Make-ahead stuffing recipe with two breads! Simple ingredients, no sausage, mushrooms, oysters, or nuts. Store-bought bread cubes meet day-old cornbread for the best Thanksgiving stuffing casserole with a crispy top and a soft inside that's not soggy.
Growing up, like so many families, we relied on the familiar red box of Stove Top stuffing. We liked it because it was buttery, savory, and salty. After many attempts at making stuffing from scratch, my family says this two-bread version, similar to what Grandma Anne makes, is their all-time favorite Thanksgiving side dish.
Making it for a large Thanksgiving gathering? Double the batch and you'll have enough to feed 25 generously, plus plenty of leftovers for the real treat, stuffing waffles the next day.
While everyone else is opening boxes, you'll be serving up a golden, crispy-topped stuffing casserole that holds up to homemade gravy next to mashed potatoes, sliced turkey, and green beans, and tastes like it came from grandma's kitchen. Imagine the confidence boost when people ask, "Did you really make this?"
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Why This Stuffing Is The One
- You can ditch the box of Stove Top stuffing.
- Two textures. Crispy top with a soft inside.
- Plenty of butter, fresh herbs, and celery leaves.
- No more bitter celery because it will be sautéd first.
Ingredients
Here are the ingredients needed to make this easy stuffing recipe with two breads.
- Cubed Bread: You can use seasoned cubed stuffing or the bag of unseasoned bread cubes in the bakery department to save time for a big holiday meal. You can also chop 12 oz of bread, such as sandwich, Italian, French, or sourdough, into cubes and leave them out to dry in a sheet pan for 2 days.
- Cornbread Mix: Keep it easy and make your cornbread from a boxed mix. Make sure you have the ingredients the mix needs. I like Jiffy Corn Mix or the Whole Foods mix because they're not sickeningly sweet. The Whole Foods cornbread mix will make more cornbread than the recipe calls for unless you plan to double the recipe then it's just the right amount. Here is an interesting cornbread mix taste test if you need a different brand.
- Unsalted Butter: I prefer to use unsalted butter for most of my holiday cooking, as I'm unsure about the salt content in some stocks. I can add kosher salt as needed.
- Onion: White or yellow onions. I suggest yellow because it has a bite when raw, but is very sweet when caramelized.
- Celery: Buy celery that has healthy-looking leaves still attached so you can add the leaves to the stuffing.
- Garlic Cloves: Real garlic, not the jarred stuff.
- Fresh Herbs: Thyme, Italian (flat leaf) parsley, rosemary, celery leaves
- Chicken Stock: If you have homemade brown chicken stock, use it in this recipe for the best quality ingredient. Otherwise, use low-sodium, store-bought stock.
- Eggs: To help bind the bread together.
- Season with Diamond Crystal kosher salt and black pepper.
See the recipe card below for ingredient measurements.
Variations
Here are other ideas that you can add to this stuffing recipe to suit your taste for the holidays.
- Indulgent: Melt 1 stick of unsalted butter and drizzle it over the casserole before baking.
- Sage: Sage is a popular woody herb for turkey, chicken, and dressing/stuffing. Add 1 tablespoon of fresh sage or 1 teaspoon of dried sage to the herb mixture.
- Poultry Seasoning: You can add 1-2 teaspoons of dried poultry seasoning to build even more herbal flavors.
- No Eggs: You don't have to add eggs to the stuffing; however, you might need a little more stock if you omit the eggs.
- Grated Parmesan Cheese: Reduce the salt by half and add 1 cup of grated Parmesan cheese for an extra punch of umami to the stuffing.
Equipment
- Extra-large mixing bowl or deep stock pot to mix the stuffing
- 13 x 18-inch sheet pan
- 9 x 13-inch casserole dish
- 10 to 12-inch skillet to sauté the vegetables
- Instant-read thermometer to test the internal temperature of the baked dish, optional
Step-by-Step Instructions
Tip: Bake the cornbread in a larger dish so that it will rise to only 1 inch in height.
Step 1: The day before you plan to mix the stuffing, make the cornbread according to the package directions using a 9 x 13-inch casserole. Let it cool.
Step 2: Cut the cornbread into 1-inch cubes, spread the cubes and crumbs onto a sheet pan, and let them dry out, uncovered, for 24 hours. Alternatively, dry the cubes on a sheet pan in a 300℉ oven for about 30 minutes.
Step 3: To prepare the stuffing, melt the butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and celery to cook until translucent, about 5-7 minutes. Add the minced garlic and stir for 60 seconds. Turn off the heat.
Step 4: Add the Italian parsley, thyme leaves, and fresh rosemary to the skillet and stir to combine.
Tip: Start by soaking the store-bought bread cubes first, as they're much drier than the cornbread and need more time to absorb the liquid. Add the delicate cornbread cubes at the end to prevent them from breaking apart.
Step 5: In a large bowl, add the store-bought dried bread cubes. Add the sautéed vegetable mixture and butter from the skillet.
Step 6: Roughly chop the celery leaves and add them to the bowl along with the kosher salt and pepper.
Step 7: Whisk the eggs in a small bowl and add them to a measuring cup of chicken stock. Drizzle the stock and egg mixture over the bread cubes. Wait 10 minutes for the bread to absorb the liquid.
