Homemade Traditional Bread Stuffing (Thanksgiving Recipe)
A Homemade Traditional Bread Stuffing is my family's favorite side dish for Thanksgiving! This recipe has the basic onion, celery and lots of butter to make this flavorful savory dish. Pair this recipe with a scratch made Green Bean Casserole, Sweet Potato Casserole and Cranberry Orange Sauce!
Servings: 8
Ingredients
- 1 pound bread *see notes
- butter (1 and ½ sticks)
- 1 and ½ cups diced onion
- ½ cup diced shallot
- 1 and ½ cups cups celery, diced
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 tablespoon sage
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, minced
- 1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon Better Than Bouillon (Roasted Garlic Base) optional
- 1 and ½ cups chicken or turkey broth
- 1 cup water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 250° F. Cut the bread into cubes and place on a rimmed baking dish. Place in the oven to dry the bread out and make it stale. Stir occasionally until bread is dry. Depending on how fresh the bread is this can take up to 40 minutes. When the bread has toasted remove from oven and raise the temperature to 350℉ to bake the casserole.
- While bread is in oven prepare the vegetables. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Melt the butter and add the diced onion, celery and shallot. Sauté for 5-7 minutes or until the vegetables have softened.
- Add the dry bread cubes to a large mixing bowl. Pour the sauteed vegetables along with all of the butter over the bread. Stir and coat the bread in the butter.
- Once well combined add the bread cubes to a buttered casserole dish. It will be very full but should fit into a 13x9 dish.
- In a separate bowl beat the eggs. Add the chicken broth, Better Than Bouillon and water. Stir well and pout the mixture over the bread cubes. Use a spoon to carefully stir the bread and coat with the broth mixture.
- Cover the casserole dish with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes at 350℉. Remove the foil and bake an additional 30-40 minutes until the top is golden brown.
Notes
Make Ahead
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- Dry out the bread. This may seem like a small step but you do not want to tie up the oven for this on Thanksgiving Day. Even if this is all you make ahead it will save you 40 minutes. This can be done 3 days before.
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- Sauté the vegetables and add this mixture to the dry bread. Place everything in the casserole dish and cover tightly and refrigerate. When ready to bake remove from fridge for 30 minutes to come up to room temperature. Beat the egg mixture together and add to the casserole and bake as directed. This can be done the day before.
- The type of bread really matters in this recipe because is the most important ingredient. You will want to stay away from the processed soft spongy white breads. I like to find a loaf in the bakery at my grocery store. A good crusty loaf is the best option. It will need to be stale so make sure to follow those instructions for drying out the bread.