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A close-up of a bowl filled with delicious stuffing, featuring golden-brown bread cubes, herbs, and savory sausage.

How to Make Stuffing Recipes Like a Pro (2025)

Learn to make delicious stuffing for your holiday meals. This guide covers ingredient selection, preparation steps, and common mistakes to avoid, ensuring a flavorful and perfectly textured stuffing.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Drying Bread 1 hour
Total Time 2 hours 5 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Stuffing Base
  • 6 cups Homemade garlic croutons or sturdy bread cubes
  • 4 tbsp Butter 57g
  • 1 Onion chopped
  • 1 Celery stalk chopped
  • 1 3/4 cups Chicken or vegetable broth 415ml
Fresh Herbs and Seasonings
  • 2 tbsp Fresh parsley chopped
  • 1 tsp Fresh sage chopped
  • 1 tsp Fresh thyme chopped
  • 1 tbsp Poultry seasoning
  • 1/2 tsp Salt
  • 1/4 tsp Black pepper
Optional Additions
  • 1/2 cup Ground sausage cooked
  • 1 Egg beaten, if using

Equipment

  • Large skillet
  • large bowl
  • Baking dish

Method
 

  1. Dry your bread cubes. You can leave them out for 1-2 days or toast them in an oven at 250°F (120°C) for 45-60 minutes, stirring occasionally, until dry.
  2. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onions and celery. Cook until softened, about 5-7 minutes.
  3. Transfer the cooked vegetables to a large bowl. Add the dry bread cubes, chopped fresh herbs (parsley, sage, thyme), poultry seasoning, salt, and pepper. Mix gently to combine.
  4. Gradually add the chicken or vegetable broth, starting with 1/2 cup, mixing until the stuffing is moist but not soggy. Add more broth if needed, up to 1 cup.
  5. If using, stir in cooked sausage and the beaten egg.
  6. For baked stuffing, transfer the mixture to a greased baking dish. For stuffed turkey, fill the turkey cavity loosely just before roasting.
  7. Bake the stuffing in a dish at 350°F (175°C) for about 30-40 minutes, or until the top is golden brown. If stuffing the turkey, ensure the stuffing reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).

Notes

To avoid a soggy stuffing, use stale or day-old bread. Do not over-liquidize; add broth gradually. Ensure your stuffing is seasoned well. If stuffing a turkey, do not overfill the cavity and stuff just before roasting. Always cook stuffing to an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) for food safety.

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