This Homemade Stovetop Stuffing recipe is made from start to finish on the stove and is so much better than the boxed mix! When it’s this quick and easy to make stuffing from scratch, there’s no reason to wait for the holidays.
If you’re feeling the desire to scale down and make things a bit easier for Thanksgiving this year, I highly recommend you give this Homemade Stovetop Stuffing recipe a try. I created this copycat version of boxed Stove Top Stuffing Mix using simple ingredients and the same classic blend of seasonings from my family’s favorite Crock-Pot Stuffing. The result is a seriously crave-worthy stuffing that cooks quickly and requires no time in the oven.
Freeing up oven space is a always a huge bonus to any Thanksgiving recipe in my book.
This quick and easy stovetop method allows you add stuffing to your menu any old time the craving strikes. And if your family loves stuffing as much as my family loves stuffing, that is definitely more than just once a year.
Table of contents
Ingredient Notes
- Sandwich bread – I got a wonderful result using a combination of sliced sourdough and sliced potato or buttermilk sandwich bread, like Oroweat.
- Butter
- Onion – Either white, yellow, or red onion will work. Red onion will provide a bit more color contrast.
- Celery
- Carrot
- Minced garlic
- Fresh Italian parsley
- Dried herbs – Sage, poultry seasoning, thyme, and marjoram create classic Thanksgiving flavor.
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Broth – Low-sodium chicken broth or use vegetable broth for vegetarian stuffing.
How to Make Homemade Stovetop Stuffing
- Stack 2 or 3 slices of the bread on a cutting board and cut them into ¼-inch thick slices.
- Cut the slices crosswise into ¼-inch cubes. Repeat with remaining bread. You should have about 10 to 11 cups, give or take, of cubed bread.
- Spread the cubed bread on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for about 12 to 15 minutes, or until golden brown and well toasted, tossing about halfway through the cooking time.
Time Saving Tip
Save time and toast the bread cubes in advance. After cooling to room temperature, transfer the toasted bread cubes to a plastic storage bag or other airtight container until you’re ready to make the stuffing.
- Melt the butter in a Dutch oven or large, deep pot. Add the onion, celery, and carrot. Turn the heat up to medium-high and cook, stirring frequently for about 8 to 10 minutes, or until tender. If the butter or veggies begin to brown, reduce the heat under the pot a little.
- Add the garlic and parsley and cook and stir for another minute or two. Reduce heat to medium and add the poultry seasoning, sage, thyme, marjoram, salt and pepper. Mix well to combine.
- Add the toasted bread cubes and 2 cups of the broth and lightly toss to combine. Add as much of the remaining broth as you’d like to reach the desired consistency. Cover the pot, remove from the heat, and allow it to sit for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Remove cover and fluff the stuffing with a spoon and serve.
It’s very easy to control the consistency of this stuffing. For a looser stuffing that isn’t too moist, you may only need 2 cups of broth. For a “cooked in the bird” consistency, add more!
Serving Suggestions
This smaller scale stuffing recipe is perfect to serve along with Roasted Turkey Breast with Gravy, Roasted Cornish Game Hens, Roast Chicken and Vegetables, or with Classic Glazed Ham with Pineapple Sauce.
Complete your traditional Thanksgiving menu with these tasty side dishes.
- Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes
- Scalloped Potatoes
- Broccoli Pearl Onion Casserole
- Wild Rice Pilaf with Cranberries and Pecans
- Honey Roasted Carrots and Brussels Sprouts
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Homemade Stovetop Stuffing
Ingredients
- 5 slices sourdough sandwich bread
- 5 slices potato or buttermilk sandwich bread, I used Oroweat Country Style Potato Bread
- ½ cup butter
- 1 ½ cups diced onion
- 1 ½ cups diced celery
- ½ cup diced carrot
- 2 teaspoons tablespoon minced garlic
- ¼ cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
- 1 teaspoon dried sage
- ½ teaspoon poultry seasoning
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon dried marjoram
- 1 teaspoon salt
- freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 to 2 ½ cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth, divided
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Stack 2 or 3 slices of the bread on a cutting board and cut them into ¼-inch thick slices. Cut the slices crosswise into ¼-inch cubes. Repeat with remaining bread. You should have about 10 to 11 cups, give or take, of cubed bread.
- Spread the cubed bread on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for about 12 to 15 minutes, or until golden brown and well toasted, tossing about halfway through the cooking time.
- While the bread is toasting (but keep your eye on it), melt the butter in a Dutch oven or large, deep pot. Add the onion, celery, and carrot. Turn the heat up to MEDIUM-HIGH and cook, stirring frequently for about 8 to 10 minutes, or until tender. If the butter or veggies begin to brown, reduce the heat under the pot a little. Add the garlic and parsley and cook and stir for another minute or two. Reduce heat to MEDIUM and add the poultry seasoning, sage, thyme, marjoram, salt and pepper. Mix well to combine. Add the toasted bread cubes and 2 cups of the broth and lightly toss to combine. Add as much of the remaining broth as you’d like to reach the desired consistency. Cover the pot, remove from the heat, and allow it to sit for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Remove cover and fluff the stuffing with a spoon and serve.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated using generic ingredients, and is an estimate not a guarantee. For more accurate results, please refer to the labels on your ingredients at home.
Thanksgiving Menu Ideas
The recipe and the recommendation to toast the bread in advance was a game changer. Stuffing recipes can get so confusing because there are many variations of it, but I was craving the Stove Top Stuffing Mix flavor but didn’t want to use a box and this hit the spot. Also, I substituted diced sweet potato for carrots (husbands allergic) and used plant based butter due to a milk allergy. Everyone ate it up! Thanks for sharing!