There’s nothing quite like that warm, buttery scent filling the kitchen when you’re making this Herb Butter Stuffing Recipe. It’s comfort food at its finest, full of fresh herbs and rich butter that come together perfectly to make every bite a cozy celebration.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
I’ve made countless stuffing recipes over the years, but this Herb Butter Stuffing Recipe always gets rave reviews at the dinner table. It’s the perfect balance of savory herbs, buttery richness, and that satisfying texture you want in stuffing. Plus, it’s surprisingly easy to customize and truly feels like a hug on a plate.
- Herb-Forward Flavor: The fresh sage, rosemary, and parsley pack a flavorful punch that makes every bite memorable.
- Buttery Goodness: Generous butter brings richness and moisture that keep the stuffing perfectly soft, not dry.
- Texture You’ll Crave: Cubed bread that's toasted or slightly stale creates the ideal base—crispy around the edges, tender inside.
- Make-Ahead Friendly: You can prep this recipe a day ahead, making your holiday prep less stressful without sacrificing taste.
Ingredients & Why They Work
This Herb Butter Stuffing Recipe relies on fresh, simple ingredients that complement each other beautifully. The key is quality bread and fresh herbs—their aromas really boost the dish. A good chicken or vegetable stock adds the right amount of moisture and subtle flavor to pull everything together.
- Bread cubes: Using toasted or stale bread helps the stuffing soak up flavors without getting soggy. I like mixing sourdough and Italian bread for a nice variety in texture.
- Unsalted butter: Makes it easy to control salt levels while adding rich, creamy depth.
- Sweet onion: Adds sweetness and balance to the savory herbs and butter.
- Celery: Provides a bit of crunch and fresh, herbal brightness.
- Garlic cloves: Bring warmth and extra flavor complexity.
- Kosher salt and pepper: Essential for seasoning, don’t be shy here to get that perfect taste.
- Fresh sage, parsley, rosemary: These herbs are the star players that fill the stuffing with that unmistakable, fresh-herb flavor.
- Chicken or vegetable stock: Moistens the bread and infuses it with savory depth.
- Eggs: Help bind everything so your stuffing holds together without drying out.
- Fresh herbs for sprinkling: Optional, but I love adding a little extra on top for color and fragrance.
Make It Your Way
One of the things I love most about this Herb Butter Stuffing Recipe is how easily you can make it your own. Whether you want to switch up the herbs or add in extras like toasted nuts or dried cranberries, it’s a flexible base that welcomes your creativity.
- Variation: I often swap half the chicken stock for mushroom broth to add a deeper, earthier flavor. It’s delicious and changes things up without losing that classic stuffing soul.
- Dietary modification: Use vegetable stock and olive oil instead of butter to make it vegetarian-friendly with still plenty of flavor.
- Texture twist: Add chopped cooked sausage or mushrooms for a heartier version perfect for crowd-pleasing holiday feasts.
Step-by-Step: How I Make Herb Butter Stuffing Recipe
Step 1: Prepare Your Bread Cubes
Start with about 18 to 24 ounces of bread, cubed. I usually use a combination of sourdough and Italian breads, cut into bite-sized cubes. You can let these cubes sit out overnight loosely covered to stale, or toast them in a 350°F oven until golden and crisp—about 15 minutes. Stale or toasted bread is key; fresh bread tends to get mushy when mixed with the wet ingredients.
Step 2: Sauté the Aromatics in Butter
Melt a cup of unsalted butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Toss in diced sweet onion, celery, and minced garlic, seasoning with kosher salt and black pepper (I usually add about a teaspoon of each here). Cook until softened and fragrant—eight to ten minutes works well. Then stir in those fresh chopped herbs: sage, parsley, and rosemary. Let everything mingle for another minute, then add 1 cup of your stock to deglaze the pan and bring it all together.
Step 3: Combine Everything in a Bowl
Pour the buttery vegetable and herb mixture over your bread cubes in a large bowl (this makes mixing easier). Toss well so each piece soaks up that flavorful goodness.
