Easy bread stuffing
My grandmother’s easy bread stuffing is a family favorite because it absolutely delicious and so easy to make. No Thanksgiving/Christmas would be complete without it.
My gran was queen of Christmas cooking and I looked forward to her delicious roast turkey and bread stuffing for months before the big day. I’ve taken my gran’s old fashioned bread stuffing recipe and updated it a little because although the flavors are perfection, I never actually stuff my turkey. I prefer to cook the stuffing separately so that the edges become all crisp and this also results in a turkey that cooked a lot quicker and more evenly.
This traditional stuffing recipe is flavored with a lot of aromatic herbs, garlic, onion and Parmesan to make every bite a delicious one.
Table of Contents
Ingredients needed
- Butter. Olive oil can be substituted.
- Onions.
- Fresh garlic cloves.
- Breadcrumbs. I make my own fresh bread crumbs by pulsing white bread in the food processor. For a chunkier stuffing, use bread cubes.
- Fresh herbs: I use fresh sage and thyme but oregano, rosemary, parsley and chives will also be delicious. Dried herbs can be used too.
- Lemon zest.
- Parmesan cheese.
- Milk. Whole milk/full cream milk/half and half can be used. Chicken broth/chicken stock can be used as a dairy-free substitute.
- Salt and black pepper.
How do you make bread stuffing?
In a large skillet set over medium-high heat, fry onions and garlic in the butter until soft and translucent then mix with breadcrumbs and aromatics. Stir in the milk until the mixture is damp but not wet and transfer to a suitable casserole dish/baking dish (a loaf pan or cast iron skillet works well). Bake for 30-45 minutes until crisp and golden.
Can you make stuffing with fresh bread?
Yes, you can however I always use day-old loaves of bread for my stuffing. My gran used to grate the bread but I just process until the bread is chunky in my food processor.
Can you make stuffing ahead of time and refrigerate?
Stuffing can be made, covered and kept in the refrigerator for up to 3 days ahead. Simply bake until crisp and golden.
How do you cook stuffing outside the turkey?
You can bake the stuffing in a loaf pan or in a cast iron skillet. You can also make individual portions by baking the stuffing mixture in a muffin tray. Just adapt the baking times as these smaller portions will cook much faster.
Serving suggestion
This classic bread stuffing is the perfect Thanksgiving side dish served alongside a golden-brown turkey and all your favorite sides like Brussels sprouts, sweet potato casserole, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes and gravy.
Easy bread stuffing
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp butter
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves crushed
- 8 cups fresh breadcrumbs
- 3 tbsp fresh sage finely chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves chopped
- zest of 1 lemon
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1-2 cups full cream/whole milk
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 220°c.
- Fry the onions and garlic in the butter until soft and translucent.
- Combine the breadcrumbs, herbs, lemon zest and Parmesan cheese in a large bowl and add the onions and garlic with all the butter.
- Stir in the milk until the stuffing is well moistened but not too wet.
- Season to taste and transfer to a greased loaf tin or cast iron skillet.
- Place the stuffing in the oven and allow to bake for 30-45 minutes until golden brown.
