Homemade Stove Top Stuffing Recipe - Happy Foods Tube (2024)

Impress your guests this Thanksgiving or Christmas with homemade stove top stuffing. It’s easy, delicious and its prep does not require oven at all!

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Homemade Stove Top Stuffing Recipe - Happy Foods Tube (1)

Stuffing (or dressing) is a tasty addition to all kinds of meals, not only Thanksgiving dinner.

It is one of the easiest side dishes to make and can be easily doubled if needed. You can customize it to your liking or dietary needs (we have vegan stuffing on our blog if you are looking for a meat-free stuffing recipe).

Homemade Stove Top Stuffing Recipe - Happy Foods Tube (2)

How to make stove top stuffing:

Ingredients:

  • Celery
  • Onion
  • Apple
  • Pear
  • Cranberries
  • French baguette
  • Garlic powder
  • Salt
  • Black pepper
  • Rosemary
  • Tarragon
  • Stock
  • Bacon
  • Butter

Kitchen tools needed:

  • Chopping board + knife – to cut the veggies and fruits.
  • Measuring cups & spoons – to measure out the ingredients.
  • Large skillet/frying pan & lid – to cook this Thanksgiving dressing in, a 11 to 12-inch/28 to 30-centimeters wide. If you don’t have such large pan, use a Dutch oven or wide-bottomed pot instead.
  • Spatula or wooden spoon – for stirring.
Homemade Stove Top Stuffing Recipe - Happy Foods Tube (3)

Recipe overview:

Cut French baguette into small cubes and air-dry overnight.

The next day, fry pancetta, if you haven’t done so already. Don’t discard the leftover fat – use it to saute the onion and celery in. If you bought ready-cooked bacon bits or you pre-cooked it yourself, you will need to add some oil to the pan to saute the veggies.

I like to saute them for almost 10 minutes so that they are nice and soft, especially the celery. At any stage, you can throw in some fresh cranberries. I like to halve them or cut them into quarters first.

The next step is adding the fruits. These only need about 5 minutes. At this stage, you can add butter as well and when melted add diced bread, stock, and seasoning.Mix well and cover with a lid.

Cooking with the lid on will take about 7-10 minutes. Check (and stir) it 2-3 times to make sure the seasoning is distributed evenly, and all the bread cubes are soaked in liquid.

Dietary information

What does this stovetop stuffing recipe contain?
Nuts: No
Meat: Yes
Dairy: Yes
Eggs: No
Gluten: Yes (unless you use gluten-free bread)

Homemade Stove Top Stuffing Recipe - Happy Foods Tube (4)

Frequently asked questions

Can I substitute or omit some of the ingredients?

Yes, you can. Instead of olive oil, you can use another kind of oil (preferably vegetable, sunflower or canola oil). Instead of tarragon, try dried thyme! The stock of any kind will work just fine. If you don’t have fresh cranberries, use frozen or omit them.

You can also change the quantities of each ingredient, but I suggest trying the original recipe first and adjusting when making it next time.

I don’t have pancetta. What should I use?

You can use any bacon of your choice. Also, more can be added to this stuffing recipe. I sometimes use bacon slices that I cut up into strips and cook.

Can I make this vegan?

Yes, you can. Simply omit butter and bacon and use vegetable stock.

What to do with leftover stuffing?

You can turn it into savory waffles by adding some eggs and a little liquid (only if needed).

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Useful Tips:

Save time – Use ready-cooked bacon bits!

Prep ahead – Air dry your baguette in advance (from a day up to 4 days ahead) and cook your bacon at the same time! Keep bacon in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to make the stuffing.

Cook until you like it – Is the mixture too soggy for you? Remove the pan and cook on medium-high until nice crispy. Don’t forget to stir from time to time! If you find the mixture too dry, add more stock, stir well and continue cooking with a lid on until you like what you taste!

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More Thanksgiving dinner recipes you might like:

Mains:

  • Turkey with Bacon
  • Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin

Sides:

  • Roasted Fall Vegetables
  • Sausage and Apple Stuffing

Dessert:

  • Chocolate Pear Galette

Homemade Stove Top Stuffing Recipe - Happy Foods Tube (7)

Print Pin

5 from 3 votes

Homemade Stove Top Stuffing

Impress your guests this Thanksgiving or Christmas with homemade stove top stuffing. It’s easy, delicious and its prep does not require oven at all!

Prep Time20 minutes mins

Cook Time20 minutes mins

Total Time40 minutes mins

Servings: 6 portions

Calories: 343

Author: Julia

Ingredients

  • 6 cups French baguette , diced, see note 1
  • 4 ounces pancetta , cubes, strips (120 grams), see note 2
  • 1 cup onion , minced (about 1 medium onion)
  • 1 cup celery , finely diced about (2 ribs, ends trimmed)
  • ½ cup cranberries (fresh), halved or quartered, see note 3
  • 1 apple (large), any kind
  • 1 pear (small), any kind
  • 3 tablespoons butter (50 grams)
  • 1 cup stock , low sodium (250 milliliters), see note 4
  • 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
  • 1 teaspoon dried tarragon , see note 5
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • fresh parsley , to taste (optional)

Instructions

  • Cut the baguette into 1/2-inch (1-centimeter) cubes and place onto a baking tray. Let it dry overnight (you can prepare it up to 4 days in advance).

  • Next day: In a large skillet/frying pan (11-12 inch/28-30 centimeters wide) fry the pancetta pieces until cooked. Scoop them out and transfer onto a plate, save the fat.

  • To the same pan with fat, add onion and celery and saute for 10 minutes or until they are soft. Stir occasionally. At any stage, add cranberries.

  • When the celery is cooked, add diced apple, pear and butter. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 2-3 minutes.

