My Dad’s Famous Stuffing is really only famous to me. Maybe the rest of my family too. It is the stuffing I grew up with and have loved all my life. I am so excited to finally share it with all of you!

This is truly a traditional stuffing. There is nothing here that is “new” or different. It is classic and timeless. This traditional flavor profile comes, in large part, from the herbs. Heavy amounts of fresh parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme are added to give the stuffing an herbaceousness and depth. The combination of those four just screams Thanksgiving to me.

Flexibility

What’s nice is that this recipe is really forgiving. If you’d like more of any ingredient, or dislike any of the ingredients, feel free to make substitutions. If you don’t like mushrooms, don’t add them. Try substituting the apple with pear and leek for the onions. Maybe even try using bacon grease instead of butter if you really want to get creative.

Bread

I usually make my own bread for this stuffing. I like the control it gives me, both in terms of flavor and cube size. I use plain white bread, and it works well here because the bread is so…well, plain. I understand that others might find this a bit too involved, and you definitely don’t need to make your own bread. Whatever bread you choose, it needs to be really plain and unassuming. There are a lot of flavors going on in this stuffing; you don’t want to introduce another one. For example, I tried using sourdough once, and it was NOT good. The whole stuffing took on a weird sour note (who would’ve guessed?).

Stuffing the Turkey

Stuffing is called stuffing because it’s meant to be used to stuff a turkey. If you’ve never stuffed a bird before, a word of caution: unless you completely overcook the turkey, the stuffing will never reach a high enough temperature inside the bird to kill off any foodborne illness. You’ll basically end up with bread soaked in raw bird juice. Gross. After cooking and cooling the turkey, remove the stuffing, place it in a baking dish, and bake until it reaches AT LEAST 165°F/74°C. I usually bake it for about 20 minutes at 375°F/190°C or until it’s golden brown. I always check the internal temperature. Alternatively, you can skip all this fuss by not putting the stuffing in the bird and simply cooking it in a baking dish, as I did in my YouTube video.

Dad’s Famous Stuffing is more than just a recipe; it’s a cherished tradition that has been a part of my family’s Thanksgiving for years. Its classic flavors and the flexibility to adjust ingredients make it a dish that can be tailored to anyone’s taste. Whether you choose to stuff the turkey or bake it separately, this stuffing will add a warm, familiar touch to your Thanksgiving table. I hope you enjoy it as much as my family has over the years.

Print Recipe

Dad’s Famous Thanksgiving Stuffing

Ingredients

• 450 g dried bread cubes
• 1 large onion
• 2 apples
• 150 g diced mushrooms
• 3 stalks celery
• 1 cup chopped pecans or chestnuts optional
• ¾ cup chopped parsley
• 2 Tbsp fresh sage
• 2 Tbsp fresh rosemary
• 2 Tbsp fresh thyme
• 600 g chicken broth unsalted!
• 85 g butter
• 20 g salt

Instructions

• Melt the butter in the largest pot you own over medium heat.
• Dice the onion and add it to the pot along with the salt. Sweat the onion until soft and translucent.
• While the onion is cooking, chop the celery. Once the onions are soft, add in the celery and let them cook together for a bit.
• Dice the mushrooms and add them to the pot once chopped.
• Peel and dice the apples. Add them to the pot, then turn the heat down to medium-low and cover with a lid. Let everything sweat down and meld while you work on the herbs.
• For each herb, pick the leaves off the stems and finely chop them. The finer, the better.
• Add the chopped herbs to the pot and let everything cook together for another minute or two.
• Stir in the dried bread cubes until they are well coated with the mixture.
• Add about half of the chicken broth and gently stir. Be careful not to over-stir as the cubes can become mushy.
• Pour in almost all of the remaining chicken broth, reserving about 1 deciliter (½ cup). Stir gently.
• Put the lid on the pot and turn down the heat to low. Let the mixture steam and absorb the flavors for about 2-3 minutes.
• Add in the rest of the chicken broth, and the nuts if using, and mix gently.
• Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
• Pour the stuffing mixture into a buttered casserole dish. A 12x9x2.5-inch (31x22x6 cm) dish works well.
• Cover the dish with foil and bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes.
• Remove the foil and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes, or until the top turns golden and slightly crispy.
• Serve warm and enjoy!

Notes

It is very important to use fresh herbs in this recipe. Dried just won’t taste the same.