This Homemade Stuffing Recipe is the kind that disappears first: golden on top, soft and custardy in the center, and fragrant with real herbs. It tastes like the holidays but is simple enough for any roast dinner.
Why You’ll Love This Homemade Stuffing Recipe
- Classic flavor with fresh sage, thyme, and rosemary that tastes like home.
- Crispy edges and tender middle for the perfect texture contrast.
- Flexible base recipe with easy swaps for gluten-free, vegetarian, or sausage stuffing.
- Make-ahead friendly so your holiday feels calm and organized.
Homemade Stuffing Recipe Ingredients & Substitutions
- Day-old bread cubes: 1 lb about 450 g, roughly 10 cups of 1-inch cubes. Use French bread, sourdough, country loaf, or cornbread. Gluten-free bread works too.
- Unsalted butter: 8 tbsp divided. Use vegan butter for dairy-free.
- Yellow onion: 2 medium finely diced. Sub sweet onion or shallots.
- Celery: 4 stalks finely diced. Add a diced carrot for a touch of sweetness if you like.
- Garlic: 3 cloves minced. Use 1 tsp garlic powder if fresh is not available.
- Fresh herbs: 2 tbsp chopped sage, 1 tbsp thyme leaves, 1 tsp minced rosemary, plus 2 tbsp parsley. Sub 1 tsp dried sage and thyme and 1/2 tsp dried rosemary.
- Low-sodium chicken or turkey stock: 3 to 4 cups warmed. Use vegetable stock for vegetarian.
- Eggs: 2 large lightly beaten for custardy set. For vegan, use 2 flax eggs and add an extra 2 to 4 tbsp stock.
- Kosher salt and black pepper: start with 1.5 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper, then adjust.
- Optional add-ins: 8 oz mild sausage browned and drained, 1 apple diced, 8 oz mushrooms sautéed, or 1/2 cup toasted pecans.
Step-by-Step Instructions to Make Homemade Stuffing Recipe
Dry the bread
Spread bread cubes on 2 sheet pans and air-dry overnight, or bake at 275 F for 25 to 35 minutes, stirring once, until dry but not browned. Cool.
Sauté the aromatics
Melt 6 tbsp butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and celery with a pinch of salt and cook 8 to 10 minutes until translucent and tender. Stir in garlic and herbs for 1 minute until fragrant. Season with salt and pepper.
Make the custard
In a large bowl whisk eggs with 3 cups warm stock and 1 tsp salt. Keep 1 additional cup stock on standby for adjustments.
Combine and hydrate
Add bread to a large mixing bowl. Pour in the sautéed aromatics and the egg-stock mixture. Toss gently, then let sit 10 minutes so the bread hydrates. Add more stock as needed until cubes are moistened but not soggy. When you squeeze a cube, it should hold together and release a few drops.
Pan it up
Butter a 9×13 baking dish with 1 tbsp butter. Scrape stuffing into the dish and dot the top with the remaining 1 tbsp butter.
Bake covered
Cover tightly with foil and bake at 350 F for 25 minutes to steam and set the center.
Crisp and finish
Uncover and bake 20 to 25 minutes more until deeply golden with lightly crisp edges. The center should be set at 160 to 165 F. Rest 10 minutes before serving and finish with fresh parsley.
Tips for Success
- Dry bread is key. If it is too fresh, the stuffing turns gummy. Oven-dry if needed.
- Taste your stock. If it is salty, reduce added salt and season at the end.
- Warm stock absorbs better and keeps the butter from seizing.
- Do not over-soak. Add liquid gradually and use the squeeze test for perfect texture.
- Use a wide skillet to sweat aromatics gently without browning.
Variations of Homemade Stuffing Recipe
- Sausage and apple: Brown 8 oz sausage, drain, and fold in with 1 diced tart apple.
- Mushroom and leek: Sauté 12 oz mushrooms and 1 sliced leek in butter until browned.
- Cornbread stuffing: Swap half or all of the bread for cornbread and reduce stock slightly.
- Gluten-free: Use your favorite sturdy GF loaf and ensure stock is certified GF.
- Vegan herb stuffing: Use vegan butter, vegetable stock, and flax eggs, then add 2 tbsp olive oil for richness.
