It isn't Thanksgiving without stuffing, and this old-fashioned bread stuffing is the perfect addition to your holiday table. It's a simple stuffing of toasted bread, onions, celery, butter, stock, and a perfect blend of spices. This dish can be prepared ahead.
Cut or tear up bread into 1” pieces and scatter onto a baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes until it dries out and starts to turn golden. Transfer into a large bowl.
In a large saute pan, melt the 8 tablespoons butter and add the onions and celery. Sauté over medium heat until onions and celery are softened, about 10 to 15 minutes.
Combine poultry seasoning ingredients. Skip if using store bought.
Sprinkle in salt, pepper, and poultry seasoning. Stir to wake up the spices. Once fragrant, pour in some of the stock and scrape up any bits on bottom of skillet.
Remove from heat and pour over the bread along with remaining stock. Toss thoroughly to combine and transfer to a casserole dish. Melt remaining 4 tablespoons butter and drizzle evenly over the top of stuffing. Bake for 30 - 45 minutes, until golden and browned on top. (See Note)
Notes
You can prepare this ahead and refrigerate until ready you’re ready to bake.You can bake in a 350, 375, or 400 degree oven for 30 - 40 minutes. Why the range of oven temperatures? I've made the stuffing using these three different oven temperatures depending on what else I was cooking that day and it comes out perfectly fine. The ingredients in the stuffing do not require a specific oven temperature making it another perfect addition for your perfect day. If you want a softer stuffing, simply dry out the bread the day before and skip toasting it in the oven.