Homemade Stuffing Recipe (2024)

Published: · Modified: by Lisa · This post may contain affiliate links, which means we make a small commission off items you purchase at no additional cost to you.

Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe

Don't let the holidays stress you out! Making dressing is a snap! This Homemade Stuffing Recipe (just like mom used to make) feeds 6 or can be easily doubled (or tripled) to feed a crowd!

this recipe

Raise your hand if you are hosting the holidays this year! Your search for the perfect Thanksgiving dressing recipe is over.

Any other stuffing lovers out there? Or is it dressing? Whatever you choose to call it, this Homemade Stuffing recipe with apples and sage is one of my favorite Thanksgiving side dishes!

To be honest, this recipe is so good we don't save it just for the holidays, I love to make it as a side dish with roasted chicken, too. Whenever I'm feeling a little nostalgic and want some comfort, this recipe makes an appearance on our table.

Jump to:
  • Why you will love this Homemade Stuffing
  • Ingredients
  • Instructions
  • FAQ
  • Make-Ahead Tips
  • More Holiday Side Dishes
  • Recipe

Why you will love this Homemade Stuffing

✘ This recipe is super forgiving and can easily be tailored to your personal preferences!

✘ The apples add just the right amount of sweetness not to mention great color!

✘ You can prep all of the components the day before and refrigerate until it is time to assemble.

✘ It's easy to double (or triple) the recipe for a large group.

Ingredients

Homemade Stuffing Recipe (2)

The ingredient list is pretty basic and made with easy-to-find items! If celery isn't your favorite, feel free to omit it. Are you a sage lover like me? Add a little more. It's easy to make it the way you love it!

Instructions

Homemade Stuffing Recipe (3)

Melt the butter in a large pan and add the chopped celery, onion, and apples. Sauté it until soft and onions are translucent and pour over bread cubes.

Homemade Stuffing Recipe (4)

Add seasonings and chicken broth and stir to combine.

Homemade Stuffing Recipe (5)

If you want crispy, browned bits around the edges, bake it a little longer. If you want it softer, simply add more chicken broth. This recipe is super forgiving and can easily be tailored to meet your taste.

FAQ

What is the difference between stuffing and dressing?

Stuffing is when it is cooked inside the bird and dressing is when it is baked separately. So technically this is dressing, but I always call it stuffing.

What is poultry seasoning?

It's a mix of seasonings that adds a rich, savory flavor to homemade stuffing. You can find it in the spice aisle of your grocery store or make your own Homemade Poultry Seasoning at home.

Can you fix soggy stuffing?

Is your stuffing a soggy mess? Don't despair, you can fix it! If you added too much moisture, it's easy to get it crispy. Simply spread the mixture on a baking sheet and bake until it is dried to the desired texture.

Homemade Stuffing Recipe (6)

Make-Ahead Tips

We all know that Thanksgiving cooking involves many different dishes and can be stressful. These make-ahead tips let you get the prep done the day before.

  1. Prepare the apple mixture ahead of time and refrigerate until ready to assemble.
  2. Place bread cubes and seasonings in a large bowl and set aside until ready to bake.
  3. Reheat apple mixture and toss with breadcrumbs.
Homemade Stuffing Recipe (7)

More Holiday Side Dishes

  • Easy Yeast Rolls for Beginners
  • Cornbread Stuffing recipe with Sausage
  • Homemade Cranberry Sauce
  • Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes
Did you make this recipe? We'd love to hear your thoughts! Please rate the recipe and leave a comment below. Your feedback helps us and your fellow readers! 

Recipe

Homemade Stuffing Recipe (12)

Homemade Stuffing Recipe

Garnish With Lemon

This Homemade Stuffing recipe filled with Apples and Sage can be prepped ahead of time and tastes just like your mom used to make! It will easily be your new go-to Thanksgiving side dish.

