Amazing Easy Thanksgiving Stuffing Recipe

Thanksgiving stuffing has always been a heartwarming tradition in my family. When I moved to the U.S., I longed for the familiar comfort of homemade stuffing but needed something quick and easy. This Thanksgiving Stuffing Recipe takes under an hour to bake and is simple enough for beginners. I’m excited to share it with you, so you can enjoy a cozy, flavorful side dish without the stress.

Why This Thanksgiving Stuffing Recipe is the Best

• Easy to Customize: You can swap herbs or breads to suit your taste without losing that comforting base.
• Great for Making Ahead: Prepare it a day in advance and reheat without losing flavor or texture.
• Simple Ingredients: Uses everyday pantry staples and fresh herbs for rich flavor without complicated shopping.
• Versatile Cooking Options: Perfect for baking as a side dish or stuffing inside your turkey.

Stuffing vs. Dressing: What’s the Difference?

Stuffing is traditionally cooked inside the turkey, absorbing juices and becoming moist and flavorful. Dressing, on the other hand, is baked separately, often in a casserole dish. Regional preferences vary—some places call the same recipe either stuffing or dressing regardless of cooking method. Whether you cook it inside the bird or on its own, this recipe works beautifully both ways.

Ingredients for the Perfect Thanksgiving Stuffing

• 18 to 24 ounces bread cubes (1.5 loaves or about 12 to 14 cups), preferably toasted or stale
• 1 cup vegetable shortening
• 3 cups diced sweet onion (roughly 2 large onions)
• 2 cups diced celery
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• Kosher salt and pepper
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
• 2 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
• 2 large eggs
• A mixture of fresh herbs for sprinkling

Each ingredient plays an important role: bread provides the base and texture, vegetables add flavor and moisture, herbs give the signature aroma, and eggs bind everything together. You can substitute vegetable shortening with olive oil, and use vegetable stock for a vegetarian version.

Choosing the Best Bread for Your Thanksgiving Stuffing Recipe

Choosing the right bread is key to perfect stuffing. Sourdough adds tang and structure, Italian bread offers a neutral, sturdy base. French bread gives a lighter, airy texture. Cornbread is sweeter and denser, good for bold variations. Toasted or stale bread works best because it soaks up the liquid without turning mushy. You can dry bread cubes overnight at room temperature or toast them in the oven at 350°F for about 15 minutes until crisp like croutons. Mixing two kinds, like sourdough and Italian, gives your stuffing more texture and flavor complexity.

Step-by-Step Instructions for Thanksgiving Stuffing Recipe

1. Prepare the bread cubes. Cut 1 ½ pounds of bread into cubes and either let sit overnight under foil or toast in the oven at 350°F for 15 minutes until crouton-like. Store-bought toasted cubes work too. Choose your preferred cube size.
2. Mix different breads for texture. I like to use two types, like sourdough and Italian, mixing fresh and stale bread for a great chew.
3. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Brush a 9×13 baking dish with melted vegetable shortening, olive oil, or nonstick spray. Place bread cubes in a large bowl or the baking dish. Separate into two dishes if needed.
4. Cook the vegetables and herbs. Heat vegetable shortening in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, celery, garlic, and a big pinch of salt and pepper (½ to 1 teaspoon each). Cook 8 to 10 minutes until softened. Stir in sage, parsley, rosemary, and cook for 1 more minute. Add 1 cup stock.
5. Combine onion mixture with bread. Pour the vegetable mixture over the bread cubes and toss well to coat.
6. Mix eggs and remaining stock. In a small bowl, whisk together 1 ½ cups stock and 2 eggs.
7. Combine all ingredients. Pour the egg-stock mix over the bread cubes and gently fold to combine thoroughly.
8. Bake the stuffing. Place in the oven for 45 to 50 minutes until it reaches 160°F internally. Tent with foil if it browns too fast.
9. Make ahead and reheat. This stuffing can be made a day early. Remove from fridge 60 minutes before reheating. Use the same baking time. Optionally, stuff inside a bird if desired.
10. Adjust for servings. For 4 people, halve the recipe and bake in an 8×8 or 9×9 inch dish for the same time. For 12 to 18 servings, double and bake in a larger pan or two 9×13 pans, adding about 15 minutes.

Thanksgiving Stuffing Recipe: Ingredient Substitutions

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Making Thanksgiving Stuffing Recipe

• Using fresh bread instead of stale or toasted bread, leading to soggy stuffing.
• Not seasoning the onion and celery mixture well enough, resulting in bland flavor.
• Overbaking causing dry stuffing, or underbaking leaving it undercooked.
• Skipping the eggs or stock, which bind and moisten the stuffing.

Troubleshooting Your Thanksgiving Stuffing Recipe

If your stuffing is too dry, add a little extra stock before baking. If too soggy, use drier bread cubes and reduce the stock slightly. For bland stuffing, increase fresh herbs and salt during cooking. If the top burns, tent loosely with foil early in baking.

