This Classic Thanksgiving Stuffing recipe has withstood the test of time. It has the perfect balance of chewy and moist, sweet and savory, and can be made entirely from scratch or with some simple shortcuts. I’ll show you the best homemade stuffing recipe for your holiday meal.
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Grandma’s Thanksgiving Stuffing Video Tutorial
**NOTE: In this video I forgot to show adding the eggs. whoops! Go ahead and add your beaten eggs with the broth. All the directions are in the recipe card below.
The Best Thanksgiving Stuffing Recipe
Grandma’s Thanksgiving Stuffing is made entirely from scratch, although you can speed up the prep time by about an hour and use bread cubes from the deli.
It’s made with chicken broth, a mixture of amazing savory herbs and spices, and just the right amount of butter. A little crunchy on top and soft and chewy in the middle, it’s everything you want in a classic stuffing recipe.
If you’re looking for a great turkey recipe, be sure to check ours, and if you’re feeding a smaller crowd this year or need to make a little extra turkey, this recipe for Herb Turkey Breast is so easy to make. And if you want to try something new, our Smoked Turkey Recipe is tender and delicious.
Ingredients in Thanksgiving Stuffing Recipe
- Dry Bread – you can make your own dried bread cubes, or buy them in the deli or bakery section of the grocery store. You want them to be about ½” – ¾” in size.
- Butter – you can use salted or unsalted butter for this recipe.
- Onion – white or yellow onions work great.
- Celery – you can use the entire stalk, cutting it into uniform ½” pieces.
- Poultry Seasoning – you should be able to find this in the spices section at the store.
- Thyme and Sage – we prefer fresh herbs, but in a pinch, dried will work, too.
- Salt and Pepper
- Chicken Stock – you can purchase stock in the box from the store, or even make your own. You can also use vegetable stock to make this vegetarian.
- Parsley – fresh chopped parsley is an optional garnish. It adds a nice freshness to your stuffing.
How to Make Thanksgiving Stuffing
- Cook the onions and celery. In a large pot over medium heat, add the butter and let it melt. Next, add the onion and celery and cook, stirring frequently, until your celery and onions are tender and translucent – about 8 minutes.
- Combine with the rest of the ingredients. Add the poultry seasoning, thyme, sage, salt, pepper, and 1 1/2″ cups of the chicken stock.
- Fold with the dry bread. Put the dry cubed bread into a large bowl and pour the chicken stock and celery mixture over the top of the bread. Gently fold the ingredients together – the stuffing should be moist but there should be no standing liquid. If it seems a little dry, add up to 1/2 cup of the additional chicken stock.
- Bake. Spray a 9″ x 13″ baking dish with non-stick cooking spray, then spread the stuffing evenly into the prepared dish. Bake in the preheated oven for 45-60 minutes, stirring gently every 15-20 minutes. The top should be lightly golden brown.
- Serve. Remove from the oven and top with chopped fresh parsley before serving Immediately. Enjoy!
Homemade Dry Bread
It’s easy to dry out cubes of bread for your stuffing:
- Preheat the oven to 250 degrees.
- Cut the bread into cubes, about 1/2″ to 3/4″ cubed pieces, and lay them on a baking sheet in a single layer.
- Bake in a 250-degree oven for about an hour, tossing them a few times to make sure they dry all the way through.
- Remove from the oven and set aside while you make the rest of the stuffing. If you make these ahead of time, let them cool completely then transfer to an airtight container and store at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Frequently Asked Questions
When you are calculating how much stuffing to make for a crowd, we recommend about 1 cup for a normal meal or about 1 1/2 cups per person for Thanksgiving.
By these portion sizes, this recipe will feed about 15 people for a regular meal, or 10 people for Thanksgiving.
Stuffing is best warm and fresh, but leftovers will keep airtight in the fridge for up to 5 days.
If you want to make this the day before Thanksgiving, make the stuffing but do not bake. You can store the filling in a covered bowl, or another airtight container, up to 48 hours before baking.
Once you are ready to bake, prepare your 9” x 13” baking dish with non-stick cooking spray, add the stuffing from the fridge and bake for 45-60 minutes, or until the top is crusty and lightly golden brown.
If you plan to make your own dried bread cubes, you can use a mixture of sourdough, French bread, and wheat bread for Grandma’s Thanksgiving Stuffing. It’s best to try and find fresh bakery loaves rather than pre-sliced sandwich bread which has a lot of moisture.
Pro-tip: save yourself a little money and look for bread in the marked-down or day-old section of the bakery section at your local grocery store!
