Description

Our Favorite Buttery Herb Stuffing is a delicious, savory side dish perfect for holiday meals or any family gathering. Featuring a combination of toasted bread cubes, aromatic fresh herbs, sautéed onions, celery, and garlic, this stuffing is moist with chicken or vegetable stock and topped off with the richness of butter and eggs. The recipe allows flexibility with bread types and toasting methods, delivering a comforting texture and herbaceous flavor baked to golden perfection.

Ingredients

Scale

Bread

18 to 24 ounces bread cubes (1.5 loaves of bread, about 12 to 14 cups), preferably toasted or stale (sourdough and Italian recommended)

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
Fresh herb mixture for sprinkling (optional)

Other

1 cup unsalted butter
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste (at least ½ to 1 teaspoon each for cooking vegetables)
2 ½ cups chicken or vegetable stock
2 large eggs

Instructions

Prepare the Bread Cubes: Choose stale or toasted bread cubes. You can cut bread and let it sit overnight loosely covered, or toast cubes at 350°F for about 15 minutes until crouton-like. Mixing different breads like sourdough and Italian adds great texture.
Preheat and Prep Baking Dish: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Brush a 9×13 baking dish (or larger) with melted butter, olive oil, or nonstick spray. Place the prepared bread cubes in a large mixing bowl or directly in the baking dish, or divide between two dishes if preferred.
Sauté Vegetables and Herbs: Melt the butter in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add diced onion, celery, and minced garlic along with kosher salt and pepper (½ to 1 teaspoon each). Cook for 8 to 10 minutes until softened. Stir in fresh sage, parsley, and rosemary, and cook for 1 more minute. Pour in 1 cup of stock and stir to combine.
Combine Ingredients: Pour the sautéed vegetable and herb mixture over the bread cubes and toss to coat evenly.
Mix Eggs and Stock: In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining 1½ cups stock and 2 eggs until combined.
Moisten the Stuffing: Pour the egg-stock mixture over the bread cubes and fold gently to mix thoroughly without crushing the bread.
Bake: Transfer the mixture evenly into the prepared baking dish(es) if not already there. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes until the top is golden and the internal temperature reaches 160°F. Tent with foil if the stuffing browns too quickly.
Make Ahead Option: You can prepare the stuffing a day ahead and refrigerate. Remove from fridge 60 minutes before reheating. Reheat until warmed through. This mixture can also be used to stuff poultry if desired.
Serving Size Variations: For 4 servings, halve the recipe and bake in an 8×8 or 9×9 inch dish for the same bake time. For 12 to 18 servings, double the recipe and bake in a larger pan (10×15 inch) or two 9×13 pans, adding about 15 minutes to the baking time.

Notes

Using a mix of bread types like sourdough and Italian creates a more complex texture.
Stale or toasted bread cubes work best to prevent a soggy stuffing.
If the stuffing browns too quickly in the oven, tent with foil to avoid burning.
Can be made a day ahead and reheated with excellent results.
Eggs help bind the stuffing but you can adjust stock quantity slightly depending on bread texture.
Feel free to customize fresh herbs to your taste, though sage, parsley, and rosemary give a classic flavor.
The recipe is versatile and can be adapted for vegetarian options by using vegetable stock.

Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Category: Side Dish
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Keywords: herb stuffing,buttery stuffing,holiday stuffing,thanksgiving side dish,bread stuffing,classic stuffing recipe