Grandma's Homemade Thanksgiving Dressing (Stuffing) Recipe (2024)

We love our Grandma's Thanksgiving Dressing. You don't need to stuff it in the bird, just mix the ingredients and stick it in the oven. So many happy memories with this holiday dressing.

Grandma's Homemade Thanksgiving Dressing (Stuffing) Recipe (1)

No need to shy away from bringing the dressing/stuffing to your holiday dinner this year with our Grandma’s Homemade Thanksgiving Dressing recipe!

Did you know you can bake stuffing in a glass pan, no need to stuff the big bird?

We have the best recipe that our grandma handed down to us.

I didn’t know until recently that it wasn’t made completely from scratch (as many of her recipes are).

I was so surprised that she actually used a package of seasoned bread crumbs, but added all her favorite things to make it taste amazing!

This recipe is my favorite part of Thanksgiving dinner. As far as I’m concerned, Grandma’s dressing is the main dish.

Enjoy your Thanksgiving turkey as a side dish. 🙂

Check our our entire Thanksgiving Dinner Menu HERE, there are over 100 recipes!

Can you stuff your bird with this homemade Thanksgiving dressing?

This dressing is great baked in a pan in the oven, and it can also be used in stuffing your bird.

Our grandma used to put some of the dressing in the bird, and then she would bake the rest in a baking dish.

Another idea would be to bake your turkey and stuffing separately and then when the turkey is done, place the cooked stuffing inside.

Can dressing recipe be doubled or tripled?

This recipe can easily be doubled or tripled to feed a larger group.

We have often had to triple it when we have a lot of family in town for the holiday.

When you double it, a 9 x 13 inch pan will work great.

If tripling the recipe, you may need to make it in 2 pans.

You can also try our Homemade Green Bean Casserole without Condensed Soup here!

What seasoned breadcrumbs work best?

We have tried so many different breadcrumbs when making this recipe. We have used Turkey Stove Top dressing/stuffing mix that comes in the box. It works great.

We have bought many different brands of seasoned bread crumbs and they all work well. Just be sure they are seasoned. That gives the dressing more flavor.

Some people like to make their own homemade dry bread crumbs and that works well too.

Can’t get enough Stuffing? Try our Homemade Corn Bread Dressing for Thanksgiving!

Ingredients in Grandma’s Homemade Thanksgiving Dressing:

  • 1 box turkey stuffing (seasoned breadcrumbs)
  • apples (diced)
  • celery (diced)
  • onion (diced)
  • fresh sliced mushrooms
  • butter
  • chicken broth (or water)

How to make Grandma’s Thanksgiving Dressing:

  • Spray a 9 x 9 inch baking dish with non stick cooking spray.
  • Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.
  • In a large mixing bowl combine the dry stuffing mix, diced apples, diced celery, diced onion, and fresh sliced mushrooms.

Grandma's Homemade Thanksgiving Dressing (Stuffing) Recipe (2)

  • Add butter to the boiling water and stir until melted.
  • Pour the water/melted butter mixture over the stuffing mixture in the bowl. Stir until all combined and moistened.
  • Spread the stuffing mix into the prepared pan.

Grandma's Homemade Thanksgiving Dressing (Stuffing) Recipe (3)

  • Bake for 35-40 minutes until dressing is thoroughly heated.
  • Dish and serve when warm. We like to drizzle gravy over our dressing.
Grandma's Homemade Thanksgiving Dressing (Stuffing) Recipe (4)

Helpful items to make Grandma’s dressing:

  1. 8 Inch Square Baking Dish– This is one of our favorite 8 inch square baking dishes with a cover.
  2. Glass Measuring Cups– We love that we can see through these when boiling water. We use the big one as a mixing bowl.
  3. Mixing Bowl Set– Our favorite mixing bowl set with various sizes.
  4. Knife Set– A great knife set for dicing.

Need a good holiday drink to serve? This Cranberry Citrus Party Punch is the BEST non-alcoholic drink for the holidays!