5 from 7 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins

Course Side Dishes

Cuisine American

Servings 6 servings

Calories 75 kcal

Ingredients

  • 12 oz Sage and Onion Stuffing Cubes
  • ½ cup butter
  • 2 apples, diced
  • 2 stalks celery, diced
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • 1-2 tablespoons sage
  • 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
  • salt and pepper
  • 2-3 cups chicken broth

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9 x 13" baking dish. Set aside.

  • Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add apples, celery, and onion. Cook for 10 minutes or until onions are soft.

    ½ cup butter, 2 apples,, 2 stalks celery,, 1 small onion,

  • Place bread cubes in a large bowl. Add apple mixture and toss to coat. Add seasonings and stir.

    12 oz Sage and Onion Stuffing Cubes, 1-2 tablespoons sage, 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning, salt and pepper

  • Add broth and stir to coat. Add enough for the bread cubes to be wet, but not soggy. Place bread mixture in prepared pan.

    2-3 cups chicken broth

  • Bake for 30-45 minutes or until desired brownness is reached.

Notes

If you can't find sage and onion bread cubes you can use plain too, just add an extra teaspoon of rubbed sage.

Make-Ahead Tips

  • You can prepare the apple mixture the day before. Cover tightly and refrigerate.
  • When ready to assemble stuffing, remove the apple mixture from the refrigerator and warm slightly to melt butter then combine with bread cubes and add chicken broth.

Cooking Tips

If you want crispy, browned bits around the edges, bake it a little longer. If you want it softer, simply add more chicken broth. This recipe is super forgiving and can easily be tailored to meet your taste.

How to Fix Soggy Stuffing

Is your stuffing a soggy mess? Don't despair, you can fix it! If you added too much moisture, it's easy to get it crispy. Simply spread the mixture on a baking sheet and bake until it is dried to the desired texture.

VIDEO

Nutrition

Serving: 1cupCalories: 75kcalCarbohydrates: 6gProtein: 2gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 42mgSodium: 162mgFiber: 1gSugar: 4g

Nutrition info not guaranteed to be accurate.

Did you make this recipe?Tag us on Instagram or leave a comment!

« Gin Martini Recipe

Cornbread Stuffing recipe with Sausage »

Homemade Stuffing Recipe (13)

About Lisa

Hi, I’m Lisa! Looking for the party? It’s probably at my house. Nothing brings me more joy than sharing good food with friends and family. That and a seriously good co*cktail.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Homemade Stuffing Recipe (14)Terri Grund says

    This is genius on so many levels including ...dare I say it ...portion control. And, you are stuffing the dressing into the muffin cups so I think the name is still politically correct!

    Reply

  2. Homemade Stuffing Recipe (15)Jocelyn @BruCrew Life says

    I love stuffing muffins!!! And I love the apple sage flavor combo in yours! YUM!!!

    Reply

  3. Homemade Stuffing Recipe (16)Sarah @ SnixyKitchen says

    Those crispy muffin stuffing cups sound amazing! Sage and apple are the best two parts of stuffing! Well, that and the crispy bits. Genius.

    Reply

  4. Homemade Stuffing Recipe (17)Anna @ Crunchy Creamy Sweet says

    I always make stuffing cups from leftover stuffing! Love them!

    Reply

  5. Homemade Stuffing Recipe (18)Jessica @ A Kitchen Addiction says

    What a great way to make stuffing! Crispy stuffing is the best!

    Reply

« Older Comments

Rate the Recipe, Leave a Comment or Share a Tip!

Homemade Stuffing Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is homemade stuffing made of? ›

The BEST traditional Thanksgiving Stuffing recipe is easy to make dried bread cubes, sausage, diced vegetables, and chicken broth. It's a great side dish to make ahead of time and it definitely tastes best homemade!

Is it better to make stuffing with fresh or dry bread? ›

Any attempts to make stuffing with soft, fresh baked bread will result in a bread soup with a soggy texture. Follow this tip: Stale, dried-out bread makes the best stuffing.

Is stuffing better with or without eggs? ›

It's a matter of preference, but adding a beaten egg to your stuffing mixture acts as a binder and keeps the bread moist.

