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Finished make ahead stuffing fills a large white ceramic baking dish. The thanksgiving stuffing is garnished with fresh herbs and kosher salt. A wooden serving spoon rests across the top of the baking dish and the baking dish is surrounded by two amber colored drinking glasses, a small wooden pinch bowl filled with kosher salt, Fall florals, a red muted linen napkin, and two white plates with a gold fork resting on top.

Make Ahead Stuffing with Fresh Herbs

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  • Author: Jess Larson
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Reheating Time: 50 minutes
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes
  • Total Time: 2 hours
  • Yield: serves 10-12 1x
  • Category: Side Dish Recipes, Thanksgiving Recipes
  • Method: Stovetop, Oven, Baked
  • Cuisine: American

Description

A great stuffing is a Thanksgiving table must-have, but prepping one from scratch can be a little time-consuming for an already busy day. A simple solution? Make stuffing ahead of time this year for your easiest Thanksgiving yet!

This Make Ahead Stuffing recipe is a classic mix of homemade bread cubes & aromatic veggies. Loads of fresh herbs take its flavor completely over the top, while mixing some eggs into the mix creates an almost custardy texture.

In true make-ahead fashion, you can prep it up to 3 days in advance, giving it some quick finishing touches & baking it off just before dinnertime. 

The result is a classic Thanksgiving stuffing with amazing herbaceous flavor & creamy-yet-crisp texture that everyone at your Thanksgiving, Friendsgiving, or holiday dinner table will love. It’s perfect alongside roast turkey, mashed potatoes, & any other Thanksgiving side dishes – just don’t forget the gravy!

Be sure to check out the blog post, above, for plenty more tips & tricks, & if you love the idea of a make-ahead Thanksgiving, be sure to check out our complete Make-Ahead Thanksgiving guide. ♡ Happy holidays!

Ingredients

Scale
  • 16 ounces soft French or Italian bread, sliced or torn into ½-inch cubes
  • ½ cup unsalted butter (1 stick, 8 tablespoons)
  • 2 large yellow onions, diced
  • 4 large ribs celery, diced
  • 8 ounces whole water chestnuts, drained & roughly chopped (see Recipe Notes)
  • 8 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
  • 3 tablespoons finely chopped hardy fresh herbs (e.g. a combination of rosemary, sage, & thyme)
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 teaspoon dried poultry seasoning
  • 1 ¼ cup chicken or turkey broth
  • kosher salt & ground black pepper, to season
  • for reheating: 2 large eggs beaten & whisked into ¾ cup chicken or turkey broth

