Epic Thanksgiving Stuffing

This is the most glorious, old-fashioned Thanksgiving stuffing, made the traditional way with oven-dried sourdough, fresh sage, thyme, rosemary, onion, and celery, plus toasted pecans and cranberries. You can prep this turkey dressing recipe a day ahead for your holiday feast!

The Most Iconic Thanksgiving Side Dish

I don't think I'm alone in saying that stuffing is my favorite thing on the Thanksgiving table. I could honestly skip the turkey and just pile it next to my apple stuffed acorn squash and mashed potatoes with roasted garlic, and I always leave room for dessert: a slice of my mother-in-law's classic pecan pie, my fan-favorite pumpkin apple bundt cake, or a creamy carrot cake cheesecake.

This is a classic, old-fashioned stuffing recipe, but it's a little different from most of the recipes you'll find online. I add toasted pecans and dried cranberries, two perfect Fall ingredients, so every forkful has a buttery crunch and a sweet-tart bite. If you want one traditional Thanksgiving side dish that everyone at the table expects to see, this is it. Read on for helpful tips or jump straight down to the fully printable recipe card.

If you want a really unique (and easy) Thanksgiving stuffing, try my stuffed butternut squash with sausage, spinach, pecans, and cranberries. You won't regret it! It has over 600 positive reviews, has been viewed more than 1.2 million times, and has been shared by more than 70,000 people on Facebook alone.

Why You'll Love This Thanksgiving Stuffing

• It's a classic, traditional recipe. No sausage, no cornbread, no surprises. This is the herb-and-bread turkey stuffing (or turkey dressing, depending on where you grew up) that most of us picture on the holiday table. If you want a heartier version, my Italian sausage stuffing with apples, cranberries, and pecans is a great one to try next.
• Crisp top, tender center: Baking it covered and then uncovered gives you the best of both.
• Bakes in a dish, not the bird: This makes timing easier and gives you way more golden edges.
• Make-ahead friendly: Dry the bread and toast the pecans days in advance.
• Feeds a crowd: One 9x13 pan serves 12.
• A little crunch and sweetness: Toasted pecans and dried cranberries make every bite festive.
• No stale bread required. You don't need to leave bread out on the counter for days. A low oven dries the cubes in 30 to 40 minutes.
• Baked in a dish, not the bird. Baking it in a casserole dish is easier to time and safer, since you don't have to worry about the stuffing inside the turkey reaching a safe temperature. 
• I encourage you to read through my brief, helpful tips below to ensure 100% Thanksgiving stuffing success, but you can also jump straight down to the fully printable recipe card and return to review the tips later.

Stuffing or Dressing? Here's the Difference

Technically, stuffing cooks inside the turkey and dressing bakes in a separate dish. In many parts of the South, people call it turkey dressing no matter how it's cooked. I bake mine in a casserole dish because it's safer, it cooks more evenly, the top gets crispy, and I don't have to overcook the turkey just to get the center of the stuffing hot enough.. So whether you call it Thanksgiving stuffing or turkey dressing, you'll get the same cozy, herb-packed side dish.

You'll Need These Ingredients:

Find the complete ingredient list with amounts + recipe instructions in the fully printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Best Bread for Thanksgiving Stuffing

• Sourdough (my pick): I recommend sourdough because it has a slightly chewy texture and enough structure to hold its shape after soaking up the broth. Its subtle tanginess works really well with the buttery vegetables, herbs, and sweet cranberries. It holds its shape after soaking up the broth, so you get soft pieces with a bit of chew instead of a mushy texture.
• French or Italian bread: A crusty loaf works almost as well as sourdough. 
• Brioche or challah: These make a richer, softer stuffing. They absorb liquid quickly, so start with a little less broth and add more as needed.
• Cornbread: For a Southern-style cornbread dressing, replace half of the sourdough with dried cornbread cubes. It crumbles more, so toss everything very gently.
• Store-bought stuffing cubes: A good shortcut if you're short on time. Skip the drying step, and taste before adding salt since some brands are already seasoned.
• Keep the crusts on unless they are very thick or hard. They add flavor and help create the golden, crispy edges on top.
• Dry the bread thoroughly. This is one of the most important steps. Fresh bread holds too much moisture and turns mushy once you add the broth and eggs. The cubes should feel dry and firm all the way through, but they don't need to be browned. Very fresh or soft bread may need a little longer in the oven. Leaving bread out overnight works, but it dries unevenly. Baking the cubes at a low temperature dries them all the way through without browning, and that's what keeps the stuffing light.

