The Best Thanksgiving Stuffing (with Stove Top)
This Easy Stuffing Recipe is semi-homemade! It starts with Stove Top stuffing mix, but is made better with fresh onions, apples and tons of flavor!
As Thanksgiving Day rolls around, I think it’s normal for us to turn to our favorite family recipes! Many of my family’s favorites come from my maternal Grandmother, the inspiration behind my blog name. This year, I realized that I didn’t have a copy of her Thanksgiving dressing recipe, so I had to put a call out to my cousins, and they delivered.
Luckily, I found a cousin who had a copy of this easy stuffing recipe, and it made my day! I was surprised that it included boxed stuffing, but once I thought about it a bit, it made sense. People generally like the flavors in the store-bought box stuffing, so why not use them to enhance your favorite recipe. Right?
If you ask me (and my 50+ cousins, my Mom is one of 12 siblings), this recipe is a truly legendary stuffing recipe! It starts with a humble box of Stovetop mix, but I add in more bread cubes from fresh loaves of bread, fresh herbs, apples and celery.
The result? This Thanksgiving stuffing has the familiar, savory flavor everyone remembers from Stovetop, but is majorly upgraded!
I do have to be upfront with you. I loved this stuffing growing up, but I also remembered that it had raisins in it, which I always picked out as a kid. And, to be honest with you, I still do as an adult! But, I’ve included them in the recipe below. Whether or not you include them is up to you.
Whether or not you choose to include raisins comes down to your personal preferences, and it’s somewhat of a hot debate within our family! But, to honor her memory, I kept the recipe “as is,” raisins and all!
Love a good homemade version of cornbread stuffing? Check out my The Best Savory Cornbread Dressing for Thanksgiving
Recipe Substitutions and Modifications
This delicious stuffing will be the star of your holiday table! Like any great recipe, there are plenty of substitutions you can make. I always think it’s best to use the ingredients you already have on hand. Here are a few suggestions:
- Instead of chicken broth, you can use chicken stock, turkey stock (or turkey broth), or vegetable stock (or vegetable broth).
- Instead of the white bread, you could use French bread, whole wheat bread or sourdough bread. Fresh bread is fine, but day-old bread is better!
- Add a pound of cooked, crumbled pork sausage.
- Substitute olive oil for some (or all) of the butter.
- Instead of toasting the bread, you can choose to use leftover stale white bread. This recipe is an awesome way to use up stale bread!
- Add a pinch of fresh herbs if you have them on hand for other Thanksgiving recipes. Fresh rosemary, thyme and parsley are excellent options.
- Add two cloves of minced garlic at the end of sautéing the celery.
- Using unsalted butter is fine, just add an extra pinch of salt when the rest of the salt is added.
Storing Leftovers
Store leftover stuffing in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. I recommend reheating gently, covering for most of the reheat time.
This stuffing is delicious reheated with Thanksgiving leftovers, but you can also use the leftovers to make this creamy stuffing casserole!
Serving Suggestions
Make this semi-homemade stuffing part of your Thanksgiving menu! It’s a delicious side dish alongside cranberry sauce, turkey, mashed potatoes and green bean casserole.
Looking for more Thanksgiving recipes? Check out my 70+ Fantastic Thanksgiving Recipes for Family Gatherings!
The Best Thanksgiving Stuffing (with Stove Top)
Ingredients
- 1 loaf white bread
- 1 box Stove Top Stuffing
For the mix-ins:
- 1/2 cup butter, salted, divided
- 1 cup yellow onion, finely diced
- 1/2 cup celery, chopped
- 2 apples, diced
- 2 eggs
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon poultry seasoning
- 1.5 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cups chicken broth, or more if needed
- 1 cup raisins, very optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Toast the bread and tear into small bite-sized pieces. Place cubed bread into the bottom of a greased 9x13'' casserole dish. Add the Stove Top Stuffing to the torn bread pieces.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add half of the butter to the pan, melt.
- Add onions and celery to skillet. Sauté onions in melted butter for 3-4 minutes, until softened and fragrant. Pour over the top of the bread and stuffing mix in the baking dish.
- Add remaining butter to skillet, and heat over medium-high heat until melted. Add apples and sauté for 5-6 minutes, until lightly browned and beginning to soften. Pour over the top of the bread and stuffing mix in casserole dish.
- In a small bowl, beat eggs, sugar, poultry seasoning, black pepper and salt with a wire whisk, then pour over the bread mixture. Toss well to coat the bread cubes.
- Add broth, ½ cup at a time. tossing each time to work it into the bread pieces until the bread is thoroughly moistened but not "swimming" in broth.
- Cover with aluminum foil. Bake for 1 hour. If desired, remove the aluminum foil for the last 10-15 minutes to toast the top of the stuffing to a nice, golden brown.
- Allow to cool for 5 minutes before slicing. Serve warm.
If you love this easy Thanksgiving stuffing recipe, I think you’ll also enjoy:
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I love the addition of apples in this!
The perfect thanksgiving stuffing recipe. I need to start choosing some of the recipes to make for the holidays so I might just end up making this one for the stuffing!
Stuffing is alway my favorite part of the meal. The hint of sweetness from the apples sounds so good!
Delicious stuffing recipe!
What a delicious stuffing! I love the addition of apples to it. 🙂 I love how recipes like this always originate from an amazing family member.
What a great cause to be supporting, especially during this time of the year. <3 And this stuffing looks delicious- love the addition of apples! 🙂
This looks fantastic!