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Friday, November 15, 2024

The Best Thanksgiving Stuffing/Dressing

The Best Thanksgiving Stuffing

This is the best Thanksgiving dinner stuffing/dressing recipe you’ll ever taste! It’s one of my favorite Thanksgiving side dishes, and my mother-in-law’s recipe makes it even more special to our family. As we get close to the Thanksgiving holiday and meal preparation, I wanted to update this post so it’s fresh on my readers’ minds.

It’s easy to make with the most simple ingredients you probably already have at home. You may have to dry some bread cubes, but you understand. The flavor is not too strong; every family member loves this recipe. Yes, some of the grandkids still want Stovetop Stuffing, which also tastes good.

This classic recipe is great because you know what’s in your homemade dish. There are no preservatives, just delicious ingredients, including herbs, mixed and baked.

Thank you, Leanne, for explaining why we call this Thanksgiving dish, stuffing, or dressing. In the olden days, people stuffed a little stuffing in the turkey cavity, not realizing it may not be safe to consume. So, now we bake our stuffing, aka dressing, in a baking dish.

The Best Thanksgiving Stuffing/Dressing

The Best Thanksgiving Stuffing/Dressing

Ingredients

  • Butter helps prevent the stuffing from crumbling and the chicken broth from evaporating, creating moist, soft, and fluffy Thanksgiving stuffing. Some cooks use unsalted butter, but I prefer salted sweet cream butter for most of my recipes.
  • Onion: Both white and yellow onions have a distinct spicy flavor that adds much to a savory soup, casserole, or side dish. White onions are a bit stronger and more intense in flavor than yellow onions.
  • Celery: Refreshingly crisp, light, and delicious! It is high in antioxidants, and the fiber in celery is great for the digestive and cardiovascular systems.
  • Chicken Broth is a poultry seasoning made by simmering water with meat and bones for a short time. It has a light, luscious chicken flavor works perfectly in soups and casseroles.
  • Salt: Salt is used to help enhance the flavors of the other ingredients.
  • Pepper: Pepper adds flavor and helps bring all the flavors together.
  • Rubbed Sage: Dried whole sage leaves are rubbed together to create a light and fluffy mixture, whereas ground sage is finely ground dried sage leaves. Like other herbs and spices, ensure you use fresh sage and that the “use by” date hasn’t been reached.
  • Bread Cubes: Delicious bread sliced, cubed, and dried to be used in various dishes.

Kitchen Items You May Need:

The Best Thanksgiving Stuffing/Dressing

Step One: Gather the Ingredients

I gathered the ingredients and then sautéed the vegetables before I took a picture of all the ingredients. I’m just giving you the heads-up here.

Thanksgiving Stuffing Ingredients

Step Two: Sauté the Vegetables

This recipe is so easy to make, and the happy memories flood in when you melt the butter and then add the chopped celery and onions to a large skillet or, in my case, a 6-quart saucepan. Do this over medium-high heat.

Sauté the Vegetables

Add the Seasonings

Oh my gosh, when you add the rubbed sage, it smells so good. I wish we could have Thanksgiving together and cook in the kitchen as friends. I love hearing about your Thanksgiving traditions, so please share your thoughts.

What’s nice about making a classic or traditional stuffing recipe is deciding how much salt and other seasonings to add.

Add the Seasonings

Simmer Until Slightly Cooked

Simmer the vegetables until tender but still a little crunchy.

Simmer Until Slightly Cooked

Step Three: Add the Dry Bread Cubes

Turn off the stove’s heat. Add the dry bread cubes to the vegetables in the pan. Some people call this stale bread, but you get the drift either way.

Add the Bread Cubes

Step Four: Add the Chicken Broth

Now, add the chicken broth, which the dried bread cubes will absorb. I don’t use chicken stock. Stock is a thicker liquid, whereas chicken broth is a thinner and more flavorful liquid, which is what we are going for.

