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This Homemade Stuffing Recipe is an easy traditional holiday side dish! Made completely from scratch, baked until the inside is soft and fluffy and the top is perfectly crisp. No need to buy a box again!
No need to be intimidated by homemade stuffing. I got your back with this simple and easy recipe. Plus, I will tell you my Grandma's secret recipe with stuffing. It adds so much more flavor to the stuffing without barely any extra work.
What is the Difference Between Stuffing and Dressing?
Do you call this classic side dish stuffing or dressing? Do you know there is nothing different about them except the vessel that it is cooked in? That's right! The only difference is that dressing is baked in a casserole dish and stuffing is baked inside the cavity of a bird. So you can call it either one. I normally call it dressing, but after much research I have learned it is most often called stuffing. So that's what we are going with!
Homemade Stuffing Recipe Ingredients
- Cubed & Dried Whole Wheat Bread (or any bread of your liking)
- Onion
- Celery
- Salted Butter
- Poultry Seasoning
- Salt & Pepper
- Chicken Broth
- Eggs
- Giblets (optional)
What is the Best Bread for Homemade Stuffing?
I personally like to use whole wheat sandwich bread. However, if you like white or sour dough bread then by all means use that. You can also use a combination of sandwich bread and cornbread.
How to Dry Bread for Homemade Stuffing
- Cut the bread into ½ inch to 1 inch cubes.
- Lay bread out in a single layer on two rimmed baking sheets.
- Bake in a 250° oven for 1 hour stirring every 20 minutes.
An alternative way if you don't want to hog your oven: cut the bread, lay it on a baking sheet, loosely cover it and let it sit out on the counter for 2 days.
How to Make Easy Stuffing From Scratch
Step 1: Cook the Veggies
In a skillet, melt some butter over medium-low heat, then add the onions and celery. Cook until the onions have turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the poultry seasoning, salt and pepper.
Step 2: Combine Everything
In a very large bowl, add the bread crumbs. Stir the onions and celery into the bread crumbs. Beat the eggs until frothy and stir into the bread crumbs. Pour in half of the broth and stir to combine, add remaining broth and stir again.
Step 3: Bake Stuffing
Add the stuffing to a greased 9x13 casserole dish and spread it out evenly. Dot the top of the stuffing with pats of butter. While the oven preheats, let the stuffing rest so the bread can absorb all the moisture, then bake uncovered for 35-45 minutes.
Grandma's Secret Tip for a More Flavorful Stuffing
Empty the bag of giblets into a small pot and cover them with water plus 2 inches. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 45 minutes to 1 hour, until everything is fully cooked. The liver will look slightly crumbly, the gizzards and heart will have a soft but firm texture. Once done, remove the giblets and finely chop them. Add the giblets to the stuffing in step 2 and replace half of the chicken broth with the giblet water. If you have never tried giblets in your stuffing, you are missing out! So good, and so much more flavor!
Can Homemade Stuffing be Made Ahead of Time?
Absolutely! Once everything is in the casserole dish wrap it tightly with plastic wrap and store it in the fridge up to 2 days in advance. The day you are ready to make it, pull it out of the fridge and let it sit on the counter for 30 minutes, then bake it as directed.
The unbaked stuffing can also be frozen. Tightly wrap the casserole dish with 2-3 layers of plastic wrap from top to bottom to insure the casserole is tightly sealed. Label, date and place in freezer. The stuffing will last 2-3 months in the freezer.
To thaw the stuffing, remove it the night before you need it and place in fridge to thaw. When ready to bake, let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes then follow directed baking directions.
More Holiday Worthy Side Dishes
- Homemade Green Bean Casserole
- Roasted Brussels Sprouts Gratin
- Honey Garlic Glazed Carrots
- No Knead Dinner Rolls
- Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
- Garlic Parmesan Roasted Brussels Sprouts
- Easy Roasted Carrots
- Air Fryer Cinnamon Sweet Potatoes
Ditch the box and give this delicious and easy Homemade Stuffing Recipe a try! Let me know what you think of it in the comments below! Pictures encouraged on Instagram with the hashtag #heathershomemadekitchen You can also follow me on Social Media to see what other crazy things my family and I are doing! If you like what you see, please share with your friends and family!
Don’t forget to pin the recipe for later!
Homemade Stuffing Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb whole wheat sandwich bread, 1 loaf
- 1 large onion, diced, about 2 cups
- 3 celery stalks, diced, about 1½ cups
- ¾ cup salted butter, divided`
- 1 tablespoon poultry seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 large eggs, beaten until frothy
- 2½ cups chicken, broth
- 1 bag giblets from turkey or chicken, optional
Instructions
How to Dry Bread
- Preheat oven to 250°
- Cube bread into ½ inch to 1 inch cubes. Place on two rimmed baking sheets.
- Bake bread for 1 hour stirring every 20 minutes.
- Alternate option, loosely cover bread on sheet pans and let sit on counter for 2 days.
See Notes to add giblets to your stuffing.
Stuffing
- In a medium skillet, melt ½ cup (1 stick) butter over medium-low heat. Stir in chopped onions and celery. Cook and stir until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Add poultry seasoning, salt and pepper and stir it all together.
- To a large bowl, add the bread cubes and stir in the onions and celery.
- Add the beaten eggs to the bowl and stir them into the bread and veggies.
- Pour in half of the broth and stir it together. Add the remaining broth and stir to combine everything.
- Place the stuffing into a greased 9x13 casserole dish.
- Take the remaining butter and slice it into thin pats and place it on top of the stuffing.
- Preheat the oven to 375° and let the stuffing rest while the oven heats.
- Bake the stuffing uncovered for 35-45 minutes.
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