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Try our family recipe for flavorful, moist bread stuffing made with sautéed onions, celery, mushrooms, fresh herbs, and pan drippings. It's baked in a casserole but has that savory, baked-in-the-bird quality everyone craves.
A casserole filled with old fashioned bread stuffing fresh from the oven.

Table of contents

For many folks, stuffing is one of the best parts of a turkey dinner, so having a great go-to recipe for bread stuffing is key to a successful holiday meal. Our family recipe for bread stuffing is a real standout for its light, soft texture, making it a delicious alternative to some of the denser, drier versions you might have encountered in the past.

Notes From the MGC Kitchen

The secret to making stuffing that is flavorful and moist without being soggy lies in choosing the right type of bread and a careful balance of additional ingredients. Our recipe includes sautéed onions, celery, and mushrooms along with a trio of fresh herbs. This combo heightens the overall flavor and enhances the texture of the stuffing. The finishing touch is a drizzle of pan drippings or buttery broth to give it that savory, baked-in-the-bird quality.

Key Ingredients

Here’s an overview of the essential ingredients for this recipe, along with shopping tips, and possible substitutions. The complete ingredient list is in the recipe card below.

  • BREAD: Choosing the right type of bread is key to making stuffing with a moist, tender texture. We’ve found that firm white bread with a somewhat dense crumb and tender crust will absorb the moisture from the butter and eggs without getting soggy, and produce stuffing that is moist and tender. We generally use a mild sourdough sandwich bread from the grocery store bakery department and get consistently good results. Avoid bread that has a very soft or airy interior as it won’t produce the best results. You’ll need a one-pound loaf (about 14 slices), cut into 1/2-inch cubes. This yields about 4 to 5 cups, loosely packed. Note: There’s no need to remove the crust.
  • BUTTER: We do recommend using real, unsalted butter for stuffing, but we’ve found a very good brand of dairy-free butter made with avocado oil (Country Crock) that makes a good substitute. Just be mindful that it is salted, so you’ll want to be a little more careful with your seasoning.
  • ONIONS AND CELERY: Because they add both flavor and texture, diced onion and celery are essential to traditional bread stuffing. There is really no omitting or substituting these ingredients.
  • MUSHROOMS: We’ve modernized our family stuffing recipe by adding mushrooms to enhance both the flavor and texture. The quantity isn’t large enough for the mushroom flavor to predominate, but they do add an umami element that we feel makes a difference. They also give off a little bit of moisture which helps to maintain the stuffing’s texture. You can omit them if you don’t like mushrooms.
  • HERBS: Fresh parsley, sage, and thyme add a significant amount of flavor to the stuffing without being overpowering. Should you choose to use dried herbs in their place, make sure you reduce the quantity by 2/3 or your stuffing will be over-seasoned.
Bread stuffing ingredients laid out on a cutting board, beaten eggs and bread cubes on either side.

How to Make Traditional Bread Stuffing

Here’s a basic overview of how this dish is prepared. For detailed, step-by-step instructions and a complete ingredient list, please refer to the printable recipe card below.

PREPARE THE BREAD: Preheat the oven and grease a casserole dish with butter. Add the bread cubes to a colander, moisten them with water, then using your hands, gently squeeze them out as you would a sponge. Be sure not to skip this step. Moistening the bread before combining it with other ingredients adds to the soft, fluffy texture of this stuffing. Transfer the moistened bread to a mixing bowl, add the fresh herbs, and set aside. Be sure to read the recipe notes if you are substituting dried herbs.

SAUTÉ THE VEGETABLES: Melt the butter in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until soft and translucent, then add the celery, continue cooking for a couple of minutes, then add the mushrooms and sauté a few minutes longer. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

MAKE THE STUFFING: Add the sautéed vegetables to the mixing bowl with the bread and herbs. Using your hands, combine thoroughly, taste, and adjust the seasoning as needed before adding the eggs. Once the bread mix is seasoned to your liking, stir in the beaten eggs, combine well, and transfer it to the prepared casserole dish.

BAKE THE STUFFING: Cover the casserole with foil and bake for 45 minutes, then uncover and drizzle the top of the stuffing with pan drippings from your turkey. If you don’t have pan drippings available, heat 1/4 cup of chicken broth combined with a tablespoon of butter in the microwave until the butter melts. Whisk to combine and drizzle that over the stuffing instead. Return the stuffing to the oven and bake uncovered for an additional 10 minutes.

KEEP WARM (if needed): Remove the stuffing from the oven and replace the foil cover to keep it warm until you’re ready to serve. It should stay hot for up to 45 minutes, or you can keep it in a low oven (200°F) for up to 90 minutes.

Storage and Reheating Instructions

Leftover bread stuffing can be wrapped in foil and stored in the refrigerator for up to three days. If you plan to reheat it in the foil, spray it first with nonstick spray. If not, when ready to reheat, transfer it to an appropriately sized casserole dish. Before reheating drizzle the stuffing with a little water or chicken broth, cover (or rewrap the foil tightly), and bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until heated through.

Stuffing can also be frozen for 1 to 2 months. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator and reheat according to the instructions above.

A casserole of traditional bread stuffing with a spoonful being removed for serving.

