This Homemade Stuffing Recipe is a family recipe that has been passed on from generation to generation. Super simple ingredients, tossed together and refrigerated over night. It’s ready to bake in the oven and enjoyed with all the “fixins.”

This recipe is sponsored by Duda Farm Fresh Foods.

Lori’s family has been enjoying this homemade stuffing recipe for years! It’s always that one recipe everyone looks forward to on the Thanksgiving and Christmas table.

Related: Stuffing Muffin Recipe

What Is Stuffing?

Stuffing is also often referred to as filling or dressing. It’s essentially bread that is soaked in liquid that’s prepared with herbs and vegetables. The star of this homemade stuffing is Dandy® celery.

What’s The Difference Between Stuffing and Dressing?

Technically speaking, dressing and stuffing simply have the same ingredients or base for ingredients. Stuffing is referred to when you are filling the cavity of your Thanksgiving Turkey, so the juices of the turkey simply soak into the bread mixture, making it more flavorful.

Dressing is cooked on it’s own and needs extra liquid to make it flavorful and not dry out the bread during the baking process.

When we are making stuffing (aka dressing), we often use the same mixture for both. Simply stuff the bird with as much mixture as you can and then place the leftovers in a casserole dish and bake. For us, a turkey simply just doesn’t hold enough of this homemade stuffing recipe, so we also make a casserole dish or two!

How Long To Cook A Stuffed Turkey in The Oven?

If you are stuffing a turkey, you’ll want to ensure the bird is cooked through.

Assume you are using a 325°F oven, here’s a rough per pound guide from the pros at foodsafety.gov:

• For 10- to 12-pound turkey, roast 3¼ hours to 3½ hours.
• For 12- to 14-pound turkey, roast 3½ to 4 hours.
• For 14- to 18-pound turkey, roast 4 to 4¼ hours.
• For 18- to 20-pound turkey, roast 4¼ to 4¾ hours.
• For 20- to 24-pound turkey, roast 4¾ to 5¼ hours.

The best and safest way to determine your exact roasting time is by checking every 15 minutes or so after the 3-hour mark using a meat thermometer. When cooking a stuffed turkey, the temperature should read 165°F in the stuffing, 170°F in the breast, and 175°F in the thigh. Be sure to note that after removing the turkey from the oven, the temperature of the meat will rise about 5°F.

Why Is My Stuffing Dry?

The short answer is, there’s not enough liquid in the stuffing.

Prior to baking the dressing recipe, check to make sure there’s enough liquid in the baking dish. If there are pieces of bread that aren’t moist, you can add milk, water, chicken or vegetable broth until everything is nicely coated.

If you have already baked the dressing, add a little bit of chicken broth or water until it’s moist again. Pop it back into the oven for 10-15 minutes to heat everything back up prior to serving.

Why We Love This Recipe

• Simple ingredients that you typically have on hand this time of year.
• It’s a make-ahead side dish recipe! Prepare this stuffing recipe the night before and it’s ready to make when you are.
• Comfort food…need we say more?
• Easily adjust the recipe to double or triple depending on how many guests you are serving.

Ingredients Needed to Make Our Homemade Stuffing Recipe

• French Bread
• Yellow Onions
• Dandy® Celery
• Fresh herbs: sage, parsley, thyme and basil
• Evaporated Milk
• Eggs
• Olive Oil
• Butter
• Salt and Pepper, to taste

How To Make Stuffing

Grease your casserole dish. In a large bowl or baking dish, mixed cubed bread, veggies, oil, and seasonings.

In a small bowl, beat the eggs and mix with evaporated milk. Pour over the dry mixture.

Mix with your hands until all the ingredients are moist and sticky. You can add more milk if necessary.

Refrigerate the mixture overnight.

Preheat the oven to 350º F. If you mixed it in a bowl, pour the mixture into a casserole dish. Add butter on top of the stuffing mixture.

Cover with foil and bake for 40 minutes. Uncover and bake for an additional 25-30 minutes or until the top is golden brown.

Serve immediately.

Check Out More Thanksgiving Inspired Recipes

• Thanksgiving Fruit Tray – super fun for the kids to put together for their friends and family.
• 16 Thanksgiving Side Dishes – of course we have you covered on a lot of side dish recipes that are delicious!
• Thanksgiving Table Idea: Turkey Animal Pears – another fun one to get the kids involved with! While you’re making dinner, let them make centerpieces!
• Chocolate Covered Strawberry Turkeys – A super fun dessert for Thanksgiving that can be made ahead of time.

Why We Prefer Dandy® Celery

Nearly a century ago, Andrew Duda brought his first crop of celery to market. His idea was to grow a plant that was completely usable, and celery was just the right plant! Six generations later, his family is still passionate about bringing this versatile vegetable to your local produce section through the Dandy® brand.

To grow the freshest, safest produce around, experts at Duda Farm Fresh Foods use traditional breeding practices to grow high-quality GMO-free veggies. Growing their produce and harvesting it in the best possible conditions ensures that their customers get the freshest fruits and veggies. With expert care to back it up, you can be sure that Dandy® celery is the crunchiest available!

Related: How to Use Celery and Stretch Your Grocery Budget