Can You Make Thanksgiving Stuffing Recipe Ahead of Time?

Yes, prepare the stuffing as directed and store covered in the refrigerator up to 24 hours. Remove from fridge 60 minutes before baking or reheating at 350°F until heated through. For freezing, store tightly covered for up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating, adding a few extra minutes to bake time.

Is It Safe to Stuff a Turkey? Food Safety Tips

Stuffing inside the turkey can be done safely if both the bird and stuffing reach an internal temperature of 165°F. Use a thermometer to check. Undercooked stuffing can harbor bacteria. Many experts recommend baking stuffing separately for easier temperature control and reduced risk.

Thanksgiving Stuffing Recipe Variations

Try adding cooked sausage for a savory depth, dried cranberries for a sweet-tart bite, or sautéed mushrooms for earthiness. These additions complement the fresh herbs and create new flavor profiles while keeping the base recipe intact.

Dietary Modifications for Thanksgiving Stuffing Recipe

• Gluten-Free: Use gluten-free bread cubes.
• Vegetarian/Vegan: Replace chicken stock with vegetable stock, use olive oil instead of shortening, substitute eggs with flax eggs.
• Low-Sodium: Use low-sodium stock and reduce added salt. Increase herbs for flavor.

Equipment You’ll Need

• Large mixing bowl or the baking dish itself for tossing the bread
• 9×13 inch or similar baking dish or foil roasting pan
• Large skillet or Dutch oven for sautéing vegetables
• Whisk for eggs and stock mixture
• Meat thermometer to check doneness

Thanksgiving Stuffing Around the World

Stuffing varies globally: British stuff their turkeys with sage and onion mix, Italians add pancetta and chestnuts, and Middle Eastern versions might include nuts and dried fruits spiced with cinnamon. Each culture’s choice reflects local flavors and traditions.

aisha

Amazing Easy Thanksgiving Stuffing Recipe

This Thanksgiving Stuffing Recipe takes under an hour to bake and is simple enough for beginners. I’m excited to share it with you, so you can enjoy a cozy, flavorful side dish without the stress.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 45 minutes mins

Cook Time 50 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 35 minutes mins

Servings: 8 people

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: American

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

Ingredients

• 18 to 24 ounce bread cubes 1.5 loaves or about 12 to 14 cups, preferably toasted or stale
• 1 cup vegetable shortening
• 3 cup diced sweet onion roughly 2 large onions
• 2 cup diced celery
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• Kosher salt and pepper
• 3 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
• 3 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
• 3 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
• 2 1/2 cup chicken or vegetable stock
• 2 large eggs
• A mixture of fresh herbs for sprinkling

Equipment

• Large mixing bowl
• baking dish
• foil roasting pan
• Large skillet
• Dutch oven
• Whisk
• Meat thermometer

Method

 

1. Prepare the bread cubes. Cut 1 ½ pounds of bread into cubes and either let sit overnight under foil or toast in the oven at 350°F for 15 minutes until crouton-like. Store-bought toasted cubes work too. Choose your preferred cube size.
2. Mix different breads for texture. I like to use two types, like sourdough and Italian, mixing fresh and stale bread for a great chew.
3. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Brush a 9×13 baking dish with melted vegetable shortening, olive oil, or nonstick spray. Place bread cubes in a large bowl or the baking dish. Separate into two dishes if needed.
4. Cook the vegetables and herbs. Heat vegetable shortening in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, celery, garlic, and a big pinch of salt and pepper (½ to 1 teaspoon each). Cook 8 to 10 minutes until softened. Stir in sage, parsley, rosemary, and cook for 1 more minute. Add 1 cup stock.
5. Combine onion mixture with bread. Pour the vegetable mixture over the bread cubes and toss well to coat.
6. Mix eggs and remaining stock. In a small bowl, whisk together 1 ½ cups stock and 2 eggs.
7. Combine all ingredients. Pour the egg-stock mix over the bread cubes and gently fold to combine thoroughly.
8. Bake the stuffing. Place in the oven for 45 to 50 minutes until it reaches 160°F internally. Tent with foil if it browns too fast.
9. Make ahead and reheat. This stuffing can be made a day early. Remove from fridge 60 minutes before reheating. Use the same baking time. Optionally, stuff inside a bird if desired.
10. Adjust for servings. For 4 people, halve the recipe and bake in an 8×8 or 9×9 inch dish for the same time. For 12 to 18 servings, double and bake in a larger pan or two 9×13 pans, adding about 15 minutes.

Notes

Making this Thanksgiving Stuffing Recipe will bring warmth and joy to your holiday table without overwhelming your kitchen time. It’s straightforward, adaptable, and full of comforting flavors that anyone can master. I encourage you to try it, tweak it to your taste, and share your experience or questions in the comments. Let’s keep your holidays tasty and stress-free!

Frequently Asked Questions