The BEST Thanksgiving stuffing! Based on my family's classic recipe, it's rich and savory, made with fresh herbs, celery, butter, and leeks.
This stuffing recipe is my favorite Thanksgiving side dish. Based on my grandma’s homemade stuffing, it’s buttery and flavorful, made with celery, leeks (or onions), fresh herbs, and dried bread cubes. As it bakes, it gets crisp and golden on top but stays moist and gooey in the middle.
If you’re looking for a traditional stuffing to complete your Thanksgiving menu, I think you’ll love this recipe. Simple, classic, and SO delicious, it’s hands down the best stuffing recipe I’ve tried. Find make-ahead tips and variations below!
Stuffing Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make this homemade stuffing recipe:
- Bread, of course! My favorite type of bread to use in this recipe is crusty sourdough or French bread. A rustic loaf of wheat or white bread works too.
- Butter – For rich, buttery flavor. Use salted butter or unsalted butter plus an extra 1/4 teaspoon salt.
- Leeks – For sweet, oniony flavor. 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.
- Vegetable broth – To moisten the bread.
- Eggs – They add richness and moisture, helping to create the stuffing’s irresistible gooey center.
- And salt and pepper – To make all the flavors pop!
Find the complete recipe with measurements below.
How to Make Stuffing
You can find the complete stuffing recipe with measurements below, but for now, here’s a quick overview of how it goes:
Start by drying the bread. You want it to be dry so that it soaks up flavor and moisture from the other ingredients.
- Option 1 – Plan ahead: Cut or tear the bread into cubes a day or two in advance. Spread it in a single layer on a baking sheet and let it sit uncovered on your counter to dry out.
- Option 2 – Dry the bread in the oven: Spread the bread cubes in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes at 350°F to dry them out.
Next, cook the veggies. Sauté the leeks, celery, and garlic until softened, about 5 minutes.
Then, season the bread. In a large bowl, use your hands to toss together the dried bread, vegetables, 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 casserole dish and arrange it in an 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!
Stuffing Recipe Variations
- Use onions instead of leeks. Replace the leeks with 1 yellow onion, chopped.
- Use dried herbs instead of fresh. Replace the fresh herbs with 1 to 2 tablespoons mixed dried sage, thyme, rosemary, and/or poultry seasoning.
- Skip the eggs. Add extra broth as needed to moisten the bread before baking.
- Make it vegan. Skip the eggs and use olive oil or vegan butter instead of regular.
How to Store and Make Ahead
You have two options for prepping this herb 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 crisp the top.
Leftover stuffing keeps well in an airtight container in the fridge 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 serve this easy stuffing recipe with any meal, but it’s especially 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
Equipment
- 9x13 Baking Dish (this Staub is pretty for serving)
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.
First time ever making stuffing for Thanksgiving. I got so many compliments!! Have shared this recipe with multiple family members!
Great. I used some leek top broth from the Love and Lemons cookbook instead of the vegetable broth. Everyone really liked it and it was my favorite dish.
Your stuffing was the hit of our Thanksgiving dinner today. Didn’t change a thing. The leeks and fresh herbs are a must. Everyone LOVED it and I’ll definitely make it again.
Made it for Thanksgiving dinner today. We loved it!! I couldn’t find any leeks but did use sweet onions. Very little leftover for tomorrow. Will be a staple on future dinners.
Jeanine – help! I made this last year and it was divine but I didn’t really let my bread dry out. This year I’m tripling the recipe, and in my attempt to do some early prep, I cut up three loaves on Monday night and laid them out to dry out. It’s now two days later and they are BONE DRY cubes… as dry as the bread in a bag of Pepperidge Farm stuffing. IS THIS GOING TO WORK? Am I going to need more broth, more eggs? Help! I’m not a natural cook so I need advice here. Thanks!
Hi Suzanne, I think it’ll still work – if you’re mixing it together and it feels too dry, just add some extra broth.
Can I triple this recipe by exactly tripling the ingredients? Or do the proportions break down when you more than double it? I made this last year and it was a huge hit! But I’m making it for more people this year.
This is like my stuffing recipe except I call it Simon and Garfunkel stuffing. Parsley sage rosemary and thyme
Can you cook this in a crock pot? And how long would you cook in for in the crock pot?
Hi Wendy, I’m not sure, we haven’t tested it in a crockpot.
Can you use chicken broth instead of veggie broth?
yep!
I’ve made this multiple times. It’s my go to stuffing recipe. No alterations, it is PERFECT!
I’m so glad you’ve loved it!
What size baking dish do you use? Thank you.
I usually use my bath tub as I make these in big batches, but whatever pan that fits will work well. Just stay away from the cursed 9×9.
9×13 or similar!
Without a doubt, this is the best stuffing ever, and the only one for my feast! My kids love the leftovers. The next morning for breakfast, they place a sunny side egg on it for breakfast!
Oh yum, what a great way to use the leftovers!
I thought this was a great backbone for veg stuffing! For a bit more color and chew/texture I added mushrooms, rehydrated (previously dried) whole cranberries, and one peeled apple. I also used ciabatta bread for the denser crumb, 3 eggs and 2 cups of veg broth for a more custardy final product.
Thank you for the recipe!
That sounds so delicious!
Can you substitute something for the eggs to make it egg-free?
Hi Jana, here’s our vegan stuffing recipe: https://www.loveandlemons.com/vegan-stuffing/
Alternatively, I think the Just Egg product might work here.
Hope that helps!
I have used just egg and it worked beautifully.
I used flax eggs and it turned out great!
can I make this the day before
Hi Danielle, yes! Bake the stuffing for 30 minutes, covered, 1 day ahead and store it in the fridge. On the day of your meal, warm the covered dish in a 350°F oven until heated through. Uncover it for the last few minutes of baking to crisp the top.
Wish this question was answered
I am making this to bring to my family’s house, which is about 30 minutes away. I’m afraid that the kitchen/oven will be pretty occupied and I won’t get to bake it there. Can I par-bake covered at home a couple of hours before and then pop it in their oven right before serving? Uncovered? How long? Thank you!
I really want to make this for Thanksgiving and wanted to know if gluten free bread would work?
Hi Rebeccca, I haven’t tried it with any type of gluten free bread so I’m not sure. I’d just make sure to try a bakery-type loaf that’s crusty vs. packaged sandwich bread.
Can this stuffing be stuffed in the Turkey?
Hi Yrika – my mom does, but I like to cook it separately so that the eggs cook thoroughly.
In the oven now! So eager to try. I added in some sweet ground sausage in the mixture and used a mix of brioche and farmers bread dried in the oven. Definitely added a bit more salt, pepper and spices! I think it will be a hit! Thank you.
I hope you enjoy!
Could I cover with a baking sheet? I don’t have foil.