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This Homemade Thanksgiving Stuffing is one of those side dishes that everyone looks forward to during the holidays! It’s made with toasted bread, sautéed vegetables, fresh herbs, and cranberries, then baked until the top is golden brown.
I love a good homemade stuffing, especially when it has lots of fresh herbs! For this recipe, I added cranberries for a little tartness, and I love how well they go with the savory vegetables and bread. I also like baking my stuffing in a casserole dish so the top gets nice and golden.
It’s such a delicious side dish to serve with Roasted whole Turkey, mashed potatoes, and homemade gravy. Other sides I usually make are cranberry orange sauce, Sweet Potato Casserole, and Green Bean Casserole!
Recipe Overview
Ingredients you’ll need
Here are a few things to know about the ingredients. The full measurements are in the recipe card below.
- Bread: I like using French bread for stuffing. Day-old bread works great, but you can also dry fresh bread in the oven.
- Vegetables: Onion, celery, sweet peppers, and garlic add lots of flavor.
- Cranberries: Fresh or frozen cranberries add a little tartness that goes so well with the savory ingredients.
- Fresh herbs: Parsley, thyme, and rosemary give the stuffing its classic holiday flavor.
- Eggs: Help hold everything together while it bakes.
- Broth: Adds moisture and flavor. I use low-sodium beef broth, but chicken or vegetable broth can also work.
How to make Thanksgiving stuffing
Dry the bread: Preheat the oven to 250°F. Spread the bread cubes on a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until dry. Transfer the bread to a large baking dish and increase the oven temperature to 350°F.
Cook the vegetables: Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, and peppers, and cook for 6-8 minutes until softened. Stir in the garlic and cook for another minute.
Combine everything: Add the cooked vegetables to the bread, along with the cranberries, parsley, thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Gently toss to combine.
Add the broth: In a bowl, whisk together the eggs and broth. Pour over the bread mixture and gently toss until evenly moistened.
Bake: Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 30-40 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the center is cooked through. Serve warm.
My tips for the best stuffing
- Dry the bread first: This is important! If the bread is too soft, your stuffing can turn out mushy. You want it dry enough to absorb the broth without falling apart.
- Use fresh herbs: They make such a difference in this recipe. If you’re using dried herbs instead, you’ll need less.
- Don’t skip cooking the vegetables: Sautéing them first helps soften them and brings out their flavor.
- Add the broth evenly: Gently toss everything together so all the bread gets some moisture.
- Cover first, then uncover: Baking the stuffing covered helps keep it moist. Removing the foil at the end gives you that golden, slightly crispy top.
- Watch the top: If it’s browning too quickly, loosely cover it with foil until it’s done.
Frequently asked questions
We’ve used the terms interchangeably here. However, stuffing is usually defined as the mixture used to stuff the turkey. Whereas dressing is cooked in a pan outside of the turkey cavity. The name you use for this dish also seems to be where you are from, regionally.
French bread is a great choice, but you can also use sourdough, ciabatta, or another sturdy bread. Just make sure the bread is dry before adding the broth.
Yes! You can dry the bread and cook the vegetables a day ahead. Store the bread in an airtight container at room temperature and refrigerate the cooked vegetables. When you’re ready to bake, combine everything with the cranberries, herbs, eggs, and broth.
Yes! You can use fresh or frozen cranberries in this recipe. There’s no need to thaw frozen cranberries before adding them.
This usually happens when the bread is too soft or there’s too much liquid. Dry the bread before mixing everything together, and measure the broth carefully.
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Pin ItHow to store and reheat leftovers
- Refrigerator: Store leftover stuffing in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
- Freezer: Freeze cooled stuffing in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months for best quality. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
- Reheating: Place the stuffing in an oven-safe dish, add a splash of broth if it seems dry, and cover with foil. Reheat at 350°F until heated through to 165°F. You can also reheat smaller portions in the microwave.
You may also like
- Baked Macaroni & Cheese
- Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes
- Maple Roasted Butternut Squash
- Easy Maple Glazed Carrots
- Skinny Turkey Gravy
- One Pot Cheesy Creamed Corn
Also, if you try a recipe and like it, leave feedback in the comments below, and don’t forget to rate it! I would love it if you shared it with friends and family.
Homemade Thanksgiving Stuffing
Ingredients
- 1 pound loaf bread, diced into 1/2-inch cubes and dried
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 large sweet onion, diced small
- 4 sticks celery, diced small
- 2 sweet peppers, diced
- 3-4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
- 1/2 bunch Italian flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
- 8 sprigs of fresh thyme, leaves picked
- 6 sprigs fresh rosemary, minced
- Kosher salt and pepper to taste
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 2 cups low-sodium beef broth
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 250F and line a large sheet pan with parchment paper. Place the cubed 1 pound loaf bread on the prepared pan and bake for 30 minutes, or until dry. Once the bread is done baking, transfer it to a baking dish. Increase the oven temperature to 350F.
- Meanwhile, heat the 1 tablespoon Olive Oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Sauté the 1 large sweet onion, 4 sticks celery, and 2 sweet peppers for 6-8 minutes. Add the 3-4 garlic cloves and cook for 1 more minute.
- Transfer the veggies over the bread into the baking dish. Add in the 1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries, 1/2 bunch Italian flat-leaf parsley, 8 sprigs of fresh thyme, 6 sprigs fresh rosemary, and a generous pinch of Kosher salt and pepper to taste; toss to combine.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk the 2 large eggs and 2 cups low-sodium beef broth until combined. Pour the egg mixture over the bread and give it a final toss.
- Cover the dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes, then uncover and bake for 30-40 minutes more, or until the tops are golden brown.
Notes
- French bread works well, but sourdough or ciabatta can also be used.
- Make sure the bread is dry before adding the broth to prevent soggy stuffing.
- Fresh or frozen cranberries both work. No need to thaw frozen cranberries.
- You can use chicken or vegetable broth instead of beef broth.
- To prep ahead, dry the bread and cook the vegetables a day in advance. Combine with the eggs and broth when ready to bake.
- If the top browns too quickly, cover loosely with foil.
- Refrigerate leftovers for up to 3 to 4 days or freeze for up to 2 months.
- Reheat until the center reaches 165°F.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Never before have I left a review for a recipe, but I had to for this one. I have tried several different stuffing recipes, and found one with ground pork. Now my husband shouldn’t eat pork for health reasons, so I came across this one. I’m so happy I did because it is very tasty with little effort. I did use butter instead of oil and had only dried spices instead of fresh and dried cherries instead of cranberries, but it still was superb. I will never make another.
Thanks so much for sharing.
Thanks so much for the feedback, Ann. I am so happy you guys loved it
Made this last year. It was amazing