This classic stuffing starts with boxed stuffing mix and makes it taste homemade. Onion and celery are softened in butter, tossed with the mix and broth, and baked until the top is golden and crisp.
Boxed mix is the budget route to stuffing for a crowd. It’s already seasoned, it’s often on sale before the holidays, and two boxes fill a 9×13-inch dish that serves ten.
It takes about 15 minutes of hands-on time, which matters when the oven and the stove are both busy.
Ingredients and Swaps
- Stuffing mix: Two 6-ounce boxes, any flavor. Cornbread, chicken and herb-seasoned all work.
- Broth: Chicken or turkey broth has more flavor than the water the box calls for. Low-sodium is best, since the mix is already salty.
- Onion and celery: The fresh vegetables are what make boxed mix taste homemade.
- Butter: For cooking the vegetables and enriching the stuffing.
Tips for the Best Boxed Stuffing
- Soften the vegetables fully. Raw-tasting onion and celery won’t cook through in the oven.
- Add the broth gradually. Different mixes absorb differently. The stuffing should be evenly moist with no dry pockets and no puddle in the bowl.
- Don’t pack it down. Spoon it loosely into the dish so it stays fluffy.
- Uncover to crisp. The last 10 minutes without foil gives you a golden top.
Classic Stuffing
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and celery and cook for 6–8 minutes, until soft.
- In a large bowl, combine the stuffing mix, the sautéed vegetables with their butter, and the broth.
- Stir gently until evenly moistened, adding a little more broth if any dry spots remain. Spoon loosely into the baking dish.
- Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Uncover and bake for 10 minutes more, until golden on top.
Notes
- Add browned sausage or a diced apple for more flavor.
- Sprinkle with fresh herbs before serving.
- For a softer stuffing, keep it covered for the full baking time.
Easy Add-Ins
- Sausage: Brown ½ pound of bulk sausage and stir it in.
- Apple and cranberry: Add a diced apple with the celery and ½ cup of dried cranberries.
- Herbs: Stir in fresh parsley, sage or thyme.
- Mushrooms: Sauté 8 ounces of sliced mushrooms with the onion.
Want stuffing from scratch? Try Sausage and Apple Stuffing or Cornbread Sausage Stuffing.
Make-Ahead, Storage and Reheating
- Make ahead: Assemble up to a day ahead, cover and refrigerate. Add a splash of broth and 5–10 minutes to the covered baking time.
- Refrigerate: Leftovers keep for up to 4 days.
- Freeze: Freeze for up to 2 months.
- Reheat: Cover with foil and warm at 350°F for 12–15 minutes, or microwave single portions.
Stuffing Questions
Can I cook this inside the turkey?
We recommend baking it separately. It cooks more evenly, the top gets crisp and there’s no food safety guesswork.
My stuffing came out dry. What happened?
It needed more broth. Drizzle ¼ cup of warm broth over the top, cover and return to the oven for 5 minutes.
