When you prepare this tried-and-true classic stuffing in advance, your next Thanksgiving or holiday meal will be a hit. Best Thanksgiving dish on the table – no contest!.
With a few modifications from my mother, I have been making this stuffing recipe for more than 30 years.
A basic homemade stuffing – or dressing – is a crucial part of Thanksgiving prep. It includes bread, onions, broth and savory seasonings like sage and thyme. Celery is added, along with a few optional ingredients like chopped hot dogs for smokiness and chopped water chestnuts for crunch.
Play around with the ingredients to your taste, adding and subtracting what you and your family like best. I’ve made several suggestions below.
Thanksgiving is a time for family, friends, and of course, delicious food. But between the turkey, the mashed potatoes, and all the other fixings, it can be easy to feel overwhelmed. That’s where make-ahead recipes come in handy, and what better dish to make ahead than stuffing?
Here are two fantastic make-ahead Thanksgiving stuffing recipes that will free up your time on the big day:
1, Make-Ahead Herb Stuffing from Call Me Betty
This recipe is a more wholesome, delicious version of the classic stovetop stuffing you grew up on It’s bursting with fresh herb flavor, crisp on top and chewy in the middle, and the best part is that it can be made almost entirely ahead of time, freeing up your precious Thanksgiving Day schedule.
Key Ingredients:
- 1 pound quality white bread
- 1/2 cup butter
- 2 1/2 cups yellow onions, diced
- 1 1/2 cups celery, diced small
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh sage, chopped
- 2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, chopped
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2-2 1/2 cups turkey or chicken stock, divided*
- 2 large eggs
Instructions:
- Tear the bread into small, bite-size pieces. Spread evenly over a large sheet pan. Bake in a 250-degree oven for 1-1 1/2 hours until crispy throughout (not soft in the middle). The bread may start to brown slightly, and that’s okay. This can be done up to a day ahead if needed. Store in a loosely covered bowl until ready to use.
- Sauté onions and celery in butter for about 10 minutes until soft, translucent, and starting to brown. Add herbs, salt, and pepper. Mix with 1 1/4 cups stock. Add to dry bread and let sit in the refrigerator overnight.
- When ready to bake, preheat oven to 375 degrees. Whisk together two large eggs and add 3/4 cup broth. Stir into bread mixture and add to a lightly greased casserole dish.
- Bake at 375 for 45-60 minutes until the top of the stuffing is lightly browned and crisp. Serve with all of the other Thanksgiving fixings!
2. Make-Ahead Stuffing from Culinary Hill
This recipe is based on Meggan Hill’s favorite (and wildly popular) bread stuffing recipe. It’s a great way to get a jump-start on the holiday!
Key Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup butter plus more for buttering baking dish
- 1 large yellow onion chopped
- 4 celery ribs sliced lengthwise and chopped
- 3 large eggs
- 2 cups chicken broth
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh sage minced, or ½ teaspoon dried
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme minced, or ½ teaspoon dried
- 1 teaspoon fresh marjoram minced, or ½ teaspoon dried
- 1 large loaf French bread about 1 pound, cut into 1/2″ cubes and dried overnight on the counter
Instructions:
- Coat a 9″ by 13″ baking dish with butter. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt butter until foaming. Add onion and celery and sauté until translucent, about 7 to 8 minutes.
- Meanwhile, whisk eggs in a large bowl. Stir in broth, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper.
- To the skillet, add parsley, sage, thyme, and marjoram and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Transfer to the bowl with eggs and mix well.
- Add bread cubes and toss to combine. Transfer to the buttered baking dish and cover with foil. Freeze until ready to bake.
- When ready to bake, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Keep stuffing tightly covered with foil and bake until mostly heated through, about 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake until crispy edges form, about 10 to 20 minutes longer.
Tips for Both Recipes:
- Use high-quality white bread for the best texture.
- Dry the bread out completely before adding it to the stuffing. This will help prevent it from becoming soggy.
- Don’t be afraid to experiment with different herbs and spices.
- Make sure to adjust the amount of broth you add based on the type of bread you use.
- You can make both of these recipes ahead of time and freeze them. Just thaw them in the refrigerator overnight before baking.
