This Make Ahead Stuffing is one of our favorite holiday side dishes because you can prepare it ahead of time and bake it when you’re ready. Made with buttery French bread, tender celery and onions, and classic poultry seasoning, it’s soft in the middle with perfectly crisp golden edges.
We love recipes that make holiday cooking easier, and this stuffing has earned a permanent spot on our Thanksgiving table after years of testing.
If you love this Make Ahead Stuffing, you’ll also want to try Roast Turkey, Homemade Dinner Rolls, Mashed Potatoes, and Sweet Potato Casserole with Marshmallows.
Why you’ll love it + Why it works:
- Simple Seasoning: Poultry seasoning delivers balanced herb flavor without measuring several individual spices.
- Make Ahead Friendly: Prepare it in advance so there’s less to do on Thanksgiving or Christmas Day.
- Classic Holiday Flavor: Buttery bread, herbs, celery, and onion create the traditional stuffing everyone loves.
- Perfect Texture: Soft and flavorful inside with crisp, golden edges on top.
Make Ahead Stuffing Ingredients
- Butter (½ cup, 1 stick): Adds rich flavor and coats the vegetables while helping keep the stuffing moist.
- Onion (½ cup, finely chopped): Adds savory flavor without overpowering the stuffing. Yellow or white onions both work well.
- Celery (3 ribs, sliced and chopped): Adds classic stuffing flavor along with a little texture.
- Large eggs (3): Binds the stuffing together and help it bake into tender slices.
- Chicken broth (2½ cups): Moistens the bread cubes and adds savory flavor. Start with 2 cups and add more as needed since different breads absorb liquid differently.
- Salt (1 teaspoon): Enhances the flavor of all the ingredients.
- Black pepper (½ teaspoon): Adds mild seasoning and balances the richness.
- Fresh parsley (¼ cup minced) or dried parsley (1 tablespoon): Adds fresh herb flavor and brightens the stuffing.
- Poultry seasoning (1 teaspoon): Brings together classic herbs like sage, thyme, and marjoram for traditional stuffing flavor without extra measuring.
- French bread (1 (1-pound) loaf, cut into ½-inch cubes and dried): Forms the base of the stuffing. Drying the bread helps it absorb the broth while maintaining the perfect texture.
How to Make Make Ahead Stuffing
PREP. Butter a 9×13-inch baking dish and set aside.
COOK. In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion and celery and cook until soft and fragrant, about 5-6 minutes, or until lightly tender.
Stir in parsley and poultry seasoning. Cook for 30 seconds, just until fragrant. Remove from heat.
In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, chicken broth, salt, and pepper. Add the buttered onion-celery mixture and stir to combine. Add bread cubes and toss until evenly coated. The mixture should be moist but not soggy. If it looks too dry, drizzle in a little more broth (every loaf absorbs differently).
BAKE. Pour into the prepared dish, cover tightly with foil, and bake at 350°F for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake 15–20 more minutes, or until the top is golden and slightly crisp on the edges.
Kristyn’s Recipe Tips
- Dry the bread overnight or toast it in the oven so it absorbs the broth without becoming mushy.
- Start with the smaller amount of broth and add more only if needed, since every loaf of bread absorbs liquid differently.
- Covering the stuffing during the first part of baking keeps it moist, while uncovering it at the end creates a crisp golden top.
- Let the stuffing rest for about 10 minutes before serving so it holds together better.
- Make-ahead tip: assemble, cover, and refrigerate, then bake when ready.
Make Ahead Stuffing Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ cup (1 stick) butter
- ½ cup finely chopped onion, about ½ a large onion – just enough for flavor, not overpowering
- 3 celery ribs, sliced and chopped
- 3 large eggs
- 2 ½ cups chicken broth, start with 2 cups; add more if it looks too dry
- 1 teaspoon salt + ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ cup minced fresh parsley, or 1 tablespoon, dried
- 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning, instead of measuring out all the separate herbs – easy + perfectly balanced
- 1 (1-pound) loaf French bread, cut into ½-inch cubes and dried overnight (or baked at 300 degrees F for 20-30 min until crisp)
Instructions
- Butter a 9×13-inch baking dish and set aside.
- In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion and celery and cook until soft and fragrant, about 5-6 minutes, or until lightly tender..
- Stir in parsley and poultry seasoning. Cook for 30 seconds, just until fragrant. Remove from heat.
- In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, chicken broth, salt, and pepper. Add the buttered onion-celery mixture and stir to combine. Add bread cubes and toss until evenly coated. The mixture should be moist but not soggy. If it looks too dry, drizzle in a little more broth (every loaf absorbs differently).
- Pour into the prepared dish, cover tightly with foil, and bake at 350 degrees °F for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake 15-20 more minutes, or until the top is golden and slightly crisp on the edges.
Notes
- Dry the bread overnight or toast it in the oven so it absorbs the broth without becoming mushy.
- Start with the smaller amount of broth and add more only if needed, since every loaf of bread absorbs liquid differently.
- Covering the stuffing during the first part of baking keeps it moist, while uncovering it at the end creates a crisp golden top.
- Let the stuffing rest for about 10 minutes before serving so it holds together better.
- Make-ahead tip: assemble, cover, and refrigerate, then bake when ready.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe FAQ
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat covered in the oven at 350°F until warmed through.
Freeze baked stuffing for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat covered, uncover at the end to re-crisp.
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