I’m here to share with you how to bake stuffing outside the turkey so you can make this quick easy side dish year round. We made Pepperidge Farm sausage stuffing every year until I came up with this meat free version, now we rotate as they are both so good.
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There are some things that are worth making from scratch, this is one of them. If you have only made Stove Top this is much better and there are tons of variations you can make along the way. Adding ground spicy sausage is great, with gravy on top goes well with chicken and beef.
When we Bake a Whole Chicken at 350, this is always our go to. Everything made at the same time is how we roll in this house, and kitchen. You can do this two ways; starting with a bag of stuffing mix in a bag or with dried bread from scratch. You choose, or make both and see which you prefer.
I will say that there is a wide preference when it comes to this dish so you will need to use your discretion as far as the amount of liquid you add. You want to coat it well so it is wet so that it gets tender and moist in the oven, but not get mushy. Use your judgement however the measurements below are perfect as far as we are concerned.
Ingredient Notes
You want to start with Bread cubed and dried, or use packaged pepperidge farm herb stuffing mix, if you use packaged, skip the seasonings below
A bit of diced vegetables like yellow or white onion and celery are nice to add some texture and flavor. I add more in our Cornbread Dressing with Jiffy Mix than with others, adjust as you like.
Garlic should be minced fine
Butter is best but dairy free vegan alternatives can be used
Ideally instead of water for the liquid necessary you should use chicken broth, turkey broth or beef vs. water that has no flavor.
For seasonings I typically add some dried sage, thyme, rosemary and salt unless I add meat like our Chorizo Stuffing then no seasons are needed.
Variations
This one fits well in a 9×9″ casserole dish for us but this is How to Cook Stuffing in a Bundt Pan too which is a nice touch during Thanksgiving and Christmas time. I mentioned how to make this dairy-free above if that is needed. If you wanted to add meat it would need to be precooked and the grease drained. My favorite choices with that would be;
- Spicy ground sausage
- Bacon bits
- Diced leftover ham
How to Cook Stuffing Separately
You will first want to pan fry the onion, celery and garlic in butter in a pan on the stove until softened. Pour in the broth over dried stuffing in a bowl in small portions and gently stir the bread cubes so that they are evenly saturated but not mushy. Transfer to a baking dish and cover with foil or a lid. Bake covered with foil and then remove the foil and bake for another 10 minutes or until it is lightly browned on top.
How Long do You Bake Stuffing in the Oven?
In the oven, turkey stuffing it will take about 45 minutes, depending on the quantity you are making of course. Keep in mind that the more your pieces overlap the more wet of an outcome you will get and the center will be the most moist. If you are making Instant Pot Stuffing it takes 20 minutes or so, not counting the time it comes to pressure.
How moist should dressing be before baking in the oven?
Moist but Not Soggy with all of the bread cubes and other ingredients evenly coated with broth or liquid. When you press the mixture lightly, it should hold together without excessive liquid pooling at the bottom. If the mixture feels dry or crumbly, it will need more broth.
Absorbent but Not Waterlogged meaning that if you squeeze a handful of the dressing, it should form a loose clump but not be dripping liquid. The bread cubes should be soft, but still retain their structure.
How do I know when stuffing is done?
Stuffing also known as dressing is done when it has reached the right internal temperature and the texture is just right—crispy on the top and edges while moist inside. It should reach at least 165°F (74°C) which is especially important for classic stuffing cooked inside a bird. Texture should be moist throughout but not wet or soggy. The surface should be lightly browned and crisp, indicating that it has cooked evenly and developed a good texture.
Baked Stuffing Outside the Turkey Recipe
Equipment
- 1 pan
- 1 9×9 pan
Ingredients
- 3 cup bread, cubed and dried, or use packaged pepperidge farm herb stuffing mix – if you use packaged, skip the seasonings below
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1 stalk celery, diced
- 2 tbsp garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp butter
- 2/3 cup chicken broth
- 1/3 tsp sage
- 1/3 tsp rosemary
- 1/4 tsp salt, to taste
Instructions
- ** If you want to use bread, you should cube it and leave it out overnight in a dish or dry in the oven at 270 F. on a sheet pan for about 5 minutes until hardened.
- Preheat the oven to 350 F. Fry the onion, celery and garlic in butter for 5 minutes in a pan on the stove until softened. Remove. Place the dried bread cubes in a bowl, add salt and herbs, as well as fried vegetables.
- Pour in the broth in small portions and gently stir the bread cubes so that they are evenly saturated with liquid. If you see that the bread is already quite wet, do not add the remaining broth.
- Transfer to a baking dish and cover with foil or a lid. Bake at 350 degrees for half an hour. Then remove the foil and bake for another 10 minutes or until it is lightly browned on top. Serve immediately for best results.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
How do you fix dry stuffing?
If you take it out and feel like it has dried out too much, don’t worry we can fix it. The best way to “hide the mistake” is to pour gravy on top and let it seep in for a few minutes. This will not only moisten the dish up but also add a creamy flavor to it as well. That is a win win.
What Can You Make with Leftover Stuffing?
Of course you can just reheat in the microwave for 1 minute stirring halfway thru and serve with Beef Strip Loin Steaks. You can use this to make our fun duo of Chicken and Stuffing in Crockpot for dinner the next night!! Just adding meat into the mix makes it a complete meal vs. a side right?
Another fun one is to follow our Stove Top Stuffing Meatloaf but with this instead of that packaged mix. This is a great alternative to breadcrumbs really with a lot more flavor and still binds together the meat well before baking.
