Homemade Sage Herb Stuffing
A classic homemade sage and herb stuffing with buttery bread, tender onion and celery, fresh herbs, and a crisp golden top.
Images in this post are illustrative and are not photographs of an ABMH test batch.
Thanksgiving stuffing does not need a long ingredient list to taste like Thanksgiving. This version stays close to the familiar combination of dried bread, butter, onion, celery, sage, thyme, parsley and broth.
Although many of us still call it stuffing, this version is baked separately in a casserole dish. That keeps the texture easier to control and follows USDA guidance to cook stuffing separately for the safest, most even result.
The texture to aim for: moist and tender in the middle, with crisp, buttery edges and a lightly golden top. The bread should be well moistened before baking, but it should not sit in a puddle of broth.
Why You’ll Love This Sage & Herb Stuffing
- Classic Thanksgiving flavor. Sage, thyme, parsley, onion and celery give it the familiar savory flavor people expect beside turkey and gravy.
- Soft inside, crisp on top. Baking it covered first keeps the center moist; uncovering it at the end lets the top brown.
- Easy to fit into the holiday plan. The bread and vegetable mixture can be prepared ahead, then the wet and dry components can be combined shortly before baking.
A Bit More Homemade: This is the kind of holiday recipe that earns its place by being useful, familiar and flexible. You do not need to turn stuffing into a complicated project for it to feel homemade.
Ingredients You’ll Need
For the Stuffing
- 12 cups dried 1-inch country white or French bread cubes
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided, plus a little more for the baking dish
- 1 large yellow onion, finely diced
- 4 celery stalks, finely diced
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh sage
- 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 large eggs
- 2 1/2 to 3 cups low-sodium chicken or turkey broth
Broth amount: start with 2 1/2 cups. Bread varies in how much liquid it absorbs, so add the final 1/2 cup only as needed. The mixture should be evenly moist but not soupy.
Equipment
- 9×13-inch or similar 3-quart baking dish
- Large skillet
- Large mixing bowl
- Food thermometer for checking the center of the stuffing
How to Make Homemade Sage & Herb Stuffing
1. Dry the bread.
The bread should be dry before it is mixed with the broth. Day-old bread can be cubed and left out to dry, or spread fresh bread cubes on baking sheets and dry them in a 300°F oven until dry and crisp but not deeply browned. Let the bread cool before mixing the stuffing.
2. Prepare the baking dish.
Heat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 9×13-inch baking dish and place the dried bread cubes in a large mixing bowl.
3. Cook the onion and celery.
Melt 6 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, kosher salt and black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender and translucent, about 8 to 10 minutes.
4. Add the herbs.
Stir in the sage and thyme and cook for about 1 minute, just until fragrant. Remove the skillet from the heat.
5. Mix the broth and eggs.
In a separate bowl or large measuring cup, whisk the eggs with 2 1/2 cups of the broth.
6. Moisten the bread.
Add the cooked onion-and-celery mixture and the fresh parsley to the dried bread. Toss gently, then pour the egg-and-broth mixture over the bread a little at a time, tossing as you go. Add some or all of the remaining 1/2 cup broth only if the bread still feels dry.
Do not pack it down: transfer the stuffing gently to the baking dish. Compressing the bread too firmly can make the finished stuffing dense.
7. Bake covered.
Spoon the stuffing into the prepared baking dish without pressing it tightly. Dot the top with the remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
8. Uncover and brown.
Remove the foil and continue baking for about 20 to 25 minutes, until the top is lightly golden and the center of the stuffing reaches at least 165°F on a food thermometer.
9. Rest briefly and serve.
Let the stuffing stand for about 10 minutes before serving so the center can settle while the crisp edges stay intact.
Make-Ahead, Storage & Reheating
For the easiest make-ahead plan, dry the bread in advance and cook the onion, celery and herbs ahead of time. Refrigerate the cooked vegetable mixture separately. Mix the bread with the broth-and-egg mixture shortly before baking.
Refrigerate cooked stuffing within two hours. USDA recommends storing leftovers in shallow containers and using them within 3 to 4 days. Reheat leftovers to 165°F before serving.
Tips for the Best Homemade Stuffing
Start With Dry Bread
Dry bread absorbs the seasoned broth without collapsing as quickly as very fresh, soft bread.
Add Broth Gradually
Different loaves absorb different amounts. Start with less broth and add more only until the cubes are moist throughout.
Keep the Vegetables Tender
Cook the onion and celery until soft rather than deeply browned so they blend into the classic stuffing flavor.
Finish Uncovered
The covered portion protects the moist center. The uncovered finish is what gives you the crisp top and edges.
Research & Food-Safety References
This recipe uses the standard structure shared across established classic stuffing methods: dry bread, butter, onion, celery, fresh herbs, broth and eggs, baked first covered and then uncovered. USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service guidance is used for safe stuffing temperature, storage and reheating.
Homemade Sage & Herb Stuffing
Classic baked Thanksgiving stuffing with buttery bread, onion, celery, fresh sage, thyme and parsley.
Ingredients
- 12 cups dried 1-inch country white or French bread cubes
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided, plus more for the dish
- 1 large yellow onion, finely diced
- 4 celery stalks, finely diced
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh sage
- 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 large eggs
- 2 1/2 to 3 cups low-sodium chicken or turkey broth
Instructions
- Dry the bread. Use day-old dried bread cubes, or dry fresh cubes in a 300°F oven until crisp but not deeply browned. Cool.
- Heat the oven. Heat oven to 350°F and butter a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Cook the vegetables. Melt 6 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Cook onion, celery, salt and pepper until tender, about 8–10 minutes.
- Add the herbs. Stir in sage and thyme and cook about 1 minute. Remove from heat.
- Mix the liquid. Whisk eggs with 2 1/2 cups broth.
- Combine. Toss bread with the vegetable mixture and parsley. Gradually add the egg-and-broth mixture. Add up to another 1/2 cup broth only if needed.
- Bake covered. Transfer gently to the baking dish, dot with remaining 2 tablespoons butter, cover and bake 30 minutes.
- Brown. Uncover and bake another 20–25 minutes, until golden and the center reaches at least 165°F.
- Rest. Let stand about 10 minutes before serving.
A Bit More Homemade
A familiar side like homemade stuffing can be enough to make the Thanksgiving table feel a little more personal. Keep the ingredients simple, make what matters to your family, and let the rest of the meal be as easy as it needs to be.
You don’t have to do everything. Just start with something—and make your home a bit more homemade one change at a time.
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