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.
Thank you for recipe. My husband loved it! Did not realize the flavor from leeks!!!
Can it be frozen after backing and defrosted and baked again? Or best to freeze before baking? Or not freeze at all?
Made this stuffing for Thanksgiving. Our family deep fries their turkey, so I can never stuff the bird and cook it in the oven. This stuffing was delicious and everyone loved it. I followed the recipe to a T.
Hi Jackie, I’m so glad everyone loved it!
Loved this!! The leeks make this fantastic. Thank you so much!
I’m so glad you loved it!
Amazing, I added cranberries delicious
oh yum!
if i want to feed more people can i double the recipe without losing the flavor
Not the author- But yes, absolutely!!
How many cups (estimate) is one small loaf of sourdough bread? Thanks!
(not the author!)
I had 24oz(~3 cups) of a loaf fill out the pan nicely, but 1lb is technically 16oz/2 cups by weight!
Second year making this, and this time I did two! Hands down the best stuffing ever and perfect for any vegetarian guests (I’m the chef and I’m vegetarian 😂). It could be made vegan- just add more veggie stock/broth and omit eggs and butter. Keeping extra in the freezer for a stuffing fix this winter. Thank you!!
Twice! I’m so glad they’ve become a favorite!
Haven’t really worked with leeks, do you just use the white part or the entire thing? Thank you!
The white and light green parts for this recipe. I use the tougher dark green parts for vegetable broth!
Never mind! I was in a rush and didn’t fully read the entire thing and just saw your tips!
Saute the green part, after cutting it into 1/2 inch-ish strips. Combo of oil and butter, or just oil of your choice. Great side dish.
I used this recipe last year and it was a hit! Back for an encore 🙂 I am wondering though, since I am making it the day before, how long should I expect it to take in the oven to reheat and crisp up?
Hi Rebecca, I’d say it takes just about 5 to 10 minutes longer, it’s similar timinig.
So fully cooked the night before and then reheat for how long at 350°?
I have the same question 🙂
Reheat at 350 for 30 minutes(covered)…plus, 5 to 10 minutes longer to crisp(uncovered ),since it was in the fridge?
Yep – you can follow the timing as it’s written, just take it out when it’s fully warmed and lightly crisp on the top.
Hi Tara, sorry for the confusion – it works either way, you can warm it after it’s been fully cooked the day before. If you didn’t bake it yesterday, you can bake it today.
Hi! I’m super excited to make this for my friends on Thanksgiving. Only problem is, I couldn’t find leeks at any of the stores I went to! What do you recommend to substitute for those?
Hi Lily, I would use scallions second – cook them for less time because they’re smaller and more tender.
or I would stir in some soft roasted onions instead.
Can I add a green apple?
I do I like the sweetness it adds
For those that made this, was one small sourdough loaf enough?
Hi Sarah, as long as your loaf is around 1 pound, it’ll work for this recipe.
Could this be stuffed inside our turkey instead of in a separate dish? If so, any alterations needed?
It could be done inside of a turkey.
But I would reccomend against it. As it poses a food safety risk (the stuffing may not reach 165 degrees F.)
But if you did, to midigate the risk, after you are done with the turkey, take the stuffing out and bake until 165 degrees (or 160 degrees for 5 minutes).
This recipe looks delicious! Do you think this can be made egg free?
Hi, yes, I think you could skip the eggs here. Without them, you may need a bit more broth to moisten the bread.
Has anyone made this in a crockpot? Wondering about how long to cook it…on high or low…
Any idea approximately how many cups of bread cubes the loaf of bread is equal to?
A pound of the bread crumbs.
I make this stuffing every year. Easy, very flavorful, and leftovers are amazing the next day with a fried egg on top! Best stuffing!
I’m so glad it’s become a favorite! I’ll have to top my leftovers with a fried egg – thanks for the idea 🙂
Looks amazing, can’t wait to try it this year!
will this cook correctly if i put the bread in smaller chunks?
Yes, it would work. As long as you are using a pound of breas.
Hi there, would unsalted butter work? That’s all I have on hand. Maybe I could add a little salt myself. If so, how much would you say (ballpark). Thanks!