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

Scale

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 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
2 large eggs
A mixture of fresh herbs for sprinkling (optional)

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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