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A classic stuffing recipe with sage, onions, and celery. Easy to make and perfect with turkey and mashed potatoes for a delicious holiday side dish.
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Every year for Thanksgiving, this classic stuffing is a must on our family table. It’s a recipe that our mom makes entirely from memory. The combination of sage, onions, celery, and garlic is so simple, yet it fills the house with the most amazing aroma as it bakes.
This stuffing isn’t just for Thanksgiving—it’s perfect for Christmas dinner (or family dinners anytime), too. It pairs beautifully with turkey, mashed potatoes, and all your favorite holiday sides. Whether you’re hosting or bringing a dish to share, this recipe will quickly become a family favorite.
Ingredient Notes
Here are the simple ingredients you’ll need. Read on for a few notes.
- Butter – salted or unsalted.
- Onion – yellow or white onion, chopped.
- Celery – fresh celery, sliced.
- Bread cubes – bread cubes or toasted bread cut into strips or cubes. Around the holidays, grocery stores sell pre-cut bags of bread cubes for stuffing, this is our go-to.
- Chicken broth – regular broth or stock. If you don’t have chicken broth, vegetable broth can also be a great alternative.
- Sage – ground sage.
- Garlic salt – regular garlic salt (not garlic powder).
- Pepper – ground black pepper.
- Salt – regular table salt.
- Fresh parsley – chopped Italian parsley to garnish, optional.
Supplies
Here’s what you’ll need to make this recipe:
- Cutting board and knives
- Sauté or frying pan
- Large mixing bowl and spoon
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Baking dish
- Serving spoon
How to Make Sage and Onion Stuffing
Follow the simple steps below to make this classic stuffing.
1
PREHEAT THE OVEN.
Preheat oven to 350°F.
2
Prep the veggies.
Wash the produce, dice the onions, and slice the celery.
3
Melt Butter.
In a medium saucepan, melt the butter.
4
Add Onions and celery.
Sauté the chopped onions and celery in the melted butter for about 5 minutes.
5
Pour Butter mixture over bread.
Measure out the bread cubes into a large bowl. Add the butter, onions, and celery. Mix until evenly distributed.
6
Add Broth and mix.
Add broth gradually and mix until the bread is moist but not overly saturated—using 2 to 3 cups works well. (Be cautious not to add too much broth or the stuffing may become soggy.)
7
Add Seasonings.
Sprinkle on the ground sage, garlic salt, salt, and pepper. (Taste and add more if you’d like.)
8
Add to Baking Dish.
Lightly grease a baking dish (we used a 2.5 quart baking dish, you can easily use a 2 quart dish) and add the stuffing mixture.
9
Bake for 45 to 50 minutes.
Bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until the stuffing mixture is heated all the way through and the top is golden brown. (If using a different size baking dish, you will need to adjust the cooking time accordingly.)
Note: Keep in mind if you are cooking multiple dishes at a time in the oven, this may affect the cook time.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Classic holiday flavor: The blend of sage, onion, and celery creates a nostalgic and comforting taste perfect for Thanksgiving or Christmas. This dish complements turkey, chicken, or pork perfectly.
- Simple ingredients: Made with pantry staples and fresh vegetables, it’s easy to prepare without any fancy ingredients.
- Make-ahead friendly: Prepare it in advance to save time on busy holiday cooking days. Reheat in the oven.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are answers to commonly asked questions about making this delicious stuffing.
Can I Leave the celery out?
Yes, if you don’t like celery, you can leave it out or replace it with another vegetable like carrots.
Can I add meat to the stuffing?
Absolutely, you can add cooked sausage, bacon, or ground turkey for a heartier version of the stuffing.
How should I store leftover stuffing?
Store leftover stuffing in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven or microwave before serving.
Sage and Onion Stuffing
An easy-to-make, classic stuffing recipe with sage, onions, and celery. Pairs perfectly with turkey and mashed potatoes for a delicious holiday side dish.
- Total Time: 60 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1 cup onion, chopped (1 medium yellow onion)
- 1 cup celery, sliced (2 to 3 stocks)
- 12 cups bread cubes
- 2 to 3 cups chicken broth (see instructions)
- 2 tsp ground sage
- 1 tsp garlic salt
- 1/4 tsp salt, or to taste
- 1/4 tsp pepper, or to taste
- 2 tbsp freshly chopped parsley to garnish, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven: Preheat to 350°F.
- Prep veggies: Wash produce. Dice the onions and slice the celery.
- Melt butter: In a medium saucepan, melt the butter.
- Sauté veggies: Add the onions and celery, sauté for about 5 minutes.
- Mix with bread cubes: add the bread cubes to a large bowl and pour the melted butter with onions and celery on top. Mix until evenly distributed.
- Gradually add broth: Add broth gradually and mix until the bread is moist but not overly saturated. Using 2 to 3 cups works well. Be cautious not to add too much broth, or the stuffing may become soggy.
- Add seasonings: Sprinkle on the ground sage, garlic salt, salt, and pepper. Mix well. (Taste and add more if you’d like.)
- Add to baking dish: Lightly grease baking dish and add the stuffing mixture.
- Bake: Bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until the stuffing mixture is heated all the way through and the top is golden brown.
- Garnish: Sprinkle fresh chopped parsley on top and serve.
Notes
- Bread cubes: Use pre-cut bread cubes, or make your own by toasting and cutting bread slices.
- Cook time: 1) Keep in mind if you are cooking multiple dishes at a time in the oven, this may affect the cook time. Plan for extra baking time, especially if your oven is full. 2) We are using an 2.5 quart oval baking dish (you can easily use a 2 quart). If you are using a different size, this may affect your cook time as well, adjust the cook time accordingly.
- Storage: Store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 257
- Sugar: 4.3 g
- Sodium: 781.6 mg
- Fat: 13.5 g
- Saturated Fat: 7.6 g
- Carbohydrates: 28.8 g
- Protein: 5.6 g
- Cholesterol: 32.1 mg
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