My Top Tips for Perfect Turkey Dressing

• Add the broth gradually. How much you need depends on your bread, how dry it is, and the size of the cubes. Start with half of the broth, then slowly add the egg and remaining broth mixture instead of pouring it all in at once. Let the bread sit for 5 to 10 minutes before deciding if it needs more. The cubes should feel moistened and slightly soft but still hold their shape, with no puddle at the bottom of the bowl. You don't have to use every last drop, and very dry bread may need a small splash extra.
• Don't skip the eggs. They bind the stuffing and give the middle a richer, more cohesive texture. The finished stuffing should hold together lightly when spooned onto a plate, but it isn't supposed to be firm enough to slice.
• Aim for both moist and crispy. The top should be golden with crispy, toasted edges, while the middle stays soft and tender, with individual bread cubes still visible. If it turns out dry and crumbly, it needed a little more broth. If it's dense, soggy, or gummy, the bread wasn't dry enough or too much liquid was added.
• Keep it loose in a 9x13-inch dish. Don't pack the stuffing tightly, so the exposed bread cubes can crisp up. A ceramic or glass 9x13 dish gives plenty of room and surface area for a golden top. A deeper or smaller dish may need extra baking time to heat through.
• Toast the pecans separately. It brings out their nutty flavor and gives them a better crunch. Spread them in a single layer and watch them closely toward the end, since they can go from perfectly toasted to burnt quickly. Let them cool before chopping, and save a few of the best-looking halves for the top.
• Add the cranberries in two rounds. Dried cranberries add sweetness that balances the savory herbs, buttery bread, and toasted nuts, plus some much-needed color. I mix most of them into the bread before baking and scatter the rest over the finished dish, so they stay bright red instead of drying out or darkening in the oven.
• Use fresh herbs. Sage is the most important one, since it gives that familiar Thanksgiving stuffing taste. Rosemary is stronger, so chop it finely. Parsley adds a lighter, fresher note that balances the butter. Save a few pretty leaves and sprigs to scatter on top just before serving.
• Dot the top with butter. Small cubes of butter melt into the exposed bread as it bakes, keeping it buttery and helping it turn golden once the foil comes off. A light brush of melted butter after baking gives the top a subtle shine without making it greasy.

How to Make Thanksgiving Stuffing (Step-by-Step Photos)

This is the overview with process shots. The full printable recipe with all the measurements is in the recipe card above.

• Dry the bread. Bake the sourdough cubes at 250°F (120°C) for 30 to 40 minutes, stirring halfway, until dry but not browned.
• Toast the pecans. Raise the oven to 325°F (165°C) and toast the pecans for 7 to 10 minutes. Chop most of them and keep ¼ cup of halves for the top.

• Heat the oven. Raise the temperature to 350°F (175°C) for baking the stuffing.
• Cook the vegetables. Melt the butter and cook the onion and celery for 10 to 12 minutes, until soft and translucent.
• Add the garlic and herbs. Stir in the garlic for a minute, then the herbs, salt, and pepper until fragrant.

• Combine. Add the vegetables and all the butter to the bread, then toss in most of the pecans and ½ cup of cranberries.

• Add the broth. Pour half of the broth over the bread, then whisk the eggs into the rest and pour it in slowly. Let it soak for 5 to 10 minutes.

• Fill the dish. Spoon the stuffing into a buttered 9x13-inch dish without pressing it down, then dot with small cubes of butter.
• Bake. Bake covered with foil for 30 minutes, then uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes, until golden and crisp on top.
• Finish and serve. Rest for 5 to 10 minutes, brush with melted butter, and top with the reserved pecans, cranberries, and fresh herbs.

More Thanksgiving Side Dishes

• Mashed Potatoes with Roasted Garlic
• Acorn Squash Stuffed with Cinnamon-Brown-Sugar Apples
• Cranberry Pecan Cheese Ball
• Hasselback Butternut Squash
• Green Beans with Pine Nuts
• Easy Scalloped Potatoes
• Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon, Pecans, and Cranberries
• 60 Best Thanksgiving Side Dishes
• 50 Best Thanksgiving Recipes (The Complete Holiday Menu)
• 30 Best Thanksgiving Salads