Simple and Classic Stuffing for Thanksgiving

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Simple and Classic Dressing or Stuffing for Holidays. Whether that be Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s … or any other holiday. A simple tried and true recipe made with onions, celery, herbs, butter, broth, and toasted bread. It’s simply our favorite.

And one we look forward to especially on Thanksgiving.

Or… if you’re like me, the next day… and the day after that.

Honestly, it’s my favorite dish. I’m not sure I should tell you this… but I think I even dream about it.

OK — enough of that!

But suffice it to say… this Classic Stuffing (yes, technically a dressing) is a go-to recipe everyone loves, year after year.

And the leftovers? Oh my… I look forward to stuffing leftovers even on Thanksgiving morning!

If you’re looking for easy Thanksgiving recipes, check out our Thanksgiving page here.

Is this Recipe a Stuffing or a Dressing?

Technically, this side we love is a dressing, because it isn’t stuffed inside of the turkey. In our family… it will always be… stuffing.

What do you this favorite dish in your family?

Beginning with Fresh Bread

You know those boxes from the market labeled “herbed stuffing?” I like them too. And yes, there have been Thanksgiving where it was that or the stuffing didn’t get made. And that would be a crime in my family!

However, when things don’t go awry and do go according to my plan — I love to make my own bread cube. And it is super simple. It just takes a bit of planning. Like, day before kind of planning.

To make your own bread cubes, begin with really dry bread, otherwise, your stuffing (or dressing) will be mushy.

Preheat the oven to 250°F and butter a 13x9x2″ baking dish and sheet pan and set aside. Cube or tear the bread into 1-inch pieces and then lay in a single layer on the baking sheet. Bake, stirring occasionally, until completely dry; about 1 hour. Let cool and then transfer to a large bowl. 

If you complete this step the day before, let it sit out on the counter overnight.

Ingredients to Gather for the Stuffing

This Classic Stuffing is made with simple ingredients and fresh herbs. Honestly, I love the addition of fresh herbs, but dried can be substituted too.

Vegetables: onions and celery

Herbs: parsley, rosemary, thyme

Pantry: bread cubes, butter, chicken broth, salt, and pepper.

Simple and Classic Dressing for the Holidays

A traditional and Classic Stuffing for Holidays. A simple tried and true family recipe made with onions, celery, herbs, butter, and toasted bread. It's simply and wonderfully... delicious!

4.5 from 2 votes

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Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour

Servings: 8 to 10 servings

Author: Stephanie Wilson

Equipment

• Le Creuset 3 Qt. Casserole Dish, Square
• Modern French Casserole Baker, 13 x 9, Made in France
• Lodge 10.25 Inch Cast Iron Skillet. Pre-Seasoned 

Ingredients

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• ▢ 3/4 cup 1 1/2 sticks butter plus more for baking dish
• ▢ 1 pound day-old white bread torn or cubed into 1-inch pieces (about 10 cups)
• ▢ 2 cups chopped onions
• ▢ 2 celery stalks cut into 1/4-inch slices
• ▢ 1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
• ▢ 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
• ▢ 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
• ▢ 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• ▢ 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• ▢ 2 1/2 cups chicken broth divided
• ▢ 1 large egg

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Instructions

• To Make the Bread Cubes: Preheat the oven to 250°. Butter or spray a baking dish or sheet pan and set aside. Scatter bread in a single layer; bake, stirring occasionally, until dry, about 45 minutes to 1 hour. Let cool; transfer to a very large bowl. Or let sit on the counter overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 350° and butter a 3-quart casserole or baking dish. Set aside.
• To Make the Stuffing: Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat; add onions and celery. Cook and stir until the vegetables begin to brown, about 8 to 10 minutes. Then add to the bowl with the dry bread cubes. Stir in the herbs, salt and pepper into the bread and vegetable mixture. In a small bowl, whisk together the broth and egg. Pour over the stuffing mixture and gently fold to combine. Transfer the stuffing to the prepared baking dish, cover with foil, and bake until an instant-read thermometer, inserted into the center of the stuffing registers 160°F, about 35 to 40 minutes. Uncover and bake another 5 minutes or until the top is a little toasty.

Notes

Make Ahead Tip 1 – Save time on Thanksgiving Day by cubing or tearing the bread the day before. Leave uncovered overnight to dry out and proceed with step 2 on Thanksgiving.

Make Ahead Tip 2 - The dressing can be completely made and cooked 1 day ahead. After baking, uncover and let cool. Then recover and chill. To reheat, bake uncovered until set and the top is browned.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 156kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 20mg | Sodium: 895mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g

Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.

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Course: Sides

Cuisine: American

Keyword: classic stuffing, easy stuffing recipe, old fashioned stuffing, thanksgiving stuffing