Old Fashioned Stuffing (2024)

This traditional turkey dressing recipe is proof that you can't go wrong with a tried-and-true classic.

Turkey Dressing Ingredients

You likely have all the ingredients you'll need to make this turkey dressing recipe on hand. If not, here's what to add to your grocery list:

· Bread: This old-fashioned turkey dressing recipe starts with lightly toasted white bread.
· Butter: Butter adds moisture, richness, and flavor.
· Vegetables: You'll need one chopped onion and two stalks of chopped celery for flavor and texture.
· 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.
· Seasonings: This turkey dressing recipe is seasoned with salt, pepper, rubbed sage, and garlic powder.

How to Make Turkey Dressing

You'll find the full, step-by-step recipe below — but here's a brief overview of what you can expect when you make this classic turkey dressing:

1. Make Bread Crumbs: Spread the toasted bread slices on baking sheets. Allow them to sit at room temperature until they're hard, about 24 hours. When they're hard, crush the slices with a rolling pin. Transfer the crumbs to a large bowl.
2. Cook Vegetables: Melt butter in a saucepan. Add the chopped onion and celery and cook, stirring often, until they're soft. Remove from heat and drain.
3. Mix Ingredients: Add the broth and eggs to the bread crumbs. Stir until the mixture is moist, but not mushy. Mix in the cooked vegetables and seasonings.
4. Bake Stuffing: Pour the mixture into a greased baking dish. Bake in a preheated oven until the stuffing is brown and crisp.

How to Store Turkey Dressing

Store your leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days. Reheat gently in the microwave or in the oven.

Can You Freeze Turkey Dressing?

Yes, this recipe freezes quite well. In serving-sized portions, place the turkey dressing in zip-top freezer bags or another freezer-safe container. Wrap in a layer of foil for extra protection. Freeze for three to six months. Reheat in the oven from frozen.

Allrecipes Community Tips and Praise

"I loved this recipe, and so did my family," says Patsy Snyder Hennessey. "I should have made a double batch, because they scraped the pan. The only thing I did differently was to baste this dressing a couple of times with a turkey baster full of juice from the turkey I had roasted earlier in the day."

"It was a wonderful stuffing recipe," according to PRAIRIEMOMMY. "We loved it. It was so easy and so tasty – we cooked it in a turkey and it turned out perfect."

"Awesome," says jofus109. "Easy to make. I halved the recipe, left out the sage and added some chopped apple and pecans to the mix. Great blend of flavors and textures."

Editorial contributions by Corey Williams

Old Fashioned Stuffing (2024)

FAQs

How to tell if stuffing is done? ›

Start cooking on the high setting for at least 1 hour before reducing the setting to low. Cook until the center of the stuffing reaches 165 °F as measured with a food thermometer.

How do you know if your stuffing is moist enough? ›

We recommend adding stock a little at a time--1/2 cup to 1 cup, depending on how much stuffing you're making--and waiting for the bread to absorb the liquid before adding more. Once the bread is moist but not sitting in a pool of stock, it's ready.

How moist should stuffing be before you bake it? ›

The stuffing should be moist but not wet. If there is a puddle of broth at the bottom of the bowl, you've added too much. Add more bread to soak up the excess moisture. If the mix is still dry and crumbly, add more liquid and toss gently until it starts to clump together.

Why put eggs in 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.

How to tell if stuffing is done without a thermometer? ›

The juices should run clear. If you've stuffed your bird, you also want to be sure the stuffing is cooked thoroughly. Insert a metal skewer into the middle of the stuffing and leave it there for a few seconds. Draw it out and immediately apply it to the inside of your wrist.

Why is my stuffing gummy? ›

If the stuffing came out too wet and soggy (aka bread soup!) try not to over mix it, otherwise it'll turn into mush. Curtis Stone says to pour it on a large sheet tray and spread it out. Bake it on high heat to crisp it up, but make sure it doesn't burn.

How to revive stuffing? ›

Heat the oven to 350°F and transfer the stuffing to an oven-safe dish (or, you can keep it in the dish that it was originally cooked in). If it seems dry, you'll want to add a splash of broth. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes, then remove foil and bake again until crisp, 15–20 minutes.

Is it better to make stuffing the day 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.

Can stuffing be undercooked? ›

Bacteria can survive in stuffing that has not reached the safe minimum internal temperature of 165 ºF, possibly resulting in foodborne illness.

Are you supposed to cook the stuffing before putting it in? ›

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.

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.

What can you use as a binder instead of eggs in stuffing? ›

16 egg substitutes
  1. Mashed banana. Mashed banana can act as a binding agent when baking or making pancake batter. ...
  2. Applesauce. Applesauce can also act as a binding agent. ...
  3. Fruit puree. Fruit puree will help bind a recipe in a similar way to applesauce. ...
  4. Avocado. ...
  5. Gelatin. ...
  6. Xanthan gum. ...
  7. Vegetable oil and baking powder. ...
  8. Margarine.
Mar 30, 2021

Why is stove top stuffing so good? ›

Rich with double chicken stock, tons of butter, and handfuls of aromatics, it is in my opinion the best cornbread dressing in the world.

Should stuffing be soft or crunchy? ›

One of the best things about good stuffing is that it's crispy and soft at the same time—but in order to achieve this, you need to add your stock gradually, about a 1/2 cup at a time. Dumping it in all at once can get the bread all soggy.

Is my stuffing cooked? ›

Since it's cooked inside the turkey, you know that it's done when the internal temperature of the stuffing is 165° F. Anything less and you risk salmonella from turkey juices that have seeped into the stuffing during the cook.

How long does stuffing take? ›

Leave to stand for 5 minutes then place the stuffing into either an ovenproof dish or alternatively form into stuffing balls on a greased baking sheet and bake for 25-30 minutes.

What happens if you don't cook stuffing? ›

It Could Give You Salmonella Poisoning

If that stuffing doesn't reach 165 degrees F, the bacteria won't be killed off, meaning you're passing it on to your guests.

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