Traditional Bread Stuffing
Do you have a favorite Thanksgiving side dish? I think if we could only have two every single year, our family would most definitely choose large mounds of stuffing and mashed potatoes. We typically serve two different stuffings for Thanksgiving – a sausage cornbread stuffing (omg, my favorite!) and a traditional bread stuffing with just onions, celery and seasonings. Most of us take a little bit of each, while others aren’t a fan of the sausage, so they load up on the classic version. I shared a traditional bread stuffing quite a few years ago, but lately I have not been at all in love with it. I wanted a new, even more traditional version, and this one is absolutely a winner.
This stuffing is classic through and through… from the sautéed onion and celery in lots of butter, to the familiar scent of poultry seasonings and the combination of plain dried bread cubes and chicken stock. It all combines to make one of the best traditional stuffing recipes I’ve ever had. When I first mixed it together, I was a little skeptical that there would be enough liquid for all of the dried bread, but the stuffing baked up wonderfully moist and not at all dry.
If you like to forgo stuffings with sausage, dried fruit or other fancy adaptations, then this recipe is all you will ever need. Plus, you can assemble it the day before, which is a huge plus when it comes to holiday preparations!
Three years ago: Sweet Potato Pie
Five years ago: Fallen Chocolate Cakes
Watch How to Make the Best Stuffing:
Traditional Bread Stuffing Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons (85 g) unsalted butter
- 2 medium stalks celery, finely chopped
- 1 medium onion, minced
- ¼ cup minced fresh parsley leaves
- 1 teaspoon dried sage
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon dried marjoram
- 21 ounces plain dried bread cubes
- 3½ cups (840 ml) chicken stock
- 2 eggs, beaten lightly
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Butter a 9×13-inch casserole dish; set aside.
- In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the celery and onion and sauté until softened, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in the parsley, sage, thyme and marjoram, and cook until fragrant, about 1 additional minute. Transfer to a very large mixing bowl.
- Add the bread cubes, chicken stock, eggs, salt and pepper, and stir with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon to distribute the dry and wet ingredients evenly. Turn the mixture into the prepared casserole dish and press into a compact layer.
- Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and continue to bake until golden brown, 25 to 30 additional minutes. Allow to sit for 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Bread Cubes: You can purchase bread cubes in a bag made specifically for stuffing, or you can take any large loaf of bread (about a 1 to 1.5-pound loaf) and cube it (you want about 10 cups of cubes), spread the cubes out on a baking sheet, and allow to dry overnight.
- Herb Substitute: You can substitute the dried herbs (sage, thyme, and marjoram) with 1 tablespoon of poultry seasoning.
- Make-Ahead: The stuffing can be assembled in the baking dish, then wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 24 hours before baking. To bake, let the stuffing stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Remove the plastic wrap and proceed with step #4.
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
This is the recipe my mother in law used. But she always toasted her bread. I just use regular bread as my mother used. It goes well and is a big hit. No matter how much i make there is always only a small amount left.
LOVE THIS RECIPE.
I used this recipe, although using Terana brand mixed Italian herbs in place of the spices called for above, for our holiday mea today. The consensus was it was the best stuffing any of us had ever had. It reminded me of my Grandma’s famous stuffing. Highly recommend!
All is good except for putting uncooked stuffing in the refrigerator overnight. Should never do this as it could grow bacteria.
Why? Because it has eggs? It would be no different than assembling an overnight breakfast casserole, bread pudding, or even cookie dough, and refrigerating.
Love this recipe… Tho I had one adjustment to make I used 1 cup of chicken stock instead of 3 – 1/2 c. That was way too much. Other than that the stuffing turned out perfect.
It would be helpful to know how many can be served by this recipe. I could count cups of ingredients, but it’s a guessing game.
good
Good and simple recipe, thanks.
Seems sooo good, will have this for Christmas!
Thank you for sharing this. My mother made her stuffing exactly like this, and I followed the tradition. She was a great cook. There are enough foods that have “fancy” ingredients on the Thanksgiving table. My kids (in their 40’s) demand this simple yet tasty “family” stuffing recipe.
My mom always toasted the bread and then cut into cubes. I do it like that too. My mom was an excellent cook.
What type of bread do you use? Do you cube it and let it dry out overnight?
Hi Michelle, You can buy the ready-made bread cubes that are available at nearly all supermarkets this time of year, or you can cube fresh bread yourself. I would recommend bakery-style French or Italian bread, sourdough or challah. You want something sturdy with a tight crumb, not a light, airy loaf. I hope that helps!
I MAKE THIS EVERY YEAR, for 3 years now. USE 4C Seasoned Bread Crumbs, please. Sets this recipe off.
I had been looking to recreate the stuffing my Mom used to make, and this is darned close. Thanks!
I used this recipe today. It was my best stuffing ever! It came out super moist and flavorful. The recipe was simple to follow and did not require a lot of ingredients.
If I cook half the amount. Do I bake for less time ?
re: sourcing the bread:/ making cubes:
Just get a whole uncut loaf (about 2#) of bakery white bread; not the soft stuff, but one with some structure to it & a firm crust.
use a long serrated knife & cut into 1-1/2″ or less cubes, put on a baking sheet in an oven overnight (no heat needed; though you could warm it a bit & turn it off) to dry it out. can do a couple days ahead. they should be sufficiently dry but not ‘crouton hard’ (croutons are fried)
Add a little extra stock if needed.
Don’t mix too heavily as it’ll turn to paste and be very dense.
You can cook covered for most of the time, but pull the foil off for the last 1/3 of the time to get a nice crust on top. (could even brush a little butter on top)
How many servings with this recipe?
This is the recipe we use , but we add a packet of onion soup mix . (Omit the salt )It adds wonderful flavor !!!!
I was checking through comments to see if someone had asked how many cups is 21 oz. The question was asked 2 times that I saw. 1 time the response was 10 cups & the other time it was 4.5 to 6 cups. So I’m just verifying which measurement would be most accurate. Thank you!
It refers to weight.
A loaf of bread is 21-22 ounces. The number of ounces is on the bread’s label.
couldnt find plain bread cubes so had to buy already seasoned ones.. /any tips on how to adjust the spices to add to them?
Ido a 20lb bird .I use 1bag stuffing croutons for the in bird stuffing and 1 pack for in the oven dressing. first bring 1 stick of butter 2 large white onions,1whole bag of celery,poultry seasoning, and sage with salt and pepper to taste,into a large pot and cook until celery is semi soft .refrigerate over night.in morning take 1 bag croutons half the reheated celery mixture and stir together. Slightly beat 2-3 eggs and por evenly over mixture. then with hands blend all together .Place into bird cavities and roast. repeat with bag 2 of croutons finishing celery mixture,adding eggs.Place in greased baking dish for baking later. this recipe doesn’t need any broth.ENJOY