Can you make gluten free stuffing?
All you need to do to make this stuffing gluten-free is to use gluten-free bread. You should be able to find either loaves or sliced gluten-free bread at the grocery store. From there, making the homemade dry bread cubes would be exactly the same process as it would for regular bread.
- Side Dishes- Mashed Red Potatoes, Pecan Crust Sweet Potatoes, Cheesy Potatoes, and Appetizers.
- Pies- Classic Pumpkin Pie, Razzleberry Pie, Chocolate Cream Pie, and Blackberry Pie too.
- Rolls- Quick Rolls, Crescent Rolls, and Potato Rolls.
- More Thanksgiving Favorites- Cute Chocolate Turkeys, Fruit Tray and Turkey Veggie Platter.
Variations and Tips
- Be sure to watch the Youtube video above to learn all the tips and tricks. (I forgot to show me adding the eggs, whoops! Add them when you add the chicken broth)
- If you love a sweeter stuffing recipe, try our Apple and Sausage Stuffing, Slow Cooker Stuffing or our Cornbread Stuffing Recipe.
- You can make it a little sweeter by substituting a cup of apple juice for chicken broth.
- Add some roasted slivered almonds or dried and then plumped cranberries.
- You can make this a day ahead, just don’t bake it yet. Store it in a gallon bag or a casserole dish covered in plastic wrap, in the fridge until you’re ready to bake it.
- Feel free to add a little extra broth if needed. Remember, you want the stuffing moist without liquid standing in the baking dish.
- The amount of broth needed will depend on the type of bread you use. The most important thing to remember is your stuffing should be moist but without standing broth at the bottom of the baking dish.
Grandma’s Thanksgiving Stuffing Recipe
Ingredients
- 16 cups dry bread cubes, (about 3 large loaves of bread)
- 1/2 cup butter
- 2 cups onion, 1/2" diced
- 2 cups celery, 1/2" diced
- 3 teaspoons poultry seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon thyme, fresh chopped or dried
- 1/2 teaspoon sage, fresh chopped or dried
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1½ cups chicken broth
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon parsley, chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
Dry Bread Cubes
- Preheat oven to 250 degrees.
- Using a serrated bread knife, cut the bread into 1/2" to 3/4" cubed pieces and lay them on a baking sheet in a single layer. Bake in a 250-degree oven for about an hour, tossing them a few times to make sure they dry all the way through.
- Remove from the oven and set aside while you make the rest of the stuffing.
To Make the Stuffing
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- In a large pot over medium heat, add the butter and melt. Add onion and celery and cook, stirring frequently, until the celery and onions are tender and translucent —about 8 minutes.
- Next, add the poultry seasoning, thyme, sage, salt, pepper, and 1½ cups of the chicken broth and stir. Remove from the heat. In a small bowl, whisk the eggs and then stir into the onion mixture.
- Put the dry cubed bread into a large bowl and pour the chicken broth and onion mixture over the top of the bread. Gently fold the ingredients together—the stuffing should be moist but there should be no standing liquid. If it seems a little dry, add up to 1/2 cup additional chicken broth.
- Spray a 9" x 13" baking dish with nonstick cooking spray, then spread the stuffing evenly over the bottom.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 45-60 minutes, stirring gently every 15-20 minutes, until the top is lightly golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and top with chopped fresh parsley before serving. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- If you make the dried bread cubes ahead of time, let them cool completely then transfer to an airtight container and store at room temperature for up to 1 week.
- Serving size: I recommend planning to serve about 1 cup per person for a normal meal or about 1 1/2 cups per person for Thanksgiving. By these portion sizes, this recipe will feed about 15 people for a regular meal, or 10 people for Thanksgiving.
Nutrition
Did you make this?
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- Crockpot Turkey Breast
- Best Turkey Breast Recipe
- Rump Roast Slow Cooker
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- Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe
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Grandma’s Thanksgiving Stuffing is made with chicken broth, a mixture of amazing savory herbs and spices, and just the right amount of butter. A little crunchy on top and soft and chewy in the middle, it’s everything you want in a classic stuffing recipe.
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Christmas, Fall Recipes, Holiday Favorites, Nut-Free, Reader Favorites, Sides, Thanksgiving, Videos, Winter Recipes,
Rates just like mom and gran used to make , my family and I really like this dressing. Thank you for sharing I just was not getting it quit right , seasons greetings Carol
Homemade breadcrumbs, moist but crunchy on top, lots of flavor, winner in my book!