Discover More Stuffing Recipes

While our old-fashioned family stuffing recipe is our go-to favorite to serve with traditionally roasted turkey or chicken, you may want to opt for a different flavor profile entirely. Our Savory Corn Bread Stuffing goes great with turkey, chicken, roast duck, and Cornish game hens, and our Italian Sausage and Herb Stuffing is delicious with poultry and roast pork.

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A casserole dish filled with old-fashioned bread stuffing.
4.67 from 6 votes

Old Fashioned Bread Stuffing

By Lynne Webb
Try our family recipe for flavorful, moist bread stuffing made with sautéed onions, celery, mushrooms, fresh herbs, and pan drippings. It's baked in a casserole but has that savory, baked-in-the-bird quality everyone craves.
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 1 hour 5 minutes
Total: 1 hour 25 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
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Ingredients

  • 1 loaf soft bread, cubed, 1 pound, (see notes below)
  • 1/2 cup chopped parsley, stems removed
  • 1/2 to 1 tablespoon fresh sage, finely chopped
  • 1/2 to 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, (see notes on dairy-free below)
  • 2 cups diced onion
  • 4 stalks celery, diced
  • 8 ounces mushrooms, chopped
  • 4 large eggs, lightly beaten
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1/4 cup pan drippings from roasted turkey , or 1/4 cup chicken broth whisked together with 1 tablespoon melted butter
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Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 1-1/2 to 2-quart casserole dish with butter.
  • Add the bread cubes to a colander, moisten them with water, then using your hands, gently squeeze them out as you would a sponge. Be sure not to skip this step. Moistening the bread before combining it with other ingredients adds to the soft, fluffy texture of this stuffing.
  • Transfer the moistened bread to a mixing bowl, break up large clumps with your fingers, then add the parsley, sage, and thyme (be sure to read the recipe notes if you are substituting dried herbs). Set aside.
  • Melt the butter in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until soft and translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the celery and continue cooking for 2 minutes longer, then add the mushrooms. Continue cooking for another 2 minutes, then season to taste with salt and pepper.
  • Add the sautéed vegetables, 3/4 teaspoon of salt (1/2 teaspoon if using salted butter), and a sprinkling of black pepper to the mixing bowl with the bread and herbs.
  • Using your hands, combine thoroughly, taste, and adjust the seasoning as needed before adding the raw eggs. Once the bread mix is seasoned to your liking, stir in the beaten eggs, combine well, and transfer it to the prepared casserole dish.
  • Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Remove the stuffing from the oven, uncover it, and drizzle the top with pan drippings from your turkey or the butter-broth mixture in the ingredient list. Return to the oven for 10 minutes, uncovered.
  • Remove from the oven and replace the foil cover to keep warm until served. It should stay hot for up to 45 minutes, or you can keep it in a low oven (200°F) for up to 90 minutes.

Notes

About the Bread
Choosing the right type of bread is key to making stuffing with a moist, tender texture. We’ve found that firm white bread with a somewhat dense crumb and tender crust will absorb the moisture from the butter and eggs without getting soggy, and produce stuffing that is moist and tender. We generally use a mild sourdough sandwich bread from the grocery store bakery department and get consistently good results.
Avoid bread that has a very soft or airy interior as they won’t hold up well. You’ll need a one-pound loaf (about 14 slices), cut into 1/2-inch cubes. This yields about 4 to 5 cups, loosely packed. Note: There’s no need to remove the crust.
Dairy-Free (Plant) Butter
We’ve found a good brand of dairy-free butter made with avocado oil (Country Crock) that makes a good substitute for real butter in this recipe. Just be mindful that it is salted, so you’ll want to be a little more careful with your seasoning.
Fresh vs. Dried Herbs
Should you choose to use dried herbs in their place, make sure you reduce the quantity by 2/3 or your stuffing will be over-seasoned.
 

Nutrition

Calories: 268kcal, Carbohydrates: 33g, Protein: 11g, Fat: 11g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Trans Fat: 0.3g, Cholesterol: 108mg, Sodium: 590mg, Potassium: 326mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 6g, Vitamin A: 738IU, Vitamin C: 10mg, Calcium: 114mg, Iron: 3mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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We’re Lynne and Erika, a mother-daughter duo passionate about creating recipes that bring flavor and variety to your kitchen in a simple, approachable way.

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4.67 from 6 votes (3 ratings without comment)

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9 Comments

  1. I made this stuffing to go with roast chicken and everyone loved it. I added some of the pan drippings at the end as instructed and it was just delicious and lighter than other stuffing recipes I’ve tried. Thanks.5 stars

    Reply

  2. I followed this recipe exactly, except that I baked it in a non-stick bread pan and served it in one-inch slices like my grandmother used to do. It was REALLY tasty. Thank you.5 stars

    Reply

  4. I do all that adding a lb of grated carrots and use Challah as the bread. I do use chicken broth to dampen my bread.  My family loves it. I also use olive oil in place of butter I must admit

    Reply

    1. Hi Stephanie,
      Thanks so much for sharing your recipe. I never thought to try Challah for stuffing, but it’s such a wonderful bread it has to be delicious. As for the carrots and olive oil, those are healthy choices I’ll have to try.

      Reply