Classic Stuffing Recipe (2025)

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Looking for a Classic Stuffing Recipe? My version is made with day old bread, vegetables, apples and mushrooms! Easy to make ahead of time too!

Serve this delicious stuffing for Thanksgiving (you’ll even see it featured in my easy Crockpot Turkey and Stuffing recipe)! Add a side of homemade cranberry sauce for a complete meal.

Classic Stuffing Recipe (1)

Whyt his Recipe is Best

As Thanksgiving is approaching, I am trying to be more grateful and thankful for the good things in my life.It’s so easy to take even the littlest things for granted.

I love Thanksgiving…it’s all about the food and family. And I still make the same recipes my mom made when I was growing up.

Classic turkey. Turkey gravy. Sweet Potato Casserole. Jiffy Corn Casserole. Mashed Potatoes. And today’s stuffing!

A delicious Thanksgiving spread that includes this Easy Stuffing recipe is something to be thankful for!

Easy Instructions

Classic Stuffing Recipe (2)

STEP 1: In a large mixing bowl, combine stale bread with egg, water, celery, onion, apples, mushrooms, and seasonings. Combine well.

STEP 2: Press into a 9-inch square baking dish (about 2-3 quart). Once you have all your stuffing in the dish, press it in firmly. If it seems EXTRA DRY, add a little bit of chicken broth or water over the top (2-3 Tbsp).

STEP 3: Cover stuffing with foil. Bake for 60 minutes in a 350 degree F oven. ENJOY.

Ingredient Notes

Bread. You will need approximately one loaf (1 lb) of bread. Preferably stale bread. I choose white or wheat bread (but even french bread and Italian bread would work). Dice ahead of time into large one-inch cubes. My preference would be to cut it the day before and leave on the counter overnight to get it slightly stale.

Vegetables. Celery, Onion and Apples should be cut into small pieces. I prefer the sliced mushrooms in a jar as they retain extra moisture and don’t need to be precooked.

Seasoning. A combination of poultry seasoning, sage, salt and pepper is all you need for today’s classic stuffing recipe. The flavor from the vegetables, bread, and fruit all combine to create a delicious side dish!

Don’t forget to pour some of our turkey gravy over the top to serve!

Classic Stuffing Recipe (3)

Can this turkey stuffing recipe be doubled

I get it. Sometimes over the holidays you find yourself serving a large crowd.

This recipe for classic stuffing will easily double. I would use a lasagna pan or 13×9 for a doubled batch of the dressing.

If using Corningware, such as a 5qt square dish, that is deeper, you may need to add more cooking time to adjust for the depth in the dish!

Can Stuffing be made ahead of time

Absolutely!

Holidays can be stressful enough, so do as much as you can before the big day. I usually try to have all my side dishes prepped and ready at least a day in advance, so there’s no clean up or stress while family is over for dinner.

You can make this stuffing 24 hours ahead of time to keep things simple on the big day.

I suggest you take it out of the refrigerator at least an hour or two before putting into the oven. If it’s still cold, add extra time to adjust for the chill.

Can this Stuffing Casserole be IN the turkey

I’ve never been a fan of stuffing my turkey with the dressing. I mean, I suppose that’s where it gets it’s name from, but to me, the flavor is off.

However, if you do stuff your turkey with this homemade dressing, make sure the center cooks to 165 degrees F.

What to serve with Classic Stuffing.

Stuffing goes great with anything, it’s not just for Thanksgiving turkey dinners!

I will make a batch to serve with many easy dinners:

  • Meatloaf
  • Pork Chops
  • Instant Pot Turkey Breast
  • Beef Stroganoff
  • Turkey Cheddar Sliders
  • Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes

Holiday Side Dishes

See all Side Dishes recipes

Soups and Stews

Chicken Pot Pie Soup Recipe

Appetizers

Deviled Eggs Recipe

Desserts

Mandarin Orange Pretzel Salad

Classic Stuffing Recipe (8)

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Classic Stuffing Recipe

4.78 from 9 votes

By: Aimee

Classic Stuffing recipe with apples, mushrooms, and much more! The perfect Thanksgiving side dish.

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour hour

Total Time: 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Servings: 8 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 loaf bread 1 lb (see notes below)
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 Tablespoons water
  • 1 celery heart diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
  • 1 small yellow onion diced (about 1 cup)
  • 2 jars sliced mushrooms, don't drain 4 1/2 oz each
  • 2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon dried sage
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 large apples cored and diced

Instructions

  • In a large mixing bowl, combine stale bread with egg, water, celery, onion, mushrooms, apples, and seasonings. Combine well.

  • Press into a 9-inch square baking dish (about 2-3 quart). Once you have all your stuffing in the dish, press it in firmly.

  • Cover stuffing with foil. Bake for 60 minutes in a 350 degree F oven. You can make this a day ahead of time too! ENJOY.

Notes

  • For the bread, white or wheat is fine. I like to take my bread and let it sit open on the counter overnight, making it a little stale. Too fresh of bread will get soft and soggy.
  • This recipe for classic stuffing will easily double. I would use a lasagna pan or 13×9 for a doubled batch of the dressing.
  • You can make this stuffing 24 hours ahead of time to keep things simple on the big day.I suggest you take it out of the refrigerator at least an hour or two before putting into the oven. If it’s still cold, add extra time to adjust for the chill.

Nutrition

Calories: 45kcal, Carbohydrates: 9g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 23mg, Sodium: 305mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 6g

Course: Side Dishes

Cuisine: American

Did you make this recipe?Mention @shugarysweets or tag #shugarysweets!