Step 4: Add the Stock and Eggs
In a separate small bowl, whisk together 1½ cups of stock and 2 eggs. Pour this evenly over the bread mixture and gently fold everything together until combined but not mushy. The eggs help bind the stuffing, while the liquid ensures it stays moist while baking.
Step 5: Bake to Perfection
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13 baking dish with melted butter or nonstick spray (I sometimes use a foil roasting pan when feeding a crowd). Spread the stuffing evenly in the dish. Bake uncovered for 45 to 50 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 160°F and the top is golden brown. If it starts to get too dark, tent loosely with foil to keep it moist.
Top Tip
From my experiments with this Herb Butter Stuffing Recipe, I’ve found a few tricks that really lift it beyond ordinary stuffing. These little details make a noticeable difference whether you’re serving a small family dinner or a big holiday feast.
- Mix Bread Types: Combining two kinds of bread (like sourdough and Italian) adds interesting texture and depth of flavor.
- Don’t Skip the Fresh Herbs: Dried herbs won’t give the same bright, vibrant taste—fresh is the way to go, even if it means a quick trip to your garden or farmers’ market.
- Control Moisture Carefully: Add the stock gradually; too much will make your stuffing soggy, too little will dry it out. It’s about balance!
- Let it Rest: Whether serving immediately or reheating, letting the stuffing rest outside the fridge for an hour before heating up helps it warm evenly.
How to Serve Herb Butter Stuffing Recipe
Garnishes
I love a sprinkle of extra fresh parsley or sage leaves on top right before serving. Not only does it brighten the dish visually, but those fresh herb notes make each bite pop even more. You can also scatter some toasted pecans or walnuts for an extra crunchy contrast.
Side Dishes
This Herb Butter Stuffing Recipe pairs beautifully with roasted turkey, baked ham, or even a simple roasted chicken. I usually serve it alongside green beans almondine or honey-glazed carrots for a vibrant, balanced meal.
Creative Ways to Present
For special occasions, I like to bake this stuffing inside hollowed-out acorn squash or individual ramekins for a rustic, charming presentation. It’s a real crowd-pleaser and makes the meal feel extra festive!
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
Leftover stuffing stores well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. When I have leftovers, I make sure to cool it completely before sealing to keep it fresh. The flavor actually seems to develop a little more overnight!
Freezing
I’ve frozen portions of this Herb Butter Stuffing Recipe wrapped tightly in foil and placed in freezer bags. It holds up well for up to 3 months. Just thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating or baking.
Reheating
To reheat, I like to warm stuffing covered with foil at 350°F until heated through—typically 20 to 30 minutes. This keeps it moist and prevents drying out. For leftover crispiness, I sometimes uncover it for the last 5 minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Absolutely! Using day-old or even slightly stale bread is ideal. It soaks up the butter and stock without becoming mushy, which is why many home cooks and chefs recommend it for stuffing recipes.
Fresh herbs are preferred for the bright, aromatic flavor, but if you only have dried herbs, use about one-third the amount and add them earlier in the cooking process to bloom their flavors. However, your stuffing won’t be as vibrant without fresh herbs.
Yes! Swap the unsalted butter for a plant-based margarine or olive oil and use vegetable stock instead of chicken stock. Skip the eggs or use a flaxseed egg substitute to keep it binding nicely.
Be sure to add enough stock to keep the bread moist but not soggy. Cover the dish with foil if it browns too quickly in the oven. Also, baking at 350°F rather than higher temperatures helps evenly cook the stuffing without drying it out.
Final Thoughts
This Herb Butter Stuffing Recipe holds a special place in my heart—not only because it’s a recipe I grew up with but because it never fails to bring smiles at the table. It’s deeply satisfying, simple in its ingredients, and endlessly adaptable to what you have at hand. I can’t recommend giving it a try enough, whether for a festive holiday or a comforting weeknight dinner. Trust me, once you make this, it’ll be a go-to that you’ll keep coming back to.
