Easy stuffing is a cornerstone recipe to Thanksgiving dinner, holiday meals, and amazingly tasty family dinners all year long! Classic ingredients including celery, onion, and ready-to-use stuffing cubes combine with tasty herbs to complement so many dishes!
A flavor boost to a delicious, classic Thanksgiving and holiday side dish!
When it comes to Thanksgiving, stuffing is undoubtedly a crowd favorite. Unfortunately, it’s fairly labor intensive. With this recipe, bring the holidays to any night of the year without the hassle!
My easy stuffing recipe takes 5 minutes to pull together and only 40 minutes to cook. Short on time but craving some holiday-worthy food?
Buy a rotisserie chicken, then put the stuffing in the oven, and brussel sprouts in the air fryer all for under 10 minutes of prep time. Is it worth it? Without a doubt!
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All the typical ingredients make this traditional: yellow onion, garlic, celery, stuffing cubes, butter.
But you’ll surprise and delight your diners with an extra special addition: herbs de provence! It’s a blend that’s chock full of herbs from France that adds a little sweetness to this otherwise savory cultural icon.
❤️ Why You'll Love This Recipe!
Unique Flavors! The addition of Herbes de Provence isn’t in your average stuffing recipe! These herbs are also spectacularly suited to your turkey!
Easy Steps! No complicated ingredients or cooking techniques!
It's Fast! Only 5 minutes of prep time! There are TV dinners that take longer than that!
🥘 Ingredients
Most of these ingredients are easy enough to find, but there is one unique spice. Herbs de Provence make this special and can be bought or made at home.
- ½ cup Butter - Butter creates a rich, delicious taste that browns the top and makes everything rich and amazing.
- 2 ribs Celery - Adds a depth of flavor and some texture to many different dishes!
- 1 large Yellow Onion - While other onions can be used in a pinch, the yellow variety has a great flavor that sweetens as you cook it.
- 1 tablespoon minced Garlic - Fresh or jarred will work.
- 1 tablespoon Herbes de Provence - This is a blend of herbs commonly found in the Provence region in southeastern France.
- Salt & Pepper (to taste) - As always, add as much or a little of these as you’d like!
- 17 ounces Stuffing Cubes - Pick your favorite brand of these little bread squares.
- 2 cups Chicken Broth - This is another ingredient you can either buy at the store or make from the leftover bones of a rotisserie or bird from another recipe.
*Be sure to see the free printable recipe card below for ingredients, exact amounts & instructions with tips!*
🔪 Instructions
True to its name, easy stuffing is just that...easy. It only requires two pots and a baking dish, so you won’t be left cleaning up all evening, either!
Saute Onions, Celery & Garlic
- Preheat your oven. Set your oven to 350℉ (175℃).
- Melt the butter. Heat ½ cup butter in a large pot over medium heat.
- Then, add veggies and seasoning. Toss 2 ribs of diced celery, 1 large diced yellow onion, and 1 tablespoon minced garlic in the butter. Saute for 3 to 4 minutes. They should be soft. Add 1 tablespoon herbes de provence along with some salt and pepper (to taste). Stir until blended.
Combine with Stuffing Cubes & Bake
- Combine with stuffing cubes. Take the pan off the heat and drop in 17 ounces stuffing cubes. Mix together until the butter coats everything.
- Heat the broth. Now it’s time to pull out a saucepan and bring 2 cups chicken broth to a low boil. You can also do this in a microwave-safe measuring cup in the microwave. Then pour it over the stuffing mix and combine thoroughly.
- Bake. Move the stuffing from the bowl to a greased 9x13” baking dish and cook for 25 to 30 minutes.
- Cool and serve. Remove your stuffing from the oven and let it cool slightly before serving.
Enjoy this great American side with customary Thanksgiving food for a fantastic lunch or dinner. If desired, garnish with fresh herbs. Enjoy!
💭 Tips & Notes
- Stuffing is done when the top is golden brown. Most of the liquid should be soaked up. Test for this by sticking a fork to the bottom of the baking dish and pull it to the side. There shouldn’t be pools of liquid.
- To get crispy yet soft dressing, don’t add all the broth at once. To keep the bread from soaking all the liquid up at once and becoming mushy, add broth ½ cup to 1 cup at a time as you’re cooking. Wait for the broth to be absorbed before adding more. This will allow some of the bread to toast before soaking up liquid.
- Cover the baking dish with foil while cooking for a softer texture, uncovered for a crunchy top. For that soft, fluffy texture, trap the steam by covering the stuffing while it’s cooking. Take off the foil for the last 10 minutes or so to add some color. It follows that for a crunchier texture, leave off the foil the entire time. If you like it somewhere in between, cover and uncover at will.
