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Oven Baked Stuffing with fresh bread, apples, and pecans will be the star of your holiday dinner. Make it ahead of time and cross it off your to-do list.
Use our beloved family recipe to make the best bread stuffing from scratch. It's been handed down over the years without changing a thing because it's so darn good. You'll be hooked once you try it!
Although it can be used to stuff a turkey, we always cook it separately. We make at least two pans, one with sausage and another that is vegetarian. Otherwise, they both have the same crispy, buttery top, a moist inside with pops of sweet apple, and a surprise crunch from cornflakes!
Since it's one of the most popular dishes at the meal, we always make extra to serve with leftover turkey and creamy mashed potatoes!
It's also the make-ahead stuffing we used at our stores. Prepare it a day or two in advance. Or freeze some pans for later, which is perfect if you'll have turkey again in December.
Whether you're serving this dressing for a holiday meal or with weeknight pork chops or herb crusted chicken dinner, I'm certain it will be a huge hit!
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Ingredients
Below are the ingredients we use to make oven baked stuffing, along with variations you may want to consider. Of course, you can leave out any ingredient or add a little more of a favorite to create your own heirloom recipe.
- Fresh bread - We always start with a fresh loaf of sandwich bread. I generally use one with dense, thick slices.
- Some people swear by Wonder Bread. Others love French bread. If there are dietary restrictions, look for egg-free, dairy-free, or gluten-free options. You can also make this low-carb by using keto bread.
- Use a serrated knife to cut the bread into uniformly-sized ½-inch cubes. You can tear it instead. See the section below for lightly drying the bread cubes.
- Celery and Onion - Finely dice and soften these staples of any classic stuffing recipe.
- Pecans or Walnuts - Chop nuts with a knife or food processor. Leave out for nut-free stuffing.
- Apple - Use sweet apples such as Ambrosia, Honey Crisp, Royal Gala, Pink Lady®, Red Delicious, and Fuji cut into small cubes.
- Dried cranberries, tart cherries, or apricots are a delicious variation.
- Cornflakes - This secret ingredient gives the stuffing an unexpected crunch!
- Butter - Use a plant-based alternative for a vegan stuffing recipe.
- Poultry seasoning - This spice blend helps make the stuffing taste like it was cooked in the bird! Buy a jar or prepare your own.
- Broth - Vegetable or chicken broth works well. Water may be used instead.
- Sausage - Choose a mild pork sausage. Cook and drain it well on a plate lined with paper towels to absorb extra grease.
You may also enjoy stuffing muffins which share many of the same ingredients!
Please refer to the recipe card below for the full ingredient list and detailed instructions.
How to Dry Fresh Bread in the Oven
The bread used in stuffing is typically stale or dried out in the oven so it doesn't become soggy.
If you're not cooking the stuffing inside the turkey, it's much less of a problem. However, slightly firm bread is still a good idea since the other ingredients add moisture during the cooking process.
Here's how to do it:
Spread cubes in a single layer on a sheet pan. Cook for about 15 minutes on low heat (250 °F), tossing every 5 minutes until the cubes are firm on the outside but not browned.
Taste one. It should be firm but still soft inside.
Directions with Pictures
The hands-on time for this recipe is all prep. Once you've chopped and diced everything, it's simple to make oven baked stuffing. Here's how to do it:
- Add dried bread cubes to a large bowl. Gently spoon broth over cubes of bread, tossing as you add broth so that the cubes are wet but not soggy.
- Sauté diced onions and celery in butter (or olive oil) and add to the bowl with the bread cubes after they have cooled.
- Add apples, pecans, cornflakes, and poultry seasoning to the bowl and combine everything. We use our hands! Add pork at this time if you are using it.
- Spread the ingredients into a 9 x 13 casserole dish. Thinly slice butter tabs and arrange them on top before baking.
- Cover with foil and bake for about 30 minutes, removing foil for the last 10 minutes or until the top is golden brown. The internal temperature should reach 165 °F.