Additional Resources:
- For more Thanksgiving stuffing recipes, check out these resources:
- Call Me Betty: https://www.callmebetty.com/make-ahead-thanksgiving-stuffing/
- Culinary Hill: https://www.culinaryhill.com/make-ahead-stuffing/
- Allrecipes: https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/23712/make-ahead-stuffing/
- Food Network: https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/make-ahead-stuffing-3664702
- For tips on how to make the perfect Thanksgiving stuffing, check out these articles:
With these two make-ahead Thanksgiving stuffing recipes, you can have a delicious and stress-free holiday. So go ahead and give them a try!
Ingredient notes – tailored to your taste
Basic ingredients: toasted bread (Challah), onion, celery, seasonings, garlic, broth, butter, parsley. Optional: apples, water chestnuts, hotdogs, peppers.
Here are a few suggestions of variations and substitutes you can try.
Bread: Almost any kind of bread will do, including white, whole grain, French, Italian, and Challah (egg bread). There is no need to use stale bread as you’ll be drying and toasting it in the oven.
Veggie add-ins: I love to add water chestnuts for crunch and red bell peppers and parsley for color. Chopped mushrooms would also be great.
Hot dogs: I know this sounds weird, but it’s what my mother used to add a smoky taste. And it works. Use any hotdogs or cooked sausage you like. Leave them out for vegetarians or use veggie hot dogs.
Broth: This is used to moisten the stuffing. Chicken broth, turkey broth and vegetable broth – or stock – will all work well.
Fruits: I often add a diced, unpeeled apple just before baking for a hint of sweetness. Another option is 1/2 cup raisins or dried cranberries.
Seasonings: Sage, thyme, marjoram, rosemary, nutmeg, and black pepper are some of the herbs and spices that go into making poultry seasoning, which is what I associate with Thanksgiving stuffing flavors. Add red chili flakes for heat if you like. See the recipe notes for a substitute if you don’t have any poultry seasoning.
Butter: Butter adds additional flavor and richness, but if you’d prefer, you can use a neutral oil in its place.
(Eggs): Eggs are often used as a binder. I don’t use them. I add a bit of extra broth for moistness instead.
- According to the recipe, dry or toast the bread in the oven first.
- Gradually pour in the broth, allowing it to seep into the bread. In this manner, the stuffing won’t become overly moist (although it will dry out as it bakes).
- I like to bake the stuffing first and then add a splash of turkey drippings and juices. Or dot with butter. This creates a lovely browned crispy top.
- It’s best not to stuff the bird with the stuffing. It’s important to watch the timing because the meat can quickly overcook before the stuffing reaches a safe temperature.
- Cook add-ins before baking (except apples)
How to make this homemade stuffing recipe
Cut or tear bread slices into small pieces after toasting them in the oven on one or more large baking sheets. Or buy bread cubes for a shortcut.
Chop extras like parley, water chestnuts and hotdogs to add later if you like.
Sauté onions, celery, peppers and seasonings in butter (or oil) until soft and moisture is almost gone.
Combine bread cubes and the sautéed onion mixture in a bowl. Moisten with broth. Add the extras if using e. g. hotdogs, water chestnuts, parsley.
Spoon the stuffing mixture into a greased or buttered baking dish and bake until golden brown. Drizzle with turkey juices or butter before baking if desired.
- Purchasing plain toasted bread cubes, which are frequently sold in grocery stores during the holiday season, will save you the trouble of chopping, toasting, and tearing up the bread.
- I quickly chop the vegetables in a food processor.
- Since hot dogs are fully cooked, using them in place of sausage saves time. You can add that smoky flavor without taking the extra step.
- As usual, you can also use minced garlic from a jar or in frozen cubes.
- The stuffing can be made a few days in advance, covered tightly in the refrigerator, and baked the day it’s needed. Tip: To save space in the refrigerator, I frequently place the unbaked stuffing in zipper-lock bags. Just dump it into a greased casserole dish before baking.
- Before carving, I bake the stuffing while the turkey is resting.
- You can store leftover stuffing in the refrigerator for a few days. Reheat in the microwave or 325F oven covered.
How to Make a Day Ahead Turkey Stuffing
FAQ
Can you prepare uncooked stuffing ahead of time and refrigerate?
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