Grandma’s Thanksgiving Dressing
Chunky bread cubes, tender celery and onion, and sage make this a savory dressing baked in a casserole dish, not inside the turkey. The center should be moist and cohesive, with distinct pieces of bread beneath a craggy, golden-brown top.
Dry bread gives the dressing its structure, but the amount of broth it needs will vary. Add just enough to moisten the cubes, then bake the casserole covered to retain moisture and uncovered at the end to toast the exposed edges.
Ingredients for Grandma’s Thanksgiving Dressing
- 14 cups dried white or country-bread cubes (about 560g)
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick; about 115g), plus more for greasing the dish
- 1 large yellow onion, finely diced (about 2 cups; 300g)
- 4 celery ribs, diced (about 1 1/2 cups; 150g)
- 3 to 4 cups low-sodium chicken or turkey broth, divided
- 2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
- 1 teaspoon dried rubbed sage
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Yield: 10 to 12 side-dish servings. Time: 20 minutes prep, about 45 minutes baking, plus 10 minutes resting.
The bread cubes should feel dry and firm. Use dried stuffing cubes or leave cubed bread out at room temperature for 1 to 2 days. If using salted butter or regular-sodium broth, start with less salt and adjust after mixing.
How to Bake Thanksgiving Dressing
- Prepare the dish: Set a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Put the dried bread cubes in a very large bowl.
- Cook the vegetables: Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and celery and cook until they begin to soften. Add 3 cups of the broth, the poultry seasoning, sage, salt, and pepper. Adjust the heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook until the onion is translucent and the celery is tender, about 10 to 12 minutes total for this step.
- Moisten the bread: Pour the hot broth and vegetables over the bread. Fold gently to keep the cubes chunky. If dry pockets remain, add the reserved broth a little at a time. Stop when the bread is evenly moist and holds together when lightly pressed, with no liquid pooling in the bowl. Taste and adjust the salt if needed.
- Fill the dish: Spread the mixture evenly in the prepared dish without packing it down. Leave ridges and bread corners exposed on top.
- Bake covered: Cover tightly with foil and bake for 30 minutes to heat the center while retaining moisture.
- Brown the top: Remove the foil and bake for 12 to 15 minutes more. Start checking around 40 minutes of total baking time, especially if using a dark metal dish. The dressing is done when the center is hot and steamy and the top has golden-brown ridges and toasted edges.
- Rest: Let stand for 10 minutes before serving so the moist bread settles and is easier to spoon.
How Much Broth Should You Add?
Start with 3 cups and add up to 1 more cup only if the bread needs it. Very dry cubes absorb more broth than bread that is merely stale. Fold gently rather than stirring vigorously: the mixture should hold together while individual pieces remain visible, not turn pasty or sit in liquid.
Cooking the celery and onion in the seasoned broth before mixing gives them time to become tender. Adding them raw can leave crunchy pieces in the finished dressing.
Dressing vs. Stuffing
This recipe is baked in a casserole dish, outside the turkey. Its covered-then-uncovered baking time should not be used for stuffing cooked inside poultry. Serve the dressing alongside Best Herb Butter Roast Turkey and gravy.
Make-Ahead and Leftovers
For the best texture, moisten the bread close to baking time. If needed, assemble the dressing shortly ahead, cover and refrigerate it, then bake until the center is hot throughout; do not rely only on the clock.
Cool leftovers promptly and refrigerate in a covered container. To reheat, add a small splash of broth if the dressing looks dry, cover the baking dish, and heat until hot throughout. Uncover briefly at the end to refresh the top.
Nutrition
Approximate nutrition per serving, based on 11 side-dish servings: 225 calories, 6g protein, 10g fat, and 28g carbohydrates. Per 100g: approximately 135 calories, 3g protein, 6g fat, and 17g carbohydrates. Values vary with the bread, broth, and amount of liquid used.
Equipment
- 9-by-13-inch baking dish
- very large bowl
- large saucepan
- aluminum foil
Ingredients
For the Dressing
- 14 cups dried white or country-bread cubes (about 560 g)
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick; about 115 g), plus more for greasing
- 1 large yellow onion, finely diced (about 2 cups; 300 g)
- 4 celery ribs, diced (about 1 1/2 cups; 150 g)
- 3 to 4 cups low-sodium chicken or turkey broth, divided
- 2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
- 1 teaspoon dried rubbed sage
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Set a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish and place the dried bread cubes in a very large bowl.
- Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and celery and cook until they begin to soften.
- Add 3 cups broth, poultry seasoning, sage, salt, and pepper. Maintain a gentle simmer and cook until the onion is translucent and the celery is tender, about 10 to 12 minutes.
- Pour the hot broth and vegetable mixture over the bread cubes. Fold gently to combine without breaking up the bread.
- Add the remaining broth a little at a time only as needed, until the bread is evenly moist and holds together when lightly pressed without liquid pooling in the bowl. Taste and adjust the salt if needed.
- Spread the dressing evenly in the prepared dish without packing it down, leaving ridges and bread corners exposed on top.
- Cover tightly with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
- Remove the foil and bake for 12 to 15 minutes more, until the center is hot and steamy and the top is golden brown with toasted edges.
- Rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Tips
- Use bread cubes that are dry and firm; leave cubed bread out for 1 to 2 days if needed.
- Start with 3 cups of broth and add more only if dry pockets remain.
- Fold the dressing gently so the bread stays chunky rather than becoming pasty.
- Cook the celery and onion in the seasoned broth before mixing so they are fully tender.
- Check the dressing around 40 minutes of total baking time, especially when using a dark metal baking dish.
- Use less salt initially if using salted butter or regular-sodium broth.
