Description
Grandma’s Thanksgiving Stuffing is a classic American holiday side dish made with day-old white bread cubes, sautéed vegetables, flavorful herbs, and a moist chicken broth base, baked to a golden, crispy perfection. This comforting recipe can be made ahead, is perfect for festive family gatherings, and can be adapted to vegetarian diets by using vegetable broth.
Ingredients
Scale
Bread
- 1 loaf (about 16 ounces) day-old white bread, cut into 1-inch cubes and lightly toasted
Vegetables & Herbs
- 2 cups yellow onion, finely chopped
- 1 ½ cups celery, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup fresh parsley, chopped
Seasonings
- 2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
- 1 teaspoon dried sage
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Other
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 3 to 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
Instructions
- Preheat and toast bread: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Spread the bread cubes evenly on a baking sheet and toast them in the oven for about 15 minutes until they are dry and lightly golden.
- Sauté vegetables: In a large skillet, melt the unsalted butter over medium heat. Add the finely chopped yellow onion and celery, cooking for about 8 minutes until softened and translucent. Stir in the minced garlic, fresh parsley, poultry seasoning, dried sage, dried thyme, salt, and black pepper to combine the flavors.
- Combine stuffing base: Transfer the toasted bread cubes into a very large mixing bowl. Add the sautéed vegetable and herb mixture to the bread cubes.
- Moisten stuffing: Pour in 3 cups of the low-sodium chicken broth gradually, gently tossing the mixture until the bread is moistened but not soggy. Add more broth, up to 4 cups, if the bread needs additional moisture. Stir in the lightly beaten eggs thoroughly to bind the mixture.
- Bake the stuffing: Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish and transfer the stuffing mixture into it. Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Then uncover the dish and continue baking for another 20 minutes until the top becomes golden and crisp.
- Rest before serving: Remove from the oven and let the stuffing rest for 5 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld and the stuffing to set.
Notes
- For a softer stuffing texture, keep the dish covered with foil during the entire baking process.
- Enhance flavor by adding cooked sausage, chestnuts, or dried cranberries to the mixture before baking.
- This stuffing mixture can be assembled a day in advance; store it covered in the refrigerator prior to baking.
- To make the recipe vegetarian, substitute chicken broth with vegetable broth.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 520 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 32 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 7 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg
