bread, as it stays soft in the center once baked.
- Celery: This adds a vegetal, classic flavor to the stuffing, along with a bit of water content to help keep it moist, but with a satisfying crunchy texture. Celery is also a nutritious veggie, adding some potassium and fiber.
- Leeks: I like to use leeks for a subtle sweetness and mild onion flavor that gives the stuffing lots of depth. If I can’t find leeks, I substitute scallions or white onion for a similar taste. Yellow onion also works, but the flavor is just a little bit sweeter, which is just fine.
- Chicken broth: I almost always use homemade chicken stock or bone broth, as I find it adds a stronger savory flavor to the dish. Low-sodium store-bought chicken broth or vegetable broth also work just fine.
Find the ingredient list with exact measurements in the recipe card below.
Use Any Size Dish
I use a 9×13 casserole dish, but I’ve also tested this recipe in a slightly smaller dish, really filling it up tall with the bread mixture. Any shape works, from square to oval to rectangular, as long as it holds a minimum capacity of 2 ½ quarts.
What To Serve With This Classic Holiday Side
I serve this stuffing recipe as a side dish with other holiday staples. It’s great with my roasted turkey made with turkey brine, other Thanksgiving side dishes, and sweet potato recipes.
It’s so popular in my house that it often makes an appearance at Christmas dinners, too. I often set aside some (or make extra) to turn into sandwiches made from Thanksgiving leftovers. I pair it with sliced turkey, gravy, mashed potatoes, chopped apple, and leftover cranberry sauce.
Storage Directions
I transfer cooled leftover stuffing to an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to 4 days. Or, in the freezer for up to 3 months. To serve, I thaw the frozen stuffing in the fridge overnight. Then, I reheat it in the microwave or covered with foil in the oven, adding a splash of broth as needed to freshen it back up.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! To make-ahead, I assemble everything as directed, cover the baking dish tightly with foil, and store it in the refrigerator. When ready to finish it, I let the dish sit at room temperature for 20–30 minutes. Then I bake as directed, adding an extra 5–10 minutes to make sure it gets crispy on top. I don’t recommend preparing the ingredients more than a day ahead, however, or it’s likely to become too soggy.
For gluten-free stuffing, use a soft gluten-free bread as the base. As long as the bread is dry, there’s really no difference.
The biggest mistakes are using bread that’s too soft, not adding enough liquid, or overbaking. Fresh bread that isn’t slightly dried out will turn too mushy instead of fluffy. If the stuffing mixture looks too dry before baking, add a splash of extra broth or homemade melted butter. Then, keep an eye on the oven. Stuffing should be golden on top but still moist inside. Cover with foil if it’s browning too quickly.
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Stuffing Recipe
Crisp and golden on the outside, while staying soft, fluffy, and herbaceous in the center, this homemade stuffing recipe is a staple holiday side dish. It’s always a crowd-pleasing addition to any Thanksgiving dinner, but easy enough to add to weeknight meals, too. Includes gluten-free and vegetarian options.
Ingredients
- 1 loaf of bread, torn or cut into cubes, then toasted or slightly stale (10-12 cups)
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 4 medium celery stalks, diced (2 cups)
- 1 small white onion, diced
- 1–2 medium-large leeks, chopped (about 1 cup) (may sub additional 1 cup white onion)
- 4 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 1 teaspoon fine salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon fresh sage, roughly chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, rough chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth, divided
- 2 large eggs
- Optional for garnish: chopped fresh parsley or other fresh herbs
Get Recipe IngredientsInstructions
- Preheat the oven to 350℉ and mist a 9×13-inch baking dish (or other 2½- to 3-quart baking dish) with cooking spray.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, heat the butter. Once the butter is melted, stir in the celery, onion, leeks, garlic, salt, and pepper. Cook until onions and celery are softened, 8-10 minutes.
- Stir in the chopped fresh sage, rosemary, thyme, and 1 cup of the broth.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the bread cubes. Transfer celery-onion mixture to the bowl with the bread. Toss well to coat the bread.
- In a small bowl whisk together the remaining 1 cup broth and the eggs.
- Pour the broth-egg mixture over the ingredients in the bowl and toss until thoroughly combined.
- Transfer the stuffing mixture to the prepared baking and bake for 45-50 minutes or until stuffing is set and starts to turn golden brown on top. (If the stuffing is getting too browned too quickly, cover it loosely with foil).
- Serve warm and garnish with chopped fresh parsley or other fresh herbs, if desired.
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Notes
*Stale or toasted bread works best for this recipe. Cut bread into pieces and let it sit at room temperature overnight, covered loosely with foil, or make your own croutons. Alternatively, you can buy already prepped toasted large bread cubes at most grocery stores.
For gluten free, use gluten free bread cubes and certified gluten free broth.
For vegetarian, use vegetable broth in place of chicken broth and plant-based butter.
Can’t find leeks? Substitute an additional 1 cup of chopped white onion.
Nutrition Information
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 216
- Fat: 12 g
- (Sat Fat: 6 g)
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Carbohydrate: 23 g
- (Fiber: 2 g
- Sugar: 4 g)
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 59 mg
Dietary
The photos in this post were taken by Megan McKeehan.
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