How to Make Stuffing From Scratch

Stuffing is a tasty side dish that completes that holiday turkey dinner. It can be served inside of a whole chicken and turkey or as a side dish (dressing). In this particular recipe we will be showing you how to make stuffing that is baked in a casserole dish, our preferred way of enjoying it.

As a Thanksgiving tradition, people look forward to homemade stuffing from old family recipes. If you don't know how to make stuffing from scratch, surprise your family and guests with this old-fashioned, moist bread stuffing or start a traditional family recipe of your own. Let’s get started!

Yield: 10 cups

Prep Time: 20 mins.

Cook Time: 60 mins. + 20 mins. to dry bread cubes

*You can dry fresh, cubed bread in the oven by laying them out on a cookie sheet and baking them at 275°F for about 20 minutes (depending on the size of the bread cubes). Give them a stir halfway through baking. We don't want them too toasted or brown, just dried out. Let them cool and either use right away in this recipe or store them in zip-top bags. This step can be done up to a week in advance.

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Heat a non-stick skillet to medium heat and melt the butter.

Add the celery and onion to the pan and cook until soft and translucent (but not browned), about 10 minutes.

Place the bread cubes in a big bowl and add the vegetables, fresh herbs, salt and pepper. Pour the broth over the bread mixture. You may not need to use the entire 2 1/2 cups liquid (we want to moisten it, but not soak it). Give it a bit of a toss.

Place the mixture into a 9" x 13" baking dish, cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake uncovered for 15 to 20 more minutes or until golden brown on top.

Alternative Stuffing Cooking Method: Inside the Turkey or Chicken

This stuffing recipe can be baked with your favorite roast chicken or turkey recipe. Instead of placing the bread mixture into a casserole dish in the oven to bake, you could also stuff a turkey or chicken cavity with the uncooked mixture and have it bake with the poultry--until the poultry is cooked and the stuffing reaches a temperature of 165ºF. We prefer to serve it as a dressing on the side.

Dressing Vs. Stuffing

There tends to be some confusion as to whether to call this classic bread mixture 'stuffing' or 'dressing'. When cooking outside of the poultry, this is technically called a dressing. Whereas stuffing is a food mixture stuffed inside of another piece of food before cooking. The two terms seem to be used interchangeably and we've always called it stuffing in our household, however it was baked.

Stuffing Variations

In reality, making your own homemade stuffing is relatively simple and enjoyable to make. The basic ingredients you need are bread cubes, stock and herbs. The bread cubes are also found packaged as "croutons." You can even prepare the mixture ahead of time and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days before cooking. To give your recipe more flavor you may wish to add a clove of minced garlic to your mixture and/or other herbs you love to cook with.

In some parts of the world, ground chestnuts, walnuts, pine nuts or finely minced prunes are added to the mixture before cooking. Others prefer old Cajun style stuffing of minced oysters and corn meal with Cajun seasoning. Pre-cooked sausage is another tasty addition. In another version, the giblets of the bird are reserved. These are then diced and sautéed slightly before adding to the mixture.

Did you get creative with this recipe or stick to the classic? We’d love to know what you added to your stuffing!