This Sourdough Bread Stuffing is perfectly moist and buttery with a classic herbed flavor. Make ahead-friendly, this easy side dish recipe is one you’ll want on your Thanksgiving table year after year.
What's your favorite side dish on Thanksgiving? Mine is homemade bread stuffing.
Ever since I started making my own sourdough bread a few years ago, I've been perfecting this sourdough stuffing recipe. It’s rich and buttery with a hint of sourdough tang and flavored simply with herbs and aromatics. It’s a holiday staple at my house.
Whether you use homemade sourdough or a store-bought loaf, this sourdough bread stuffing is easy to make. Plus, you can prepare it up to a day in advance, making it a convenient addition to your Thanksgiving plans.
I hope you enjoy it as much as my family does!
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Ingredients & Substitutions
Here are some notes on key ingredients. For a full list of ingredients, check out the recipe card below.
- Sourdough Bread- You can use my classic sourdough bread, sourdough sandwich bread, or purchase a fresh loaf from a local bakery. You'll need about a one-pound loaf of sourdough bread for this recipe.
- Butter- Butter provides richness, moisture, and flavor to the stuffing. Try making your own butter using a mason jar.
- Vegetables- Finely dice the onion, celery, and garlic so they're about the same size or smaller than the bread cubes. This helps them blend more easily into the stuffing.
- Herbs- Fresh sage leaves and thyme add an earthy, herbaceous flavor to this classic sage stuffing.
- Chicken Stock- Opt for homemade chicken stock, turkey stock, or a high-quality store-bought stock for the best flavor.
- Eggs- Eggs bind the stuffing mixture together and give it a fluffy texture.
- Kosher Salt- I always recommend using kosher salt because it doesn’t contain sugar or anti-caking agents like table salt often does.
- Black Pepper- Use freshly ground black pepper for the best flavor.
Tips for Success
- Use stale bread. Day-old bread or stale bread will dry more quickly than fresh bread. If possible, make or purchase your bread at least one day before preparing your stuffing.
- Tear the bread. Instead of dicing the bread into ½-inch cubes, try cutting it into slices and tearing them into small pieces.
- Plan ahead. Dry the sourdough bread up to 5 days in advance to save time on the day you plan to make the stuffing.
- Make ahead. This sourdough stuffing recipe can be prepared and stored in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours before baking.
How to Make Sourdough Bread Stuffing
Here is how to make homemade stuffing with sourdough bread.
Step 1: Dry bread. Preheat the oven to 225°F. Divide the sourdough bread cubes evenly between two rimmed baking sheets. Dry the bread in the oven for approximately 30 minutes until they are crisp and have the texture of day-old bread. Set aside in a large mixing bowl.
Step 2: Prepare baking dish. Once the bread cubes are dried, increase the oven temperature to 375°F. Generously butter a 9”x 13” baking dish and set it aside.
Step 3: Sauté aromatics. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt 6 tablespoons of butter. Add the diced onion, celery, garlic, sage, thyme, salt, and pepper to the skillet. Sauté for 5-7 minutes or until the vegetables are softened and just starting to caramelize. Transfer the vegetables to the large bowl with the dried bread cubes. Mix thoroughly.
Step 4: Mix stuffing. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs and chicken stock. Pour the egg mixture evenly over the bread cubes and vegetables, stirring well to combine. Allow the stuffing mixture to rest for a few minutes after combining to ensure the bread absorbs the liquid. Spread the stuffing mixture evenly in the buttered baking dish and cover it with aluminum foil.
Step 5: Bake stuffing. Bake the stuffing covered for 25 minutes. Remove the aluminum foil and bake for an additional 15 minutes or until the top of the stuffing is golden brown and crispy. To check for doneness, the internal temperature of the stuffing should reach at least 165°F.
How to Cook Stuffing in a Turkey
Want to cook this sourdough stuffing inside your Thanksgiving turkey instead? Here are a few things to keep in mind to ensure your stuffing is both safe to eat and absolutely delicious.
- Bring to room temperature. Both the turkey and stuffing should be brought to room temperature before stuffing.
- Roast immediately. Don’t stuff the turkey cavity until you’re ready to roast it. Allowing the stuffing to sit inside the cavity can lead to contamination.
- Pack loosely. Pack the cavity loosely with stuffing so it can fully heat through by the time the turkey has finished cooking.
- Truss the turkey. Truss the turkey with kitchen twine to help hold the stuffing in place and ensure even cooking.
- Use a thermometer. Use a meat thermometer to ensure the center of the stuffing reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
- Plan for longer cooking time. Add the extra weight of the stuffing to determine the total cooking time. A stuffed turkey takes longer to cook than an unstuffed one.
🦃 Looking for more Thanksgiving menu ideas? Check out my recipes for Dutch oven turkey breast, sourdough gravy, cranberry jam, and sourdough dinner rolls.
How to Store
Store leftover sourdough bread stuffing in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
For longer storage, allow the stuffing to cool completely before transferring to a freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Let's Connect!
Be sure to leave a comment below if you have any questions. You can also connect with me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, or via email at [email protected].
📖 Recipe
Sourdough Bread Stuffing
Ingredients
- 1 16-ounce loaf sourdough bread or sourdough sandwich bread, cut into ½-1 inch cubes
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter plus more for baking dish
- 1 large yellow onion diced
- 2 celery stalks diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh sage minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves removed from stem
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 ½ cups chicken stock
- 2 large eggs
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 225°F. Divide the sourdough bread cubes evenly between two rimmed baking sheets. Dry the bread in the oven for approximately 30 minutes until they are crisp and have the texture of day-old bread. Set aside in a large mixing bowl.1 16-ounce loaf sourdough bread
- Once the bread cubes are dry, increase the oven temperature to 375°F. Generously butter a 9”x 13” baking dish and set it aside.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, melt 6 tablespoons of butter. Add the diced onion, celery, garlic, sage, thyme, salt, and pepper to the skillet. Sauté for 5-7 minutes or until the vegetables are softened and just starting to caramelize. Transfer the vegetables to the large bowl with the dried bread cubes. Mix thoroughly.6 tablespoons unsalted butter, 1 large yellow onion, 2 celery stalks, 4 cloves garlic, 2 tablespoons fresh sage, 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs and chicken stock. Pour the egg mixture evenly over the bread cubes and vegetables, stirring well to combine. Allow the stuffing mixture to rest for a few minutes after combining to ensure the bread absorbs the liquid. Spread the stuffing mixture evenly in the buttered baking dish and cover it with aluminum foil.2 ½ cups chicken stock, 2 large eggs
- Bake the stuffing covered for 25 minutes. Remove the aluminum foil and bake for an additional 15 minutes or until the top of the stuffing is golden brown and crispy. To check for doneness, the internal temperature of the stuffing should reach at least 165°F.
Notes
- Bring to room temperature. Both the turkey and stuffing should be brought to room temperature before stuffing.
- Roast immediately. Don’t stuff the turkey cavity until you’re ready to roast it. Allowing the stuffing to sit inside the cavity can lead to contamination.
- Pack loosely. Pack the cavity loosely with stuffing so it can fully heat through by the time the turkey has finished cooking.
- Truss the turkey. Truss the turkey with kitchen twine to help hold the stuffing in place and ensure even cooking.
- Use a thermometer. Use a meat thermometer to ensure the center of the stuffing reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
- Plan for longer cooking time. Add the extra weight of the stuffing to determine the total cooking time. A stuffed turkey takes longer to cook than an unstuffed one.
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