Oven-Baked Stuffing With Fresh Sage Recipe

Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 45 mins
Total: 60 mins
Servings: 6 to 8 servings

This homemade stuffing recipe never sees the inside of a turkey, so it's up to you whether to call it "stuffing" or "dressing." Either way, baking it in its own dish is preferable because the top turns out golden-brown and crispy. Besides, cooking stuffing inside the bird is a major food safety risk.

Stuffing is mainly bread, so not surprisingly, the better your bread, the better your stuffing will be. That doesn't mean it can't be white bread, but a chewy, crusty loaf will hold up better and have a better texture after it's cooked. A hearty sourdough is especially nice.

There's always a debate among stuffing aficionados over whether to include an egg, which helps to bind the stuffing together. Some people don't care for it at all, while for others it's two eggs or bust. This recipe includes a single egg, but you can use two or just leave it out, as you prefer.

As for the herbs, fresh sage is an absolute must in the homemade stuffing. If you've ever grown your own sage, you know that if you're doing a big harvest (as opposed to just snipping off a leaf or three), it's best to do it a couple of months before the first frost. Which no doubt explains why sage is so traditional in Thanksgiving stuffing. You can use additional herbs as well, like thyme and/or marjoram, but definitely make sure of the sage.

Homemade Oven-Baked Stuffing
The Spruce

Ingredients

  • 8 slices bread, cut into half-inch dice (about 4 cups or 230 grams)

  • 1/2 cup chopped onion

  • 1/2 cup chopped celery

  • 4 ounces (1/2 cupunsalted butter

  • 2 tablespoons chopped parsley

  • 1 tablespoon chopped sage, thyme, and/or marjoram

  • 1 cup chicken stock, or turkey stock

  • 1 large egg, beaten

  • 1 cup walnuts, hazelnuts, or slivered almonds, chopped, optional

  • Raisins, or diced apples, optional

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients. Preheat oven to 400 F.

    Homemade Oven-Baked Stuffing ingredients
    The Spruce 
  2. Spread the diced bread on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes or until lightly golden. Give the pan a shake midway through so the cubes brown evenly. Remove pan and let the bread cool.

    Bread for stuffing.
     The Spruce
  3. Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Sauté the onion and celery until the onion is slightly translucent. Remove from heat and let cool.

    Sweating onions and celery.
     The Spruce
  4. Transfer the toasted bread, chopped herbs and the cooked celery and onions to a large bowl. Add any nuts or fruit at this stage, too. Give it all a toss to combine.

    Now, drizzle a bit of the stock over the bread cubes and gently mix. Repeat until all the bread is moistened but not soggy. Now add the egg and toss until all the ingredients are coated.

    Seasoned bread for stuffing.
     The Spruce
  5. Butter a baking dish, transfer the dressing to the dish and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the top is crispy. Serve hot and enjoy!

    Oven-baked stuffing with sage.
     The Spruce

Tips

  • While the add-ons (slivered almonds, raisins, diced apples, etc) are optional, they do make a big difference, and if you're only making stuffing one time this year, you might as well go all-out.
  • Here's some more info about stuffing, including a quantity chart, food safety tips, and how to get it into the bird.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
208 Calories
14g Fat
17g Carbs
5g Protein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6 to 8
Amount per serving
Calories 208
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 14g 17%
Saturated Fat 8g 38%
Cholesterol 55mg 18%
Sodium 205mg 9%
Total Carbohydrate 17g 6%
Dietary Fiber 1g 5%
Total Sugars 3g
Protein 5g
Vitamin C 3mg 13%
Calcium 62mg 5%
Iron 1mg 8%
Potassium 138mg 3%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)