Salads & Side dishes

Old Fashioned Bread Stuffing with Fresh Herbs

By Clara ·
November 1, 2026

The bread cubes should feel dry and crisp before they go anywhere near the broth. If they’re still soft in the middle, they can turn to mush instead of holding their shape. That’s the small detail that gives this old fashioned bread stuffing with fresh herbs its tender center and golden top.

I dry the cubes low and slow, then give them a good toss halfway through so they crisp evenly. While they cool, the onion and celery soften in butter, and the sage and thyme go in at the end so their fragrance has a moment to bloom without scorching.

Once the broth and eggs are tossed through, the bread should be evenly moistened, not sitting in a puddle. Baked in a 9×13-inch dish, it comes out with a soft middle, browned edges, and the familiar savory smell of fresh herbs and butter.

The Broth Should Coat the Bread, Not Pool Under It

Stuffing can land in an awkward place between dry cubes and a soggy casserole. The goal here isn’t to drench the bread until it collapses; it’s to distribute the broth and eggs evenly, so each cube is moistened and the mixture holds together once baked. Whisking the eggs into the broth first helps the liquid spread through the bowl instead of leaving egg in one spot.

Give the bread a thorough toss after pouring in the liquid, reaching down to bring the cubes at the bottom back to the top. Pause for a moment and check the mixture: the cubes should look moist, but there shouldn’t be a layer of liquid beneath them. If a few pieces look dry, toss again before transferring everything to the dish.

That balance matters because the casserole has two different textures to deliver. The covered portion of baking lets the center heat through, while uncovering it gives the top time to turn golden. A short rest after baking helps the center settle, so it serves in soft, distinct pieces rather than falling apart in the dish.

Why Sturdy Bread and Fresh Herbs Matter in This Stuffing

• Sturdy white bread — A loaf with enough structure to hold a cube shape gives you a better mix of tender interior and intact pieces. Day-old bread is a good fit; a soft, fresh loaf is more prone to breaking down once the broth goes in. Leave the crusts on and cut the cubes evenly so they dry at a similar pace.
• Unsalted butter — Butter carries the onion, celery, and herbs through the dish with a rounded, savory taste. Since the vegetables cook directly in it, use butter you enjoy, but there’s no need for a specialty brand. Stick-style unsalted dairy-free butter is a useful swap if you need to avoid dairy.
• Yellow onion and celery — These soften into the base of the stuffing and add a gentle savory sweetness. Finely chop the onion and chop the celery so both soften during their skillet time; larger pieces stay more noticeable in the finished texture.
• Fresh sage, thyme, and flat-leaf parsley — Sage and thyme give the stuffing its woodsy, savory aroma, while parsley brings a greener note. Fresh herbs are especially welcome here because they’re stirred into the warm mixture just before it meets the bread. Choose leaves that look fresh rather than wilted; dried herbs work too, with a more concentrated flavor.
• Low-sodium chicken broth and eggs — The broth moistens the bread without bringing in as much salt as a regular broth might, and the eggs help the mixture hold together as it bakes. Use broth with a flavor you like, since it makes up the savory liquid in the casserole.

Dry the Cubes, Soften the Vegetables, Then Bake Until Golden

Dry the bread until it’s crisp

Heat the oven to 250°F and spread the 3/4-inch bread cubes in a single layer on a large rimmed baking sheet. Bake for 45 to 60 minutes, stirring once halfway through, until the cubes feel dry and crisp. They shouldn’t still feel soft in the center. Let them cool before tossing them with the other ingredients.

Soften the onion and celery in butter

Raise the oven temperature to 350°F and grease a 9×13-inch baking dish. Melt the butter in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat, then add the onion, celery, salt, and pepper. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have softened; if they’re still crisp, give them more time within that range rather than turning up the heat. Stir in the sage and thyme and cook for 1 minute.

Toss until the broth mixture is evenly distributed

Put the cooled bread cubes in a large bowl and add the parsley and warm butter-vegetable mixture. Toss to combine. Whisk the broth and lightly beaten eggs together, pour the liquid over the bread, and toss until everything is evenly moistened. Transfer the mixture to the greased baking dish without packing it down tightly.

Bake covered, then brown the top

Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and continue baking for 15 to 20 minutes, until the top is golden and the center reaches 160°F. If the top is golden before the center reaches that temperature, cover it again while it finishes baking. Let the stuffing rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Three Simple Swaps for a Different Table

Questions That Come Up While Making This Stuffing

Old Fashioned Bread Stuffing with Fresh Herbs

Old fashioned bread stuffing with fresh herbs is baked with dried bread cubes, sautéed vegetables, sage, thyme, and parsley. The top turns golden while the broth-and-egg mixture keeps the center moist and tender.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 25 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 50 minutes mins

Resting time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 2 hours hrs 25 minutes mins

Servings: 8 servings

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Calories: 300

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 1 loaf (16 oz) white bread day-old, sturdy; cut into 3/4-inch cubes (about 12 cups)
• 8 tbsp unsalted butter (1 stick)
• 1.5 cup yellow onion finely chopped
• 1.5 cup celery chopped
• 1 tsp fine salt
• 0.5 tsp black pepper freshly ground
• 2 tbsp fresh sage chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
• 0.25 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley chopped
• 3 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 eggs large, lightly beaten

Equipment

• 1 large rimmed baking sheet
• 1 9x13-inch baking dish
• 1 12-inch skillet

Method

 

1. Preheat the oven to 250°F.
2. Spread the bread cubes in a single layer on a large rimmed baking sheet.
3. Bake the bread cubes for 45–60 minutes, stirring once halfway through, until dry and crisp.
4. Let the bread cubes cool.
5. Raise the oven temperature to 350°F.
6. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
7. Melt the butter in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat.
8. Add the onion, celery, salt, and pepper, and cook for 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened.
9. Stir in the sage and thyme and cook for 1 minute.
10. Put the bread cubes in a large bowl, add the parsley and butter-vegetable mixture, and toss to combine.
11. Whisk the broth and eggs together, pour over the bread mixture, and toss until evenly moistened.
12. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish.
13. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
14. Uncover and bake for 15–20 minutes, until golden on top and the center reaches 160°F.
15. Let the stuffing rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

For crisp, evenly dried bread cubes, spread them in a single layer and stir halfway through baking. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for 3–4 days; freeze for up to 3 months. For a vegetarian version, use vegetable broth in place of chicken broth.