If you use homemade cornbread, how much should you use? One cast iron skillet? and should you let it dry out completely as well? We call this dressing in the South! lol Thankyou
Yes, it works great with cornbread too. Follow the same instructions and dry the cornbread out. An important thing to remember when adding the broth is that you want the stuffing to be moist but no standing broth in your mixing bowl. If you add too much, you’ll have soggy dressing.
This has been our family stuffing recipe for over 60 years. We will never have Thanksgiving without it. We call it Mom’s stuffing!
Had to adjust the the amount of chicken broth to 32oz or it be dry every thing else worked out . And the grandkids like it there was no leftovers.
Thank you so much for taking the time to make this video. I’ve always been intimidated by dressing, and this video really gave me confidence!
I’m so happy to hear this! Best wishes!
I grew up on stuffing made with Kelloggs Crouton & Stuffing Mix, the absolute best (till they quit making it). It was made with onions & celery sautéed in butter. I hope this even kind of tastes like it…I miss it so much, and Thanksgiving hasn’t been the same without it…
What is the difference of baking in a white ceramic casserole dish or clear Pyrex baking dish or baking pan?
Either one works great! Just use what you have!
approx hwmuch stuffing for 30servings
I would guess this recipe will serve 15-20 people, so I’d probably double it!
We love this stuffing recipe. I also add 3 chopped apples to this recipe. Leftovers don’t last long.
My dad’s homemade stuffing was the only stuffing I ate growing up. He didn’t have a lot of patience in teaching me to cook and I never learned how to make his stuffing. After looking through all of his recipes I couldn’t find his stuffing (he must have just KNOWN).
I came across yours and after reading the recipe I went for it. It is the CLOSEST taste to my dad’s I’ve had yet! Thank you! This will be in my Thanksgiving meals from now on!
Though, I do make the bread crumbs differently than you. I do it my dads way. Put out the loaves (spread out) overnight and let it stale/dry out. Then cut into cubes Thanksgiving morning. A tradition I won’t change as I got to help my dad do it as a kid and loved being able to mix it all up! ????
Thank you again! You made my thanksgiving special!
trying for first time. over 65, male. i miss family get together, but this will make up. the smell brings back old memories. in oven now. thanks for simplifying.
Sending you love this holiday season!
Loved the recipe, a lot like my Mothers that she made for years. Only real difference is that she ALWAYS use to add a few cloves of garlic, it makes it even better!! Just LOVED it.
Do you ever make ahead like the night before? We have to travel the day of.
Thank you,
Susan
Yes, making it the day before then just baking when you get there works great!
Is it ok if I bake it at home, take it to where I’m going then put it in the fridge for awhile until it’s time to eat, then pop it back in the oven just to warm it back up?
It will be best to cook it when you get there but you can definitely make it ahead of time.
Thank you so much for a fantastic recipe! By using bakery bread and stirring during baking, I solved my mushy texture problem! This recipe is going in the permanent collection.
I was wondering where the eggs come in? It’s in the directions but wasn’t shown in the video.
I forgot to show it in the video or it accidently got edited out. Add your eggs when you add the broth.
Would you think that I could add sausage to the stuffing ?
You bet! I also have a recipe with sausage and apples. It’s delish too. https://thecarefreekitchen.com/best-sausage-and-apple-stuffing-recipe/
I put the seasonings in the broth and then whisked the eggs in, Then poured over the bread. I was worried the hot onions and celery would cook the eggs! It turned out great, loved the recipe.
Jill!! I forgot the eggs and it is in the refrigerator waiting to be baked tomorrow. Can I whip them up and add them now??? HELP!! Lol
It will be okay without the eggs. I’ve actually made the mistake before too. No worries, just bake the same. It just won’t stick together quite the same but it won’t change the taste.
7
Can you make this in a crock pot? I need to keep warm for a dinner in a room without an oven,
I was wonder this myself. Will it turn out the same in a crockpot?
I would probably bake it in the oven and then just keep in on warm in the crockpot. Part of baking it is removing some of the moisture, while leaving all the flavors and also getting a little bit of a crusty top. It keeps the stuffing from being mushy. Adding it to a crockpot after baking would work great. Most crockpots have a warm setting.
Ok seriously… 2nd recipe I’ve tried and LOVED from The Carefree Kitchen! This stuffing is the best I have ever had and will NEVER go back to Pepperidge farms or stove EVERRRR in my life!! The toasted tops of this stuffing is a real winner, while still being nice and moist. I must say I used an extra 1/2 cup broth right before I transferred to the oven just in case (there was no liquid at the bottom still) and it probably would have been fine without! Basically obsessed with this site and can’t wait to try more! THANK YOU!!
