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    Home » Seasonal » Thanksgiving » Buttery Herb Stuffing Recipe

    Buttery Herb Stuffing Recipe

    Published on November 18, 2020 | updated on November 25, 2020 by Diana

    Jump to Recipe
    Pinnable image for best thanksgiving stuffing recipe

    This is the classic traditional stuffing recipe that everyone loves! It’s so simple, easy, and delicious – a must on everyone’s Thanksgiving dinner table. You will love the flavors of this buttery, custardy, and herby stuffing that is never dry nor soggy. The crispy edges are my favorite thing about this recipe!

    This is our go-to Thanksgiving side dish, that always goes first!

    Classic stuffing in a white Staub ceramic dish, with a serving spoon - overhead shot

    If you’re scaling down your celebration this year, this recipe can be cut in half EASILY! And if you’re feeding a crowd, you can easily double it. Serve it alongside roast turkey, creamed corn, cheesy spaghetti squash, and roasted brussels sprouts.

    Table of Contents hide
    1 What is Stuffing?
    2 Stuffing vs Dressing
    3 What Does Stuffing Taste Like
    4 To Cook Separately or Inside a Bird?
    5 What Goes in Stuffing
    6 How to Make Stuffing
    7 Frequently Asked Questions
    8 Make Ahead
    9 More Thanksgiving Sides
    10 Stuffing Recipe

    What is Stuffing?

    Stuffing, dressing, or filling is a mixture of cut-up dried/toasted pieces of bread, often made with herbs and seasonings. Served as a side dish, and cooked either on its own or inside a bird cavity as it’s being roasted (usually chicken or turkey).

    Stuffing can be made vegetarian, with sausage or other types of meat, and can also be made using different types of bread such as cornbread. The classic version does not include any chestnuts or dried fruits, but you will often see British stuffing recipes that include all of the extras!

    Classic stuffing in a white Staub ceramic dish, with a serving spoon - side shot

    Stuffing vs Dressing

    If you’re wondering what the difference is between stuffing and dressing, it’s pretty much the same thing. Stuffing usually goes inside a bird, while dressing is cooked separately in a baking dish in the oven. But generally, people call it stuffing either way.

    What Does Stuffing Taste Like

    This stuffing has it all! It’s custardy moist with crunchy corners, buttery, savory, and herby. The fresh herbs add so much flavor, but they’re not overpowering, use sage, rosemary, thyme, and parsley if you have it.

    Overhead shot of the stuffing, golden and crispy top

    To Cook Separately or Inside a Bird?

    According to the USDA, cooking poultry with stuffing inside the cavity can be unsafe to eat. The reason behind this is that when the meat reaches a safe temperature to eat, the stuffing can still be raw and soaked in raw poultry juices, so it’s unsafe to consume. If you cook it for longer, whilst the stuffing can be properly cooked and safe, the meat will be overdone.

    So it’s recommended that each is cooked separately. And for this reason, I always cook a roast turkey without any stuffing inside it and cook the stuffing separately like I’m showing you in this recipe.

    If you think that overcooked turkey might be ok, don’t! It will be too dry and tough because turkey is lean meat. Plus, cooking the stuffing inside the bird means that it will never get crispy.

    I also wrote a complete Thanksgiving turkey guide for you, so make sure to check it out! I’m sure that you will find it very useful.

    What Goes in Stuffing

    Here’s what you’ll need to make traditional stuffing:

    ingredients needed to make thanksgiving stuffing

    The best bread that you can use for stuffing is plain and firm white sandwich bread. Simple and easy to find! You can also use a French baguette, Italian bread, or a loaf that isn’t chewy.

    You might think that using an artisan bread or a loaf of sourdough will result in delicious stuffing, but truth is, it’s too hard and chewy for stuffing. So it’s better to stick to simple sandwich bread that you can either tear or cut into cubes.

    Close up shot of the stuffing with a serving spoon

    How to Make Stuffing

    Super simple! Here’s what you need to do:

    • Tear or cube the bread, and lightly toast in the oven just to dry it out and help it keep its form so that it doesn’t turn into mush when it’s cooked. I do 210°F (100°C) for 90 minutes, flipping every 30 minutes.
    • Melt plenty of butter, and saute onion, celery, and garlic. You don’t want color, just to soften the vegetables.
    • In a mixing bowl, mix the toasted bread with herbs, butter-veg mixture, and stock or broth. Best to use your hands and decide how much stock can be used (not too much as you don’t want soggy stuffing!).
    • Add beaten eggs with more stock so that the bread is completely soaked through. Then in a baking pan, bake until golden and crispy.
    A collage with 6 images on how to make stuffing

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Why are there eggs in stuffing?

