Thanksgiving Stuffing

Thanksgiving stuffing is an easy recipe to sweat over and overthink because it is Thanksgiving and you want to pull out all the stops.

If you’ve ever made an instant stuffing, you can do this one and will soon consider it the best Thanksgiving stuffing recipe.

It is the same thing, with a few more fresh ingredients.

This stuffing will be baked in the oven, and like every good Thanksgiving stuffing recipe, offers plenty of wiggle room to make it your own with your own holiday traditions and flavors.

Scroll to bottom for printable recipe card.

Why I love Thanksgiving Stuffing?

I love this recipe because it takes some stress out of the holiday cooking, and brings it home with the true tradition of the holiday.

• Traditional – This is a traditional recipe made simpler, it’s impossible to overthink this one.
• Easy – Any holiday dish feels complicated, but this one takes less than half an hour prep time and the oven does the rest of the heavy lifting.
• Affordable – Stock up on butter well ahead of the holiday and this will be your least expensive holiday dish without question.

Should stuffing be moist or dry?

This will really depend on what you are using it for, but typically stuffing should be moist, but not clumped together and soggy. You may use stuffing on top of a dish in the oven at a later time, in which case you will likely want to crisp it up a bit. For the most part, you want to follow wet ingredients to the letter here to have your Thanksgiving stuffing recipe turn out perfectly.

Is stuffing better with or without eggs?

I forgot the eggs one year and saw the difference in both flavor and texture. Eggs are a binder in any food that you put in the oven and will help your stuffing to hold its shape and sit nicely on the plate. They are an additional protein as well, and bring a nice flavor to the stuffing as well.

Are you supposed to cook the stuffing before putting it in?

This Thanksgiving stuffing recipe calls for a bake in the oven in a separate dish. If you are stuffing your turkey with this, you still want to cook the stuffing first and stuff the turkey later with it.  You can cook the turkey with the stuffing inside it and may find the turkey finishes first. If that happens, take the stuffing out, bake it as long as it needs, and then re-stuff the turkey.

How to serve Thanksgiving Stuffing?

Thanksgiving stuffing can be served with any of your Thanksgiving favorites, and with sandwiches during your Thanksgiving leftover weekend. This Thanksgiving stuffing recipe, with your main, is going to be a very filling meal on its own. Serve it with lighter sides, like rice and vegetables, or salad, or go even heartier with a macaroni and cheese side.

Cooking Tips:

The key to making this the best Thanksgiving stuffing recipe for your family is to hand-hold the bread a little bit because the bread is the star and can’t be too soggy or too dry. Ideal bread for any Thanksgiving stuffing recipe is day-old or toasted. I like to make my Thanksgiving stuffing bread a day or two ahead, time willing, and then toast it lightly on the big day. But you can play with this according to your preferences and lifestyle, your favorite bread will be the best bread.

Variations:

The best Thanksgiving stuffing recipe for you is always going to be the one that your family cherishes and craves all year long. You can’t go wrong with almost any variation. Add some meat like bacon to it, but fruits and nuts go a long way in Thanksgiving stuffing as well. If you are really pulling out the stops, some caramelized onions go a long way.

Ingredients:

• Pepperidge Farm herbed stuffing mix in the blue bag
• Cubed bread
• Butter
• Onion chopped
• Celery chopped
• Bell pepper chopped
• Eggs beaten
• Poultry seasoning
• Garlic powder
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Fresh chopped parsley
• Chicken broth

How to make Thanksgiving Stuffing:

Step 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Step 2. Add the bread cubes and the Pepperidge Farms stuffing mix to a large mixing bowl, and toss to combine.

Step 3. Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium heat on the stove.

Step 4. Add the vegetables to the skillet, and cook until softened.

Step 5. Pour the vegetable mixture over the bread mixture in the mixing bowl, and toss to coat well.

Step 6. Mix in the eggs.

Then, the seasonings.

Then, parsley into the stuffing mixture in the bowl.

Step 7. Pour the broth over the mixture, and toss to combine and moisten completely.

Step 8. Layer the stuffing mixture in a 9×13 baking dish.

Then, bake for 40-45 minutes.

Enjoy!

SAVE this recipe on Pinterest for later 🙂

How to store Thanksgiving Stuffing?

Follow traditional rules of storage with airtight containers for your Thanksgiving stuffing, but the size of the container won’t matter here. Wait until the stuffing has cooled completely before you store it.

How to reheat Thanksgiving Stuffing?

Thanksgiving stuffing can be reheated and is best reheated in the oven. Set it to 325 Fahrenheit for about 15 minutes or until cooked through. Avoid the microwave, it’s still bread and you’ll need to eat it quickly to avoid noticing any major structural chemistry changes with the bread after microwave heat hits it.

How much does Thanksgiving Stuffing last on the fridge?

In most cases, it really depends on what you put in it. This recipe without extra meat can last in the fridge for up to five days. You can freeze it for up to three months.

Can I make ahead Thanksgiving Stuffing?

You can make Thanksgiving stuffing ahead of time, and you may even prefer it that way. Of course, time always feels against us when we are preparing a holiday meal. But letting your stuffing ingredients work together in the fridge until you use it a day or two later will make for a beautiful thing.

Related Recipes you Might Enjoy:

Hearty and Tasty Chicken Stuffing – This Thanksgiving stuffing recipe is one that you can use if you are going with a chicken dinner. Set it and forget it in a crockpot and you’ll want to keep this one going as an excellent weekday side.

Rotisserie Chicken and Stuffing Casserole – There’s nothing like leftover rotisserie chicken recipes if you are lucky enough to have the leftovers. This is another easy weekday recipe that makes leftovers feel fresh again. You’ll start on the stove and finish by pulling it out of the oven.

Instant Pot Southern Stuffing Recipe – Bacon, cranberries, and pecans have a Thanksgiving party in this Instant Pot Southern stuffing recipe. This is another easy one with very little cooking prep. Double the recipe if you want leftovers, because they will come running for this sweet and savory side.