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 made 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!
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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?
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So delicious! Spice mix was perfect and it was so easy! I substituted 8 oz mushrooms for the celery and needed closer to 4 cups broth, but overall this recipe was absolutely great. Lots of compliments… and not nearly enough leftovers because people liked it so much!
Hi Katie, So awesome to hear this was a hit! Thanks for stopping back to share your review, as well as your substitutions!
Hi Michelle, I decided to make my Thanksgiving dressing from scratch for the first time this year. Your recipe, and all the detail added, made it a great experience. This being my first shot at it, I realized how one hangs on every piece of advice, suggestion or thought provided with the recipe. I added sauteed onions and sweet italian sausage to this recipe, saving and using the juices from each in the recipe. I have a HUGE question for you that may seem a no-brainer for most, but really had me scratching my head. It would seem to me that there are at least different 3 terms that can be used when pertaining to fresh herbs, 1) fresh, 2) dried, and/or 3) ground. I found myself, asking myself, if dried and/or ground were one and the same. I regularly purchase “dried” herbs from my nearest Farmers Market. They are literally fresh herbs that are dried, the leaves removed and preserved in bags. Ground herbs are something I’ve always purchased at any ‘ol grocery store, such as those by McCormick, etc. What type sage, thyme and marjoram are you calling for in your recipe?
Hi Carla, Brands from the grocery store like McCormick also sell dried herbs and that’s where I buy my dried herbs. Ground herbs are definitely different and would be labeled as such. I think that the “dried sage” is technically labeled “rubbed sage” on most packaging. I hope that helps!
Served this yesterday for Thanksgiving – oh my! Absolutely delicious. The most commented on dish on the table. Flavors and texture were totally from my childhood. The only change I made – I baked a loaf of KA white bread 4 days before assembling, cubed it and let it go stale. I assembled the stuffing a day ahead of Thanksgiving and baked it as directed on the day of. I will be making this stuffing for years to come.
Hi Linda, So happy to hear this stuffing was so well received! Thanks for sharing your experience with the recipe!
Can this stuffing be made in a 2 qt. dish?
Hi Linda, I don’t think a 2 quart dish will be big enough for this particular recipe.
Love this idea, what would be the cooking option if this was made in a crockpot rather than the oven? Trying to save space this year.
Hi Samantha, I’ve never made stuffing in a crock pot before, but I just did see a recipe a few days ago for one here – you might be able to adapt this recipe to that method? https://www.howsweeteats.com/2017/11/slow-cooker-stuffing/
Hello Sara,
So…my wife is always beaming when another husband or man says they cook. With that said my challenge was to let me cook Thanksgiving dinner. Relax I told her…I have yummly and the Brown Eyed Baker. But lots of questions. Would it be better to add the chicken stock and eggs before the bread crumbs that way I can make sure the eggs and stock and spices are blended together well. Then add the bread cubes. Anybody have a thought on that.
Help!
Hi Bill, Kudos to you! I’ve always added them after, as long as you mix well to ensure everything is evenly distributed I think you’ll enjoy! Have a great dinner!
This recipe looks perfect to serve with my Christmas turkey. I’d love to make it ahead more than just one day though. Would it be possible to freeze it raw and defrost and cook on the day? Thank you.
Hi Margaret, I’ve never tried freezing prepared stuffing before baking it; I’m not sure how it would turn out, but if you try it, let me know!
Thanks Michelle, I’m not brave enough to try it without someone else going before me! So I will stick to the ‘correct’ instructions this time for Christmas and if I ever make it in the future when there’s no company coming I might give it a shot. Thanks!
Made the stuffing day before Christmas. I used fresh sage instead of dried and home made chicken stock. The stuffing was delicious! It’s a keeper and I will make it every time I’m having turkey! Loved it – thank you Michelle!
