Perfect Herb Stuffing
- PREP 15min
- COOK 50min
- TOTAL 1hrs 5min
We love this classic herb stuffing recipe made with bread! It is especially good served with chicken and turkey. This is an excellent Thanksgiving stuffing recipe. For the best stuffing, use our homemade garlic croutons. They are easy to make. If you do not wish to use croutons, tips are provided below the recipe for using plain bread.
You Will Need
8 ounces homemade garlic croutons (about 6 cups), see tips
4 tablespoons (57g) butter, plus more for baking dish
1 medium onion, finely chopped, 1 ½ cups
3 celery stalks, finely chopped, 1 ½ cups
2 garlic cloves, minced, 2 teaspoons
1 ¾ cups (415ml) chicken broth or veggie broth
1 teaspoon chopped thyme
1 teaspoon chopped sage
2 ½ tablespoons chopped parsley
1/8 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon to 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease a 1 ½ to 2-quart baking dish with butter.
Melt the butter in a large skillet (with a lid) over medium heat.
Stir in the onion, celery, and garlic. Cover with the lid and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes.
Pour in the broth and bring to a simmer.
Toss in the croutons, stirring around the pan to combine. Cook for 5 minutes.
Stir in the thyme, sage, parsley, and pepper. Taste, and then season with salt. Depending on the broth you have used, you may need to add 1/4 teaspoon to 1/2 teaspoon.
Spread the stuffing in the buttered baking dish, and bake uncovered for 40 minutes, or until the middle sets and the top turns golden brown and crisp. Rotate the stuffing halfway through baking.
Let stand on the counter for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- Homemade croutons: I love the garlic croutons, and they truly make this stuffing better. You can make the croutons up to two weeks in advance.
- Plain bread cubes: If you prefer plain bread cubes instead of garlic croutons, cut 8 ounces of crusty white bread into 1/2-inch cubes. We recommend tossing them onto a baking sheet and bake for 10 to 20 minutes in a 350°F oven. This short time in the oven will dry the bread, making it stand up better in the stuffing mixture. Remember, you will lose a bit of herb flavor when not using the croutons.
- Can you stuff this stuffing into a turkey? Yes, but we prefer not to when preparing a turkey. Stuffing the turkey can affect the overall cooking process. The heat takes longer to penetrate the cavity, and stuffing your turkey pretty much guarantees overcooked turkey meat. By cooking the stuffing separately, we guarantee we cook the turkey and stuffing perfectly without compromise.
- The nutrition facts provided below are estimates.