Grandma’s Old Fashioned Bread Stuffing
This is the best stuffing recipe, very likely the same one your grandma used to make. Made with milk, turkey stock, onions, celery and herbs, this family recipe is the quintessential side dish for Thanksgiving.
“I have been searching for a recipe like this for years. Family members loved this! Thanks for your version which helped me figure out my grandmother’s.”
—Pat
“I ran across your Grandma Mary Ellen’s stuffing recipe last year and what a hit it was!! Thank you!! I too have been searching for a recipe similar to my Grandmother’s and your recipe is spot on!”
—Mary
This is the BEST Stuffing Recipe
You know how you hear about people taking recipes to their grave? My husband’s grandma seriously did that with her Thanksgiving bread stuffing. The only detail she ever gave us was “well, I just soak the bread in milk, really.”
It was the best turkey stuffing in the whole wide world, and I consider myself a stuffing aficionado. It had a simple, comforting flavor and was just perfect in every way.
So, ever since Mary Ellen passed, it’s been my mission to try to recreate this recipe. Using flavor memories and reader comment and e-mails since I first published this recipe in 2014, I’ve been able to get it super close to the original.
The recipe card below reflects ten years of work, and dozens of tests. The recipe in the card below will yield you a delicious old fashioned bread stuffing to serve alongside your Thanksgiving turkey, I guarantee it.
Why you will love Grandma’s Old Fashioned Dressing
- This is a treasured family recipe that is very similar to what many people in the Midwest grew up eating at their own grandma’s table.
- There’s an option to use those giblets that come with your turkey, for extra flavor – or not.
- Make this a day or two before the holiday and bake it before dinner. I do this every year!
What is stuffing?
Stuffing, also known as dressing, is a quintessential part of holiday feasts, specially where turkey is served. It’s a mixture of cubed bread, vegetables, and seasonings, and it produces a very comforting blend of flavors and textures.
Technically, it’s called “stuffing” when it gets stuffed into the bird, and “dressing” when its cooked in a separate baking dish.
But, since you tend to have to overcook the turkey to make sure the stuffing reaches a safe temperature, we just cook ours in a baking dish, but we’ve always still called it stuffing.
Homemade Stuffing Recipe Ingredients
- hearty white sliced bread – this is the sturdy bread base that will absorb all the flavors. I usually use Pepperidge Farm Farmhouse Hearty White sliced bread or something similar.
- unseasoned cubed stuffing (the dried cubes in a bag) – these add an additional textural element to the dish. I usually use Brownberry Premium Unseasoned Cubed Stuffing or something similar.
- whole milk – this adds a creamy richness (and moisture) to the bread stuffing.
- eggs – these act as a binding agent, ensuring that the stuffing holds together as it bakes.
- turkey stock – infuses the stuffing with the essence of roasted turkey. If you can’t find turkey stock, chicken stock works, too!
- butter – it’s not Grandma’s stuffing without plenty of butter to make it irresistible!
- onion, celery, garlic – these aromatic ingredients add layers of complexity and depth of flavor.
- poultry seasoning, dried sage, salt and pepper – these seasonings add the perfect balance of savory and herbal notes to every bite. Yes, there is sage in poultry seasoning, but we use extra sage, too!
- giblets from 1 turkey (OPTIONAL) – you can use everything exept the neck, if you want to. These are optional but add a ton of flavor to the stuffing.
Best bread for stuffing
The flavors of Mary Ellen’s stuffing were pretty easy to figure out (leaning on sage, butter, onion and celery). But figuring out the what type of bread to use has been much harder.
At one point, I believe Mary Ellen mentioned that she soaked white bread in milk, and then wrung it out. I’ve tried that several times, but the bread simply falls apart in my hands.
I’ve also tried making this turkey stuffing recipe with ALL toasted white bread, or ALL dried stuffing cubes. It’s fine both of those ways, but this BEST EVER version uses a combination of both.
The combination of fresh white bread (torn by hand, and then toasted in the oven), and a bag of dried stuffing cubes, creates the best flavor and texture for old fashioned bread stuffing.