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Herb Butter Stuffing Recipe
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Low Lactose
Description
Our Favorite Buttery Herb Stuffing is a deliciously moist and flavorful side dish perfect for holiday meals or any special occasion. Made with toasted bread cubes, sautéed onions, celery, fresh garlic, and a blend of fresh sage, parsley, and rosemary, all combined with rich butter and chicken stock, this stuffing is baked to golden perfection. It's easy to prepare ahead of time, versatile enough to stuff a bird, and loved by many for its comforting herb-infused taste and perfect texture.
Ingredients
Bread
- 18 to 24 ounces bread cubes (about 12 to 14 cups), preferably toasted or stale
Vegetables and Herbs
- 3 cups diced sweet onion (roughly 2 large onions)
- 2 cups diced celery
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
Other Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- Kosher salt and pepper, to taste (about 1 teaspoon each for cooking)
- 2 ½ cups chicken or vegetable stock
- 2 large eggs
- A mixture of fresh herbs for sprinkling (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the bread cubes: Choose stale or toasted bread cubes for best texture. Cut 1 ½ pounds of bread into cubes and either let them sit overnight loosely covered with foil, toast them in the oven at 350 degrees F for about 15 minutes until crisp like croutons, or purchase ready-to-use toasted bread cubes. Use a mix of bread types if desired for texture.
- Preheat the oven and prepare the baking dish: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Brush a 9x13 baking dish (or larger pan as needed) with melted butter, olive oil, or use nonstick spray to prevent sticking. Place the bread cubes in a large mixing bowl or the baking dish itself.
- Sauté the vegetables and herbs: Melt 1 cup of unsalted butter in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add diced onion, celery, minced garlic, and season generously with kosher salt and black pepper (about 1 teaspoon each). Cook and stir until onions and celery soften, about 8 to 10 minutes.
- Add fresh herbs and stock: Stir in chopped sage, parsley, and rosemary; cook for an additional minute. Pour in 1 cup of chicken or vegetable stock and stir to combine.
- Combine vegetable mixture with bread cubes: Pour the sautéed vegetable and herb mixture over the bread cubes in the bowl. Toss gently to coat all the bread evenly.
- Mix eggs and remaining stock: In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the remaining 1 ½ cups of stock with 2 large eggs until blended.
- Combine everything: Pour the egg and stock mixture over the bread cubes and gently fold to thoroughly combine all ingredients.
- Bake the stuffing: Transfer the mixture into the prepared baking dish if not already there. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes at 350 degrees F until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees F and the top is golden brown. If the top is browning too quickly, tent with foil to prevent burning.
- Optional serving and reheating tips: You can prepare this stuffing a day ahead, cover, and refrigerate. Remove from fridge 60 minutes before reheating. This recipe can also be used to stuff poultry if desired.
- Adjust yield for serving sizes: To serve 4 people, halve the recipe and bake in an 8x8 or 9x9 inch dish for the same time. To serve 12 to 18 people, double the recipe and bake in a larger roasting pan or multiple 9x13 pans, increasing baking time by approximately 15 minutes.
Notes
- Using a combination of stale and fresh bread cubes adds great texture to the stuffing.
- Different types of bread like sourdough and Italian can be mixed for richer flavor and texture variety.
- Make sure your bread cubes are dry or toasted to avoid soggy stuffing.
- Adjust salt and pepper seasonings to your taste but be cautious if using salted butter or broth.
- Cover stuffing with foil if it browns too quickly while baking.
- This stuffing can be made a day in advance and reheated without losing flavor or moisture.
- Use fresh herbs for the best aromatic flavor, but dried herbs can be a substitute at one-third the quantity.
- Adding eggs helps bind the stuffing and keeps it moist inside but firm on top.
- For a vegetarian version, use vegetable stock instead of chicken stock.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 250 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 24 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg
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