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A close-up of a baking dish filled with golden-brown stuffing, featuring cranberries, celery, and herbs, with a wooden spoon.

Why Everyone Loves This Stuffing Recipe

This stuffing recipe is a crowd-pleaser, perfect for holidays and family gatherings. It features a blend of savory herbs, sweet apple, and crunchy celery, with make-ahead tips to simplify your cooking.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Make-Ahead Storage 24 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Side Dish, Thanksgiving
Cuisine: American
Calories: 240
Ingredients Equipment Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Stuffing Base
  • 16 slices whole wheat bread cut into 1 inch cubes
For the Herb Butter Mixture
  • 3/4 cup unsalted butter
  • 1 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
  • 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
  • 1 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 1/2 tsp salt-free chicken seasoning
  • 1 tsp dried parsley
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
For the Mix-ins
  • 1 Honeycrisp apple cored and diced
  • 3 stalks celery diced
  • 1/2 medium sweet onion diced
  • 1/4 cup dried cranberries
For Finishing
  • 2 cups chicken broth

Equipment

  • 9x13 baking dish
  • Large baking sheet
  • Parchment paper
  • Medium saucepan
  • Aluminum foil

Method
 

  1. Preheat your oven to 325°F (160°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Cube the bread slices and place them in an even layer on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes until toasted.
  3. While the bread toasts, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Stir in the rosemary, thyme, salt, chicken seasoning, parsley, pepper, and garlic powder until combined.
  4. Add the diced apple, celery, onion, and dried cranberries to the butter mixture. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer. Cook for 10 minutes.
  5. Transfer the toasted bread cubes to a 9x13 baking dish. Pour the butter mixture over the bread and toss to coat. Cover with aluminum foil. You can refrigerate at this point for up to 24 hours for make-ahead. If making ahead, allow the stuffing to come to room temperature for about 30 minutes before baking.
  6. Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Stir the chicken broth into the stuffing mixture, tossing to combine. Cover the dish and bake for 20 minutes.
  7. Uncover the stuffing and continue to bake for another 15 minutes, or until golden brown and heated through. Serve hot.

Nutrition

Calories: 240kcalCarbohydrates: 25gProtein: 6gFat: 13gSodium: 529mgFiber: 4g

Notes

This stuffing recipe is designed to be flexible. You can adjust the herbs to your preference and add other vegetables like mushrooms or leeks. The make-ahead option is a lifesaver for busy holiday cooks, allowing you to prepare the dish in advance and simply bake it when ready.

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