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Turkey Stuffing Recipe: Tips for Making Turkey Stuffing

Written by MasterClass

Last updated: Dec 11, 2024 • 3 min read

A staple on every Thanksgiving table, you can make turkey stuffing on the stovetop or in the oven. Some like to stuff their bird with it, while others prefer to bake stuffing separately. This turkey stuffing recipe is versatile enough to make both ways with a few simple adjustments.

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What Is Turkey Stuffing?

Turkey stuffing is a mixture of bread cubes, vegetables, seasonings, and turkey broth cooked inside a roast turkey, on the stove, or in the oven. Chefs typically serve stuffing as a side dish during Thanksgiving dinner to soak up the turkey drippings, cranberry relish, and other saucy items on the plate. Classic stuffing recipes feature simple Italian or French bread, but you can use sourdough for a tangy twist or day-old cornbread for the Southern favorite, cornbread stuffing.

The terms “stuffing” and “dressing” are often used interchangeably, but chefs make these sides using different techniques. Stuffing cooks inside of a turkey while chefs bake dressing in a separate dish.

4 Tips for Making Turkey Stuffing

Here’s how to make flavorful Thanksgiving stuffing at home:

  1. 1. Build layers of flavor. If you’re baking the stuffing separately from the turkey, it won’t soak up all that flavor from the drippings of the roasting bird. Sweating your aromatic veggies and seasoning as you go is an important step in making the most flavorful stuffing.
  2. 2. Cook thoroughly. To prevent a soggy stuffing, make sure you cook it thoroughly so the moisture from the broth evaporates, concentrating those classic flavors and resulting in a spongy, tender stuffing.
  3. 3. Stuff safely. If you’re planning on stuffing a bird, there are some food safety considerations to keep in mind. Stuffing can insulate a turkey, causing it to cook more slowly. In addition, the turkey juices will penetrate the stuffing as it cooks. This raw turkey juice adds flavor, but it also needs to be fully cooked before consumption. To avoid consuming undercooked poultry, stuff the turkey loosely and make sure the internal temperature of both the stuffing and the turkey is at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
  4. 4. Use toasted or day-old bread. Whether you use cornbread or sourdough, fresh bread is high in moisture and will become soggy if used as-is to make stuffing. Dried bread is a better option for soaking up all the flavors of the other ingredients. The day before cooking, cube your bread and toast it, then leave it out overnight on a baking sheet to dry.

Easy Turkey Stuffing Recipe

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6 Ratings | Rate Now

makes

prep time

15 min

total time

1 hr 30 min

cook time

1 hr 15 min

Ingredients

  1. 1

    Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and grease an 8-inch baking dish with butter or nonstick cooking spray. Alternatively, if you’re planning on cooking the stuffing inside a turkey, preheat to the temperature at which you plan to roast your bird.

  2. 2

    In a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter.

  3. 3

    Stir in the onion, leek, carrots, and fennel, and sauté the vegetables until they are soft, translucent, and barely starting to brown, about 8–10 minutes.

  4. 4

    Stir in the fresh herbs and season generously with salt and pepper.

  5. 5

    Transfer the vegetable mixture to a large bowl to let cool slightly.

  6. 6

    Add the dry bread cubes to the bowl with the vegetable mixture.

  7. 7

    Whisk the broth and eggs together in a large measuring cup, and pour the mixture over the bread cubes.

  8. 8

    Stir to combine and ensure even distribution.

  9. 9

    Transfer the mixture to the buttered baking dish, cover with foil, and bake for 45 minutes.

  10. 10

    Remove the foil from the baking dish and bake until the stuffing is golden brown on top and set in the middle, about 20 more minutes.

  11. 11

    Alternatively, transfer the mixture to the turkey’s cavity, taking care not to over-pack, and cook until both the turkey meat and the stuffing reach an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

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