Thank you so much for the feedback! You made my day! I can’t wait for you to try more too!
Can I mix it now n put in fridge n bake it tomorrow?
You bet! Just put it in a ziplock bag and then bake it tomorrow.
Yes, that works great!
Hi! I can’t wait to try this! going to make it tonight and cook tomorrow
Question.. where does the egg come in? The ingredients calls for two eggs but in the video I don’t see where the eggs were added? LOL Then I read back thru the comments.
Happy Thanksgiving All!
Hi I was actually wondering if there is anything that can be substituted for the eggs?
You can make it without the eggs. Just watch your moisture a little more carefully. Add a little more broth if needed.
If you want a smaller batch, can we just split the recipe in half?
You bet! A half recipe will work great!
I made the homemade bread crumbs using wheat bread, and 3 loaves yielded 32c of bread crumbs!!! Yikes!!! I measured out 16c and added other ingredients- the amount of onion, celery and spices was spot on for the 16c bread but I needed way more broth and used a total of 4c. I also had to use my next size up casserole dish- 9×13 would have been too small. I have it prepped and ready to bake tomorrow- it smells and looks great, but I’m going to make an extra pan for my mother with all the extra bread cubes lol!! Happy Thanksgiving!
It’s a little tricky on measurements because breads come in all different densities and takes in more liquid. Sorry it didn’t work out for you.
Can this stuffing be made a day ahead???
I was wondering the same thing!
Yes, it can be. Just reheat it.
This stuffing looks delicious but I have never heard of putting it in a casserole dish. Our family all put the stuffing in the turkey and roast it the traditional way. Our thanksgiving dinner is passed but I will try your recipe for Christmas….but it will be stuffed in the turkey!
You can use this recipe to stuff a turkey or bake in a pan! We loooove stuffing so we always like to make extra!
Yes. Pour it into your pan, cover with lid or Press and Seal wrap. Cook the next day.
I think the dressing is even better this way. It lets the flavors blend.
You can make this a day ahead, just don’t bake it yet. Store it in a gallon bag in the fridge until you’re ready to bake it.
Made this tonight for early Thanksgiving dinner. I had to add more broth each time I stirred during the 10 min intervals, careful not to overdo. Would have been super dry had I not. Could be because I used cornbread instead of white/wheat bread, idk. Turned out great! My hubby says reminded him of his Granma’s! Says no one has been able to replicate before ????
Also had to divide into 2 dishes (too much for 1 9×12 dish.
Thanks for sharing!
So glad to hear your hubby loved it. Yeah, the cornbread could be a little more dry. Best wishes, happy thanksgiving!
If I want the stuffing in the turkey, do I just follow the exact directions and instead of baking it in the dish, cook it in the turkey?
Yes, that works great too.
Does the 16 cups fit in one 9×13 baking dish?
It kind of depends on what bread you use and how dense it is. Mine fit in a 9 by 13″ but some people are reporting it’s too full. You could do a large baking sheet (Cookie Sheet) or even 2 9 by 13″ baking dishes.
Yes, it should fit in there great.
Hi can I use Pepperidge farm seasoned bread crumbs instead of bread crumbs?
I was wondering the same thing it seems my granny did that but she would also use one pan of cornbread with the seasoned breadcrumbs
I actually haven’t tried this recipe with cornbread. It should probably work just fine. Let me know how it goes!
I just came across your recipe on Pinterest. I’m planning on making this next year (it’s the day before Thanksgiving right now) & have a question about the celery & onion. My family doesn’t like the pieces – I have to purée it. I think it adds so much to texture, but do you think I could purée them with some chicken broth? Also does it matter if you use stock or broth?
I would cook them before you puree it. Yes, I think it would work find to just add the celery and onions to chicken broth and blend it before you add it.
You bet! It should translate over to prepared bread crumbs just fine. Add enough broth to moisten the bread but no standing broth in the bottom fo the bowl. Best wishes!
I must warn you (2.5 years later ????????????), I’ve tried both, white bread, cut into cubes a couple days ahead beats Pepperidge Farms, hands down!!
This looks great!! I make a very similar stuffing. Mine is an old Pennsylvania Dutch recipe. I use white bread, 1/2 chicken broth & 1/2 milk & tons of butter ???? ???? ????! Otherwise, they’re damn close!! Thanks for sharing ????