How to Make Stuffing
- SOAK. If you’re using the optional giblets, put them in a bowl with some milk and let them soak at room temperature for 15 minutes or so. This mellows the intense flavor of the giblets a little bit.
- TOAST. Divide the torn white bread between 2 baking pans and bake it for 12 to 15 minutes or until it’s lightly toasted and crisp.
- COMBINE. Toss the cubed stuffing with beaten eggs, stock and milk.
- MELT. Melt one stick of butter, and spray a casserole dish with cooking spray.
- CHOP. If you’re using the giblets, remove them from the milk and chop them up.
- SAUTE. Start by sauteeing the giblets in butter, if you are using the giblets, or skip straight to sauteeing the onion, celery and garlic. Add the salt, pepper, poultry seasoning and sage.
- ADD. Put the toasted white bread, the melted butter, and the sauteed vegetables and/or giblets in the bowl with the cubed stuffing, and stir everything together.
- BAKE. Transfer the mixture to a baking dish and bake it 45 minutes (start covered and then uncover), until the top is golden brown.
How to dry out bread for stuffing
I take the quick route and dry my bread in the oven (350 degrees F for 12 to 15 minutes).
You can also allow the torn bread to air-dry for a few days by simply leaving it uncovered in your kitchen, but I think drying it in the oven really gives you the best texture in the end.
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How long to bake stuffing
Bake the stuffing at 350 degrees F for about 45 minutes or until the top of the stuffing is golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.
Home Chef Tips for This Traditional Stuffing Recipe
- To enhance the homemade flavor, use homemade turkey stock made with lots of aromatic vegetables and herbs.
- For a vegetarian stuffing, use homemade vegetable stock, and omit the giblets, of course.
- Feel free to make additions! Sometimes I’ll add a chopped apple or some sausage to this stuffing for even more flavor.
How to Serve This Bread Stuffing Recipe
Serve this bread stuffing for Thanksgiving or Christmas alongside a showstopping main dish, lots of side dishes, and some beautiful desserts.
More Sides
Bread Stuffing Storage
- MAKE AHEAD. You can fully assemble this stuffing in advance, through the beginning of step 9 in the recipe card below. Cover and refrigerate up to 2 days. When you’re ready to bake the stuffing, remove it from the refrigerator and allow it to come to room temperature for 1 hour before baking according to the directions below.
- LEFTOVERS. Any cooked, leftover stuffing can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Classic Stuffing Recipe FAQs
To achieve a crispy-topped stuffing, make sure you remove the foil from the baking dish for the final 15 minutes of baking time.
Stuffing should be covered for the majority of the baking time to ensure even cooking and a moist texture, but the foil should be removed for the final 15 minutes of the bake so that you can get a golden brown, crispy top.
To maintain moisture, make sure you use as much liquid as the recipe calls for below, and don’t skimp on the butter!
To avoid a mushy texture, make sure your white bread is dried and toasted enough before you add liquid to it. You want the torn bread to be baked nice and crisp before you use it for this homemade stuffing recipe.
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Does your family have a stuffing or dressing recipe similar to Mary Ellen’s? I’d love to hear about it in the comments below!
Classic Stuffing Recipe
Ingredients
- Giblets from 1 turkey except the neck (optional)
- 1 ¼ cups whole milk plus 1 additional cup if using giblets divided
- 1 loaf hearty white sliced bread, torn into small pieces 24 ounces
- 2 eggs
- 1 bag unseasoned cubed stuffing (the dried cubes in a bag) 12 ounces
- 4 cups turkey stock
- 10 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
- Nonstick cooking spray
- 1 medium white onion finely chopped
- 1 ½ cups finely chopped celery
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- Kosher salt and ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
- 1 ½ teaspoons dried sage
Instructions
- If using giblets, place giblets and 1 cup milk in medium bowl. Let stand at room temperature at least 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Divide torn white bread between 2 rimmed baking pans. Transfer to oven and bake 12 to 15 minutes or until crisp. Set toasted bread aside; leave oven on at 350 degrees F.
