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A serving of homemade dressing in a glass dish, showing the texture of the bread, celery, and onion. A key part of our easy Thanksgiving dressing recipe.

Thanksgiving Dressing Recipe (The Only One You'll Ever Need)

This classic Thanksgiving dressing recipe delivers a perfectly moist and savory side dish every time. Made with simple ingredients like bread, celery, onion, and herbs, it's the foolproof, traditional recipe your holiday table needs.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 225
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 16 cups day-old bread cubes about 1 large loaf, cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter plus more for greasing the dish
  • 2 large yellow onions chopped
  • 4 stalks celery chopped
  • 2 tsp dried sage
  • 1 1/2 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper freshly ground
  • 4 cups chicken broth low-sodium
  • 2 large eggs lightly beaten
  • 1/4 cup fresh parsley chopped

Equipment

  • 1 9x13 inch Baking Dish
  • 1 Large Skillet
  • 1 Large Mixing Bowl

Method
 

  1. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish with butter. Spread the bread cubes on a large baking sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes, or until lightly toasted and dry. Set aside in a very large bowl.
  2. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the chopped onions and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 8-10 minutes.
  3. Stir the sage, thyme, salt, and pepper into the skillet with the vegetables and cook for another minute until fragrant. Pour the vegetable mixture over the bread cubes in the bowl.
  4. Pour the chicken broth over the bread mixture, add the chopped parsley, and gently toss to combine everything. Be careful not to overmix. In a small bowl, whisk the eggs, then fold them into the dressing mixture until just incorporated.
  5. Transfer the dressing to the prepared baking dish and spread it into an even layer. Cover the dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
  6. Remove the foil and bake for another 15-20 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and crispy. Let it cool for a few minutes before serving.

Notes

Drying Bread: If you don't have day-old bread, you can cut a fresh loaf into cubes and leave them on a baking sheet on the counter to dry out for several hours, or toast them in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 20-25 minutes.
Broth Amount: For a very moist dressing, you can add up to an additional 1/2 cup of chicken broth.