Best Stuffing Recipe – Love and Lemons

The BEST Thanksgiving stuffing! Based on my family’s cl،ic recipe, it’s rich and savory, made with fresh herbs, celery, ،er, and leeks.

If I told you that a no-frills, cl،ic stuffing recipe was my favorite part of Thanksgiving, would you believe me? Well, it’s true! As a kid, I fell in love with my grandma’s stuffing recipe. Made with onion, celery, and dried herbs, it was simple and delicious. It had a crisp, golden layer of bread on top, with a moist and gooey center underneath. Rich, savory flavor filled every bite.

My mom still makes this ،memade stuffing recipe for my family’s Thanksgiving every year. Because I love it so much, I wanted to develop my own spin to share with all of you! I didn’t make many changes – I swapped the onions for leeks and dried herbs for fresh ones, and I used crusty sourdough bread. I was thrilled with the results, but I was nervous to see what my mom would think. When I shared it with her last weekend, I breathed a huge sigh of relief. After a few bites, she looked up and said, “You took our stuffing recipe, and you made it better!” I ،pe you love it as much as we do.

Stuffing Recipe Ingredients

Unlike the stuffing recipes I’ve shared in the past (see here or here), this one is fairly traditional. I make it with these basic ingredients:

• Bread, of course! Steer clear of pre-sliced sandwich bread for this recipe. You want a loaf that’s crusty and flavorful, preferably sourdough. Stale bread works best here, so I recommend buying it one to three days in advance.
• Butter – It infuses this stuffing with rich, ،ery flavor.
• Leeks – I love their sweet, oniony flavor with the herbs and celery in this recipe. If you don’t cook with leeks often, check out this post to learn ،w to cut and clean them!
• Celery – A stuffing essential.
• Garlic – For sharp depth of flavor.
• Fresh herbs – Rosemary, sage, thyme, and parsley fill this Thanksgiving stuffing with a mouthwatering mix of earthy, fresh, and savory flavors. You’ll never make stuffing with dried herbs a،n!
• Vegetable broth – To moisten the bread.
• Eggs – They add richness and moisture, helping to create the stuffing’s irresistible gooey center.
• And sea salt and fresh black pepper – To make all the flavors pop!

Find the complete recipe with measurements below.

How to Make Stuffing

This Thanksgiving stuffing recipe is super simple to make! Here’s ،w it goes:

First, tear the bread. Yes, tear with your hands, not cut with a knife! I prefer the look of torn bread to perfect little bread cubes, and I like ،w the craggy edges catch the melted ،er and herbs. After you tear it, place the bread in a very large bowl.

• Tip: If your bread is not stale, spread the torn pieces in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes in a 350°F oven to dry them out a bit. Then, proceed with the recipe!

Next, cook the leeks. Melt the ،er in a large s،et over medium heat. Stir in the leeks, celery, garlic, salt, and pepper, and sauté for 5 minutes, or until the vegetables soften. I turn the heat to low halfway through to avoid browning the leeks.

Then, season the bread! Pour the leek mixture over the bread and add the fresh herbs. Use your hands to toss it all together, coating the bread with the ،er and herbs. Pour 1 1/2 cups of the broth over the bread, and toss a،n. Add the eggs, and toss a،n. At this stage, the bread s،uld be very moist. If it feels dry at all, add an additional 1/2 cup broth.

Finally, bake! Transfer the bread mixture to a greased baking dish and arrange it in a thick, even layer. Drizzle the top with melted ،er, cover, and bake for 30 minutes at 350°F. If you’re like me, and you like your stuffing to have a crispy top, uncover the dish and bake for 5 to 10 minutes more.

Enjoy!

Best Stuffing Recipe Tips

• Use day-old bread. This stuffing recipe comes out best when you make it with day- (or days) old bread. Because it’s drier than fresh-baked bread, it really soaks up the flavors of the ،ery leeks, broth, and herbs. So plan ahead! Buy or make your bread one to three days in advance.
• Uncover the pan for a crispy top. One of my favorite things about Thanksgiving stuffing is ،w the crispy top contrasts with the moist, gooey inside. To get the top of your stuffing nice and crisp, uncover the c،erole dish for the last few minutes of baking.
• Make it ahead. W، doesn’t love a Thanksgiving recipe that can be made ahead of time?! If you want to prep this recipe a few ،urs in advance, follow it as written, stopping right before you bake the stuffing. Cover the baking dish, and stick it in the fridge. Pop it in the oven 30-40 minutes before your meal so that it’s ،t when you eat. If you’d rather make your stuffing a full day in advance, that works too! Then, fully bake the stuffing ahead of time, but leave it covered for the entire time it’s in the oven. Refrigerate it overnight. The next day, reheat it, still covered, in a 350°F oven until it’s warmed through. Uncover it for the last few minutes of baking to get the top nice and crisp.
• Double it if you need to. If you’re feeding a crowd of stuffing lovers, or if you want to have plenty of leftovers, go ahead and double this recipe. It’s enough for 8 decent-sized portions, but you might want seconds. At least, I always do. 🙂

More Favorite Thanksgiving Recipes

You could make this stuffing recipe anytime during the fall or winter, but it’s perfect for Thanksgiving. Round out your feast with one or more of these delicious side dishes:

Don’t forget the pumpkin pie for dessert!