Homemade stuffing recipe makes a flavorful Thanksgiving side dish! This easy stuffing casserole recipe can be made ahead of time (and frozen) and is sure to be a hit at any holiday dinner.
No Thanksgiving dinner would be complete without the savory goodness of homemade stuffing. This classic side dish is a beloved part of any holiday feast.
This traditional stuffing recipe is made with a flavorful combination of bread cubes, vegetables, and plenty of herbs which perfectly complements the turkey. Whether you’re a seasoned cook or a making your first Thanksgiving meal, this recipe has step-by-step photos and plenty of tips to help you make crowd-pleasing stuffing that is sure to be the hit of your Thanksgiving celebration.
Ingredient notes and substitutions
- Bread: I use Italian or sourdough bread because either bread will hold up well in this recipe.
- Butter: If you’d like to keep the recipe dairy free, substitute an additional 1/3 cup of olive oil in place of the butter.
- Onion: I like to use sweet onion in this recipe, but any yellow or white onion will work.
- Fresh sage: Or substitute 2-3 tablespoons of fresh sage.
- Fresh thyme: Or substitute 2-3 tablespoons of fresh thyme.
- Salt: If you use table salt instead of kosher salt or sea salt, reduce the salt to 1 teaspoon.
- Broth: I like to use reduced-sodium chicken broth in this recipe so that I can better control the salt level.
- If you’d like the stuffing to be vegetarian, you can use vegetable broth in place of the chicken broth.
- Turkey broth could also be used in this recipe.
How to make homemade stuffing
Here you’ll find step-by-step photos showing how to make the recipe. The full recipe, including ingredients, is given below.
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350˚F.
Step 2: Stir together 1/2 teaspoon dried sage, 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Set aside.
Step 3: Cut the bread into ¾-inch cubes.
Step 4: Gently toss the bread with olive oil and the spice mixture until well coated.
Step 5: Transfer to a baking sheet and bake for 17-20 minutes.
Step 6: Remove from the oven and set aside.
Step 7: Increase the oven to 375˚F and grease a 9×13” pan. Set aside.
Step 8: Heat the butter in a large pot over medium heat.
Step 9: Add the onion, celery, garlic, and mushrooms with the remaining salt, pepper, sage, parsley, and thyme. Cook for about 8 minutes, or until the vegetables soften.
Step 10: Add the bread cubes to the vegetable mixture.
Step 11: Pour in the broth and the eggs. Stir well until the bread cubes are completely coated and have softened. You want the bread to absorb all of the liquid in the pan.
Tip >> Let the mixture sit in between stirring to give it time to soak up the moisture. This will take about 5 minutes.
Step 12: Pour into the baking dish.
Step 13: Bake for about 40- 45 minutes, until golden brown on top.
Recipe Tips!
- Make ahead stuffing: The USDA recommends that stuffing not be made ahead of time and refrigerated. However, it is safe to freeze the unbaked stuffing.
- How to freeze stuffing: To freeze the unbaked stuffing, follow the recipe as-directed through step 13. Pour the stuffing into a shallow, freezer-safe baking dish. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and then aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 1 month.
- How to cook frozen stuffing: Do not thaw before baking. Remove the plastic wrap and foil. Bake from frozen until the stuffing reaches 165°F.
Recipe FAQs
Absolutely! Feel free either omit the mushrooms or to substitute an additional 1 cup each of celery and onions in place of the mushrooms.
You can! I have a note about substituting the butter under
You can! Simply substitute vegetable broth for the chicken broth.
Storage
Store any leftover stuffing in an airtight container in the refrigerator. The stuffing will keep for up to 4 days when properly stored in the fridge.
More Thanksgiving side dish recipes!
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Homemade Stuffing
Equipment
- 9×13 pan
Ingredients
- 10 cups day old or toasted sturdy bread (about 1.5 pounds)
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1/2 cup butter
- 2 ½ cups sliced celery
- 2 ½ cups diced onion
- 2 ½ cups sliced mushrooms
- 3 cloves garlic finely minced
- 1/3 cup fresh parsley chopped
- 4 ½ teaspoons dried ground sage divided
- 3 teaspoons dried thyme divided
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt divided
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 ½ cups chicken broth
- 2 large eggs lightly beaten
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350˚F.
- Stir together 1/2 teaspoon dried sage, ½ tsp dried thyme, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper.
- Cut the bread into ¾-inch cubes.
- Gently toss the bread with olive oil and the spice mixture until well coated.
- Transfer to a baking sheet and bake for 17-20 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and set aside.
- Increase the oven to 375˚F and grease a 9×13” pan.
- Heat the butter in a large pot over medium heat.
- Add the onion, celery, garlic, and mushrooms with the remaining salt, pepper, sage, parsley, and thyme.
- Cook for about 8 minutes, or until the vegetables soften.
- Add the bread cubes to the vegetable mixture.
- Pour in the broth and the eggs.
- Stir well until the bread cubes are completely coated and have softened. You want the bread to absorb all of the liquid in the pan. Let the mixture sit in between stirring to give it time to soak up the moisture. This will take about 5 minutes.
- Pour into the baking dish and bake for about 40- 45 minutes, or until golden brown on top.
Notes
- Bread: I use Italian or sourdough bread because either bread will hold up well in this recipe.
- Butter: If you’d like to keep the recipe dairy-free, substitute an additional 1/3 cup of olive oil in place of the butter.
- Onion: I like to use sweet onion in this recipe, but any yellow or white onion will work.
- Fresh sage: Or substitute 2-3 tablespoons of fresh sage.
- Fresh thyme: Or substitute 2-3 tablespoons of fresh thyme.
- Salt: If you use table salt instead of kosher salt or sea salt, reduce the salt to 1 teaspoon.
- Broth: I like to use reduced-sodium chicken broth in this recipe so that I can better control the salt level. If you’d like the stuffing to be vegetarian, you can use vegetable broth in place of the chicken broth. Turkey broth could also be used in this recipe.
- Nutrition values are estimates.
Nutrition
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