The Best Easy Stuffing Recipe

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This easy stuffing recipe has been a family favorite for years! It’s a classic homemade stuffing recipe with a delicious buttery flavor and seasoned with sage, thyme, and parsley. Easy to make and so delicious! 

Truly, we only eat stuffing once a year, so it better be GOOD! My go-to recipe is passed down from family members. It’s one of our favorite Thanksgiving stuffing recipes and a holiday classic because it’s so easy to make, using simple ingredients, but the flavor is always spot on. 

It’s moist and buttery in the middle and becomes crispy on the edges. It goes perfectly with gravy, turkey, scalloped potatoes, and our easy homemade cranberry sauce! Nothing beats homemade stuffing and it’s WAY better than boxed stuffing!

There is no comparison! I hope this stuffing makes a debut on your Thanksgiving table.

Homemade stuffing recipe on a wooden spoon.

If you’re a seafood fan, try out oyster stuffing! It’s the best and so easy to make too.

What is stuffing? 

It is a Thanksgiving dish made with bread crumbs, onions, celery, butter, and herbs. Traditionally, the stuffing was cooked inside of the turkey (hence the name) but now it’s more common to bake it separately in a baking dish. 

Why This Recipe Works

We’ve made this recipe for more than 20 years and it’s the best stuffing!

This easy stuffing recipe is moist and flavorful with the addition of eggs, chicken broth, and sautéed vegetables. The key to success is using fresh white bread, which soaks up all the delicious flavors.

This easy stuffing recipe comes together quickly with minimal effort. Simply sauté the vegetables, mix everything together, and bake. You’ll have a delicious side dish that everyone will love!

Easy homemade stuffing with fresh thyme, onions, butter and herbs.

How to Make Homemade Stuffing

For this classic stuffing recipe, we use fresh white bread and herbs. It’s different because you don’t need to let the bread sit overnight. Just cube white bread while it’s fresh and toss it in a mixing bowl.

It will be moist and delicious without the extra step of drying the bread. Simplifying dishes for Thanksgiving is always a good idea! 

Kitchen Tools You’ll Need

  • Large Mixing Bowl
  • Large Skillet
  • Aluminum Foil
  • Measuring Cups and Spoons
  • Cutting Board
  • 9×13 Baking Dish
Cubed bread, onions and butter. All ingredients to make Thanksgiving stuffing.

Traditional Stuffing Recipe Ingredient Notes

The full recipe and measurements are in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

  • Fresh White Bread – You will need about 10 cups of cubed bread. We use fresh white bread, so you don’t need to leave it out! You can also use sourdough bread as well.
  • Eggs – Use organic, fresh eggs. The eggs are the binder that holds the stuffing together.
  • Fresh Herb and Dried Herbs – Sage, thyme, and parsley are used to season and add flavor to the dish. You can use fresh or dried herbs, depending on what you have and what’s available.
  • Melted Butter – Adds all the delicious flavor and gives the bread a moist texture. This recipe has plenty of butter that makes it so delicious!
  • Celery – If you’re not a fan of celery, you can leave this out. We like the way it tastes in the recipe though!
  • Yellow Onion – Gives the stuffing a nice savory flavor.
  • Salt and Pepper – Both add and enhance the flavor of the stuffing.

Directions

  • Cube 10 cups fresh white bread and place in a mixing bowl.
  • Add the butter in a large skillet over medium heat and let it start to melt.
  • Then saute the onions and chopped celery in the butter until soft.
  • Add in fresh parsley and continue to saute.
  • Add in the dried thyme, sage and salt, and pepper.
  • Pour over cubed bread and mix in the eggs.
  • Pour the mixture into a baking dish and cover it with tinfoil.
  • Bake for 30 minutes in a 350-degree oven, covered.
  • Uncover and bake for another 15 minutes until the top is browned.
Fresh bread crumbs in a white bowl with eggs about to be mixed together to make stuffing.

Sausage Stuffing Recipe 

If you want to take this good classic stuffing to another level, you can easily add sausage to this recipe! 

  • To make sausage stuffing, add 1lb sausage, casing removed, and sauté it with the butter, onions, and herbs. 
  • Pour in with the bread crumbs and then follow the same directions below to bake.

How to Freeze Stuffing

It actually freezes perfectly! Seal it up really well in an airtight container and it will last in the freezer for a few months.

When you’re craving Thanksgiving dinner again, reheat it in the oven at 350 for about 15 to 20 minutes.

Traditional Stuffing Recipe 

Traditional stuffing is when the bread mixture is cooked inside the bird. You can cook it that way, but you’ll want to follow these food safety guidelines. Our recipe is for traditional homemade stuffing but cooked in a casserole dish, making it easier to cook and serve. 

