This is seriously THE BEST stuffing recipe ever! (2024)

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This really is The Best Stuffing Recipe Ever. It's full of sweet cranberries and apricots, crunchy walnuts, mushrooms, onion, and celery. The veggies keep this stuffing perfectly moist without ever becoming soggy. It's our family's go-to Christmas and Thanksgiving stuffing recipe!

This is seriously THE BEST stuffing recipe ever! (1)

This is the Thanksgiving stuffing recipe we have been making for years.I know that claiming that it is the best stuffing recipe ever is quite a gigantic claim, but it's 100% true. Seriously, it's the best.

When I first shared this recipe with you back in 2012, it was my handsome man who made it for me. Since then, it's become our go-to stuffing recipe. I have a feeling that once you try it, you'll make it for all your turkey dinners.

Why this is the best stuffing recipe:

  • The bread is always perfectly moist. It's never dry. It's never soggy. All this perfectness is thanks to our friend, mushrooms. They release theirmoisture as the stuffing cooks which means that you don't need to pour tons of stock over the stuffing risking making it soggy.
  • Apricots and cranberries. They take first place in the reasons I love this stuffing recipe list. They add just the right bit of sweetness and go so well with a big turkey dinner.
  • Walnuts! And pine nuts! They soften when cooked and give a great bite to the stuffing.
  • It's so ridiculously easy to make. Toss everything together in your biggest bowl then pack it into your casserole dish.
  • It's totally make-ahead-able. I know that oven space is at a premium at holiday feasts so the less time something has to spend in the oven, the better. This stuffing can be partially pre-cooked then finished with the bird comes out of the oven. #win
This is seriously THE BEST stuffing recipe ever! (2)

See that bowl filled to the brim with all the ingredients for this bread stuffing? Please don't copy that picture. Be smart and choose a MUCH larger bowl.

You'll want room to mix everythingtogether without spilling half the ingredients. Trust me on this one!

In many ways, this is very similar to an old fashionedbread stuffing recipe. There are lots of onions and celery, poultry seasoning and pepper. And (obviously) bread. Kind of hard to make bread stuffing without that one important ingredient!

This is seriously THE BEST stuffing recipe ever! (3)

What takes this from traditional to the best stuffing recipe are the nuts and fruit. Two simple additions that rock the stuffing.

Once you try them in this stuffing recipe you'll seriously wonder how you ever ate stuffing any other way.

If you're making stuffing to go with your Christmas dinner this year, I beg you to make this one. It really is the best stuffing recipe ever.

Also, does anyone not make stuffing to go with their Christmas or Thanksgiving turkey? That thought has me a little worried.

This is seriously THE BEST stuffing recipe ever! (4)

Favorite Thanksgiving Side Dish Recipes:

  • Ginger Orange Cranberry Sauce
  • Maple Bourbon Glazed Carrots with Pistachios
  • Whole Roasted Brussels with Garlic and Lemon
  • Late Autumn Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad
  • Mini Hasselback Potatoes with Roasted Garlic
  • Maple Bourbon Sweet Potato Ribbon Casserole

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This is seriously THE BEST stuffing recipe ever! (5)

Best Stuffing Recipe

Prep: 10 minutes mins

Cook: 40 minutes mins

Total: 50 minutes mins

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This really is The Best Stuffing Recipe Ever. It's full sweet cranberries and apricots, crunchy walnuts, mushrooms, onion, and celery. The veggies keep this stuffing perfect moist without ever becoming soggy. It's our family's go-to Thanksgiving and Christmas stuffing recipe!

6 – 8 servings

Ingredients

  • 4 cups white bread (cut into bite sized cubes (sub your favorite gluten-free bread, if needed))
  • 1 onion (chopped)
  • 2 stalks celery (roughly chopped)
  • 1 ½ cups mushrooms (sliced)
  • 1 cup dried apricots (roughly chopped)
  • ½ cup dried cranberries
  • 1 cup walnut halves
  • ½ cup pine nuts (or add more walnuts)
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 1-2 tablespoons poultry seasoning

Instructions

  • To make the stuffing: Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and toss to combine. That's it, seriously!

    4 cups white bread, 1 onion, 2 stalks celery, 1 ½ cups mushrooms, 1 cup dried apricots, ½ cup dried cranberries, 1 cup walnut halves, ½ cup pine nuts, ¼ cup olive oil, 1-2 tablespoons poultry seasoning

  • To cook the stuffing: 1. Either stuff the cavity of the turkey before you roast it in your oven. Remember that a stuffed turkey will take a little longer to cook.