Add The Broth

Mix Thoroughly

Then, I used a Danish whisk to fold all the ingredients together.

Mix Thoroughly

Step Five: Scoop Mixture into a Greased Casserole Dish

Now, scoop the mixture into your greased baking dish and cover it with foil before you place it in the preheated oven.

Scoop Into The Baking Pan

Step Six: Bake Covered (350°F) = (176°C) degrees 

Bake covered with foil at (350°F) = (176°C) degrees for about 45 minutes or until heated through and golden brown.

Bake Until Heated Through

Finished Product:

The Best Thanksgiving Stuffing

The Best Thanksgiving Stuffing/Dressing Recipe

The Best Thanksgiving Stuffing
Print

Loosli Family Thanksgiving Turkey Stuffing/Dressing

Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 8 people
Author Linda Loosli

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup oleo (I use butter – you can tell this is a really old recipe now)
  • 1/2 cup chopped onion
  • 3/4 cups chopped celery
  • 1-1/2 14-ounce cans of chicken broth
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 3/4 teaspoons RUBBED ground sage
  • 6 cups dried bread cubes
  • Giblets (chopped (optional), I never use them

Instructions

  • Gather all of your ingredients.
  • Sauté the onion, celery, giblets, salt, pepper, and sage in a small skillet in the butter.
  • Combine this mixture with the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl. (I just added the bread cubes and broth to the saucepan).
  • Add one-quart broth, add more liquid if the mixture is too dry. You don't want it soupy. I used 1-1/2 quarts, it will always depend on the kind of bread you use.
  • Bake covered in a greased pan at (350°F) = (176°C) degrees for 30-45 minutes, or until heated through. I have cooked this in my slow cooker on low as well.

What breads can I use to make the dried bread cubes for the best Thanksgiving stuffing?

I usually buy store-bought dried bread cubes to make the stuffing/dressing. I used to make my own when my daughters were younger, but now I’m all about simplifying!

If you want to make bread cubes, I recommend using French or sourdough bread. Many Southerners use cornbread in their stuffing and call it cornbread dressing, but I’ve never tried that.

It’s really simple to make your bread cubes for stuffing. Start by cutting up the loaf of bread you have chosen into the desired size of cubes. Spread the bread cubes in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet.

Then, leave it on your counter and allow it to dry at room temperature for a couple of days. If you’re short on time, you can bake the bread cubes at 225 degrees for about 30 minutes or until the bread has dried to the texture you like.

This stuffing shouldn’t have too many calories, as you try to enjoy all the foods generally prepared during this holiday. Adding some turkey to the meal will provide the protein you need.

What dried or fresh herbs can I use for the best Thanksgiving stuffing/dressing?

I love the flavor of the rubbed sage, which smells and tastes unbelievable in this homemade stuffing recipe. Some cooks add extra black pepper for a unique flavor option.

If you want to try a different herb or variation, I recommend thyme, rosemary, or fresh parsley. Another unique addition some people like is to put sausage in this stuffing. I’d cook it first to ensure it’s properly cooked through. Eggs are sometimes added, too. Just stir in cooked eggs as you add the various ingredients together.

What pairs well with Thanksgiving stuffing?

Do you love this Thanksgiving recipe? Check out some of my other favorites!

My Thanksgiving Tip for the Best Thanksgiving Stuffing!

I’ve done this for years. Laminate your recipes and grab some cookie sheets. Place all of the measured ingredients on each cookie sheet so those who are helping with the meal can easily make each recipe.

Organize Your Recipes

Final Word

Please let me know if you try my best Thanksgiving stuffing recipe! Something is amazing about the flavors of the chicken broth, rubbed sage, butter, bread cubes, onion, celery, salt, and pepper, all coming together to create the most delicious stuffing/dressing recipe!

It is perfect for a Thanksgiving feast or Christmas dinner! I hope you and your family enjoy your time together, creating memories and traditions, whether new or old! May God Bless this World, Linda.

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