Old Fashioned Stuffing is the classic bread stuffing: dry bread cubes tossed with butter-softened onion and celery, poultry seasoning, sage, thyme, chicken broth and a couple of eggs, then baked in a 9×13-inch dish until the top is golden and crunchy and the middle is soft. There’s no sausage and no cornbread, just the simple version. It makes about 15 servings.
How to make it: Dry the bread cubes in a 250°F oven for about an hour. Soften the onion and celery in butter, stir in the seasonings and broth, then the whisked eggs. Pour it over the bread, fold until moist with no standing liquid, spread it in the dish and bake at 350°F for 45 to 60 minutes, stirring now and then, until golden and 165°F in the center.
Why You’ll Love It
- The classic version: bread, butter, onion, celery and sage, nothing fancy.
- Crunchy top, soft middle: a gentle stir while it bakes gives you both.
- Feeds a crowd: about 15 regular servings, or 10 big Thanksgiving portions.
- Make-ahead friendly: dry the bread cubes up to a week early.
Ingredient Notes
Bread: Sixteen cups of dry bread cubes, about 3 large loaves cut into 1/2- to 3/4-inch cubes. A fresh bakery loaf works better than soft pre-sliced sandwich bread, which holds a lot of moisture. White or French bread gives the classic texture. Dry bread cubes from the bakery or deli save you the drying step.
Butter: Half a cup, salted or unsalted, to soften the vegetables.
Onion and celery: Two cups each, diced into 1/2-inch pieces. White or yellow onion both work.
Seasoning: Three teaspoons of poultry seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon each of thyme and sage (fresh chopped or dried), a teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper.
Chicken broth: A cup and a half, plus up to 1/2 cup more if the stuffing looks dry. Vegetable broth makes it vegetarian.
Eggs: Two large eggs, whisked into the broth mixture.
Parsley: A tablespoon, chopped, to finish.
Ingredients
- 16 cups dry bread cubes (about 3 large loaves, cut into 1/2- to 3/4-inch cubes)
- 1/2 cup butter, salted or unsalted
- 2 cups diced onion (1/2-inch dice)
- 2 cups diced celery (1/2-inch dice)
- 3 teaspoons poultry seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon thyme, fresh chopped or dried
- 1/2 teaspoon sage, fresh chopped or dried
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 1/2 cups chicken broth, plus up to 1/2 cup more if needed
- 2 large eggs, whisked
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley, for garnish
- Nonstick cooking spray, for the dish
How to Make Old Fashioned Stuffing
1. Dry the bread cubes. Heat the oven to 250°F. Cut the bread into 1/2- to 3/4-inch cubes with a serrated bread knife and spread them in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake for about 1 hour, tossing the cubes a few times so they dry all the way through. Set them aside.
2. Heat the oven. Heat the oven to 350°F.
3. Cook the onion and celery. Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and celery and cook, stirring often, until they’re tender and translucent, about 8 minutes.
4. Add the seasoning, broth and eggs. Stir in the poultry seasoning, thyme, sage, salt, pepper and 1 1/2 cups of the chicken broth, then take the pot off the heat. Whisk the eggs in a small bowl and stir them into the onion mixture.
5. Fold in the bread. Put the dry bread cubes in a large bowl and pour the broth and onion mixture over them. Fold gently until the stuffing is moist with no standing liquid. If it looks a little dry, add up to 1/2 cup more chicken broth.
6. Fill the dish. Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray and spread the stuffing evenly over the bottom.
7. Bake. Bake for 45 to 60 minutes, stirring gently every 15 to 20 minutes, until the top is lightly golden brown and the center reaches 165°F on a food thermometer.
8. Garnish and serve. Top with the chopped parsley and serve.
Getting the Moisture Right (Not Soggy, Not Dry)
Good stuffing comes down to dry bread and just enough liquid. Here are the common mistakes and how to avoid them:
| Mistake | Fix |
|---|---|
| Using fresh, soft bread | Dry the cubes in a 250°F oven for about an hour, or leave them out uncovered overnight |
| Soft sandwich bread | Use a bakery loaf, or buy dry bread cubes |
| Soggy stuffing | Fold until moist with no liquid pooling in the bowl |
| Dry stuffing | Add up to 1/2 cup more broth before baking |
| Crust on top, pale underneath | Stir gently every 15 to 20 minutes while it bakes |
| Judging it by color alone | Check that the center reads 165°F |
Pour the broth slowly. Add it a little at a time and toss lightly, so every cube gets moist and none turn to mush.