Step 8: Add the cornbread cubes and mix lightly to combine. Let rest for 5-10 minutes.
Step 9: Check the consistency of the mixture. You want to moisten the bread; however, not so much that it becomes mushy.
If it's too dry, add a few tablespoons of stock at a time to moisten further.
Too wet? Add extra bread cubes to soak up the moisture. Let it rest.
Step 10: Spoon the bread stuffing into a casserole dish. Press down on the cubes so they fit into the dish. Store, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 2 days until you are ready to bake it.
Step 11: Preheat the oven to 350℉.
Bake, uncovered, for 45-50 minutes until the center is 180℉ and the top is crisp. Serve within 30 minutes.
Top Tips
Do you need to cut down some time on making cornbread cubes? Or, maybe your cubes are not dry enough after sitting out overnight.
- Cook the cornbread in the morning, cool to room temperature, cube it, then roast the cubes on a sheet pan in a 300℉ oven for 20-30 minutes until dried out.
Make Ahead Instructions
Make Ahead: Bake the cornbread 3-4 days ahead, then make the stuffing casserole up to 2 days ahead of time.
How To Store In the Fridge: The casserole will hold, uncooked, in the refrigerator for up to 2 days in a covered dish until you are ready to bake it before the big meal. Add 10-15 minutes to the cooking time.
How To Store In The Freezer: Bake the stuffing casserole according to the recipe, let it cool to room temperature, cover it, and freeze it for up to 1 month. Let the frozen casserole defrost in the refrigerator for 24 hours before reheating it. Reheat in a 350℉ oven, covered, for about 45 minutes until it is hot (165℉) in the center.
Storage Information
Store leftovers in the refrigerator for 2 days. Reheat in the microwave or make crispy stuffing waffles the next day.
FAQ
The key is finding the right moisture balance. If your stuffing looks too dry before baking, add more broth, ¼ cup at a time. If it seems too wet after letting it sit for 10 minutes to absorb the liquid, add more bread cubes. The mixture should be moist but not soggy when you press it.
Yes! While store-bought stuffing cubes or seasoned cubes are convenient, you can use day-old white bread, sourdough, or even brioche cut into cubes. Just make sure whatever bread you use is stale so it absorbs the liquid properly without falling apart.
You can, but most pre-made cornbread in my area is cake-like and too sweet for this savory stuffing recipe. I recommend using a mix. Jiffy corn muffin mix is a popular option.
Yes, you can use dried herbs. Substitute 4 teaspoons of dried parsley, 1 teaspoon of dried thyme, and 1 teaspoon of dried rosemary.
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Did you try any of these tips? Leave a comment below to let us know how it turned out! Thanks for visiting!
📖 Recipe
Stuffing Recipe With Two Breads
Equipment
- extra large mixing bowl
- 9 x 13-inch casserole dish
- 13 x 18-inch sheet pan
- 10 or 12-inch skillet
- instant-read thermometer optional
Ingredients
- 8 ounce cornbread mix (baked according to package directions, 4 cups of cubes)
- 12 ounces store-bought dried bread cubes (7 cups)
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1½ cups onion, finely chopped (2 medium onions)
- 1½ cups celery, finely chopped (4 ribs with their leaves set aside)
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ cup Italian parsley, chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh celery leaves, chopped (or as many leaves that look fresh from the celery)
- 2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2¾ cups chicken stock, homemade or low sodium
- 2 eggs, large
Instructions
For The Cornbread (Day 1)
- The day before you plan to mix the stuffing, make the cornbread according to the package directions using a 9 x 13-inch casserole to keep the cornbread thin.
- Cut the cornbread into 1-inch cubes, spread the cubes and crumbs onto a sheet pan, and let them dry out, uncovered, for 24 hours. Alternatively, dry the cubes on a sheet pan in a 300℉ oven for about 30 minutes.
Prepare The Stuffing (Day 2)
- Melt the butter in a 10 or 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and celery to cook until translucent, about 5-7 minutes. Add the minced garlic and stir for 60 seconds. Turn off the heat.
- Add the Italian parsley, thyme leaves, and fresh rosemary to the skillet and stir to combine.
- Tip: Start by soaking the store-bought bread cubes first, as they're much drier than the cornbread and need more time to absorb the liquid. Add the delicate cornbread cubes at the end to prevent them from breaking apart.
- In a large bowl, add the dried store-bought bread cubes. Add the sautéed vegetable mixture and butter from the skillet.
- Roughly chop the celery leaves and add them to the bowl along with the kosher salt and pepper.
- Whisk the eggs in a small bowl and add them to a measuring cup of chicken stock. Drizzle the stock and egg mixture over the bread cubes. Wait 10 minutes for the bread to absorb the liquid.
- Add the cornbread cubes and mix lightly to combine. Let rest for 5-10 minutes. You want to moisten the bread; however, not so much that it becomes mushy.
- Spoon the bread stuffing into a casserole dish. Press down on the cubes so they fit into the dish. Store, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 2 days until you are ready to bake it.
To Bake (Day of Serving)
- Preheat the oven to 350℉.
- Bake, uncovered, for 45-50 minutes until the center is 180℉ and the top is crisp. Serve within 30 minutes.
Notes
Nutrition
The provided nutritional information is an estimate per serving. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
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