Complete your Thanksgiving Turkey Dinner with our favorite dishes:

  • 30 Minute Dinner Rolls
  • How to Cook a Turkey
  • Green Bean Casserole
  • Slow Cooker Creamy Mashed Potatoes
  • How To Make Turkey Gravy From Scratch
  • Slow Cooker Macaroni and Cheese
  • Strawberry Jello Fluff Salad
  • Easy Sweet Cornbread
  • Simple Pumpkin Pie
  • Caramel Pumpkin Poke Cake
  • Fluffy Cranberry Salad
  • EASY Slow Cooker Turkey Breast
  • Slow Cooker Stuffing
  • Apple, Onion and Celery Stuffing
  • Instant Pot Homemade Cranberry Sauce
  • Easy Homemade Sausage Stuffing
  • Instant Pot Dressing Recipe (Thanksgiving Stuffing)

Have you heard about our newest cookbook, Copycat Cooking? We took over 100 of our favorite restaurant recipes and simplified them so that you can make them right at home!

Grandma's Homemade Thanksgiving Dressing (Stuffing) Recipe (5)

Thiscookbookincludes copycat recipes from Wingers, Texas Roadhouse, Starbucks, Panera, Cheesecake Factory, Kneaders, and so much more. We have you covered from drinks, to dessert and everything in-between.

We are so excited to share these recipes with you! Order your copy today!

Love cooking as much as we do? Join our FREE private Facebook Group: Six Sisters’ Dinner Club!

Have you seen ourYouTube channel?

Grandma's Homemade Thanksgiving Dressing (Stuffing) Recipe (6)

Serves: 8

Grandma’s Thanksgiving Dressing Recipe

We love our Grandma's Thanksgiving Dressing. You don't need to stuff it in the bird, just mix the ingredients and stick it in the oven. So many happy memories with this holiday dressing.

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Total Time 50 minutes mins

PrintPin

Ingredients

  • 6 ounces turkey stuffing mix (such as stove top) seasoned breadcrumbs work as well
  • 1 cup chopped apples gala, honeycrisp, or golden delicious work great
  • 3 ribs celery diced
  • 1 onion diced
  • ¾ cup sliced fresh mushrooms
  • 1 ½ cups boiling water or chicken broth
  • ¼ cup butter

Instructions

  • Spray a 8 x 8 inch baking pan with non-stick cooking spray.

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

  • In a large bowl, mix together dry stuffing mix, diced apples, diced celery, diced onion, and mushrooms.

  • Add butter to boiling water and let it melt, then pour over stuffing mixture in bowl.

  • Mix well until all ingredients are moistened.

  • Spread stuffing mixture in prepared pan.

  • Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the stuffing is thoroughly heated.

  • Keep warm until serving.

Notes

  • We have tried so many different breadcrumbs when making this recipe. We have used Turkey Stove Top dressing/stuffing mix that comes in the box. It works great.
  • We have bought many different brands of seasoned bread crumbs and they all work well. Just be sure they are seasoned. That gives the dressing more flavor.
  • This recipe can easily be doubled or tripled to feed a larger group. We have often had to triple it when we have a lot of family in for the holiday.
  • When you double it, a 9 x 13 inch pan will work great. If tripling the recipe, you may need to make it in 2 pans.

Nutrition

Calories: 146 kcal · Carbohydrates: 19 g · Protein: 3 g · Fat: 7 g · Saturated Fat: 4 g · Cholesterol: 16 mg · Sodium: 366 mg · Potassium: 137 mg · Fiber: 1 g · Sugar: 4 g · Vitamin A: 253 IU · Vitamin C: 1 mg · Calcium: 30 mg · Iron: 1 mg

Equipment

  • 8×8-inch baking pan

  • Mixing Bowl

Recipe Details

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

This post was included in our Make Ahead Thanksgiving Side Dishes video – for more inexpensive and delicious recipes like this one, click here to check it out!

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Grandma's Homemade Thanksgiving Dressing (Stuffing) Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Should I put eggs in my stuffing? ›

Eggs: Two lightly beaten eggs help hold the dressing together and add moisture. Water: You can add a few tablespoons of water, if you'd like, to achieve your desired consistency. Seasonings: This turkey dressing recipe is seasoned with salt, pepper, rubbed sage, and garlic powder.

What is traditional stuffing made of? ›

Classic stuffing made with bread cubes, seasonings, and held together with chicken stock and eggs. A holiday staple!