Sorry for all of the ?’s. Apparently, emojis do not work here.
Thanks, Tammie, great suggestions. I haven’t tried using milk! Now I’m curious and will have to try that!
yes but you may need to adjust the amount of broth. You want the bread to be moist but no broth standing in the bottom of the pan.
Are the eggs optional? I see them in the recipe but not the step by step or the video.
I noticed that too. Put the eggs in, it holds it together.
The egg are optional but the recipe will be more moist with eggs. I forgot to add eggs in the video and it turned out great but preferably, use eggs.
If I prepare the stuffing today, and put in fridge to bake tomorrow, do I use the chicken broth too or will it make it too soggy overnight?
It will turn out okay without eggs but it’s better to add the eggs. I just forgot when I was filming the video. Oh geesh!
Can you make this in a crockpot?
It will be much more moist in the crockpot. The oven kind of dries it out and in so doing, makes the flavors more intense. Another option would be to make it in the oven and then transfer to the crockpot to keep it warm for an hour or so.
It would be tricky to bake in a slow cooker but you can certainly keep in warm in a slow cooker.
Could I put the bread in the toaster instead of the oven to dry it out to save a little time? I’m excited to try this on Thanksgiving!!
Can you stuff a turkey with this?
You bet!
Sure!
I haven’t tried the toaster oven but you can also cut it up and then leave it out on the counter over night to dry it out. You can also make this a day or two before Thanksgiving and then just cook it on the big day.
It’s best to do it in the oven. You want to not only toast it a little but draw moisture out of the bread. It keeps the stuffing from being soggy.
Yeah, that will work. You can also cube your bread and let it sit out on the counter for a couple days.
Hi! Can this be made ahead or will it be dried out if I reheat it?
Jessica,
There is a section above called “How Far in Advance Can You Make This Classic Stuffing Recipe?” that describes how to make this ahead of time.
Hope it answers your question!
It’s best to make it to the stage just before baking if you’re making it ahead. Just mix it up, cover with plastic wrap and store in the fridge until you’re ready to bake it. Then you can bake it before your Thanksgiving dinner. Best of luck! I hope you have a great thanksgiving!
Hello wondering how many loaves of regular white bread does it take to equate the 16c of bread cubes?
I estimate about 3 loaves!
No comment just a question. Can I use chicken stock instead of chicken broth? If so how much will it change the taste? Will it taste better or worse?
Also I will be using this to stuff a turkey with.
Scott,
Either will work great! Stock might give it a slightly richer flavor if you are using homemade. Otherwise, you shouldn’t notice much of a difference.
Enjoy!
What’s the best bread to use?
Hi Robyn,
There is actually a paragraph about this above titled “What is the Best Kind of Bread for Classic Bread Stuffing?”
Hope that helps!
You bet, chicken stock and chicken broth will both work. Best of luck!
Do not actually stuff the turkey! Great way to have soggy stuffing and get salmonella!
I have stuffed the turkey myself for 20 years and my father and grandmother before me. No one has gotten sick. If you can eat the turkey without getting sick you can eat the stuffing. I prefer my stuffing from the turkey versus the extra one I put in the oven. This is my exact recipe, minus the eggs.
Can I prepare ahead of time and freeze this to take out of town?
You bet! Just prepare up until the point when you bake it. Instead just put it in gallon ziplock bags and freeze until your dinner. Thaw fully before adding to a baking dish and baking. Best of luck!
Yes, you can use chicken stock and chicken broth interchagebly.
I plan on using this recipe for T-Giving. Sounds exactly like my grandma’s recipe except she used a pinch of this and a pinch of that when it came to the seasonings. It will be stuffed in the bird. It will be interesting to see how the bird vs pan differ (if any) in taste. Will let you know.
My Grandma’s recipe had a few pinches too. haha! Best wished on your TUrkey Day! Yes, please let me know!
This sounds so yummy! Wondering if I can stuff a turkey with this recipe and if so how big of a turkey?
I would say this would stuff a fairly large turkey, probably 20lb or so. If you do a larger turkey, just stuff and put the extra dressing in a smaller pan. Happy Thanksgiving ????
Yes, I think that would work great!
To be honest, I haven’t stuffed a turkey with this recipe. I usually just bake it in a baking dish and then stuff by turkey with an apple, onion, and some seasonings. I find that makes really tender and juicy turkey! I’m sure this recipe will work great in your turkey though. Let me know how it goes! ????