How to make stuffing Gordon Ramsay? ›

Make the stuffing, melt butter in a large frying pan and gently sauté onion and garlic for five minutes until soft. Stir in the herbs for one minute then add breadcrumbs to absorb butter. Mix in zest, pine nuts and seasoning and cook over medium heat for about seven minutes until crumbs start to brown and crisp.

Is stuffing better moist or dry? ›

You want your stuffing moist but not soggy and certainly not dry. The bread in the stuffing absorbs moisture, but if it's dry (as it should be, see above), it takes some time for the liquid to settle in. I suggest adding a little at a time, say 1 cup of broth for every 4 cups of dry mix.

What is British stuffing made of? ›

Stuffing consists of a mixture of savoury ingredients such as breadcrumbs, herbs, fruit, nuts, sausagemeat and onion which are bound together with egg or liquid to form a semi-solid mixture. It is usually cooked with roast meat such as chicken, pork or lamb and is served as an accompaniment to the sliced, cooked meat.

Do you cook stuffing before you stuff? ›

Fully cook raw meat, poultry, or seafood ingredients before adding to stuffing. Combine the ingredients and place them in your bird immediately before cooking. Don't stuff whole poultry with cooked stuffing. In addition to the turkey, the stuffing's center needs to reach 165 F.

Is it better to make stuffing the night before? ›

The short answer to whether you can making stuffing ahead of time is yes. "Making stuffing ahead saves time, allows stove and oven space for other things, and making it ahead gives time for the flavor to fully develop," Chef David Tiner, Director at Louisiana Culinary Institute in Baton Rouge, tells Southern Living.

Why do people put eggs in their stuffing? ›

Broth: Chicken broth keeps the stuffing moist without making it soggy. Eggs: Two lightly beaten eggs help hold the dressing together and add moisture. Water: You can add a few tablespoons of water, if you'd like, to achieve your desired consistency.

What's the difference between stuffing and filling? ›

Although most people in America debate on whether the dish should be called stuffing or dressing the people of Pennsylvania call it filling. Essentially filling is the same as stuffing or dressing. The name suggests that it will fill something like stuffing does.

How to make stuffing for turkey Martha Stewart? ›

Preparation. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add apples, pears, onions and celery, and sauté until translucent and softened, about 10 minutes. To a large mixing bowl, add the fruit-aromatics mixture, cubed bread, eggs and Bell's seasoning, and mix to combine.

What is stuffing mostly made of? ›

Many American stuffings contain a starchy ingredient like bread or cereals, usually together with vegetables, ground meats, herbs and spices, and eggs. Middle Eastern vegetable stuffings may be based on seasoned rice, on minced meat, or a combination thereof. Other stuffings may contain only vegetables and herbs.

What is stuffing mix made of? ›

In a large bowl or large plastic food storage bag, combine ​breadcrumbs with dried parsley, minced onion, celery flakes, thyme, pepper, sage, and marjoram. To prepare stuffing, bring 1 1/4 cups of water or chicken broth and 3 tablespoons of butter to a boil.

What's the difference between stuffing and homemade dressing? ›

"Stuffing is cooked in the cavity of the turkey, so the juices soak into the ingredients, making it more flavorful. Dressing gets cooked on its own and needs extra liquid to make it flavorful." So stuffing is cooked inside the bird. Dressing is cooked outside the bird, usually in a casserole dish.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Laurine Ryan

Last Updated:

Views: 6138

Rating: 4.7 / 5 (57 voted)

Reviews: 80% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Laurine Ryan

Birthday: 1994-12-23

Address: Suite 751 871 Lissette Throughway, West Kittie, NH 41603

Phone: +2366831109631

Job: Sales Producer

Hobby: Creative writing, Motor sports, Do it yourself, Skateboarding, Coffee roasting, Calligraphy, Stand-up comedy

Introduction: My name is Laurine Ryan, I am a adorable, fair, graceful, spotless, gorgeous, homely, cooperative person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.