This Traditional Thanksgiving Stuffing Recipe has the perfect combination of buttery, warm bread plus hearty herbs and aromatics. It's an easy stuffing recipe that will soon be your go-to recipe for years to come!
Servings : 8servings
Prep Time 15 minutesmins
Cook Time 1 hourhr
Resting Time 5 minutesmins
Total Time 1 hourhr20 minutesmins
Ingredients
1poundbread,cut into about 1/2-inch cubes and dried (you'll need around 10 cups of bread cubes)
6tablespoonsunsalted butter
2smallyellow onions,diced
4stalkscelery,thinly sliced
3 to 4clovesgarlic,minced
1tablespoonchopped fresh sage
1tablespoonfresh thyme leaves
½tablespoonchopped fresh rosemary leaves
3tablespoonschopped fresh parsley
salt and fresh ground black pepper pepper,to taste (I use about 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper)
3cupslow sodium chicken broth,or vegetable broth
2largeeggs,beaten
freshly chopped parsleyfor garnish
Instructions
For the Bread Cubes
Before you begin, make sure the bread is dry/stale. If bread isn't dry, place cut-up bread cubes on baking sheets and bake at 200˚F for 20 minutes.
For the Stuffing
Preheat oven to 350˚F. Butter a 3-quart baking dish and set aside.
Place dried bread cubes in a large mixing bowl and set aside.
Melt 6 tablespoons butter in a large skillet set over medium heat. Stir in onions and celery; cook for 6 to 8 minutes or until soft. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
Stir in sage, thyme, and rosemary; cook for about a minute or until fragrant. Stir in parsley, season with salt and pepper, and remove from heat.
Add the sautéed onions mixture to the bread cubes and stir to combine.
In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the broth and eggs. Then, pour the egg mixture over the bread mixture, and mix until everything is completely coated.
Transfer the mixture to the baking dish; smooth it out and cover with foil.
Bake for 45 minutes; remove foil and continue to bake for 15 more minutes or until the top is lightly browned.
How To Make Stuffing For Inside The TurkeyNote that for this recipe, we're using more butter than in the recipe above. Also, we will not use eggs and chicken broth for this method.
Melt 10 tablespoons butter in a large skillet; add celery and onions and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender.
Stir in garlic and fresh herbs and cook for 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper and remove from heat.
Stir in dry bread cubes and gently toss with a spoon until all bread cubes are evenly coated. You might want to do this part in a large mixing bowl because you'll need more space.
Stuff a 10 to 12-pound raw turkey with the stuffing, then bake.
Tips And Variations
Use dry bread cubes to avoid soggy stuffing.
Mix carefully - ensure the bread is well coated, but avoid over-mixing to prevent mushiness.
Avoid overbaking. You want moist stuffing, not dry. Bake until it's just set and lightly golden on top.
For safety, don't cook the stuffing inside the turkey due to bacteria concerns. If you choose to do so, please take a look at the recipe notes for guidance.
Experiment with different breads like ciabatta, French baguette, or cornbread. Even homemade bread can be a great choice.
Customize with add-ins like cooked sausage, walnuts, cranberries, or mushrooms. Treat the recipe as a base for your culinary creativity.
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.