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This is the classic Thanksgiving stuffing that gets requested every single year — loaded with sautéed vegetables, fresh herbs, and just the right amount of chicken broth to keep it perfectly moist. It makes a big batch, it bakes right inside the turkey, and it tastes exactly like the kind of stuffing you grew up hoping would be on the table.
Why You’ll Love It
- Deep, savory flavor — chicken broth instead of milk makes all the difference; it soaks into the bread and tastes rich, not bland
- Two kinds of bread — the combination of soft bread cubes and Pepperidge Farm herbed crumbs gives it the perfect texture
- Perfectly moist, never gluey — baking inside the turkey means it absorbs all those gorgeous juices as it cooks
- Big enough for a crowd — this recipe makes a generous amount, with enough left over for a casserole dish on the side
- Straightforward to make — no complicated steps, just good ingredients done right
A Few Notes on Ingredients
The Pepperidge Farm herbed stuffing — the crumbs, not the cubes — is non-negotiable. Blue and white bag. I know some people try to substitute other brands and I’ve heard mixed results, but I’ve never personally deviated because I’ve never needed to. Moving on.
The bread cubes are the soft grocery store kind, which I know sounds vague. I usually grab whatever’s in the bakery section marked “stuffing cubes” — something soft, not too dense. You want contrast with the fine crumbs from the Pepperidge Farm bag.
Chicken broth, not milk. The broth is what gives this stuffing its actual depth of flavor. Don’t skip it, don’t water it down, don’t use vegetable broth unless you absolutely have to.
And the butter — a full cup. Yes. I know. Thanksgiving is not the time for restraint.
Ingredients
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 green pepper, diced
- About ¾ cup diced celery — or roughly a teaspoon of celery seed if you’re out (I’ve done it both ways, though I prefer the real thing when I have it)
- 1 cup butter
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 2 cups canned chicken broth (you may not need all of it)
- 1 bag Pepperidge Farm herbed seasoned stuffing, 16 oz. — the crumbs, blue and white bag
- 1 bag soft bread cubes, 16–20 oz.
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
- 2 tablespoons dried parsley (or fresh, if you have it — I almost always use dried)
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 Reynolds turkey-size oven bag
- 1 turkey, whatever size fits your crowd
How to Make It
Start by combining the bread cubes and the Pepperidge Farm crumbs together in the biggest bowl you own. Seriously, bigger than you think you need. I learned this the hard way once, when I had stuffing all over my kitchen counter because I’d underestimated the volume.
Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat and sauté the onion, green pepper, and celery until everything is soft and a little translucent — maybe ten minutes, give or take. Don’t rush this part. The vegetables need time to relax. Once they’re done, pour the whole pan, butter and all, over your bread mixture.
Add the beaten eggs and toss everything together. Then add your garlic powder, poultry seasoning, parsley, and oregano. Toss again. The whole thing should smell absolutely outrageous at this point. Like, genuinely wonderful. This is when I usually have to stop people from hovering.
Now — and this is the part where you need to pay attention — start adding the chicken broth. Pour it in slowly. You’re aiming for stuffing that’s almost wet. More than damp, less than soggy. The bread should feel saturated but not falling apart. I usually use almost all two cups, but sometimes I’ve held a little back. It depends on the bread you’re using, honestly. Just go slowly and check as you go.
Give it one last toss. Everything should be coated and the whole mixture should feel cohesive. If it still seems dry in spots, add a little more broth. Trust your hands more than a timer here.
Stuff your turkey at both ends — firmly, but without actually jamming it in there. Pack it well, but leave a little room. If you have extra stuffing left over after the turkey’s full (and you probably will), put it in a casserole dish and refrigerate it. Pull it out about 45 minutes before the turkey’s done and bake it alongside. It crisps up beautifully on top.
For the turkey: rub it all over with softened butter — use your fingers, it’s the best way — and shake some paprika over the whole surface. Then put a couple tablespoons of flour inside your Reynolds oven bag before sliding the turkey in. Close it up, cut three short slits across the top for ventilation, and set it in the roasting pan with the lid on.
Follow the roasting time for your turkey’s weight, but know that the oven bag will cut the cooking time down by somewhere between 45 minutes and an hour. Keep that in mind. You don’t need to baste — the bag keeps everything moist — but if you want to open it once or twice, go ahead. I do sometimes, just out of habit.
When the turkey comes out, there will be a pool of gorgeous, golden broth inside that bag. Scoop it out for your gravy. Whatever I don’t use, I pour into a container and freeze for soup later in the winter. Nothing goes to waste.
What If You Want to Change Things Up
Some people leave out the green pepper — it still turns out great, just a little less colorful. I keep the pepper. Some people add a little sage — I haven’t found it necessary with the poultry seasoning already in there, but I wouldn’t stop you.
If you’re not stuffing a turkey, you can bake all of it in a covered casserole at 325°F for about an hour. Uncover it for the last fifteen minutes or so if you want a little crust on top. It’s good this way, though not quite the same as when it bakes inside the bird.
Leftovers
Stuffing reheats well the next day. I usually cover it with a little foil and warm it in the oven, maybe 325°F until it’s heated through. A splash of broth if it seems dry. Some people swear it’s better cold out of the fridge the morning after Thanksgiving. I’m not sure I agree, but it does hold up.
This stuffing is the kind of recipe that earns its place at the table every single year. The garlic powder. The chicken broth. The way the whole house smells by noon on Thanksgiving Day.
Once you make it, you’ll understand why it never changes.
Perfect Thanksgiving Stuffing
Ingredients
- 1 onion diced
- 1 green bell pepper diced
- 3/4 cup celery diced
- 1 cup butter
- 2 eggs beaten
- 2 cups chicken broth as needed
- 1 bag herbed stuffing mix 16 oz Pepperidge Farm
- 1 bag bread cubes 16–20 oz
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp poultry seasoning
- 2 tbsp dried parsley
- 1 tsp oregano
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine bread cubes and herbed stuffing mix.
- Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add onion, green pepper, and celery and sauté until soft and translucent, about 10 minutes.
- Pour the sautéed vegetables and butter over the bread mixture and toss to combine.
- Add beaten eggs, garlic powder, poultry seasoning, parsley, and oregano. Mix well.
- Gradually add chicken broth, mixing until the stuffing is moist but not soggy.
- Stuff the turkey loosely with the mixture or transfer to a baking dish for separate baking.
- If baking separately, bake at 350°F for about 30–40 minutes until heated through and lightly crisp on top.
- Serve warm alongside turkey and your favorite holiday sides.
