Classic Stuffing Recipe with Baon (2024)

This TRADITIONAL STUFFING RECIPE is loaded with crispy fried bacon, plenty of veggies, and loads of herbs. It’s sure to be a favorite at Thanksgiving with the crispy top, moist center, and classic flavor.

Classic Stuffing Recipe with Baon (1)

I have a confession, guys.

I’m a lying liar who lies.

This recipe is actually for dressing, but every single person I know calls dressing stuffing. Do you know the difference?

Stuffing is actually stuffed inside of a turkey. Dressing is baked in a casserole dish alongside the turkey (or alongside whatever you want).

See? I called this recipe stuffing, but actually it’s dressing and that makes me a liar.

Forgive me?

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What Readers are Saying!

“I love your explanation of stuffing and dressing. Very clear. Bacon in this dressing is probably going to make this everyone’s favorite dressing recipe!” -Carol

The good news is that it really doesn’t matter what you call it, this is goooooood stuff. I have a favorite sausage dressing recipe that I make every single year for Thanksgiving and Christmas, but my mama doesn’t like sausage and so she never eats it. It makes me all sad, because it is seriously amazing stuff and she’s missing out.

I was dreaming about my sausage dressing the other day when I had an epiphany. A bacon epiphany. They’re both pork, they’re both delicious and fatty, I could totally swap one for the other.

And I did and it was glorious.

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I ended up changing the recipe quite a bit from our grandpa’s sausage version – this is more of a traditional stuffing recipe with loads of herbs, crusty French bread, and plenty of bacon.

So tell me…what does your family make every year? Dressing or stuffing? Inquiring minds want to know!

How to make bacon stuffing:

Chop up about a pound of French bread and toss it on a baking sheet. You’ll want to toast this in a warm oven for about 10 minutes to dry it out. This will help the bread soak up all the delicious liquid and seasonings.

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While the bread is toasting, dice your bacon and cook it over medium heat until it’s just starting to crisp up around the edges.

Add onion and celery to the pan and cook for five minutes or until they soften up. Be sure to stir this fairly often.

Add your bread to a large mixing bowl and pour the bacon and veggies (and grease – don’t you dare drain that grease!) right on top. Sprinkle in your herbs, poultry seasoning, and spices. Top with chicken broth.

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Our secret ingredient here is cream of chicken soup. We love the way it makes the stuffing a bit creamy – it gives it a great texture! If you don’t want to use the canned stuff, use my substitute for cream of chicken soup.

Stir this up and pour into a 2-3quart dish (we use an oval dish, but a 9×9 would work well, too) pan and cover with foil. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to let the liquid soak into the bread.

Bake for 30 minutes and then remove the foil and bake for 30 minutes more.

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Reasons To Love This Recipe:

First of all, it has bacon. That’s enough for most of us to love it right there.

Beyond that, we love the use of French bread instead of the bag of stuffing cubes or the white bread that our sausage dressing uses. It feels a little fancier too!

There are loads of herbs and seasonings in here, from fresh parsley to dried sage and rosemary, to poultry seasoning. Big flavors all the way around!

This recipe is very simple and easy to customize. Add in some dried cranberries or chopped apples. Swap the bacon for sausage. Use whatever mix of herbs you like best.

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Thanksgiving dinner menu

  • Air Fryer Turkey Breast
  • Canned Sweet Potato Casserole
  • Broccoli Cheese Casserole
  • Cheesy Hashbrown Casserole
  • Green Bean Casserole with Bacon
  • Jiffy Corn Casserole
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thanksgiving desserts

  • Pumpkin Pecan Pie
  • Pumpkin Crunch Cake
  • Apple Cobbler
  • Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
  • Fresh Apple Cake
  • Sweet Potato Pie
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Classic Stuffing Recipe with Baon (9)

Recipe

Traditional Stuffing with Bacon

This stuffing recipe starts with crusty French bread, plenty of fried bacon, and loads of celery, onions, herbs, and spices. It's flavorful, easy, and perfect for a holiday dinner.

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Prep30 minutes minutes

Cook1 hour hour

Total1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Serves 8 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 pound French bread
  • 8 slices bacon diced
  • 1 medium sweet onion chopped
  • 2 stalks celery chopped
  • 10 ounces cream of chicken soup
  • ¾ cup chicken broth plus more as needed
  • ¼ cup fresh minced parsley
  • 2 teaspoons dried sage
  • 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
  • 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon pepper

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 200 degrees.

  • Cut bread into small cubes and place on a baking sheet in the oven for 10 minutes to dry out a bit.

  • While the bread is in the oven, fry the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat.

  • When bacon is beginning to crisp around the edges, add the onion and celery and continue cooking until bacon is cooked and vegetables have softened.

  • Place the bread cubes in a large bowl and increase the oven to 350 degrees.

  • Pour the bacon and vegetables over the bread – do not drain the grease.

  • Add the cream of chicken soup, chicken broth, and remaining ingredients to the bowl.

  • Stir well to combine. Add additional chicken broth if needed to reach the level of moistness you prefer in stuffing.

  • Spread stuffing into a buttered 2-3 quart baking dish and top with foil.

  • Bake for 30 minutes, and then remove the foil and continue baking for 30 more minutes.