FAQ
Although the terms are used interchangeably, there is technically a difference. Stuffing goes into the bird, while dressing is cooked outside the turkey and served on the side.
The USDA recommends cooking the stuffing outside the turkey. Since the juices from the poultry drip into the stuffing, while it's cooking, the bird and the stuffing must both reach an internal temperature of 165 °F to avoid foodborne illness. The turkey may reach that temperature before the stuffing does.
This recipe can be used to stuff a turkey. If you do, check the temperature of the stuffing. Also, heat the stuffing before adding it to the bird to give it a head start in reaching the proper temperature.
Storage
Use these guidelines to store leftover bread stuffing.
- Refrigerator - Store leftovers in a covered dish for 3-4 days
- Freezer - Store in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator.
- Reheat - Sprinkle with broth, cover with foil, and bake in the oven at 325 °F until heated throughout and the internal temperature reaches 165 °F. The stuffing can also be reheated in the microwave but will not be crispy.
Make-Ahead Stuffing Tips
We are big fans of preparing oven baked stuffing ahead of time since there is a lot of ingredient preparation involved.
Follow the steps to make the recipe up to the point that you would cook it in the oven. Then, tightly cover and store in the refrigerator for 2 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months.
When you're ready to enjoy the recipe, defrost the stuffing in the refrigerator overnight and cook as you usually would.
Need an easy main dish to pair with your stuffing? This Turkey breast tenderloin recipe takes minutes to prep and cooks quickly in the oven.
More Make-Ahead Holiday Side Dishes
Would you like more easy, healthy, carb-conscious recipes?
📋 Recipe
Make-Ahead Oven Baked Stuffing
Ingredients
- 8 cups bread cubes 8-10 slices of bread; the exact amount will vary based on the thickness of the bread; cut or torn into ½-inch cubes
- ½ cup vegetable broth chicken broth may be used instead
- ¼ cup butter ½ stick, divided
- 1 cup diced celery 3-4 stalks, finely diced
- 1 cup diced onion 1 small onion, finely diced
- 1 cup diced apple 1 large apple, finely diced
- 1 cup corn flakes crushed
- 1 cup chopped chopped pecans or walnuts
- 1 Tablespoon poultry seasoning
- 1 cup mild ground sausage (optional, not included in nutritional estimate) cooked and drained; leave out for vegetarian version
Instructions
- To dry fresh bread cubes, preheat the oven to 250 °F. Spread cubes in a single layer on a sheet pan. Cook for about 15 minutes, tossing every 5 minutes or so until they are firm on the outside, but not browned.
- Gather and prepare all of the other ingredients as noted above. Dice vegetables, chop nuts, and cook the sausage if using.
- When the bread is finished drying, preheat the oven to 350 °F.
- Add bread cubes to a large bowl. Slowly drizzle several tablespoons of the broth over the cubes and toss to combine. Repeat with a few tablespoons of broth at a time until the bread cubes are moistened but not soggy.
- Heat 1 Tablespoon of butter over medium heat in a large skillet. Add diced onion and celery and saute for 5-10 minutes or until softened. Remove from heat and allow the mixture to cool slightly.
- Add cooked onions and celery, chopped pecans, crushed cornflakes, diced apple, and poultry seasoning to the bowl with the bread cubes and toss to combine. You can use your hands to really mix everything together!
- Pour the stuffing mixture into a 9 x 13 baking dish that has been buttered on the bottom and sides.
- Cut the remaining butter into thin slices and place on top of the stuffing.
- Cover with foil and bake for about 30 minutes, removing foil for the last 10 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 165 °F.
Notes
- Refrigerator - Store leftovers in a covered dish for 3-4 days
- Freezer - Store in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator.
- Reheat - Sprinkle with broth, cover with foil, and bake in the oven at 325 °F until heated throughout and the internal temperature reaches 165 °F. The stuffing can also be reheated in the microwave but will not be crispy.
Keli says
Delicious and reminded me of dressing my mom made. I wasn’t sure about the cornflakes but they added nice flavor. Used walnuts and left out the sausage. Thanks for sharing.