The best Stuffing recipe made with bread, onion, celery, butter, and fresh herbs for Thanksgiving. Some people call this dressing and some people call it stuffing, either way this easy stuffing recipe is our go-to Thanksgiving side dish and a family favorite.

CLASSIC STUFFING

Growing up I distinctly remember going through the Thanksgiving food line at my house (remember I’m the youngest of ten kids so all meals were buffet style), seeing the bowl of Stove Top stuffing and thinking, “Meh. I would rather save room for something worthwhile.”

Oh boy how those days have changed. I’ve definitely had my walk through the valley of ALL the stuffings. When I asked my husband what he looks for in stuffing he said, “Something that tastes like Stove Top.”

Ooh-kay. We digress. No. No. And no. Old habits die hard. Nostalgia is good but some traditions need to be let go.

First, was the year I made stuffing that was so crispy that it tasted like a bowl of croutons.

Next, there was the year I used so much butter my friend Steve said, “Ooh. It’s a like a butter explosion in my mouth every time I bite.”

Then, there was the year I used ALL the herbs and it tasted like I was chewing on leaves. And don’t think I’m weird but I don’t like sausage in my stuffing.

But you guys, this version is my favorite stuffing recipe. My favorite side at Thanksgiving dinner. I can never go back to a stuffing mix. If this isn’t on the Thanksgiving table, it’s not Thanksgiving day.

WHAT MAKES A GOOD STUFFING?

Well. I guess that’s personal. For me, it’s not too soggy, not too crispy. I want it to be slightly soft with some nice toasty edges on top.

Good stuffing is like Simon and Garfunkel are singing “Parsley, Sage, Rosemary, and Thyme” in the family room but not blasting it on Alexa on my dinner plate.

The best stuffing makes me think to myself, “Oh, this tastes like Thanksgiving.” Not, “What horrible herb am I biting into? Is this window cleaner?”

I just want a classic traditional stuffing recipe.

INGREDIENTS

• BUTTER – to sautee the veggies. You could use olive oil as a substitute. Lots of butter to sautee veggies equals lots of flavor.
• ONION
• CELERY
• BREAD – see below for the types of bread you can use. The dried bread soaks up the flavors.
• CHICKEN BROTH OR CHICKEN STOCK – you could use turkey stock if you have it.
• FRESH HERBS – fresh parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme.
• EGGS – act as a binder here.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN STUFFING AND DRESSING?

Traditionally stuffing is cooked inside the turkey while dressing is cooked in a baking dish in the oven.

So why do I call it stuffing? Because everyone does. No one calls it dressing unless they’re Martha Stewart.

WHY ARE THERE EGGS IN THIS STUFFING?

Eggs act as a binder to hold all of the bread, onions, and celery together.

WHAT KIND OF BREAD SHOULD I USE?

This is up to personal preference but there are many different types of bread you can use in homemade stuffing recipe. I personally like to use bakery sliced bread, French bread, or sourdough bread.

Here are some types of bread you can use:

• white bread
• French bread
• baguettes
• sourdough bread
• bakery loaf of bread

DRY THE BREAD

Stale bread soaks up the broth and flavors. After you’ve cut your bread into 1-inch cubes, you can dry your bread two ways:

1. 1. Place your bread cubes in a large bowl and them them sit on the counter covered for 1-2 days to dry out. Stir the bread cubes every once in a while.
   2. If you don’t have time to air-dry your bread, you can toast it. Lay bread cubes on a baking sheet in a single layer and toast at 250 degrees for 45-60 minutes stirring every once in a while.

CAN I USE DRIED HERBS INSTEAD OF FRESH HERBS?

You can use 2 teaspoons of poultry seasonings instead of the fresh herbs in this recipe.

In my opinion however, there is no replacement for the smell and taste of fresh herbs.

HOW TO MAKE STUFFING

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray a 9×13 casserole dish with cooking spray.
2. In a large skillet, melt butter and add the onion and celery. Sautee until vegetables are soft. Pour mixture into the bowl with the bread. Add the parsley, sage, rosemary, thyme, salt, and pepper. Stir together.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs. Add the low-sodium chicken broth and whisk together. Pour mixture over dried bread cubes and mix well. Pour into prepared baking dish. Cover with foil and bake for 35 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 10-15 minutes until top is golden brown and middle is set.

CAN I PREPARE STUFFING AHEAD OF TIME?

Yes. You can make and bake ahead of time and then reheat the day of covered at 350 degrees until warm then uncovered for 5-10 minutes so the top gets crispy.

HOW TO FREEZE STUFFING

Can you freeze stuffing? Yes! Stuffing can be frozen up to three months. To reheat, drizzle with some chicken broth so that it doesn’t dry out and bake in the oven at 350°F for 20 minutes or until warm.

OTHER THANKSGIVING RECIPES:

• Green Bean Casserole
• Scalloped Potatoes
• Ruth’s Chris Sweet Potatoes
• Cherry Cheese Pie
• Lion House Rolls
• Corn Souffle
• Cornbread Dressing
• Brussels Sprouts with Bacon
• Cranberry Salsa with Cream Cheese
• Loaded Mashed Potatoes
• Apple Crisp