Fast Answer
Cook onion and celery in butter, toss with a 12-ounce bag of herb-seasoned stuffing, then stir in 2 cups of warm stock a little at a time. Bake in a greased 9x13 dish at 350°F, covered for 25 minutes and uncovered for 15 to 20, until golden and 165°F in the center.
Stuffing Without Stuffing the Turkey
I learned that stuffing inside the bird can change the turkey’s cooking time, and there are safety reasons too, so I moved mine to its own dish.
This recipe is for stuffing baked outside the turkey, either as your main stuffing or as extra if you stuff the bird. It starts like my mother’s: bread, butter, onion, and celery. You can add apple, sausage, nuts, or dried fruit if you want.
Start Here
- Seasoned bread: I use Pepperidge Farm herb-seasoned classic, 12 ounces. Fresh bread goes soggy.
- The base: onion and celery, cooked in butter until soft.
- Stock: add it a little at a time, until the bread is moist but not soggy.
- Bake it covered, then uncovered.
- Check the center: it should reach 165°F.
Why I Cook It Outside the Bird
- My mother cooked hers inside the turkey. I did too, at first.
- I learned it can affect the cooking time of the bird, and there are safety reasons.
- USDA recomends cooking stuffing separately for optimal safety and uniform doneness.
- If you do stuff the turkey, check the center of the stuffing with a thermometer. It should reach 165°F.
Why This Works
- Dried bread soaks up the stock and butter without turning to mush.
- Cooking the vegetables first softens them and builds flavor in the butter.
- Adding stock gradually lets you stop when the bread is moist, not wet.
- Covering, then uncovering, keeps the inside moist and browns the top.
Traditional Stuffing (Baked Outside the Turkey)
Equipment
- 9 x 13 baking dish
Ingredients
- 12 ounces Pepperidge Farm herb-seasoned classic stuffing
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter plus more for the dish
- 1 cup diced onion 1 medium onion
- 1 cup diced celery 2 to 3 stalks
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cups chicken stock or turkey stock
- 2 eggs beaten (optional)
Using plain dried bread instead (about 12 cups of day-old bread, cubed and dried)? Add 2 teaspoons dried sage, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, and ½ teaspoon salt.
Instructions
Heat the Oven and Prep the Dish
- Heat the oven to 350°F.
- Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with butter.
Cook the Vegetables
- Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add the onion and celery. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until soft.
- Stir in the pepper.
Toss with the Bread (Pepperidge Farm Stuffing)
- Put the bread in a large bowl. Add the vegetables and toss to combine.
Add the Stock
- Pour in 2 cups of warm stock a little at a time, tossing as you go. If you're using eggs, stir them in now.
- Add up to ½ cup more stock if the bread still looks dry. It should be moist, not soggy.
Bake Covered
- Spread the stuffing in the dish. Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes.
Bake Uncovered
- Remove the foil and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes, until the top is golden. Check the center with a thermometer. It should reach 165°F.
Serve
- Serve hot with turkey and gravy.
Optional Add-Ins
- Apple: 1 medium, peeled and diced, cooked with the vegetables. My mother's had it.
- Sausage: ½ pound, cooked and crumbled, added with the vegetables. My mother's had none.
- Chestnuts: 1 cup, chopped. My mother's had none.
- Mushrooms: 8 ounces, sliced and cooked with the vegetables.
- Dried cranberries or chopped nuts: ½ cup, stirred in with the bread.
What Most Cooks Get Wrong
- Using fresh bread: it turns soggy. Use dried bread cubes.
- Adding all the stock at once: add it gradually.
- Skipping the cover: the stuffing dries out.
- Not checking the center: a thermometer should read 165°F.
Quick Fixes and Tips
- Too dry? Drizzle a little warm stock over the top before you cover it.
- Too soggy? Bake it uncovered a little longer.
- Top not browning? Leave it uncovered a few minutes more.
- Seasoned bread? Taste before adding salt. The bread and the stock already have some.
What to Serve With This
- Turkey Gravy As a kid, I used the stuffing and the mashed potatoes to get more of my mom's gravy.
- Mashed Potatoes
- Peas and Carrots
- Orange Cranberry Sauce.
Make-Ahead and Storage
- We prepare it the day of.
- Leftovers: refrigerate within 2 hours, and reheat to 165°F.
Stuffed Turkey Thighs
I also use this stuffing in deboned turkey thighs. I cover that in my post on deconstructing the turkey.
Frequently Asked Questions About Stuffing
What is the secret to good stuffing? Dry bread, a sautéed base of onion and celery, and adding the stock gradually so the bread is moist but not soggy. Covering the dish for the first part of the bake keeps it from drying out.
What are the ingredients in Thanksgiving stuffing? Seasoned bread cubes, butter, onion, celery, pepper, and chicken or turkey stock. Plain bread also needs sage, thyme, and salt. Apple, eggs, sausage, nuts, and dried fruit are common additions.
How many people will a 9×13 pan of stuffing feed? This recipe makes about 8 to 12 side-dish servings in a 9×13 dish.
Is it safe to cook stuffing inside the turkey? It can be, but USDA recommends cooking stuffing separately for optimal safety and even doneness. If you do stuff the bird, use a food thermometer and make sure the center of the stuffing reaches 165°F.
Why do you cook stuffing outside the turkey? I learned that stuffing can affect the bird’s cooking time, and there are safety reasons too. My mother cooked hers inside the turkey, but I moved mine to its own dish.
How do you cook stuffing in the oven instead of in the turkey? Bake it in a greased 9×13 dish at 350°F, covered with foil for about 25 minutes and then uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes, until the top is golden and the center reaches 165°F.
Can I use packaged stuffing bread or breadcrumbs? Yes. My wife and I both grew up with Pepperidge Farm, and I still buy the herb-seasoned classic. It’s already seasoned, so this recipe adds no sage, thyme, or salt. With plain bread, add them.
Do I need eggs in stuffing? No. Eggs are optional. They give the stuffing a firmer, more sliceable texture.
What can I add to stuffing? Diced apple, cooked sausage, chestnuts, mushrooms, dried cranberries, or chopped nuts. My mother’s stuffing had apple but no sausage or chestnuts.
Is it stuffing or dressing? We call it stuffing, even when it’s baked outside the turkey.