  • Or 2. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Place stuffing in a lightly greased ovenproof dish and cover it tightly with aluminum foil. Bake in the oven for about 40 minutes, or until the bread is soft and the veggies are cooked. It is good if the vegetables still have a little crunch.

Notes

To make bread crumbs:

  1. Lay bread cubes on 2 large baking sheets and set aside for 2 days. Gently toss after the first day to make sure they are drying evenly.

OR

  1. To speed up the drying process, put the bread cubes on baking sheets in your oven at the lowest temp. This will take about an hour. Watch them closely though, you don't want to make toast.

To make this stuffing ahead of time:

Bake the stuffing for 30 minutes then remove it from the oven. Leave the stuffing on your counter and once the turkey comes out of the oven, put the stuffing back in for 15 minutes.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 serving = ⅛ of the recipe, Calories: 363kcal (18%), Carbohydrates: 36g (12%), Protein: 8g (16%), Fat: 23g (35%), Saturated Fat: 3g (19%), Polyunsaturated Fat: 11g, Monounsaturated Fat: 8g, Trans Fat: 1g, Sodium: 157mg (7%), Potassium: 464mg (13%), Fiber: 5g (21%), Sugar: 17g (19%), Vitamin A: 650IU (13%), Vitamin C: 2mg (2%), Calcium: 77mg (8%), Iron: 3mg (17%)

© Author Kristen Stevens

We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.

This is seriously THE BEST stuffing recipe ever! (2024)

FAQs

How to make stuffing Gordon Ramsay? ›

Make the stuffing, melt butter in a large frying pan and gently sauté onion and garlic for five minutes until soft. Stir in the herbs for one minute then add breadcrumbs to absorb butter. Mix in zest, pine nuts and seasoning and cook over medium heat for about seven minutes until crumbs start to brown and crisp.

What does adding egg to stuffing do? ›

Eggs: Two lightly beaten eggs help hold the dressing together and add moisture.

What kind of bread is best for stuffing? ›

The best bread for stuffing is a sturdy loaf with a tight crumb. Bakery French bread, Italian bread, Challah, and Sourdough are all good choices. When you cut up a 1-pound loaf into cubes, it should fit in an even layer on a single half-size rimmed baking sheet.

How to make stuffing jamie oliver? ›

Tear the stale bread into small chunks and whiz into breadcrumbs. Add these to the bowl, then crush and crumble in the chestnuts. Place the diced pork into the food processor, pick in the sage leaves, roughly chop and add the bacon, followed by 1 level teaspoon of white pepper and a good pinch of sea salt.

How to make stuffing for turkey Martha Stewart? ›

Ingredients
  1. 4 tablespoons unsalted butter.
  2. 4 onions, coarsely chopped (about 4 cups)
  3. 5 stalks celery, coarsely chopped (about 2 ½ cups)
  4. 1 large bulb fennel, coarsely chopped (about 2 cups), optional.
  5. Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper.
  6. 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary.
  7. 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh sage.
May 16, 2017

Is stuffing better with or without eggs? ›

It's all about personal preference. If you want a sturdier dressing, eggs can help do that. I don't use eggs in this recipe, though, because I like a lighter, more crumbly texture in my dressing.

What makes stuffing unhealthy? ›

Typically high in fat, carbs and salt, stuffing can be made fresh or purchased chilled, frozen or dehydrated. Traditionally, a stuffing would use the giblets of the bird with the addition of sausage meat, a source of starch, such as bread, with some aromatics such as onion, herbs and spices.

Is it okay to make stuffing a day ahead of time? ›

The short answer to whether you can making stuffing ahead of time is yes.

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.

Why is my stuffing so moist? ›

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.

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.

Is it better to make stuffing with fresh or stale bread? ›

The bread is one of the most important ingredients in the stuffing. This is the base; it's what gives the stuffing structure, and it plays a big role in determining the texture. While you can use almost any bread — cornbread, bagels, or even frozen waffles — to make stuffing, it needs to be dried or “staled” first.

Which flat bread is perfect for stuffing? ›

If your idea of pita bread is the small oval slices of cardboard bought from supermarkets, think again. Freshly made pita crisps and puffs up like a ball, perfect for stuffing with the filling of your choice: shawarma, falafel, muhamarra or any other Middle Eastern goodies.

Can I cook stuffing at 325 instead of 350? ›

The stuffed meat, poultry, or stuffing in a casserole should be placed immediately after preparation in an oven set no lower than 325 °F. A food thermometer should be used to ensure that the stuffing reaches the safe minimum internal temperature of 165 °F.

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