Leftover Stuffing Ideas

I highly doubt there will be leftover stuffing, but if there is here are some ideas on what you can do with it:

Stuffing omelet: Mix the stuffing with some beaten eggs and cook in a large skillet like you would an omelet.

Use it as a pizza topping: Spread the stuffing over a pre-baked pizza crust and top with your favorite toppings.

Make stuffing tots: Form the stuffing into tots and bake at 400 degrees until they’re crispy on the outside. Serve as is or with dipping sauce.

Make stuffing balls: Form the stuffing into 1-inch balls and pan-fry in olive oil until they’re golden brown on all sides.

Homemade stuffing in a casserole dish.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you put eggs in stuffing?

Yes! Eggs act as a binder and help the ingredients stay together.

Can I make stuffing the day before Thanksgiving?

You can’t fully make the stuffing the day before, however, you can prepare the ingredients the day before. Cube the bread and cover in a mixing bowl.

Chop, measure and prepare the other ingredients to saute the next day. Do not mix the eggs until it’s ready to be baked the next day.

This way you’ll be prepared but safely assembling and cook the stuffing on Thanksgiving.

What is traditional stuffing made of?

The traditional ingredients are white bread, sage, thyme, parsley, butter, celery, yellow onion, salt, and pepper.

How long does stuffing last?

Stuffing will last in the fridge for 3-4 days.

What bread makes the best stuffing?

For this easy stuffing recipe, we use fresh white bread. It’s moist and delicious without the extra step of drying the bread. You can also use French bread, brioche, sourdough, challah rye bread, or cornbread.

Should I cover stuffing when baking? 

We do recommend covering stuffing when baking for the majority of the time. When there are 15 minutes left on the timer, uncover the stuffing so it gets a nice brown and crispy top. 

What can I add to flavoring for stuffing?

Herbs: Rosemary, oregano, and basil

Vegetables: Mushrooms, carrots, green beans, and peas

Nuts: Walnuts, chestnuts, and pecans

Cheese: Shredded cheddar, Gruyere, or Parmesan

Fruit: Apples, raisins, and dried cranberries

How long should you cook stuffing for?

Stuffing should be cooked for about 40 to 45 minutes in a 350-degree oven. 

Is stuffing better with or without eggs?

The eggs in this easy stuffing recipe help everything bind together. We think it tastes better with the eggs but you can omit them if you’d like.

How do you keep stuffing moist?

Covering the stuffing while baking helps to trap in the moisture so it doesn’t dry out.

The most delicious homemade stuffing recipe on a wooden spoon with celery.

More Thanksgiving Recipes and Drinks

Thanksgiving Cheese Board

The Best Cranberry Cornbread Recipe

The Best Sweet Potato Casserole

The Most Delicious Pumpkin Pie Recipe

Super Moist Pumpkin Bread

The Best Apple Cider Cocktails

Let us know your thoughts!

Let us know if you try this easy thanksgiving stuffing recipe. We would love to know your thoughts!

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easy stuffing recipe made with fresh bread.

Easy Stuffing Recipe

A flavorful and moist stuffing recipe that's easy to make! It's baked in a casserole dish and served warm.
4.54 from 13 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
0 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Servings: 8 people
Calories: 238kcal
Author: Eden

Ingredients

  • 10 cups fresh white bread, cubed
  • 2 sticks unsalted butter , 1 cup
  • 1 cup celery, diced
  • 1 1/2 cup yellow onion , diced
  • 1/4 cup parsley , fresh or dried
  • 1 tsp thyme, dried
  • 1 tsp sage , dried
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp pepper
  • 2 large eggs

Instructions

  • Cube 10 cups fresh white bread and place in a mixing bowl.
    Fresh white bread cubed in a measuring cup.
  • In a skillet, saute onions and chopped celery in butter until soft. 
    Cooking celery and onions in a skillet on the stovetop.
  • Add in fresh parsley and saute.
  • Add in the dried thyme, sage and salt, and pepper. 
    Fresh herbs added into a skillet while cooking celery and onions with butter.
  • Pour the cooked vegetables over the cubed bread and mix in the eggs.
    Pouring eggs over stuffing.
  • Pour the mixture into a baking dish and cover it with tinfoil.
  • Bake for 30 minutes in a preheated 350-degree oven.
  • Uncover and bake for another 15 minutes until the top is browned. 
    easy stuffing recipe made with fresh bread.
  • Serve warm with turkey, gravy and cranberry sauce!
    easy stuffing recipe on a wooden spoon.

Notes

If you want to make sausage stuffing, add it in when cooking the onions and herbs. It will brown nicely and can be baked with bread. 
Serve this warm as the butter makes it moist and delicious.

 

Nutrition

Calories: 238kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Cholesterol: 113mg | Sodium: 617mg | Potassium: 113mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 997IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 31mg | Iron: 1mg
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easy stuffing recipe.

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