Treat your family to this Classic Bread Stuffing recipe! This traditional, homemade stuffing is made with simple, tasty ingredients. It's so easy and delicious!
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Ginnie's Take
Does your dad do a lot of cooking? In typical dad mode, mine was a grill master. If you could grill it, he did. But he also had some other dishes up his sleeve, and my favorite recipe of his has to be his classic bread stuffing. He made it every year for Thanksgiving and Christmas, and it is sooo good! If you are looking for a traditional Thanksgiving stuffing recipe, then I know you're going to love this one just as much as I do.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Delicious - My dad's stuffing recipe is a true classic. It has all those warm, comforting flavors you think of around the holidays. Nothing fancy or complicated here, but so scrumptious.
- Easy - This recipe couldn't be easier to make! Perfect for a low key holiday celebration.
- Customizable - I'm sharing the basic stuffing recipe, plus four yummy ways to customize it!
Jump to:
This simple recipe is combination of my dad's and my grandmother Nona's dressing recipes, along with my own little twist. I have copies of both their recipes, and they are very similar (although slightly different). That's them in the photo below, by the way!
Both of their dressing recipes are kind of vague, although my dad's version has a few directions at least. Aren't all old family recipes that way though? Or maybe it's just my family who doesn't want to share the details!
Ingredients
So what goes in this easy stuffing recipe? The ingredients are actually very simple. You may even have them in your kitchen already!
- Bread - Firm, white bread works best for this recipe. When you're shopping, give the bread a little squeeze. It should have a little give, but it shouldn't be super smooshy. I used Nature's Own Perfect Crafted White, and it was indeed perfect for this recipe!
- Veggies - This recipe uses a classic combo of onions and celery.
- Butter - You'll sauté the veggies in butter.
- Parsley - A little fresh parsley adds tons of flavor.
- Egg - An egg adds moisture and helps bind the ingredients together.
- Broth - You'll use broth to moisten the stuffing before baking. I make mine from bouillon.
- Salt + Pepper - I recommend using Kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper for the best flavor.
This recipe is naturally vegetarian, as long as you use veggie broth.
You'll Also Need
Grab a sharp knife to prep the veggies and a large frying pan to cook them. You'll also need a large bowl to mix everything together, along with a large (9 x 13-inch) baking dish to cook it.
How to Make Stuffing
This classic stuffing recipe is super easy to make! You'll find a detailed recipe card below, but here's an overview of the steps:
- Prep the bread. Start by cutting the bread into cubes, then spread the cubes on a baking sheet. Bake the bread until toasted. Tip: Toasting the bread ensures that your stuffing has some structure and doesn't turn into a soggy, clumpy mush.
- Cook the veggies. While the bread is toasting, melt the butter in a large skillet. Add the onions and celery, then cook the vegetables until they're tender. Tip: For extra flavor, continue sauéting the veggies until they are browned.
- Add the parsley. Stir in the parsley, then season the veggies to taste with more salt and pepper.
- Mix everything together. Transfer the toasted bread cubes to a large bowl, and then top them with the sautéed veggies and an egg. Add just enough vegetable broth to hold everything together. Tip: The amount broth you'll need depends on your bread, as well as your texture preference. Aim for stuffing that's starting to stick together, but not one homogeneous clump. For "looser" stuffing add less broth, and for clumpier stuffing add more (you could even add an extra egg).
- Bake the stuffing. Transfer the stuffing to a baking pan, then bake it until it's golden and hot.
Doesn't it look delish? I kind of want to dive into that bowl right now ... I'm telling you, this is the BEST homemade stuffing recipe!
Variations
Now that you know how to make the basic stuffing recipe, let's talk about how you can zhoosh things up a bit. Here are four stuffing ideas that are just as easy, but a little extra creative:
- Apple Stuffing: The perfect combination of sweet and savory! Saute two chopped apples along with your onions and celery (use 1 ½ cups celery, not 3). Optional: stir in 2 tablespoons chopped, fresh sage along with the parsley.
- Herb Stuffing: I love this fragrant variation on the classic recipe. Instead of using all parsley, use a mixture of fresh herbs. Sage, thyme, rosemary, taragon, etc. would all work. Just keep in mind that some herbs (like thyme and rosemary) are quite strong-tasting ... go easy on them.
- Cranberry Stuffing: Another sweet-savory combo that's so tasty! About halfway through sauteing the onions and celery (use 2 cups celery instead of 3), add ½ cup dried cranberries. Then, continue cooking until your veggies are tender. Add 2 tablespoons chopped sage along with the parsley. When stirring the veggies and bread together, add ½ cup chopped, toasted pecans to the mixture.
- Mushroom Stuffing: This recipe is a fave of mine! I add a bunch of mushrooms and tons of herbs for an amazing savory stuffing that's a delight for mushroom lovers.
Want to make vegan stuffing? Simply replace the butter in this recipe with your favorite plant based butter (or use olive oil) and skip the egg.
Serving Suggestions
This bread dressing recipe is the perfect addition to your Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner! Pair it with classic holiday side dishes, like my Mom’s Cream Cheese Mashed Potatoes, Mushroom Gravy, Roasted Vegetables, and Cranberry Orange Sauce. For a vegetarian meal, it would be delish served with my Mushroom Wellington, Vegetable Pie, or these Creamy Mushroom Strudels!
Storage
Store leftover stuffing in an airtight container in your refrigerator where it will stay fresh for up to four days. Rewarm gently in your microwave before serving.
Related Recipes
If you loved this recipe, try these other stuffing ideas next:
- Sourdough Bread Stuffing
- Mushroom Stuffing
- Chestnut Stuffing
- Stuffing Stuffed Mushrooms
- Stuffing Muffins
- Stuffing Stuffed Acorn Squash
Looking for more holiday side dishes? Check out my Dijon Brown Sugar Glazed Carrots, Cheesy Roasted Cauliflower Gratin, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Creamy Wild Rice Soup, Kale and Brussels Sprout Salad, and Layered Pumpkin Mousse recipes, too!
Classic Bread Stuffing
Ingredients
- nonstick cooking spray
- 1 (22 ounce / 624 grams) loaf firm white bread, cubed
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 cups chopped celery (about 6 large stalks)
- 2 cups diced onion (about 1 large onion)
- ½ cup chopped Italian parsley
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 1 ½ to 2 ½ cups vegetable broth
- kosher salt
- pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Spray a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with nonstick spray; set aside.
- Place bread cubes on a baking sheet in a single layer (use two sheets, if necessary).
- Bake bread cubes for 10 minutes. Flip, then cook another 5 to 10 minutes, or until bread is crunchy on edges. Set aside.
- While bread is cooking, melt butter in a large frying pan over medium heat.
- Add celery and onions to pan; season with salt and pepper. Cook until tender, stirring occasionally (about 15 to 20 minutes).
- Remove pan from heat. Stir in parsley, then adjust seasoning to taste with additional salt and pepper, if needed.
- Place bread cubes in a large bowl. Top with vegetables and egg.
- Add broth, a little at a time, stirring well after each addition. Add just enough broth so stuffing is moistened, but not soggy.
- Transfer stuffing to baking pan. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until stuffing is hot and lightly browned on top.
- Serve stuffing hot. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