Don’t taste the raw mix. It contains raw eggs. Bake it to 165°F first.
Should You Use Eggs in Stuffing?
It’s your choice. This recipe whisks 2 eggs into the broth mixture, which gives the stuffing more structure and keeps it even more moist. It also works without them; some old-fashioned recipes use none. With or without eggs, bake it until the center reaches 165°F, the USDA FSIS temperature for stuffing.
Variations
- Different bread: sourdough for a tangy bite, or brioche for a richer, softer stuffing.
- Apple and cranberry: fold in diced apples and dried cranberries.
- Mushroom and leek: sauté them with the onion and celery.
- Nuts: add toasted pecans or walnuts for crunch.
- Sweeter: swap a cup of the chicken broth for apple juice.
- Turkey drippings: spoon a few over the stuffing before baking.
- Cornbread: for a Southern-style dressing, see our Southern cornbread dressing.
Make Ahead, Storage & Reheating
Make ahead: Dry the bread cubes, let them cool completely and keep them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Refrigerator: Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in shallow covered containers. USDA FSIS says to eat them within 3 to 4 days.
Freezer: Freeze leftovers for 3 to 4 months. Thaw in the refrigerator, in cold water or in the microwave, never on the counter.
Reheat: Reheat covered, to keep it moist, until it reaches 165°F. Don’t reheat it in a slow cooker.
How Much Stuffing to Make
Plan on about 1 cup per person for a regular dinner, or about 1 1/2 cups per person at Thanksgiving. This recipe feeds about 15 people at a regular meal, or about 10 at Thanksgiving.
What to Serve With It
Stuffing belongs next to a roast bird: try slow cooker turkey breast or 5-ingredient slow cooker whole roast chicken. Round out the table with sweet potatoes with marshmallows, smothered green beans and garlic Parmesan mashed potato cups.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should you use eggs in your stuffing?
You can go either way. Eggs give the stuffing more structure and keep it more moist; without them it’s a little looser.
What’s the best bread for stuffing?
A fresh bakery loaf of white or French bread, cut into cubes and dried. Soft pre-sliced sandwich bread holds too much moisture.
How do I keep stuffing from getting soggy?
Start with dry bread cubes and add just enough broth to make them moist, with no liquid pooling in the bowl.
Can I make stuffing ahead of time?
Dry the bread cubes up to a week ahead and store them airtight. Mix and bake on the day.
How do I know stuffing is done?
The top is lightly golden and the center reads 165°F on a food thermometer.
Final Notes
Drying the bread is the only slow part, and you can do it days ahead. After that, it’s a quick sauté, a gentle fold and an hour in the oven. If you make it, tell me in the comments which bread you used.
Old Fashioned Stuffing
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Ingredients
- 16 cups dry bread cubes about 3 large loaves of bread, cut into 1/2- to 3/4-inch cubes and dried (see the steps); bakery or deli dry cubes also work
- 1/2 cup butter salted or unsalted
- 2 cups onion 1/2-inch diced; white or yellow
- 2 cups celery 1/2-inch diced
- 3 teaspoons poultry seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon thyme fresh chopped or dried
- 1/2 teaspoon sage fresh chopped or dried
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 1/2 cups chicken broth plus up to 1/2 cup more if the stuffing looks dry; vegetable broth makes it vegetarian
- 2 large eggs whisked; the recipe works without them, they add structure and moisture
- 1 tablespoon parsley chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 250°F. Cut the bread into 1/2- to 3/4-inch cubes with a serrated bread knife and spread them in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake for about 1 hour, tossing the cubes a few times so they dry all the way through. Set them aside.
- Heat the oven to 350°F.
- Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and celery and cook, stirring often, until they are tender and translucent, about 8 minutes.
- Stir in the poultry seasoning, thyme, sage, salt, pepper and 1 1/2 cups of the chicken broth, then take the pot off the heat. Whisk the eggs in a small bowl and stir them into the onion mixture.
- Put the dry bread cubes in a large bowl and pour the broth and onion mixture over them. Fold gently until the stuffing is moist with no standing liquid. If it looks a little dry, add up to 1/2 cup more chicken broth.
- Spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray and spread the stuffing evenly over the bottom.
- Bake for 45 to 60 minutes, stirring gently every 15 to 20 minutes, until the top is lightly golden brown and the center reaches 165°F on a food thermometer.
- Top with the chopped parsley and serve.