Classic Stuffing recipe with apples, mushrooms, and much more! The perfect Thanksgiving side dish.

Classic Stuffing Recipe (2025)

FAQs

What is traditional stuffing made of? ›

Turkey stuffing was popularized in the early days of Thanksgiving, as it is written in many 16th-century Boston area documents. Stuffing most often uses dried bread, herbs, and vegetables that are reconstituted with liquid, stuffed into the turkey cavity, and baked until it is firm and finished cooking.

What was stuffing originally made of? ›

The earliest documentary evidence is the Roman cookbook, Apicius De Re Coquinaria, which contains recipes for stuffed chicken, dormouse, hare, and pig. Most of the stuffings described consist of vegetables, herbs and spices, nuts, and spelt (a cereal), and frequently contain chopped liver, brains, and other organ meat.

Should I put eggs in my stuffing? ›

Broth: Chicken broth keeps the stuffing moist without making it soggy. Eggs: Two lightly beaten eggs help hold the dressing together and add moisture. Water: You can add a few tablespoons of water, if you'd like, to achieve your desired consistency.

What is the difference between Thanksgiving dressing and stuffing? ›

"Stuffing is cooked in the cavity of the turkey, so the juices soak into the ingredients, making it more flavorful. Dressing gets cooked on its own and needs extra liquid to make it flavorful." So stuffing is cooked inside the bird. Dressing is cooked outside the bird, usually in a casserole dish.

What is proper stuffing? ›

In staffing, the right person is recruited for the right jobs, therefore it leads to maximum productivity and higher performance. It helps in promoting the optimum utilization of human resource through various aspects. Job satisfaction and morale of the workers increases through the recruitment of the right person.

How to keep stuffing moist? ›

Typically, baking the stuffing inside the bird helps keep the mixture moist. “I prefer stuffing (in the bird) to dressing (outside of the bird) because all those delicious drippings that come off the turkey gets absorbed right into the stuffing,” Bamford says.

What is British stuffing made of? ›

Stuffing consists of a mixture of savoury ingredients such as breadcrumbs, herbs, fruit, nuts, sausagemeat and onion which are bound together with egg or liquid to form a semi-solid mixture. It is usually cooked with roast meat such as chicken, pork or lamb and is served as an accompaniment to the sliced, cooked meat.

What is stuffing called when it is not stuffed? ›

Some people make the distinction that dressing is the proper name for the dish when it has been prepared outside of the bird—that is, when it has not been stuffed and cooked inside.

Why is it called dressing in the south? ›

But for the Thanksgiving side dish in the South, the term dressing was adopted in place of stuffing, which was viewed as a crude term, during the Victorian era. Although dressing and stuffing are interchangeable terms, the signature ingredient of this Thanksgiving side dish in the South is cornbread.

Are you supposed to cook the stuffing before putting it in? ›

Fully cook raw meat, poultry, or seafood ingredients before adding to stuffing. Combine the ingredients and place them in your bird immediately before cooking. Don't stuff whole poultry with cooked stuffing. In addition to the turkey, the stuffing's center needs to reach 165 F.

Is it better to make stuffing the day before? ›

YES! This stuffing is baked to golden perfection the day before the big meal. You store it in the fridge overnight and then simply warm it in the oven before dinner. Baking it twice allows the flavours to meld even more so this side dish is sure to be a star at the table.

Why is my stuffing so moist? ›

The stuffing should be moist but not wet. If there is a puddle of broth at the bottom of the bowl, you've added too much. Add more bread to soak up the excess moisture. If the mix is still dry and crumbly, add more liquid and toss gently until it starts to clump together.

Is stove top stuffing or dressing? ›

When Stove Top was introduced in 1972 it was the first stuffing mix containing all the ingredients needed to typical dressing in one box. The mixture of vegetables, seasonings, herbs, spices, and baked stuffing crumbs came together in 15 minutes.

Why is Thanksgiving stuffing so good? ›

When made from scratch and seasoned right, it is rich, moist and savory, shot through with different textures and flavors that give cooks plenty of room to play. That basic amalgamation of starch, fat and aromatics is indisputably delicious.

Can you eat stuffing from inside turkey? ›

Bacteria can survive in stuffing that has not reached 165 degrees that could then cause food poisoning. After removing the bird from the oven, wait for 20 minutes before taking the stuffing out of the turkey's cavity; it will cook a little more this way. Learn more about our editorial process.

What is English stuffing made of? ›

Mix together the onion, sage and breadcrumbs and season well. Add enough of the beaten egg to bind the mixture together and use to stuff meat or poultry or to roll into individual stuffing balls. If making stuffing balls, cook in a roasting tin for 30 minutes.

What does stuffing contain? ›

Stuffing consists of a mixture of savoury ingredients such as breadcrumbs, herbs, fruit, nuts, sausagemeat and onion which are bound together with egg or liquid to form a semi-solid mixture. It is usually cooked with roast meat such as chicken, pork or lamb and is served as an accompaniment to the sliced, cooked meat.

What is stuffing mix made of? ›

In a large bowl or large plastic food storage bag, combine ​breadcrumbs with dried parsley, minced onion, celery flakes, thyme, pepper, sage, and marjoram. To prepare stuffing, bring 1 1/4 cups of water or chicken broth and 3 tablespoons of butter to a boil.

What is stuffing made of Thanksgiving? ›

The BEST traditional Thanksgiving Stuffing recipe is easy to make dried bread cubes, sausage, diced vegetables, and chicken broth. It's a great side dish to make ahead of time and it definitely tastes best homemade! Pair this easy homemade stuffing with our popular turkey recipe, homemade rolls, and Thanksgiving pie.

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