- Meanwhile, place eggs in large bowl and whisk until smooth. Add cubed stuffing, stock and remaining 1-1/4 cups milk; toss to combine.
- Melt 8 tablespoons butter in small pot or microwave-safe dish.
- Spray large casserole dish with cooking spray. If using giblets, proceed with Step 6 and then 8-9. If NOT using giblets, proceed with Steps 7-9.
- If using giblets, remove giblets from milk; discard milk. Finely chop giblets. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons butter in large skillet over medium heat. Add chopped giblets and cook 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Add onion, celery and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cook 5 to 7 minutes or until vegetables are softened, stirring occasionally. Add poultry seasoning and sage; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.
- If not using giblets, heat remaining 2 tablespoons butter in large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, celery and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cook 5 to 7 minutes or until vegetables are softened, stirring occasionally. Add poultry seasoning and sage; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.
- Add toasted white bread, melted butter and onion mixture to bowl with cubed stuffing and milk. Stir for 1 minute or until toasted bread is very well moistened.
- Transfer mixture to prepared baking dish and cover with foil. Transfer to oven and bake 30 minutes. Remove foil; bake 15 minutes longer or until the top of the stuffing is golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.
Video
Notes
- To enhance the homemade flavor, use homemade turkey stock made with lots of aromatic vegetables and herbs.
- For a vegetarian stuffing, using homemade vegetable stock, and omit the giblets, of course.
- Feel free to make additions! Sometimes I’ll add a chopped apple or some sausage to this stuffing for even more flavor.
I made the old fashioned dressing, my grandma made it and so do I, it’s great. I use chicken stock an save the turkey lefties for gravy.
The “turkey lefties”! I love that so much. Happy Thanksgiving, Bonnie.
I still make my grandma’s bread dressing. Where mine is similar to yours there are some differences.
I use white bread that has been left out to stale for 5-6 days. It is then dipped in milk and chopped up
I boil the onions and use both onions and onion juice
I also boil a turkey part. Grandma and mom used the heart liver and giblets. I just buy a turkey thigh and boil it. I use the turkey broth as well
From there it is all by taste. Salt and poultry seasoning.
I have so many good memories learning to make this traditional dressing from my Mom’s family.
Yours sounds delicious as well, Pam! I agree, it’s mostly just from taste and memory, as much as I TRY to write down a specific recipe to share with others.
This is a classic recipe, the only difference is that my mom and grandma only use Kaiser rolls, not the bagged stuff . I was baffled to see both kinds of bread and thought it might be too much .
Most of my recipe is the same. I make enough for 2 9×12 pans. At the end I add 1 cup of leftover mashed potatoes, not too creamy, and mix into the stuffing before panning. Can use instant mashed potatoes also. Thanks for all the tips.
So interesting, Kay! I’ve heard of adding mashed potatoes to stuffing, but haven’t tried it myself. Thank you for the tips!
I was talking with a friend of mine about old stuffing recipes and we both have family recipes that have you wet slices of white bread and then crumple them in your fist, to wring it out. Basically, we swipe it under the faucet and crumple in one hand. It seems maybe your relative soaked in milk instead, then wrung it out similarly. A small casserole calls for two large loaves like this. Just wanted to put that out there in case you hadn’t come across this technique.
Our recipe, an old German one, had you cut bacon in smaller pieces, fry – then cook onions and celery in the grease. Add salt, pepper, thyme (some people also add apples) and then toss the crumpled bread into the mix, scramble an egg and work out through the mix with your hands, then transfer to casserole dish.
I fully approve of the addition of bacon! haha. I hope you had a nice Thanksgiving, Amanda.
I make what my grandmothers and mother referred to as “milk stuffing” I grind ( in an old fashioned grinder) giblets, a large potato, an apple, an onion & a couple ribs of celery. That whole thing is cooked on the stovetop in a bit of butter.
I dry white bread( or use stale white bread that has been dried out), then crush it with a rolling pin.