I have made and frozen our Thanksgiving stuffing ahead of time without issues. The only thing I did was make sure that as it was baking I like to after about 15-20 minutes into the baking time to add an additional layer of a can of condenced milk and fresh Turkey/Veg broth on top and seal back up with foil unit last 15 minutes. Then bake uncoverd to get a crisp skin ontop of the dessing. Our Family recipe uses 1 large can of Campbells Cream of Cellery Soup, and 1 large Cream of Chicken, to also help stop it being so dry. I have a story about an Ex who would activly avoild going to his Family meals due to the way his Mother, and Aunts made such dried out nasty dressing closser to over-mixed brownies that were also over baked\burnt beyond recognition. One of our buggest arguments one Thanksgiving was I didnt want “Stov-top” on the table. So I comprimiced, made them both. My Grandparents Traditional Dressing with a couple small variations and Stove-top. I ended up having to teach 36 Women and young Ladies from that Family all before X-mass how to make eddible dressing not burnt foam-rubber! Several did try my patience but in the end they could all make a passable imatation. I even heard several times that my dressing was was and has been the hit of their Church’s Holiday meals. LOL. By the way that stov-top never did get eaten by us, but the animals did a number on it. Stay safe and have a great rest of the year, who knowes whats ahead. Something better for all not just a few I hope and pray. Magnus THM.
A few questions. I was going to make my own simple French bread a couple days early-should I toast or at all bake the cubes before mixing? Will dried parsley work? Your posting says something about poultry seasoning, is the combination of seasonings you have equivalent to the actual poultry seasoning? I’m trying to save money but I would have to buy a couple new seasoning for this if I can’t substitute the poultry seasoning for what you have listed. Also I usually stuff my bird, can I do that with this? Would stuffing need to be done before or after the baking? I don’t like. Mushy stuffing and yours doesn’t look that way are my assumptions correct? This is my first time making my own stuffing so sorry for all the questions! Thanks in advance for answering!
Hi Sara, You can make your bread ahead of time and just let it sit out and stale. You can substitute poultry seasoning if you’d like. I’ve never stuffed the bird, only made stuffing separately, so I couldn’t say how long it would take or what the texture would be. I hope you enjoy!
Sara, I make my stuffing almost exactly like this..sometimes with, sometimes without eggs. I do stuff my bird and that is what cooks the stuffing. I don’t bake it at all. The stuffing stays compact in the bird but definitely not mushy. Good luck!
I plan to bake this stuffing for Christmas day. I’m a novice at cooking and appreciate so much knowing how many cups of bread cubes to use.
Hi Carol, It would all depend on how large the cubes of bread are, as it could vary significantly. I definitely recommend just going based on weight, either with a loaf of bread you’re cubing on your own (the weight should be right on there), or with a store-bought bag of bread cubes (again, weight should be marked).
Do the eggs become scrambled or do they only act as a binder for the rest of the ingredients?
Hi Cassie, They definitely do not scramble; they are a binder.
HI Michelle,
I’m sorry if you already answered this question. About how many cups of bread is 21 ounces? Thank you in advance!!! I definitely PREFER this recipe over all the others I saw.
Thanks,
Jess
Hi Jessica, It’s about 4.5 to 6 cups, depending on large the cubes are.
Hi Michelle! Thanks for posting this recipe. I am hoping to make this for around 50 people on Thanksgiving. When you say 2 stalks of celery are you referring to two ribs of celery of two heads of celery. Many people (including myself) use them interchangeably and I was not sure which you intended. Thanks!
Hi Abby, Two ribs :)
Stuffing is always the winning side at our thanksgiving dinner too :)
Nothing beats classic stuffing for thanksgiving!
Remove the eggs and add a little garlic powder to make my “traditional” dressing .
I also need homemade cranberry sauce to accompany each bite! Can’t wait! ( NC )
So it works okay without the eggs? I’m not able to eat them right now, but this sound delicious! Would I need a little extra broth to compensate, maybe?
Thanks for posting–I’ll definitely try a version of this! We’re taking Thanksgiving to my grandma this year who doesn’t cook, so I’m doing almost everything and I’ve never made stuffing before ;)
Michelle, what kind of bread should I put? Thank you.