What is Thanksgiving dressing made of? ›

Dressing: Dressing typically includes ingredients like cornbread, white bread, or biscuits, mixed with vegetables, herbs, spices, and sometimes sausage or other meats. It is often moistened with broth or stock and baked in a casserole dish until it forms a crust on top.

What's the difference between stuffing and homemade dressing? ›

"Stuffing is cooked in the cavity of the turkey, so the juices soak into the ingredients, making it more flavorful. Dressing gets cooked on its own and needs extra liquid to make it flavorful." So stuffing is cooked inside the bird. Dressing is cooked outside the bird, usually in a casserole dish.

What can you use as a binder instead of eggs in stuffing? ›

16 egg substitutes
  1. Mashed banana. Mashed banana can act as a binding agent when baking or making pancake batter. ...
  2. Applesauce. Applesauce can also act as a binding agent. ...
  3. Fruit puree. Fruit puree will help bind a recipe in a similar way to applesauce. ...
  4. Avocado. ...
  5. Gelatin. ...
  6. Xanthan gum. ...
  7. Vegetable oil and baking powder. ...
  8. Margarine.
Mar 30, 2021

Is it better to make stuffing the night before? ›

Absolutely. Most Thanksgiving stuffing recipes can be made at least partially in advance since: A) They're easily assembled a day or two ahead of Thanksgiving Day; and B) They're often baked using a two-step process (once covered with foil to cook through, then uncovered to achieve a crispy top).

What's the difference between stuffing and dressing? ›

To understand the difference between the two, all you have to do is look at the cooking method. Stuffing is stuffed (literally) inside the cavity of the turkey, while dressing is roasted in a separate casserole dish.

How do you keep stuffing moist? ›

Typically, baking the stuffing inside the bird helps keep the mixture moist. “I prefer stuffing (in the bird) to dressing (outside of the bird) because all those delicious drippings that come off the turkey gets absorbed right into the stuffing,” Bamford says.

What is the best kind of stuffing? ›

Our Top Store-Bought Stuffing Picks
  • Best Overall: Arnold Herb Seasoned Premium Cubed Stuffing.
  • Best Classic: Pepperidge Farm Herb Seasoned Classic Stuffing.
  • Best Instant: Stove Top Turkey Stuffing Mix.
  • Best Gluten-Free: Williams-Sonoma Gluten-Free Stuffing Mix.
  • Best for Celiac: Trader Joe's Gluten Free Stuffing Mix.
Nov 13, 2023

What kind of bread is best for dressing? ›

Breads such as sour dough, French bread or Italian loaves are for the best bread for stuffing. Their soft-but-sturdy interiors are the perfect texture for stuffing. The pieces retain their shape without crumbling.

What is the difference between Thanksgiving dressing and stuffing? ›

The primary difference between stuffing and dressing is that stuffing is cooked inside a bird and dressing is made on the side.

Does stuffing contain onions? ›

Stuffing can be made of many different things, but the ingredients most varieties of stuffing have in common are some sort of starch (breadcrumbs, rolled oats, pearl barley etc), some sort of herb (bay leaves, sage, garlic) and chopped onion or another kind of vegetable.

What is homemade dressing made of? ›

It's a basic recipe made simply with olive oil, lemon juice (or vinegar), garlic, Dijon, salt and pepper that can be whipped up in just 5 minutes. And I'm telling you — this salad dressing somehow magically works with just about any type of salad you might be craving!

Is it better to make stuffing with fresh or dry bread? ›

Any attempts to make stuffing with soft, fresh baked bread will result in a bread soup with a soggy texture. Follow this tip: Stale, dried-out bread makes the best stuffing.

Is homemade stuffing better than store bought? ›

Homemade is healthier. Stove Top packs a hefty sodium punch, in addition to containing high-fructose corn syrup, caramel coloring, disodium iosinate, and other synthetic additives not necessarily welcome at my Thanksgiving table.

What does egg do in stuffing? ›

Eggs add richness to the stuffing, and makes it cohere better. I'd use two eggs per pound of bread.

Why is my stuffing so moist? ›

The stuffing should be moist but not wet. If there is a puddle of broth at the bottom of the bowl, you've added too much. Add more bread to soak up the excess moisture. If the mix is still dry and crumbly, add more liquid and toss gently until it starts to clump together.

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