Classic Homemade Thanksgiving Stuffing Recipe

I’m sharing my Grandma’s Best Stuffing Recipe made entirely from scratch, including how to make your own bread cubes, plus one little secret that keeps it the most requested Thanksgiving side.

Grandma’s stuffing always surprised me, not in a sweet way but in a stubborn, get-it-right kind of way. I use day-old bread and unsalted butter so the backbone is simple and nothing hides.

Folks call it the Best Stuffing Recipe and sometimes ask if it fits into their Stuffing Recipes For Thanksgiving With Sausage plans, and honestly it does both, depending on what you add. I mess up measurements, forget a step, and somehow those small mistakes make it sing.

If you like a stuffing that feels lived in and opinionated, you might want to try this and see what happens.

Ingredients

• Bread: Day old cubes soak up stock give carbs and fiber, chewy texture.
• Butter: Adds richness and fat, helps brown makes stuffing feel decadent.
• Onion: Sweet and savory base provides antioxidants and a bit of sweetness.
• Eggs: Bind ingredients add protein and moisture, keep it from falling apart.
• Stock: Moisture and savory depth, adds sodium boosts umami without calories.
• Sage and thyme: Earthy herbs aromatic, make it classic savory Thanksgiving flavor.
• Sausage optional: Gives extra protein and savory fat, can make it richer.
• Cranberries optional: Tart sweetness adds color and bite, some vitamins.

Ingredient Quantities

• 1 pound (about 10 to 12 cups) day-old bread, cubed
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
• 3 to 4 celery stalks, finely chopped
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 to 3 cups low-sodium chicken or turkey stock
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage or 2 teaspoons dried sage
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• Optional: 1 pound bulk breakfast sausage, cooked and drained
• Optional: 1 apple, chopped
• Optional: 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• Optional: 1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans or walnuts

How to Make this

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). If you want to make your own bread cubes first, spread the cubed day old bread on a baking sheet and dry at 250°F (120°C) for 20 to 30 minutes until dry and slightly golden, then raise oven to 350°F.

2. If using sausage, brown the bulk breakfast sausage in a skillet over medium heat, breaking it up with a spoon, cook until no longer pink, then drain on paper towel and set aside.

3. In a large skillet melt the butter over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and celery and sauté until translucent and soft, about 8 to 10 minutes. If using the apple add it with the celery so it softens. Stir in the sage, thyme, parsley, salt and pepper and cook 1 to 2 minutes more to wake up the herbs.

4. Put the bread cubes in a very large bowl. Add the cooked sausage (if using), the sautéed onion/celery/apple mixture, dried cranberries and toasted pecans or walnuts if you want them.

5. Lightly beat the 2 eggs in a measuring cup. Pour the eggs over the bread mixture, then add 1 cup of the stock and toss gently to combine.

6. Keep adding stock a little at a time, tossing, until the mixture is moist but not soupy, you should use about 2 to 3 cups total depending on how dry your bread was. A good test: grab a handful and it should hold together without dripping.

7. Transfer the stuffing into a buttered 9×13 inch baking dish (or use a casserole sized dish). Pack loosely if you plan to stuff a turkey instead of baking in a dish.

8. Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake at 350°F for 25 to 30 minutes to heat through and set.

9. Remove the foil and bake another 10 to 15 minutes until the top is golden and a little crisp. If stuffing a turkey, make sure the stuffing reaches 165°F internal temp for safety.

10. Let the stuffing rest about 10 minutes before serving so it firms up a bit, then fluff with a fork, taste for salt and pepper and serve.

Equipment Needed

1. Oven (preheat to 350°F)
2. Rimmed baking sheet (for drying bread cubes)
3. 9×13 inch baking dish or casserole dish
4. Large skillet or sauté pan (for onions, celery and sausage)
5. Very large mixing bowl (to toss the stuffing)
6. Chef’s knife and cutting board
7. Measuring cups and spoons plus a liquid measuring cup
8. Wooden spoon or heatproof spatula and a fork or small whisk (to beat eggs)
9. Aluminum foil, oven mitts and paper towels (for covering, handling and draining)

FAQ

Classic Homemade Thanksgiving Stuffing Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• Bread (1 pound day-old): use about the same volume of cubed cornbread, sourdough, or a gluten-free loaf — cornbread gives a sweeter, crumbly texture; sourdough adds tang. Use equal cups.
• Unsalted butter (1/2 cup): swap with olive oil, melted ghee, or a neutral oil like avocado oil. Ghee gives richer, nutty notes; olive oil is lighter. Use roughly the same amount.
• Chicken/turkey stock (2 to 3 cups): substitute vegetable stock or mushroom broth for a vegetarian boost, or water with 1 tsp bouillon paste or 1 cube per cup. Start with 2 cups and add more if needed.
• Optional bulk breakfast sausage (1 pound): replace with cooked bacon or pancetta for porky flavor, or sautéed mushrooms with smoked paprika or crumbled firm tofu for a vegetarian option. Cook and drain before mixing in.

Pro Tips

1) Drying and cube size matter. Cut your bread into roughly uniform 3/4 inch cubes and dry them low and slow so they’re dry through but not browned, tossing once halfway. If some cubes are still chewy after the first pass, spread them back out and give them another 10 minutes. Too big or uneven cubes = soggy pockets.

2) Build flavor, not bitterness. Brown the butter a touch and sweat the onion and celery until really soft, then add the herbs at the end so they don’t turn bitter. If you browned meat in the pan, deglaze with a little warm stock or white wine to lift the browned bits, they add a lot of flavor. Save a tablespoon of sausage fat if you used it, for coating the pan or drizzling on top.

3) Control moisture like a pro. Warm the stock before adding it, then add it slowly and use the handful test — grab a handful, it should hold together without dripping. If it feels too wet, give it time to sit 5 minutes then re-test, or add a handful more bread crumbs. If too dry, add small amounts of stock, dont dump it all at once. Also temper the beaten eggs with a couple tablespoons of warm stock before mixing in to keep them from turning into scrambled bits.

4) Make ahead and texture tricks. You can assemble the mixture a day ahead and refrigerate uncovered to let the top dry and the flavors meld, then bake straight from the fridge. Toast nuts and reheat dried fruit in warm liquid first, they’ll be plumper and taste fresher. For an extra crunchy top, uncover for the last 10 minutes or broil very briefly while watching it closely. And if you stuff a bird, always verify stuffing temp reaches 165 F for safety.