Tips & Notes:

We don’t like our stuffing to be overly wet, so we usually stick to around 3/4-1 cup of chicken broth. Add more if you like an extra moist stuffing.

You may swap the cream of chicken for cream of mushroom soup, if preferred.

Nutrition Information:

Calories: 306kcal (15%)| Carbohydrates: 39g (13%)| Protein: 11g (22%)| Fat: 12g (18%)| Saturated Fat: 4g (25%)| Cholesterol: 17mg (6%)| Sodium: 1069mg (46%)| Potassium: 237mg (7%)| Fiber: 2g (8%)| Sugar: 4g (4%)| Vitamin A: 282IU (6%)| Vitamin C: 6mg (7%)| Calcium: 49mg (5%)| Iron: 3mg (17%)

Author: Karly Campbell

Course:Side Dish

Cuisine:American

Keyword:easy side dish recipes, easy Thanksgiving recipes, holiday recipes

Did You Make This?Tag Us On Instagram

This post was originally published in November 2014. It was updated with a new (improved!) recipe and photos in November 2020. Original photo below.

Classic Stuffing Recipe with Baon (10)
Classic Stuffing Recipe with Baon (2024)

FAQs

Is stuffing better with or without eggs? ›

It's all about personal preference. If you want a sturdier dressing, eggs can help do that. I don't use eggs in this recipe, though, because I like a lighter, more crumbly texture in my dressing.

How moist should stuffing be before you bake it? ›

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.

What type of bread is best for stuffing? ›

The best bread for stuffing is a sturdy loaf with a tight crumb. Bakery French bread, Italian bread, Challah, and Sourdough are all good choices. When you cut up a 1-pound loaf into cubes, it should fit in an even layer on a single half-size rimmed baking sheet.

Why would you put eggs in stuffing? ›

Broth: Chicken broth keeps the stuffing moist without making it soggy. 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.

What can I substitute for eggs in stuffing? ›

Best Egg Substitutes
  • Flaxseed Meal. Flaxseeds have an earthy, nutty flavor and are rich in omega-3 fatty acids. ...
  • Chia Seeds. ...
  • Mashed Banana. ...
  • Applesauce. ...
  • Silken Tofu. ...
  • Aquafaba. ...
  • Starches. ...
  • Vinegar + Baking Powder.

Why does my stuffing come out mushy? ›

If the stuffing came out too wet and soggy (aka bread soup!) try not to over mix it, otherwise it'll turn into mush. Curtis Stone says to pour it on a large sheet tray and spread it out. Bake it on high heat to crisp it up, but make sure it doesn't burn.

Is it better to make stuffing the day before? ›

The short answer to whether you can making stuffing ahead of time is yes. "Making stuffing ahead saves time, allows stove and oven space for other things, and making it ahead gives time for the flavor to fully develop," Chef David Tiner, Director at Louisiana Culinary Institute in Baton Rouge, tells Southern Living.

Should stuffing be soft or crunchy? ›

Speaking of texture, that's what stuffing is all about--you want a mix of crispy and soft pieces. We recommend adding stock a little at a time--1/2 cup to 1 cup, depending on how much stuffing you're making--and waiting for the bread to absorb the liquid before adding more.

How to make stuffing Gordon Ramsay? ›

Make the stuffing, melt butter in a large frying pan and gently sauté onion and garlic for five minutes until soft. Stir in the herbs for one minute then add breadcrumbs to absorb butter. Mix in zest, pine nuts and seasoning and cook over medium heat for about seven minutes until crumbs start to brown and crisp.

How to make stuffing for turkey Martha Stewart? ›

Preparation. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add apples, pears, onions and celery, and sauté until translucent and softened, about 10 minutes. To a large mixing bowl, add the fruit-aromatics mixture, cubed bread, eggs and Bell's seasoning, and mix to combine.

What's the difference between stuffing and filling? ›

Although most people in America debate on whether the dish should be called stuffing or dressing the people of Pennsylvania call it filling. Essentially filling is the same as stuffing or dressing. The name suggests that it will fill something like stuffing does.

Should you toast bread before making stuffing? ›

Follow this tip: Stale, dried-out bread makes the best stuffing. Either dry out your bread starting a few days before you plan to make the stuffing by letting it sit out or, if you don't have the extra time, cut the bread into cubes, and then toast over a low heat in the oven until dry.

Can I cook stuffing at 325 instead of 350? ›

The stuffed meat, poultry, or stuffing in a casserole should be placed immediately after preparation in an oven set no lower than 325 °F. A food thermometer should be used to ensure that the stuffing reaches the safe minimum internal temperature of 165 °F.

Which flat bread is perfect for stuffing? ›

If your idea of pita bread is the small oval slices of cardboard bought from supermarkets, think again. Freshly made pita crisps and puffs up like a ball, perfect for stuffing with the filling of your choice: shawarma, falafel, muhamarra or any other Middle Eastern goodies.

What are the two main differences in dressing and stuffing? ›

"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.

Are you supposed to cook the stuffing before putting it in? ›

Fully cook raw meat, poultry, or seafood ingredients before adding to stuffing. Combine the ingredients and place them in your bird immediately before cooking. Don't stuff whole poultry with cooked stuffing. In addition to the turkey, the stuffing's center needs to reach 165 F.

References

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