Description
Grandma’s Thanksgiving Dressing is the ultimate classic side dish, celebrated for decades in family gatherings. This recipe features soft Italian bread combined with a savory blend of poultry seasoning, butter-sautéed celery and onions, and a flavorful homemade turkey stock. It’s easy to prepare ahead and bakes to a golden-brown perfection, making it the perfect complement to turkey and gravy on Thanksgiving day.
Ingredients
Scale
Stock
- Turkey neck and giblets
- 8 cups water
- 1 tablespoon poultry seasoning
Dressing
- 2 loaves Italian bread, torn into 1-inch pieces
- 1–2 tablespoons Thanksgiving seasoning (see notes)
- 2 sticks unsalted butter
- 1 cup diced celery leaves and top stalks
- 1 medium onion, diced (about 1 cup)
Thanksgiving Seasoning
- 2 parts kosher salt
- 1 part black pepper
- 1 part poultry seasoning
Instructions
- Prepare Turkey Stock: In a medium pot, add 8 cups of water and place the turkey neck and giblets inside along with 1 tablespoon of poultry seasoning. Bring to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes to create a flavorful stock.
- Prepare Bread: Tear the two Italian loaves into approximately 1-inch pieces. In a large bowl, sprinkle the bread pieces with 1 to 2 tablespoons of Thanksgiving seasoning. Gently toss to evenly coat every piece of bread with the spices.
- Sauté Vegetables: In a medium skillet, melt two sticks of butter over medium heat. Add the diced celery leaves and onion to the melted butter and cook, stirring occasionally, until both are very soft and fragrant, about 5-7 minutes.
- Combine Ingredients: Pour the softened butter, celery, and onion mixture over the seasoned bread pieces. Toss everything together thoroughly to coat the bread with the flavorful mixture.
- Add Stock: Ladle the turkey stock a cup at a time over the bread mixture, tossing after each addition. Continue until the bread is moist but not soggy—generally about 1.5 cups of stock. The texture should be soft and slightly yielding but not wet or gloppy.
- Prepare to Bake: Butter a 9×13-inch baking dish and press the moistened bread mixture evenly into it. Wet your hands slightly with water to press it flat gently. Cover the dish tightly with foil.
- Bake: Place the covered dressing in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) and bake for 30-40 minutes. Bake until the edges and top are golden brown. Remove foil about 10 minutes before finishing if you like a crisper top.
- Serve: Remove from oven and let rest a few minutes. Serve warm alongside turkey and gravy with your favorite Thanksgiving sides.
Notes
- The Thanksgiving Seasoning is a simple blend of 2 parts kosher salt, 1 part black pepper, and 1 part poultry seasoning.
- If your dressing turns out too wet, add additional bread to absorb the moisture or bake it longer uncovered to allow excess liquid to evaporate.
- If your dressing feels too dry, add another ladle of stock until reaching desired moistness.
- You can make this dressing a day ahead. For reheating, add a little extra stock on top before baking or place a pan of water in the oven to create steam and keep it moist.
- Store-bought chicken broth can be used if you do not have turkey stock; simmer with onion and poultry seasoning for best flavor.
- This recipe yields one 9×13-inch casserole, serving approximately 8 polite eaters or 6 dressing enthusiasts.
- Use Italian bread from the bakery section that is soft and fluffy, not a crusty baguette.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Thanksgiving
Keywords: Thanksgiving dressing, stuffing, turkey stuffing, Italian bread dressing, holiday side dish, homemade stuffing, classic Thanksgiving recipe