Serving Suggestions: What to Pair with Homemade Stuffing Recipe
- Roast turkey or chicken with pan gravy.
- Cranberry sauce for a bright, tangy contrast.
- Green beans with almonds or roasted Brussels sprouts.
- Mashed or roasted potatoes and a crisp green salad.
Storage & Reheating Instructions
Cool completely, then cover and refrigerate up to 4 days or freeze up to 2 months. Reheat covered at 325 F with a splash of stock until hot, 20 to 30 minutes, then uncover for 5 to 10 minutes to re-crisp. Individual portions reheat well in a skillet with a little butter over medium heat.
Memories Made Around the Table
Every year my aunt would pull the stuffing to the very edge of golden, and those crunchy corners were always claimed first. I still make an extra little pan just for those corner pieces.
FAQs
Can I make this stuffing ahead?
Yes. Assemble up to the bake step, cover, and refrigerate up to 24 hours. Add a splash of stock if it looks dry, then bake as directed.
Can I stuff the turkey with this?
You can, though I recommend baking separately for food safety and texture. If you stuff the bird, ensure the center of the stuffing reaches 165 F before serving.
How much liquid should I use?
Start with 3 cups and add up to 1 more cup as needed. Bread types vary. Moistened but not soggy is the goal.
What is the best bread for stuffing?
A sturdy country loaf or sourdough with a good crust and open crumb is ideal. Avoid very soft sandwich bread unless well dried.
How do I keep the top crispy?
Bake covered first to set the center, then uncover to crisp. For extra crunch, broil 1 to 2 minutes at the end, watching closely.
Final Thoughts
This Homemade Stuffing Recipe brings classic flavor with just the right texture. Make it once and it will become your holiday tradition too.
Homemade Stuffing Recipe (Crispy, Buttery, Classic)
Equipment
- 2 Sheet pan for drying bread
- 1 Large Skillet
- 1 Large mixing bowl
- 1 9x13 inch baking dish
- 1 Aluminum foil for covering during baking
Ingredients
Stuffing
- 1 lb day-old bread, cut into 1-inch cubes about 10 cups (450 g)
- 8 tbsp unsalted butter divided
- 2 yellow onions medium, finely diced
- 4 stalks celery finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tbsp fresh sage chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
- 1 tsp fresh rosemary minced
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley chopped, plus more for serving
- 3 cup low-sodium chicken or turkey stock warmed, plus up to 1 cup more as needed
- 2 large eggs lightly beaten
- 1.5 tsp kosher salt plus more to taste
- 0.5 tsp black pepper freshly ground, to taste
Optional Add-Ins
- 8 oz mild sausage browned and drained
- 1 apple tart, diced
- 8 oz mushrooms sautéed
- 0.5 cup pecans toasted, chopped
Instructions
Dry the bread
- Spread bread cubes on 2 sheet pans and air-dry overnight, or bake at 275F for 25 to 35 minutes, stirring once, until dry but not browned. Cool.
Sauté the aromatics
- Melt 6 tbsp butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and celery with a pinch of salt and cook 8 to 10 minutes until translucent and tender. Stir in garlic and herbs for 1 minute until fragrant. Season with salt and pepper.
Make the custard
- In a large bowl whisk eggs with 3 cups warm stock and 1 tsp salt. Keep 1 additional cup stock on standby for adjustments.
Combine and hydrate
- Add bread to a large mixing bowl. Pour in the sautéed aromatics and the egg-stock mixture. Toss gently, then let sit 10 minutes so the bread hydrates. Add more stock as needed until cubes are moistened but not soggy. When you squeeze a cube, it should hold together and release a few drops.
Pan it up
- Butter a 9x13 baking dish with 1 tbsp butter. Scrape stuffing into the dish and dot the top with the remaining 1 tbsp butter.
Bake covered
- Cover tightly with foil and bake at 350F for 25 minutes to steam and set the center.
Crisp and finish
- Uncover and bake 20 to 25 minutes more until deeply golden with lightly crisp edges. The center should be set at 160 to 165F. Rest 10 minutes before serving and finish with fresh parsley.