Stuffing Recipe Not Just for Thanksgiving

Do you call it stuffing or dressing? My Mom calls it dressing, but for some reason, I call the most popular Thanksgiving side dish… stuffing.

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stuffing

Stuffing or dressing is my favorite Thanksgiving side dish, and I usually make a pan of it for Christmas, too. I don’t have to have a turkey to eat stuffing.

I sometimes crave dressing.

I think it’s the carb lover in me… all that bread. Whatever the reason, I sure do love this tasty side dish.

Note: Scroll to the bottom for a printable version of this stuffing recipe.

dressing

Classic Stuffing Recipe

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 35 minutes
Total time: 40 minutes
Serves: 3-4

Ingredients

  • 1/3 cup unsalted butter
  • 1/2 small yellow onion, diced
  • 12 cups dried cubed white bread
  • 1-2 tsp. sage
  • 1 tsp. Nature’s Seasonings
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
  • 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1 3/4 cup chicken broth
  • 1 tsp. freshly chopped parsley

Thanksgiving side dish

Instructions

  1. The night before, toast your bread and cut it up into cubes.
  2. Lay the cubes out overnight on a baking sheet.
  3. Preheat your oven to 350°.
  4. Turn your instant pot onto sauté mode. Once your instant pot becomes hot, add your butter. Allow the butter to completely melt, then add in your chopped onions. Cook for about three minutes to caramelize them.
  5. Once your onions are cooked, turn them off and add in your bread and seasonings.
  6. Mix together well so that all of the seasonings and onions are distributed proportionately amongst the bread.
  7. Pour the chicken stock over your bread and mix well. Be careful to not mix too much, or your bread will start to break.
  8. Just mix enough for the broth to cover each cube.
  9. Place your stuffing in a 13 x 9 pan, lightly greased, and place in your oven for about 30 minutes.
  10. At the 20-minute mark, start periodically checking your stuffing every five minutes, as some ovens are warmer than others.
  11. Once your stuffing is completely finished, allow it to cool slightly, and serve it up!
  12. Top with a little bit more parsley (optional), and enjoy.

instant pot dressing

instant pot dressing

thanksgiving side dish

stuffing recipe

Do I Need to Dry My Own Bread Cubes to make stuffing?

No, you do not need to dry your own bread crumbs. You can buy bread crumbs already dried at your local grocery store and save yourself time. 

I’ve made this stuffing both ways, and I find it just a little bit better, as least to me, when I dry my own bread cubes.

Note: I used my instant pot to saute the onions and to mix everything together, mostly because I just use my instant pot for most all my cooking lately. You can easily just saute your onions and mix the rest of the ingredients in a large skillet or pot on the stove.

Tips: You can toast your bread in a toaster, toaster oven, or oven, but in the oven, you can get more bread toasted at one time. You can also saute 3-5 celery stalks (chopped) with the onions… I just don’t always have celery on hand.

Can I Use Dried Herbs Instead of Fresh Herbs?

Yes, you can use dried herbs instead of fresh herbs. Just remember that dried herbs are more potent, so you will use less. If you don’t have fresh herbs on hand, don’t fret because dried herbs work fine.

dressing

This stuffing is relatively quick and easy, so it’s perfect for making any time, not just for Thanksgiving. Because I’m making stuffing (or dressing) a popular side dish for any meal, not just for the holidays since it’s also a great side dish with chicken.

You might want to try out this ambrosia salad recipe from foodiecrush. And make this easy Instant Pot dessert, flourless chocolate cake for Thanksgiving or any day of the year.

Obviously, you can do this on your stovetop, but I just love the ease of my instant pot.

[mv_create key=”20″ thumbnail=”https://blogbydonna.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/instant-pot-stuffing-2-blog.jpg” title=”Stuffing Recipe” type=”recipe”] Thanksgiving side dish