Buttery Herb Stuffing Recipe: Classic Thanksgiving Side Dish

This is the best stuffing recipe ever!

Seriously — this is my favorite stuffing and the only one I make now. The edges turn golden and crunchy while the interior stays soft and buttery. It’s packed with fresh herbs and has a neutral, comforting flavor that pairs with any main dish.

Stuffing is by far my favorite side. Thanksgiving, to me, is all about the sides — each one better than the last. Technically this could be called dressing since I serve it outside the bird, but you can absolutely stuff the turkey with it if you prefer. I’ve made it both ways to please family members who love stuffing straight from the bird.

This recipe leans traditional. It’s a close cousin to my mom’s classic stuffing, though I’ve increased the fresh herbs a bit. And yes — lots of butter. It gives the stuffing that rich, toasty flavor and those irresistible crispy edges. It’s Thanksgiving; indulge a little.

P.S. This is one of the few recipes where I actually include celery. I’m not a huge fan, but it contributes important flavor and texture here.

My family expects comfort classics at Thanksgiving — anything too unconventional rarely goes over well — so this familiar, herb-forward stuffing is always a hit. The combination of buttery bread, sautéed aromatics, and fresh herbs is timeless and cozy.

This recipe serves about eight people, though in my house stuffing gets eaten first and often people come back for seconds, so I usually make extra. If you need to scale down, it halves easily; if you need to feed more, doubling the recipe works well.

If you have leftovers, they’re excellent in a breakfast hash with eggs, crisped in a waffle maker to make stuffing waffles, layered in a Thanksgiving sandwich, stuffed into bell peppers, or frozen for a comforting meal later.

I usually stick to the classic here, but if you want variations you can try grilling the bread before cubing it for added smoke and texture, or make it in a slow cooker to free up oven space. There are many ways to adapt this basic, buttery-herb approach.

Which stuffing is your favorite to make?

Best Stuffing Recipe!

Our Favorite Buttery Herb Stuffing

Yield:

8
to 12 people

Prep Time:
45 mins

Cook Time:
50 mins

Total Time:
1 hr 35 mins

This is the best stuffing recipe ever! Served as stuffing or dressing, this buttery herb toasted bread dish is absolutely incredible!

Ingredients

• 18 to 24 ounces bread cubes (1.5 loaves, about 12 to 14 cups), preferably toasted or stale
• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 3 cups diced sweet onion (about 2 large onions)
• 2 cups diced celery
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• Kosher salt and pepper
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
• 2 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
• 2 large eggs
• A mixture of fresh herbs for sprinkling

Instructions

• Note about the bread cubes: stale or toasted bread works best. You can cube 1 1/2 pounds of bread and let it sit, loosely tented, overnight, or toast the cubes at 350°F for about 15 minutes until they resemble croutons. Store-bought toasted bread cubes also work. Choose cube size based on whether you want a rustic or finer texture.
• I like to mix bread types — for example, sourdough and Italian — and sometimes use a mix of stale and fresh cubes for interesting texture.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Brush a 9×13 baking dish (or a larger pan) with melted butter, olive oil, or nonstick spray. Place the bread cubes in a large bowl or directly in the baking dish. You can split the mixture between two dishes if preferred.
• Melt the butter in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, and garlic with a generous pinch of salt and pepper (about 1/2 to 1 teaspoon each). Cook until softened, about 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in the sage, parsley, and rosemary and cook another minute. Add 1 cup of the stock and stir to combine.
• Pour the onion-celery mixture over the bread cubes and toss to coat evenly.
• Whisk together the remaining 1 1/2 cups stock and the two eggs in a small bowl or measuring cup.
• Pour the stock-and-egg mixture over the bread cubes and gently fold until the cubes are thoroughly combined. Transfer to the prepared baking dish if needed.
• Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until the stuffing reaches an internal temperature of 160°F and the top is golden. If it browns too quickly, tent with foil.
• This can be made a day ahead and reheated. Remove it from the fridge about 60 minutes before reheating. You can also use it to stuff a bird if desired.
• To serve 4: cut the recipe in half and bake in an 8×8 or 9×9 dish for the same time. To serve 12–18: double the recipe and bake in a large roasting pan or two 9×13 dishes, adding roughly 15 minutes to the bake time.

Notes

Adapted from Bon Appétit.

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Author: How Sweet Eats

Look at that buttery golden crunch!