Instructions

  1. Prepare bread cubes. First, you’ll prepare the bread cubes. There are a couple different approaches you can take in preparing the bread cubes, each of them work well. Take your pick from the bullet list below. Once the bread cubes are prepared (time varies based on option chosen) transfer them to a large mixing bowl.Roughly torn toasted bread cubes are arranged atop a metal baking sheet pan. The pan sits atop a light peach colored textured surface with a red muted linen napkin resting alongside.
    • Option #1: Make-ahead bread cubes at room temperature: 2-3 days before you plan to assemble your make ahead stuffing, slice or tear the bread into 1/2-inch cubes. Set the cubes on a baking sheet, spreading them out in an even layer. Set aside, uncovered, for 2-3 days or until the bread is dried out. (Tip! ⇢ Provided I’m not planning on baking anything, I like to set the baking sheet of bread cubes in the oven to keep it out of the way.) Once dried, transfer to an airtight bag & set aside until you’d like to prepare your make ahead stuffing.
    • Option #2: Day of bread cubes in the oven: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Slice or tear the bread into 1/2-inch cubes. Set the cubes on a baking sheet, spreading them out in an even layer. Transfer to the oven to toast until dried out, 10-15 minutes. Set aside to cool before mixing the bread cubes in the stuffing.
    • Option #3: Store-bought bread cubes: Let the store do the work! Buy a bag of prepared bread cubes. You’ll need 16 ounces for this make ahead stuffing recipe.
  2. Cook the aromatics: Melt the butter in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Once melted, add the onions & celery, seasoning with 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt & ground black pepper as desired. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened & fragrant, 5-7 minutes. Stir in the water chestnuts, garlic, fresh herbs, & poultry seasoning. Cook 1-2 minutes longer, until fragrant. Add the chicken/turkey broth. Increase the heat to medium high to bring the mixture to a simmer, then remove from the heat for stuffing assembly.Melted butter with onions, celery, water chestnuts, garlic, fresh herbs, & poultry seasoning fill a large white double handled braising pan. The pan sits atop a light peach colored textured surface. A wooden spoon rests inside of the pan and a red muted linen napkin rests alongside the pan.
  3. Mix the stuffing: Place the dried bread cubes in a large bowl. Spoon the herbed chicken broth over the bread cubes, mixing well between additions to prevent the bread from getting soggy. The herbed chicken broth should rehydrate the bread cubes such that they’re softened, but not soggy. [gallery columns="2" size="full" ids="34884,34885"]
  4. Store for later: Spray a 9×13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Transfer the stuffing to the prepared baking dish. Set aside to cool completely. Once cooled, tightly cover the baking dish with plastic wrap then foil. Refrigerate for up to 3 days.Partially assembled make ahead thanksgiving stuffing fills a large white ceramic baking dish that sits atop a light peach colored textured surface. The baking dish is partially covered with plastic wrap and aluminum foil and the words stuffing have been written on the outside of the foil in black permanent marker. The baking dish is surrounded by a black Sharpie marker, a small wooden pinch bowl filled with kosher salt, red and orange Fall florals, and a red muted linen napkin.
  5. Reheating: Remove the baking dish from the refrigerator at least 30 minutes or up to 1 hour before you’d like to finish them in the oven. Remove the foil & plastic wrap. Pour the egg mixture over the stuffing, stirring well to combine. Tightly recover with foil. Transfer to 350 degree F oven & bake the stuffing for 30 minutes. Carefully remove the foil & return to the oven for 20 minutes longer, or until golden brown & warmed through. If an even crispier top is desired, finish the stuffing under the broiler for 2-3 minutes, watching closely to prevent burning.Make ahead stuffing fills a large white ceramic baking dish that sits atop a light peach colored textured surface. A muted red linen napkin rests alongside the baking dish.
  6. Serving: If desired, transfer the warm stuffing to a large bowl or serving dish. Top with a sprinkling of finely chopped fresh herbs as desired, & serve alongside your roast turkey or roast chicken, mashed potatoes, & gravy. Enjoy!A make ahead thanksgiving dinner is served atop a white dinner plate with a gold fork resting atop. The plate is filled with make ahead sweet potato casserole, make ahead thanksgiving stuffing, make ahead mashed potatoes with make ahead gravy, make ahead green bean casserole, and a few slices of carved turkey. The plate is surrounded by a red muted linen napkin, red and orange Fall florals, a small wooden pinch bowl filled with kosher salt, two amber colored drinking glasses, a white ceramic gravy boat, and a clean white dinner plate with a gold fork resting atop.

Equipment

Notes

  • Ingredient Notes: 
    • Best bread for stuffing: We love to make this stuffing recipe using a softer French or Italian-style loaf. For an even heartier stuffing with slightly more crunch & crispy edges, try using a heartier loaf like sourdough or a “country” style French or Italian bread.
    • Water chestnuts are an aquatic tuber (named after their chestnut-like appearance) indigenous to Southeast Asia. They are very mild in flavor, but have a wonderfully refreshing crunchy-crisp texture – my family loves to add it to softer dishes like stuffing for extra texture. Canned water chestnuts are readily available in most conventional grocery stores – find them in the “International” aisle near other Asian ingredients. If you prefer not to use water chestnuts, simply omit.
    • Vegetarian or Vegan Stuffing: While naturally meatless, this make ahead stuffing recipe is easily made vegetarian or vegan with a couple of adjustments. For a vegetarian stuffing, opt for vegetable stock or broth in place of chicken/turkey broth. Take it a step further to make vegan stuffing by using your favorite high-quality plant butter & egg substitute in place of unsalted butter & eggs.
  • Storage & Reheating: Leftover reheated make ahead stuffing (i.e. prepared through Step 5 of Recipe Directions, above), will keep, stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave until warmed through.
  • Freezer Instructions: You can also freeze leftover stuffing. Transfer leftover stuffing to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat in the microwave or oven until warmed through.

Find it online: https://playswellwithbutter.com/make-ahead-stuffing-with-fresh-herbs/