Hi Ela, You can use whatever type of bread you’d like. Any will work.
I have tried all the bags of cubed bread you see at this time of the year and have never liked my stuffing, it always seems dry no matter how much stock I add, maybe the eggs were the missing key? I think I will follow the advice of the commenters and just slice and dry out my own bread.
I did end up using my own cubed bread – one loaf of Italian bread (would probably do 1 1/2 of closer to two next time). This was outstanding! It’s the recipe I’ve been looking for and for the first time – I (and my family) enjoyed the stuffing. Thank you so much for sharing.
I use Fran’s western hazelnut bread. It adds a crunch
You can also fry this stuffing in butter or margarine on the stove. It gets crispy on the outside and it’s soft on the inside. It’s really good.
Grew up in Western PA and this is exactly how I make mine.
If I could have a Thanksgiving with just sides, I would. Turkey? Ehh. It’s fine, but mashed potatoes and corn and bread? Yummmm! I didn’t like stuffing until I met my husband, and tasted his family’s stuffing recipe. It grows on me more and more every year!
I feel the same way! I only take a small piece of turkey at dinner because I want to load up on sides!
My mom makes a similar bread stuffing but shapes it into balls prior to baking. If there are new people around our Thanksgiving table, inevitably, someone always say, “I’ve never seen stuffing made into balls before.” Is this more common in certain parts of the country? I’m in WV.
Hmm, I’ve never heard of it shaped into balls! (I’m in Pittsburgh)
In the UK my mom always shapes it into balls but I don’t because I’m always too flustered and would probably over cook it.
This sounds amazing! I’ve been looking for a classic homemade stuffing recipe and can’t wait to try it!!
Michelle…
Wow! Your traditional recipe is our family recipe EXCEPT I brown & drain pork sausage before adding it to the stuffing/dressing (guess what you call it depends on where you live, too?!)
For my family –it’s the best of both worlds!!
Happiest of Thanksgivings to you & yours!
Peace & blessings!
I always use three or four different types of bread in my stuffing. and tear it into small pieces instead of cubes. I also use a cup of really good white wine along with the chicken stock to add to the depth of tastes.
It looks wonderful – very similar to our very SOUTHERN cornbread dressing! I just can’t do the bread dressing – but my mother did always add bread to hers. I have a very good friend that is from Pennsylvania and I HAVE tried his with just bread, by the way, so I’m not just talking without experience. I know that we all love what we were raised with!
I have to have some cornbread in mine to with the bread. Lots of celery and onion.
Hi Michelle~
Do you make your own dried bread cubes, or do you buy a packaged brand of bread cubes? If you make your own, what kind of bread do you use and for how long do you allow it to dry out? I’ve used a packaged brand of bread cubes, but the nostalgia of drying bread & making my own bread cubes gets stronger every year . . . there’s just something about preparing for the holidays in every way that is maybe more special and exciting than the actual day which always seems to fly by all to quickly.
I make stuffing just like this and learned to do it from my Mom. We toast two loaves of plain white sandwich bread (store brand is fine) and then tear into pieces into a large bowl. That was mine and my sister’s job when we were young and helping my mom make TDAY dinner!
Hi Michelle, The bakery at my local grocery store sells bags of dried bread cubes from their leftover bread – that’s what I buy.
It’s got to be made with cornbread at my house or it’s not dressing. But it’s one of my favorite parts of Thanksgiving, that’s for sure.
While this looks scrumptious, German pork sausage bread stuffing all the way! I’ll even sheepishly admit that I still have friends in MN deep freeze and ship me one particular brand of sausage every year because I cannot find anything close to it here in MA :) Love the traditions!
It looks ñam..ñam..
this is wonderful. Dave (my bf) asked for stovetop stuffing lol. Since that clearly isn’t going to cut it, I think a recipe like this with classic ongredients would be perfect. Thanks for sharing!