- Don’t skip the step where you cook the vegetables. Not only does this allow the vegetables to release more flavor, but it guarantees they will be cooked. No one wants crunchy vegetables in a stuffing recipe. Make sure they’re soft before you add them to the baking dish.
- Butter is also key to a good texture. Even if you’re trying to make this healthier, don’t skip out on the butter. Some would say the crispy edges it creates on the sides of the pan are the best part! It’s also vital to creating the rich flavor we all know and love.
- Stuffing that is too wet or too dry can be fixed. If it’s too wet, put it back in the oven uncovered and cook for a few minutes at a time until some of the liquid has evaporated or has been absorbed. If it’s too dry, add some warm broth, stir it, and put it back in the oven. Check on it every few minutes until it reaches the desired moisture level.
🥡 Storing & Reheating
This quick and easy stuffing can be kept for up to 4 days in the refrigerator if you happen to have any leftovers. Cover your dish of stuffing up tightly with aluminum foil or plastic wrap, or put leftovers into an airtight container for lasting freshness.
Store them in the freezer for up to 1 month for best flavor. Put them in an airtight container. Thaw frozen leftovers in the fridge overnight before reheating.
Reheating Easy Stuffing
To reheat, place the stuffing into an oven-safe dish and cook for around 30 minutes - or until desired temperature - at 350℉ (175℃). Cover with foil and add some extra butter or broth if you like your stuffing softer.
😋 More Recipes That Go With Stuffing
❓ FAQ
Technically, stuffing got its name because it was stuffed inside the cavity of a turkey while it cooked, and dressing was cooked separately.
Today, those who live in the south and parts of the Midwest tend to use the latter term while most other parts of the country use the former. As it turns out, in the 1850s, southerners decided using the term “stuffing” was crude and embraced “dressing”.
While you may have a preference for one or the other, I think we can all agree that they’re reasonably interchangeable, regardless of how greatly this dish can vary depending on your place in the country.
Yes. Very dry, stale bread is even better. You can use sandwich bread, dinner rolls, biscuits, etc. Just keep in mind that uneven pieces could change the cooking time a bit. As long as you’re watching carefully, it should come together in approximately the same amount of time.
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📖 Recipe Card
Easy Stuffing
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter
- 2 ribs celery (diced)
- 1 large yellow onion (diced)
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon herbes de provence (store bought or use my recipe)
- each, salt & pepper (to taste)
- 17 oz stuffing cubes (your favorite brand)
- 2 cups chicken broth (heated)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- In a large pot over medium heat add the butter and allow it to melt.½ cup butter
- Once the butter is melted add the onion, celery, and garlic then saute until softened or about 3-4 minutes. Add the seasoning and stir into the sauteed veggies.2 ribs celery, 1 large yellow onion, 1 tablespoon minced garlic, 1 tablespoon herbes de provence, each, salt & pepper
- Remove from heat and add the stuffing cubes. Stir to coat with the butter and mix evenly with the sauteed onion, celery, and garlic.17 oz stuffing cubes
- Warm the chicken broth in a saucepan on the stovetop until it just begins to boil, or heat in a microwave-safe measuring cup in the microwave. Combine with stuffing mixture.2 cups chicken broth
- Transfer to a greased 9x13 baking dish and bake at 350°F (175°C) for 25-30 minutes.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool a few minutes before serving.
Equipment You May Need
Notes
- Alternatively, your fully combined stuffing can be stuffed into your turkey before roasting.
Nutrition
Angela is an at home chef that developed a passion for all things cooking and baking at a young age in her Grandma's kitchen. After many years in the food service industry, she now enjoys sharing all of her family favorite recipes and creating tasty dinner and amazing dessert recipes here at Bake It With Love!
Anonymous says
Looks delicious! Can this be made in a crockpot!?
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
Sure thing! Combine everything after sauteing then transfer into a buttered 5-6 quart (standard sized) slow cooker. Cook on high for 30 minutes then reduce to low heat and finish cooking for 3-4 hours.
Melissa Keyes says
This recipe sounds perfect! Should I buy preseasoned stuffing cubes if I'm adding the herbs de provence?
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
Yes, pre-seasoned cubes are fine to enhance with the herbes de Provence. I've made this recipe using Pepperidge Farms' classic and sage stuffing flavors.
Teri says
Can this be made ahead of time? If so, how?
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
This is one dish I don't make in advance, you can read all about which dishes to plan ahead for in my Thanksgiving guide here!
Edward says
This was a really good and easy stuffing, went perfect with roast chicken!
Krista says
Same here, I am going to use it for our Thanksgiving turkey this year. I will of course use homemade turkey stock instead of chicken broth but I think it will be amazing!