The cooked mixture is mixed with the bread crumbs, seasoned with fresh herbs or dried poultry seasoning depending on what you have on hand.
Milk is the principle source of moisture, although I have started to partially use chicken stock to lighten it up a bit.
It is truly a very dense “stuffing”, even though I started cooking it outside the bird many years ago.
I have never had a written recipe. Sight, smell & texture are the main indicators.
I have made it this way for 50+ years.
As a Midwesterner, (North Dakota & Minnesota) we always used the giblets.
(Maybe it’s the Scandinavian influence).
Giblets are key to a flavorful stuffing, for sure! I have never heard of a stuffing with potatoes in it, but it sounds so rich and comforting.
Ours is pretty much the same but no celery and we use day old french bread. Tear off chunks of the bread, dip in water and squeeze it out. We add just a small amount. (1/8 lb) of ground meat for texture and add about 1/4 cup milk, 1 egg, 1/4 cup oil, chopped onion and seasoning to your liking. My Mom always said to add plenty of pepper for taste. Mix everything together well, just like when you’re making meatloaf.
I agree with your mom, Jane. PLENTY of pepper, always! I hope you had a great Thanksgiving.
Thanks for this posting; lost my father’s recipe in a fire a couple years back; just doing it from memory, but wasn’t sure about how much celery to use. It was the white bread, 2 loaves, celery, and onion, additionally chopped walnuts and cooked ham, chopped. I didn’t remember sautéing that in the melted butter, I think we just added marjoram, sage, and S&P; Thanks!
Thanks so much for stopping by, Sharyn. Walnuts in stuffing sounds yummy!
Not sure if it helps but my grandma and mom used to have us kids tear the bread by hand then they left it to stale on it’s on overnight before soaking it.
Tearing it by hand seems key to success! Thanks for stopping by, Wes!
Sounds so much like my Grandmother’s recipe. She always put raisins in hers though. It was a great offset to the sage. I was hoping to find her exact recipe online, Wish I could find her old recipe box. There were so many delicious recipes in it. I may try this one, add the raisins and see what happens!
Thank you for sharing, Summer! I could go for some raisins in stuffing, but I’m not sure I could convince the rest of my family. LOL.
Sounds almost identical to my mom’s recipe. She passed away when I was 15, and I was not really interested in cooking, just eating! However, I do have her recipe and make it religiously every Thanksgiving and Christmas. Her mom was from Autstria and I remember her turkey stuffing and “Bacon and Egg Bread” for Easter were my 2 favorites! I am so happy that my grandkids always go for this stuffing first thing on Thanksgiving, and this year my 10 yr old granddaughter is begging to make the stuffing with me (she doesn’t need to beg, believe me – I am thrilled!!) My mom’s recipe (she would be 111 years old now!) is: 1 loaf of bread, 1 1/2 C celery, 1/2 c chopped onion, 1 teaspoon salt, dash pepper, 1 1/2 teaspoon sage, 1 cube butter, 3 eggs. She left the bread out a day or two and ran it under water briefly and would squeeze the pieces of bread – I remember her telling someone that it was how much water you squeeze out that makes or breaks the stuffing. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!!
Thank you for sharing your mom’s recipe, Sherry! Running it under water is so interesting. I hope you had a great Thanksgiving.
Thank you for sharing your recipe. I have been making the old fashioned stuffing for over thirty years now. I learned from my mother. The best bread that I have found is a french bread style bread I use it from Sams or walmart from the bakery it is the long sub sandwich bread. I slice it a couple days before and let it dry out. I tried once the cubes and did not taste the same. Then I put the bread in a bowl add my seasoning sage, salt, pepper, and poultry seasoning with two eggs. I then pour warm milk over the bread not too much and put a plate over it for weight to help soak in. Meanwhile I grind the giblets then start frying them with the celery and onions and one stick of butter. When the giblets are done like I pour the hot mixture over my bread. . Let it rest a second it might be too hot. If it seems dry you add a little more milk. If it seems soggy I have always slice bread on th.e side that I add to get the perfect mixture. I do not have a recipe
Thank you for sharing your recipe, Monica. It sounds delicious!
