There's no Thanksgiving dish that compares to this homemade stuffing recipe. It's filled with fresh herbs and it's a make-ahead recipe so there's one less dish to worry about the day of!
Welcome to my 1st annual Turkey Week! Starting this year, I'm bringing you 5 new Thanksgiving recipes, just in time for Thanksgiving! Want to stay updated? Subscribe to my email below (it's free!) and you won't miss a recipe!
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While the 2020 holiday season might be a bit different than other years, it doesn't mean it still can't be just as delicious! I'm kicking Turkey Week off with my absolute favorite side dish, Herbed Stuffing.
This is the stuffing recipe that I make every year for Thanksgiving. I prep it the night before, stuff some into the turkey, and serve it alongside the other side dishes. This stuffing steals the show ever year, so much so that I make it a few times a year. I know your family will love it just as much as we do!
Homemade Stuffing Ingredients
- Bread: Using fresh bread work best for this recipe. Prior to making the stuffing, we're going to bake the bread to get it nice and crispy. This can be done up to 5 days in advance.
- Onion, Carrots & Celery: This is the classic combination for stuffing. We're using equal parts of each for maximum heartiness.
- Chicken Stock: I use chicken stock but you can also use vegetable stock if you need to.
- Thyme, Sage, Rosemary & Garlic: Using fresh herbs gives the stuffing the best taste.
- Salt & Pepper: Always need these to get the balance of flavors.
Let me walk through the recipe real quick so you know exactly how to make it and tips for making it ahead of time— less work the morning of Thanksgiving!
How To Make This Stuffing Recipe
- Toast the Bread: Bake at 350°F for 15 minutes until toasted and crisp.
- Sauté the Vegetables: The stuffing begins on the stove and finishes in the oven. We're sautéing the onion, carrots and celery in butter. Then, once soft toss in the fresh herbs, salt and pepper.
- Add the Bread: Add the toasted bread into the skillet and give it a big stir.
- Stir in Chicken Stock: Using the stock helps keep the stuffing moist has it bakes.
- Bake: The stuffing will bake for 1 hour— 40 minutes covered with foil and 20 minutes uncovered.
Save Time & Make It Ahead!
The best part about this stuffing recipe is that it's BEST when prepared ahead of time. It allows the bread to soak up the fresh herbs to maximize flavor.
Simply make it up to 3 days in advance, allow it to cool and then cover and store it in the refrigerator.
Enjoy Thanksgiving with the BEST side dish on the table! Nothing compares to this recipe.
Turkey Week
This recipe is part of Turkey Week, the first of an annual tradition where I share 5 new recipes just in time for the Thanksgiving holiday.
Homemade Herbed Stuffing
Description
Ingredients
- 12 cups whole grain bread, or your favorite bread
- ½ cup unsalted butter, 1 stick
- 1 ½ cups sweet onion, diced (about 1 medium)
- 1 ½ cups celery, diced (about 5-6 stalks)
- 1 ½ cups carrots, diced (about 3-4 large)
- 1 teaspoon fresh garlic, minced
- 1 Tablespoon fresh thyme, minced
- 2 Tablespoons fresh sage, minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, minced
- 2 ¾ cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spread the bread cubes on two large baking sheets and bake for 15 minutes until brown and crisp. Set aside.
- In a large deep skillet, like a dutch oven over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onion, carrots, celery, salt and pepper. Sauté for about 5 minutes until vegetables begin to soften. Add the garlic, thyme, sage, and rosemary. Cook for an additional 5 minutes until the carrots are soft.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the toasted bread. Give it a stir. Stir in the chicken broth and give it a big stir.
- If using to stuff the turkey, set aside the stuffing to cool before placing it in the turkey. If baking the separately, bake at 350°F. Grease an 11x13-inch casserole dish. Spoon the stuffing into the dish, then bake for 40 minutes covered, and then remove the cover and bake for an additional 20 minutes until lightly brown and crisp on top.
- Garnish with fresh herbs before serving, if desired. Serve warm. Cover leftovers tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave.
Notes
- Make-Ahead Instructions & Freezing Instructions: The stuffing tastes even better when prepared in advance! There's a few options for making the stuffing ahead of time:
- Option 1: Make the separate parts ahead of time by cooking the vegetables and toasting the bread. Store the cooked vegetables in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Store the baked bread in a zip-topped bag. Then, on Thanksgiving continue with step 3.
- Option 2: Make the entire stuffing and then refrigerate for up to 3-4 days. Then, on Thanksgiving continue with step 4.
- Option 3: Make the entire stuffing and then freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerate. Then, on Thanksgiving continue with step 4.
- Bread: Any type of fresh bread works for this recipe. I prefer to whole grains for a heartier texture.
- Chicken Stock: You can either use chicken stock or vegetable stock.
- Spices: If you don't have fresh herbs, that's OK— you can use dried herbs too! Use the substitutions below:
- Dried Thyme: 1 teaspoon
- Dried Rosemary: 1 and ½ teaspoons
- Dried Sage: ½ teaspoon
Bjha says
A great recipe to try and prepare ahead of time. It's easy and can be easily arranged. WE can use on bread and in wraps.