Best Stuffing Recipe

The BEST Thanksgiving stuffing! Based on my family's classic recipe, it's rich and savory, made with fresh herbs, celery, butter, and leeks.

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If I told you that a classic stuffing recipe was my favorite part of Thanksgiving dinner, would you believe me? Well, it’s true! As a kid, I fell in love with my grandma’s stuffing recipe. Made with onion, celery, and dried herbs, it was simple and delicious. It had a crisp, golden layer of bread on top, with a moist and gooey center underneath. Rich, savory flavor filled every bite.

My mom still makes this homemade stuffing recipe for my family’s Thanksgiving every year. Because I love it so much, I wanted to develop my own spin to share with all of you! I didn’t make many changes—I swapped out the onions for leeks and dried herbs for fresh ones, and I used crusty sourdough bread.

When my mom tried my version for the first time, she said, “You took our stuffing recipe, and you made it better!” I hope you love it as much as we do.

Stuffing Recipe Ingredients

Unlike the stuffing recipes I’ve shared in the past (see here or here), this one is fairly traditional. I make it with these basic ingredients:

Bread, of course! Steer clear of pre-sliced sandwich bread for this recipe. You want a type of bread that’s crusty and flavorful, preferably sourdough or French bread. Stale bread works best here, so I recommend buying it one to three days in advance.
Butter – I like to use salted butter here, but feel free to use unsalted butter if you prefer. In that case, season the stuffing with an extra 1/4 teaspoon salt.
Leeks – I love their sweet, oniony flavor with the herbs and celery in this recipe. If you don’t cook with leeks often, check out this post to learn how to cut and clean them!
Celery – A stuffing essential.
Garlic – For sharp depth of flavor.
Fresh herbs – Rosemary, sage, thyme, and parsley fill this Thanksgiving stuffing with a mouthwatering mix of earthy, fresh, and savory flavors. You’ll never make stuffing with dried herbs again!
Vegetable broth – To moisten the bread.
Eggs – They add richness and moisture, helping to create the stuffing’s irresistible gooey center.
And sea salt and fresh black pepper – To make all the flavors pop!

Find the complete recipe with measurements below.

How to Make Stuffing

This Thanksgiving stuffing recipe is super simple to make! Here’s how it goes:

First, tear the bread. Yes, tear with your hands, not cut with a knife! I prefer the look of torn bread to perfect little bread cubes, and I like how the craggy edges catch the melted butter and herbs. After you tear it, place the bread in a very large bowl.

Tip: If your bread is not stale, spread the torn pieces in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes in a 350°F oven to dry them out a bit. Then, proceed with the recipe!

Next, cook the leeks. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in the leeks, celery, garlic, salt, and pepper, and sauté for 5 minutes, or until the vegetables soften. I turn the heat to low halfway through to avoid browning the leeks.

Then, season the bread! Pour the leek mixture over the dried bread and add the fresh herbs. Use your hands to toss it all together, coating the bread with the butter and herbs. Pour 1 1/2 cups of the broth over the bread, and toss again. Add the eggs, and toss again. At this stage, the bread should be very moist. If it feels dry at all, add an additional 1/2 cup broth.

Finally, bake! Transfer the bread mixture to a greased baking dish and arrange it in a thick, even layer. Drizzle the top with melted butter, cover, and bake for 30 minutes at 350°F. If you’re like me, and you like your stuffing to have a crispy, golden brown top, uncover the dish and bake for 5 to 10 minutes more.

Enjoy!

Best Stuffing Recipe Tips

Use day-old bread. This stuffing recipe comes out best when you make it with day- (or days-) old bread. Because it’s drier than fresh-baked bread, it really soaks up the flavors of the buttery leeks, broth, and herbs. So plan ahead! Buy or make your bread one to three days in advance.
Uncover the pan for a crispy top. One of my favorite things about Thanksgiving stuffing is how the crispy top contrasts with the moist, gooey inside. To get the top of your stuffing nice and crisp, uncover the casserole dish for the last few minutes of baking.
Double it if you need to. If you’re feeding a crowd of stuffing lovers, or if you want to have plenty of leftovers, go ahead and double this recipe. It’s enough for 8 decent-sized portions, but you might want seconds. At least, I always do. 🙂

How to Store and Make Ahead

Who doesn’t love a Thanksgiving recipe that can be made in advance?! You have two options for prepping this stuffing ahead:

A few hours ahead: Follow the recipe as written, stopping right before you bake the stuffing. Cover the baking dish and refrigerate until about an hour before your meal. Bake according to the recipe before serving.
A day ahead: Fully assemble and bake the stuffing 1 day in advance, but leave it covered for the entire time it’s in the oven. Refrigerate it overnight. The next day, reheat it, still covered, in a 350°F oven until it’s warmed through. Uncover it for the last few minutes of baking to get the top nice and crisp.

Leftover stuffing keeps well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat it in the microwave or in a covered baking dish in a 350°F oven.

More Favorite Thanksgiving Recipes

You could make this stuffing recipe anytime during the fall or winter, but it’s perfect for Thanksgiving. Round out your feast with one or more of these delicious Turkey Day side dishes:

Green Bean Casserole
Sweet Potato Casserole
Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Best Mashed Potatoes
Mushroom Gravy
Or any of these 50 Thanksgiving Side Dishes!

Best Stuffing Recipe

rate this recipe:

4.99 from 283 votes

Prep Time: 20

Cook Time: 40

Total Time: 1

Serves 8

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This classic stuffing recipe is the BEST Thanksgiving side dish! Leeks, celery, and fresh herbs fill it with rich, savory flavor.

Equipment

9x13 Baking Dish (this Staub is pretty for serving)
large skillet

Ingredients

1 small loaf (1 pound) day-old crusty sourdough bread, not sandwich bread
½ cup salted butter, plus 1 tablespoon melted butter for topping
2 leeks, halved, thinly sliced, and rinsed well (2 cups)
4 celery stalks, diced (1¾ cups)
3 garlic cloves, chopped
¾ teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup chopped fresh sage
Heaping ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
1½ to 2 cups vegetable broth
2 large eggs, beaten

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease an 8x11 or 9x13-inch baking dish.
Tear the bread into 1-inch pieces* and place in a very large bowl.
Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the leeks, celery, garlic, salt, and pepper, and sauté for 5 minutes, turning the heat to low halfway through. Pour the leek mixture over the bread and sprinkle with the sage, parsley, rosemary, and thyme. Use your hands to toss until coated. Pour 1½ cups of the broth evenly over the stuffing and toss to coat. Add the eggs and toss again. The bread should feel pretty wet. If it’s still a bit dry, mix in the remaining ½ cup of broth. The amount you use will depend on how dense and dry your bread was.
Transfer the mixture to the baking dish. If making ahead, stop here, cover the dish with foil, and store in the refrigerator until ready to bake.
When ready to bake, drizzle the 1 tablespoon melted butter on top and bake, covered, for 30 minutes. If the stuffing is still pretty wet, uncover the dish and bake for 5 to 10 more minutes to crisp the top a bit.

Notes

*If your bread is not stale, spread the torn pieces in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes in a 350°F oven to dry them out a bit before proceeding with the recipe.