Oh, we call it stuffing, because we stuff the bird. We also make extra in a casserole dish. This I have nowhere near mastered. I think when I make it in a casserole dish, it needs to be a bit more wet going in. Never really sure how long to cook it for either. No recipe, so trial and error.
And I only use white bread….
and Yes, my mom’s (and grandmom’s) stuffing recipe, is my all time favorite food! I simply loved her stuffing!
I also forgot to add the memories that go along with making stuffing. When we were kids, the whole family got involved. We would watch Charlie Brown on TV while breaking bread, and when mixing, we would add ingredients as my mom mixed. My dad would sometimes help make the stuffing. One year there was a huge food fight while making it! Talk about comfort food!
So, my mom has shared her “recipe” with us since we were kids. I put recipe in quotes, because she didn’t have an actual recipe! It went by taste (yes taste), texture, and color! My mom has now passed, but not before she approved of my recreations. How fortunate am I that my mother in law makes her stuffing very similar to my mom’s! BUT, she doesn’t have it written down either! (insert face palm emoji here!)
We tear bread by hand into small pieces, let it sit out over night a couple of nights to get it stale. We do not cook/toast it, nor do we ever buy the cubed bread! LOL
When ready to prepare the stuffing, we add water and milk to the bread, adding bread and water (I now use broth/stock instead of water) until all the bread is added. Then we add egg, some seasoning (Poultry seasoning…. well I’ll keep those details to myself LOL) and mix with our hands. (much like you do when making meatballs). You will continue to add a little MILK, and broth/stock/water as needed to keep moist. In recent years I have not added the milk, but coming across your recipe, I think I’ll add it back in this year. But basically just keep adding and mixing til the texture is where it should be. Not too wet, but definitely not too dry. It will usually stick to your fingers. I also go by color, it shouldn’t be too dark, and you should be able to taste the seasonings, but it should be kind of faint.
If too flavorful when raw, it will be WAY to strong once cooked. You will also saute celery & onion in butter and add that to your mixture. Oh and salt! Don’t forget the salt. (Oh sorry I didn’t tell you what spices.) Anyway, I’m still trying to perfect this stuffing, which is how I happened on your recipe. Part of the reason for my comment, is that maybe your Grandma in law did not actually SOAK the bread in milk, but wet the bread with milk…. just a thought you may want to try. Its funny how people want to keep their recipes secret…. me I just shared it with my daughter’s boyfriend’s mom and the clerk at my post office. I’m proud of my mom’s recipe! (Poultry seasoning, ground marjoram, celery seed, thyme leaves, salt, pepper, celery & onion, butter, eggs, milk, water/stock/broth.)
Happy Thanksgiving!
Thank you for this info, Kathy! I think you’re right about not actually soaking the bread in milk, but rather just wetting it. I took it too literally at first!
I loved my Mother’s stuffing , it was delicious. I never got her recipe before she passed away. like you I have tried to duplicate it over the years without success. I know she used stale cornbread and fresh baked biscuits that had been left to cool completely, chicken broth, celery and onions that have been sauteed in butter, 1 or 2 eggs and of course sage, salt and pepper. She also added the dried poultry seasoning. I just don’t know how much of each. I came across Paula Dean’s recipe where she uses a sleeve of soda crackers. I thought that’s different so I made her recipe and really liked it so much I decided to stay with it. ( Oh, by the way I was raised to think dressing is for salads and stuffing is for turkeys or other birds., Whether its cooked in the bird or separately. Good luck on your quest.)
I am so intrigued by the combination of cornbread and biscuits in your mom’s recipe, Nella! That sounds so amazing. Thank you for stopping by and sharing 🙂
That is such an interesting combo. milk, egg and butter. Never added dairy to my stuffing. Thank you. My family used Bells seasoning, comes in a little box….I use it today
I’ve never heard of Bells seasoning. I’ll have to research that!