Old-Fashioned Bread Stuffing Recipe with sage, thyme, onion and celery, and cooked in chicken stock/broth, a traditional turkey stuffing for your Thanksgiving and Christmas roast. It's a very simple recipe that can be cooked either in a casserole dish, or it can be used to stuff the turkey. Easy and delicious, my kind of dish!

Stuffing is as important as the main dish when it comes to a good roast for Thanksgiving dinner menu and Christmas dinner menu. Whether you use it to stuff the turkey or any other bird you use - which some people may also call it dressing, or just serve it on the side in a casserole dish, a good stuffing is a must.
There are so many combinations that works brilliantly here, and my Sage and Onion Stuffing Balls are as close as can be to this recipe, apart from the fact that they are bite-sized.
Other great variations include sausage meat, as in my Sausage Stuffing Balls, or, for more festive touch, Chestnut and Cranberry Stuffing Balls. And the list can go on.
A bread stuffing is super easy to make, and it actually works even better with stale bread that wouldn't otherwise be as nice in a sandwich or on its own.
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Ingredients needed

- bread - you can use any kind of bread, sliced or bread loaf. I use wholegrain bread (whole wheat), but white bread or 50/50 also works
- onion - I used regular onion, but shallots are also ok
- celery stalks - they give a bit of colour and crunch
- butter - a lot richer than online, and it adds a nice flavour
- chicken stock - you can go for vegetable stock if you want a strictly vegetarian dish, but I love the flavour of the chicken stock
- salt & pepper
- dried sage and thyme - you can also use fresh if you have, they add so much flavour
Step-by-step photos and instructions
- In a frying pan set over a medium heat, melt the butter, add the chopped onion, and fry it until it softens
- Add the chopped celery, salt, pepper and herbs, and leave to fry for 2-3 minutes for the celery to soften a bit too

3. Cut the bread slices into cubes, transfer them to a bowl, and add the onion mixture too
4. Give everything a good stir
5. Pour the stock all over the bread mixture so everything can be well soaked
6. Bake in the preheated oven at 180 degrees Celsius (350 Fahrenheit) for 25-30 minutes or until the top is golden and the mixture is well baked

Expert tips
Although you can also use fresh bread for this old-fashioned bread stuffing recipe, drier, stale bread works better - it absorbs the stock better, and it bakes to perfection.
Homemade bread would work really here in this recipe, I have a few options for you: crusty white bread, potato bread, sandwich bread or soda bread.
The baking time depends entirely on the texture of the bread, so it's best to keep an eye on the oven after 20 minutes - my breakfast casserole, which uses a mixture of milk and eggs instead of stock, but has a similar texture, takes over 40 minutes to cook.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, once everything is in the ovenproof dish, cover it with tinfoil, and refrigerate until you are ready to bake it. The stuffing can be left overnight as long as it's covered and refrigerated.
If the texture is too mushy, it could be that either the fresh was too fresh, or you added to much stock. You should use enough stock for the bread cubes to be wet but not soggy or sitting in a pool of stock.

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Old-Fashioned Bread Stuffing Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 slices of wholemeal bread (whole wheat bread - or 7 cups of cubed bread)
- 1 â…” cups chicken stock (broth)
- 1 onion
- 2 celery stalks
- 1 teaspoon dried sage
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 25 g butter (2 tbsp)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius (350 Fahrenheit).
- In a frying pan set over a medium heat, melt the butter, add the peeled and chopped onion, and fry until it's soft.
- Chop the celery and add it to the onion together with the seasoning and herbs.
- Leave it to cook for a further 2-3 minutes stirring occasionally for the celery to soften as well.
- Cut the bread into cubes and add everything to the onion mixture, mixing well to combine.
- Transfer everything to an ovenproof dish, and pour the stock all over the bread to be soaked well.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes until the top is golden and the mixture is well baked.
Notes
- Although you can also use fresh bread for this traditional stuffing, drier, stale bread works better - it absorbs the stock better, and it bakes to perfection.
- Homemade bread would work really here in this recipe, I have a few options for you: crusty white bread, potato bread, sandwich bread or soda bread.
- The baking time depends entirely on the texture of the bread, so it's best to keep an eye on the oven after 20 minutes - my breakfast casserole, which uses a mixture of milk and eggs instead of stock, but has a similar texture, takes over 40 minutes to cook.
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