    The eggs work as a binder, and they also give that lovely custardy texture to your stuffing.

    Can I use dried herbs?

    You can use 2 teaspoons of homemade poultry seasoning. You may also find it in the supermarket, but it usually sells out around Thanksgiving, so make your own! It’s so simple.

    Can I add sausage to stuffing?

    Yes! Use about 1 pound of sausage. Squeeze the meat out of casings, melt 1 teaspoon of butter and cook the sausage breaking it up as you cook. Pour it over the bread with the fat, and continue as instructed in the recipe below.

    Make Ahead

    You can make the stuffing one day ahead, bake it uncovered without browning the top, let it cool down, and place it in the refrigerator. Or you can prepare it, and store it in the fridge without baking.

    On the next day, take it out of the fridge and let it hang out for at least 30 minutes at room temperature. Then bake it for 30 minutes or until it’s warmed through if it was previously baked. If it wasn’t baked, then bake it according to the recipe instructions.

    If you have leftovers, they freeze very well for up to 6 months. To reheat, just pop it in the oven at 350°F for 20 minutes with a splash of water to keep it from drying out.

    For more Thanksgiving recipes, check out my Thanksgiving recipe collection.

    More Thanksgiving Sides

    • Brown sugar glazed carrots
    • Roasted frozen brussels sprouts
    • Cheesy spaghetti squash
    • Creamed corn

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    I don’t feel like I say this often enough, or that I could ever thank you enough. But THANK YOU for all of your support, for visiting my blog, commenting, and sharing my recipes with your friends and family. I am SO thankful for you!

    If you make this recipe or any of my recipes, then don’t forget to rate it and leave a comment below. I would LOVE to hear about your experience and your comments just make my day!

    I hope that you love every recipe that you make! – Diana x

    Stuffing Recipe

    This is the classic traditional stuffing recipe that everyone loves! It's so simple, easy, and delicious – a must on everyone's Thanksgiving dinner table.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: side
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 20 minutes
    Cook Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
    Servings: 8
    Calories: 276kcal
    Author: Diana

    Ingredients

    • 1 pound firm white sandwich, French, or Italian bread cut into ½-¾ inch cubes, about 10 cups
    • 6 tablespoons butter
    • 1 onion diced
    • 2 stalks celery diced
    • 2 cloves garlic
    • ⅓ cup fresh parsley chopped
    • 2 tablespoons fresh sage
    • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
    • 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
    • 2 cups chicken or vegetable stock or broth divided
    • 2 eggs beaten

    Instructions

    • To lightly toast the bread, place on a baking sheet and toast in the oven at 210°F (100°C) for 90 minutes, flipping every 30 minutes. This can be done a few days ahead.
    • Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
    • In a medium skillet, over medium heat, melt the butter and saute the onion and celery until tender (not brown). Add the garlic, and cook for a minute or until it's fragrant then remove from heat.
    • In a large mixing bowl, combine the toasted bread with the butter-veg mixture, and chopped herbs. Season with salt and pepper. Add a cup of stock, and mix everything with a spatula or your hands.
    • Combine beaten eggs with the remaining stock or broth, and add it gradually to the bread. Keep mixing and make sure that the bread is soaked all the way through but not mushy.
    • Transfer to a 13 x 9-inch baking pan, cover with foil, and bake for 35-45 minutes or until an instant read thermometer registers 160°F in the center of the stuffing. Uncover the brown the top for 10 minutes or until it's golden and crispy.

    Notes

    • You can make the stuffing one day ahead, bake it uncovered without browning the top, let it cool down, and place it in the refrigerator.
    • On the next day, take it out of the fridge and let it hang out for at least 30 minutes at room temperature. Then bake it for 30 minutes or until it’s warmed through.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 276kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 65mg | Sodium: 756mg | Potassium: 215mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 626IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 183mg | Iron: 3mg
    Did you make a recipe?Tag @littlesunnykitchen or hashtag it #littlesunnykitchen!

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    Hello and welcome to Little Sunny Kitchen! I'm Diana and I love cooking with fresh, and seasonal ingredients. I'm a trained chef, food blogger, and photographer. More about me!

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