Thanksgiving Stuffing
Updated Oct 04, 2026
Thanksgiving stuffing made outside the turkey with sourdough bread, celery, onion, and fresh herbs. An easy stuffing with a crispy top and soft middle.
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I’ve made stuffing with a few different breads over the years, but sourdough is the one I like best. It has a little tang, and it can soak up plenty of broth without turning into mush. My Thanksgiving stuffing needs a soft middle and a really browned top. If there aren’t some crispy pieces around the edges, I’m disappointed. That crispy top is actually a big reason I stopped baking stuffing inside my Thanksgiving turkey.
Once I moved it to a baking dish, I also switched to vegetable broth and just kept it that way. This Thanksgiving stuffing recipe still gets plenty of flavor from the onions, celery, butter, and herbs, and the sourdough stays soft underneath while the top browns. I’ve never felt like it was missing anything without the turkey drippings.
Recipe testing notes
For the past 10 years, I’ve tested every recipe multiple times before sharing it! These notes give you a peek into my process of developing and testing.
I tested this stuffing recipe with day-old bread and with bread I dried completely in the oven, and the difference was bigger than I expected. The day-old bread was still soft enough that parts of it disappeared once the stock went in. The oven-dried cubes soaked up just as much, but I could still see and taste the pieces of bread after baking. That’s the texture I was after.
I also made it where I poured in all the stock at once. Bad idea. Some pieces grabbed way too much while others somehow stayed dry, and I spent the rest of the time trying to even it out. Adding it in a few rounds gave me a much more even batch, without that wet layer hiding at the bottom.
Happy Cooking!
– Yumna
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Thanksgiving Stuffing Ingredients
- Bread: I use sourdough and recommend buying a good artisan loaf for this recipe. You can also use a crusty baguette or French bread. Cut it into similar-sized cubes so they toast evenly.
- Vegetables and cooking fat: Onion, green onions, and celery cook in butter and olive oil to make the stuffing. Dice the onion and dice the celery small so you don’t end up with large, crunchy pieces between the bread cubes. Slice the green onions and set some aside for serving.
- Herbs: Fresh thyme, fresh parsley, and fresh sage. If you only have dried herbs, use ⅓ teaspoon dried thyme, 2 teaspoons dried parsley, and 1 teaspoon dried sage.
- Stock and seasoning: I like to make my own vegetable stock, but you can use store-bought. Choose a low-sodium option so you can better control the amount of salt in the recipe. You can also use chicken stock for a non-vegetarian stuffing recipe. I also add a splash of low-sodium soy sauce for extra flavor, but it’s optional.
How to Make Thanksgiving Stuffing
These step-by-step photos walk you through how to make Thanksgiving Stuffing. For the full ingredient list and detailed instructions, head to the recipe card below, or skip straight to the → Thanksgiving Stuffing recipe below
1. Spread out the bread cubes
Arrange the pieces in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet.
2. Toast until golden
Bake until the cubes are golden brown around the edges and the outside feels dry. Transfer them to a large mixing bowl.
3. Soften the vegetables
Once the butter melts into the olive oil, add the onion, celery, green onions, thyme, salt, and pepper. Stir occasionally until the onion and celery soften.
4. Combine bread & veggies
Add the cooked vegetables, parsley, and sage to the bowl. Slowly pour in the stock while gently mixing, allowing the bread to absorb it before stirring in the soy sauce.
5. Fill the baking dish
Spoon the mixture into the buttered dish and spread it evenly without pressing it down tightly.
6. Bake the stuffing
Bake until golden on top. Finish with more sliced green onions and serve.
Full Thanksgiving Stuffing Recipe
Thanksgiving Stuffing Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 loaf sourdough bread about 1 pound, cubed
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter plus more for pan
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion diced
- 3 celery stalks diced
- 4 green onions sliced, plus more for garnish
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme chopped
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons parsley chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh sage minced
- 3 cups vegetable or chicken stock
- 1 tablespoon reduced sodium soy sauce
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400˚F. Butter an 8 x 11-inch dish. Spread bread cubes on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and set aside in a large mixing bowl.
- Meanwhile, heat olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Once the butter melts, add onion, celery, green onions, thyme, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 8–10 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft. Transfer the vegetables to the bowl with the toasted bread cubes.
- Add parsley and sage to the bowl, then slowly stir in the vegetable stock, letting it absorb as you mix the stuffing. Once most of the liquid absorbs, stir in the soy sauce.
- Transfer the stuffing mixture to the prepared casserole dish and bake for 30 minutes. Garnish with more green onions and serve.
Equipment
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
Recipe Variations
- Mushrooms: Cook 8 ounces of sliced mushrooms separately until their released liquid evaporates, then fold them in with the vegetables.
- Apple: Add 1 small diced apple to the skillet with the onion and celery, cooking until softened.
- Dried cranberries: Fold in ½ cup with the parsley and sage for little sweet bites throughout the sourdough stuffing.
Recipe Tips
- Cut your veggies into small, uniform pieces. This way, they’ll cook evenly and finish at the same time.
- Let the stock soak in gradually. Pouring it all into one spot can leave some cubes soaked and others dry. Add it slowly while folding the mixture together.
- Mix gently. Once the bread is wet, repeated stirring can break it apart. Fold just enough to distribute the vegetables, herbs, and liquid.
- Let the stuffing sit before serving. I find that letting it sit for about 10 minutes before serving lets all the flavors develop and come together even more.
Serving Ideas
- Mains: I love to serve this stuffing on Thanksgiving with dry brined turkey breast, but it also goes well with rosemary roasted whole chicken or grilled flank steak.
- Salads: I always serve stuffing with something light like my kale salad with pears and candied walnuts, fall harvest salad, or butternut squash quinoa salad.
- Sides: To round out the table, I’d serve Parmesan crusted smashed sweet potatoes, roasted garlic mashed potatoes, or pan seared Brussel sprouts.
Troubleshooting
The bread may not have dried enough during toasting, or the stock may not have been evenly absorbed before baking. If the center is still too wet, continue baking uncovered. Loosely cover the top with foil if it’s already browned.
Bread varies in how much liquid it absorbs, especially with different sourdough loaves. Drizzle a little extra stock over the dry areas, starting with 2 tablespoons, then cover with foil and return it to the oven until warmed through and softened.
The dish may be too deep, or it may be sitting too close to the oven’s upper heating element. Move it to the middle rack and loosely cover it with foil while the center finishes heating.
You can prep the stuffing ingredients the day before. Toast your sourdough, chop your veggies, and sauté them. The day of, all you’ll have to do is mix everything together and bake.
Yes, if you want to cook the stuffing inside the turkey, follow the same instructions, but cook it inside the bird instead of a casserole dish.
Comments
In the recipe description it says to bake for 30 minutes but the recipe header says 15 min prep and 50 min cook time – can you please clarify how long to bake? Thank you!
Hi there! You bake the bread cubes for 20 minutes until golden brown for the first step of the recipe. After mixing all of the ingredients together, you then bake the prepared stuffing for 30 minutes in a baking dish. So there are 50 minutes of total cook time. Hope that provides clarity!
Tried it today and it turned out great. Way better than using a ready made box
So glad you like it, Happy Holidays!
I made the stuffing for Thanksgiving and wow, it was such a hit! The soy sauce was such a nice touch to this dish too. I also added chopped carrots for an extra veggie. My father is picky with stuffing and he went in for seconds! Thank you so much for this recipe. I look forward to making it again!!
That is incredible! Sounds perfect. Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving!