Classic Stuffing Recipe

4.53 from 38 votes

This stuffing is made with Italian bread, apples, celery, onions, and herbs. Don't miss the tips on how to make bread stale quickly.

Prep Time2 15

Cook Time45

Total Time3

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 329kcal

Preheat oven to 200°.
Cut bread slices into small cubes that are about 1/2-inch in size. Use serrated bread knife to cut easier.
Spread bread in two large, rimmed baking sheets evenly and place the trays in the oven.
Let them bake and harden for about 2 hours.
Take them out and you can prepare the stuffing right away.

Preheat oven to 375°. Grease a 9x9 deep casserole dish or a 9x13 casserole dish. (Note that if using 9x13, the bake time will be slightly less).
Dice onion and celery. Peel, core, and dice the apple. Try to get all the cuts as equal as possibly.
Preheat a medium cooking pan over medium heat. Add oil.
Add onion and celery and saute until onions are transparent.
Add apples and cook until veggies are softened. Take off heat.
In a large mixing bowl (and I mean large), combine stale bread cubes, cooked veggies, thyme, parsley, salt and pepper. Gently mix everything until evenly incorporated.
In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs. Whisk in broth and apple juice. Season with some salt and stir well.
Pour the liquid into the bowl with bread and veggies and quickly mix everything together as evenly as possible.
Transfer into prepared baking dish and bake for 30-40 minutes. For 9×9 deep casserole dish, bake the stuffing for 35-40 minutes. For 9×13 casserole dish, bake the stuffing for 30-35 minutes. To tell if the stuffing is done, check the center with an instant read digital thermometer so it reads 165°.

Make Ahead: You can start the bread staling process a day or two before. Simply dice the bread into small cubes, spread it on two large baking sheets, and let it stale for 1-2 days in a cool, dry place.
You can also prep the whole stuffing recipe and spread it into the baking dish. Instead of baking, cover it air-tight with plastic wrap or a fitted lid and refrigerate overnight. When you’re ready to bake the next day, take off the plastic wrap, set the dish on the counter while the oven is preheating and then bake per recipe instructions. You will want to add about 5-10 minutes to bake time since you’re starting from cold.
Freezing: You can also freeze it after prepping. If you plan to freeze the stuffing before baking it, spread it in an aluminum baking pan. Cover it completely air-tight with aluminum foil and plastic wrap, label, and freeze for up to 2 months.
Thaw frozen stuffing slowly, in the refrigerator, for about 24 hours before baking. Bake according to the recipe but add about 10 more minutes to bake time since you’re starting from cold. Make sure the center is baked through and reached 165° internal temperature.