Homemade Traditional Stuffing Recipe

This homemade traditional stuffing recipe highlights fresh vegetables, pork sausage, and herbs for a classic holiday side dish. I love that I can prep everything in about 15 minutes and let the oven handle the rest while I focus on the rest of the meal.

No matter which holiday we are celebrating, mealtime is always something we look forward to. While the juicy turkey or my beef roast takes center stage, we are all about the side dishes like my creamy mashed potatoes or some roasted root vegetables, which always have a place on my holiday table

Stuffing

Stuffing meat with bread, herbs, and aromatics has been part of cooking for generations. When I look back at early recipes from the first century AD, I see people stuffing rabbits, chickens, pigs, and other accessible animals. Turkey stuffing later became closely tied to Thanksgiving, and many 16th century Boston area documents show how this tradition took shape in early American cooking.

Stuffing most often uses dried bread, herbs, and vegetables mixed with liquid, then packed into the turkey cavity and baked until firm and fully cooked. Cooks can also bake stuffing separately in a casserole dish, which many people call dressing.

I prefer cooking stuffing outside the turkey because the bird cooks much quicker without it. That is exactly what I am going to show you today with my step by step recipe, and I know it will impress your guests when you serve this traditional stuffing.

Ingredients and Substitutions

• Bread – Any fresh bread will work for this recipe. I like to use my homemade sourdough.
• Butter – I always use unsalted butter in my cooking and baking to control the sodium content instead of a butter company.
• Sausage – Any pork sausage will work for this, such as loose bratwurst, Italian sausage, or plain pork sausage in this recipe.
• Onions – You can use a white, yellow, or sweet onion. In addition, you’ll need some fresh garlic cloves.
• Mushrooms – I prefer to use fresh cremini mushrooms. However, you can also use button, portabella, shiitake, or oyster mushrooms.
• Celery – A few ribs of celery stand out in this recipe.
• Herbs – I use a combination of fresh sage, rosemary and thyme. Substitute with dry poultry seasoning.
• Stock – Chicken stock is best to use. However, you can substitute it with vegetable stock, or water.
• Eggs – Large chilled eggs or room temperature will work perfectly in this stuffing recipe.

How to Make a Traditional Stuffing

Dry the bread: First thing I do is cut the fresh bread into cubes and place them on a cookie sheet tray lined with parchment paper. Then, I bake them in the oven at 300 degrees for about 25 to 30 minutes, or until the bread is firm.

Cook the sausage: While the bread is in the oven, I cook the pork sausage in a pan until it is browned and cooked through. Then, I set it aside until I am ready to use it.

Cook the vegetables: Using the same pan, I cook the mushrooms and onions in melted butter until they are lightly browned, which takes about 10 minutes.

Add aromatics: Next, I add the celery and garlic and cook them until tender, about 4 to 5 minutes.

Combine the ingredients: I transfer the cooked vegetables, sausage, and bread to a large bowl and mix them together.

Add the seasoning: Next, I mix in the fresh herbs, salt, pepper, and stock, stirring until everything is combined. The bread should be moist but not soggy or drenched.

Add the eggs: In a separate bowl, I whisk together 3 eggs, then add them to the stuffing bowl and mix until they are fully incorporated.

Bake the stuffing: I transfer the mixture to a large 13 x 9 casserole dish, cover it with foil, and bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.

Finish baking: I remove the foil and bake for another 25 minutes. Then, I garnish the stuffing with parsley and serve it warm.

Ways to Customize Your Stuffing

While a traditional stuffing recipe starts with a simple base, I always see it as an opportunity to make it personal. I chose to add sausage and mushrooms because they bring depth and heartiness, but there are plenty of other ways to customize it depending on what you love or have on hand.

I sometimes fold in turkey giblets or a bit of turkey gravy for richer flavor, or add dried cherries, fresh cranberries, or dried cranberries for a touch of sweetness. Root vegetables add structure, oysters bring a classic coastal element, and apples offer a gentle contrast that works especially well during the holidays.

Make-Ahead and Storage

Make-Ahead: You can make this recipe up to 1 hour ahead of time; just keep it covered and warm at low temperatures in the oven until ready to serve.

How to Reheat: Add the desired amount of dressing to a casserole dish or pan, drizzle on ¼ to 1/3 cup of chicken stock, and cover with foil.  Bake in the oven at 350° for 15 to 20 minutes or until warmed.

How to Store: Cover and keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.  You can cover and freeze it for up to 3 months.  Thaw it in the refrigerator for 1 day before reheating.

More Holiday Recipes

• Cornbread Dressing
• Candied Yams
• Green Bean Casserole
• Apple Pie
• Potatoes Au Gratin