Description
Our Favorite Buttery Herb Stuffing is a classic, comforting dish featuring toasted bread cubes combined with sautéed onions, celery, garlic, and fresh herbs, all moistened with rich butter, eggs, and flavorful stock. Perfect as a holiday side or a hearty accompaniment, this stuffing has a rustic texture and deep herbaceous aromas that make it a beloved family favorite.
Ingredients
Scale
Bread
- 18 to 24 ounces bread cubes (1.5 loaves of bread, about 12 to 14 cups), preferably toasted or stale
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 3 cups diced sweet onion (roughly 2 large onions)
- 2 cups diced celery
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
Herbs
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
- A mixture of fresh herbs for sprinkling (optional)
Other Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- Kosher salt and pepper, to taste
- 2 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
- 2 large eggs
Instructions
- Prepare Bread Cubes: Choose your bread cubes by either cutting stale or fresh bread into cubes and letting them sit overnight loosely covered, toasting them in the oven at 350°F for about 15 minutes until crisp like croutons, or using store-bought toasted bread cubes. Mixing different types of breads such as sourdough and Italian can add great texture.
- Preheat and Prepare Baking Dish: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Brush a 9×13 inch baking dish (or larger as needed) with melted butter, olive oil, or use a nonstick spray to prevent sticking. Place the prepared bread cubes into a large mixing bowl or directly into the baking dish.
- Sauté Vegetables and Herbs: In a large skillet or Dutch oven, heat the unsalted butter over medium heat until melted. Add diced onion, celery, minced garlic, and season generously with kosher salt and pepper (about ½ to 1 teaspoon each). Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions and celery soften, about 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in fresh chopped sage, parsley, and rosemary, cooking for one more minute to release their flavors. Pour in 1 cup of stock and stir to combine.
- Combine Mixture with Bread Cubes: Pour the sautéed vegetable and herb mixture over the bread cubes and toss well to coat all the cubes evenly with the flavorful butter and stock mixture.
- Add Egg and Remaining Stock: In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the remaining 1 ½ cups of stock and the 2 large eggs. Pour this liquid mixture over the coated bread cubes and carefully fold everything together until the bread cubes are thoroughly moistened and combined.
- Bake the Stuffing: Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish if not already in it. Bake in the preheated oven for 45 to 50 minutes, until the top is golden brown and an internal temperature of 160°F is reached. If the stuffing is browning too quickly, tent loosely with foil to prevent burning.
- Make Ahead and Serving Tips: This stuffing can be made a day ahead and refrigerated. Remove it from the fridge about 60 minutes before reheating to bring to room temperature. It also works well as a stuffing inside a bird. For smaller portions (serves 4), halve the recipe and bake in an 8×8 or 9×9 inch dish for the same amount of time. For larger groups (12 to 18 people), double the recipe and bake in a large pan or two 9×13 dishes, extending baking time by about 15 minutes if necessary.
Notes
- This is the best stuffing recipe ever! Whether served as stuffing inside poultry or as a standalone side dish (dressing), its buttery herb and toasted bread flavors are absolutely incredible.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/8 of recipe (~1 cup)
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 400mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 6g
- Cholesterol: 70mg