  • Add dried bread cubes, cooked bacon pieces and pour stock over. Stir well. Add rosemary, tarragon, garlic powder, salt and pepper and stir everything well, making sure the seasoning is well distributed.

  • Cover with a lid and cook on medium-low for 7-10 minutes, stirring 2-3 times. At this stage you can also check what the stuffing looks like (if too dry to your liking, add more stock, if too soggy, remove the lid, increase the heat and cook to your liking).

  • Optional: Stir in finely chopped fresh parsley.

  • Serve warm or cold!

Notes

  1. Use either French baguette or artisan bread. Cut it into ½-inch/1-centimeter cubes. I used 1 extra-large baguette.
  2. You can use any kind of bacon you like. It can be ready-cooked or raw that you will cook yourself. You will need at least 4 ounces (120 grams) raw or ½ cup cooked. If you buy ready bacon bits, you will need 1-2 tablespoons of oil for frying the veggies.
  3. Frozen cranberries will also work. Let them thaw and cut in halves. Or, add them whole in.
  4. Any kind of stock/broth will work. If you use regular stock, I recommend reducing the quantity of salt to avoid over-seasoning.
  5. Dried thyme can be substituted for tarragon.

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Homemade stuffing recipe, Stove top stuffing recipe

Nutrition Facts

Homemade Stove Top Stuffing

Amount per Serving

Calories

343

% Daily Value*

Fat

15

g

23

%

Saturated Fat

7

g

44

%

Trans Fat

1

g

Polyunsaturated Fat

2

g

Monounsaturated Fat

Cholesterol

28

mg

9

%

Sodium

904

mg

39

%

Potassium

275

mg

8

%

Carbohydrates

43

g

14

%

Fiber

4

g

17

%

Sugar

9

g

10

%

Protein

8

g

16

%

Vitamin A

385

IU

8

%

Vitamin C

6

mg

7

%

Calcium

71

mg

7

%

Iron

2

mg

11

%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

** As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Tried this recipe?Follow @happyfoodstube and tag #happyfoodstube

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Homemade Stove Top Stuffing Recipe - Happy Foods Tube (2024)

FAQs

What are the cooking instructions for Stove Top stuffing? ›

Stovetop Instructions:
  1. Boil 1 ½ cups water and ¼ cup margarine in medium saucepan.
  2. Stir in contents of Stuffing Mix pouch; cover.
  3. Remove from heat. Let stand 5 minutes. Fluff with fork.

Is Stove Top stuffing as good as homemade? ›

Like many convenience foods, Stove Top stuffing has gotten a bad rap in recent years, especially from people who have *opinions* about what is healthy to eat. It's got too much sodium, there are weird ingredients that you can't pronounce, and it's just better to make your own stuffing. But “better” is subjective.

Did Stove Top stuffing change their recipe? ›

In 1991, the recipe was tweaked slightly so that it can be made in the microwave rather than in a pan on the stovetop, and the prep time has been cut down from 15 to 5 minutes over the years.

How much water do you put in 2 boxes of stove top stuffing? ›

Add 1/4 of water and let soften. Add two packets of stove top stuffing to a bowl with one cup of chicken stock and mix together.

How much stuffing does 1 box of stovetop make? ›

Delicious served as is, along with other dinner sides or in recipes such as easy turkey pot pie. Each 6 ounce box of our easy stuffing makes six servings and can be enjoyed stuffed in your Thanksgiving turkey or as an additional side dish to any meal year round.

Why is Stove Top stuffing banned outside the US? ›

Making stuffing with Kraft Stove Top Stuffing takes a mere five minutes. But the popular mix contains the preservatives BHA (butylated hydroxyanisole) and BHT (butylated hydroxytoluene), which have raised concerns due to suspicions of potential carcinogenic properties and their potential to hinder blood clotting.

Can you use chicken broth instead of water in Stove Top stuffing? ›

Use broth or stock: Replace some or all of the water in the stuffing recipe with chicken, vegetable, or turkey broth or stock for a richer taste.

How do you keep dressing from getting gummy? ›

Stir occasionally to ensure even drying. And if your dressing is still too mushy after baking, you can add more crumbled cornbread, dry bread, or even dry breadcrumbs or croutons to absorb excess moisture. Mix it in gently, so you don't compress the dressing too much.

Is homemade stuffing better than store bought? ›

While the instant stuffing was actually a closer contender than most of our testers anticipated, the homemade won hearts (and palates) for its subtle flavor and pleasing texture.

What are some fun facts about stove top stuffing? ›

The success of Stove Top stuffing has to do in large part with the size of the crumbs. Each crumb is approximately the size of a pencil eraser. It was found that if the breadcrumbs were too small, the mixture would get soggy, and if they were too large, the texture would be too coarse.

What countries have banned stove top stuffing? ›

The EU requires warning labels on dyes, and countries like Austria, Finland, and Norway have banned Twinkies. Stove Top Stuffing: Contains a combination of beta-hydroxy acid (BHA) and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), leading to its ban in countries like Japan, the UK, and several European nations.

Does stove top stuffing really go bad? ›

It's highly unlikely to have gone so bad that it might kill you, but it might kill your cooking. The "Best Before" is just a guaranteed freshness date. The product could be good beyond that point (especially dry, properly sealed ingredients) but the manufacturer makes no promises.

Did Stouffer's ever make stove top stuffing? ›

Apparently, it's never been made by Stouffer's 🤯 ⏪ Swipe for some more often misremembered / Mandela Effect memories!

How do you warm up stove top stuffing? ›

The Best Method: Stovetop

You'll literally want to eat this reheated stuffing right out of the pan. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the stuffing and flatten with the back of a spoon, making a pancake. Cook until golden-brown, 3 to 5 minutes on each side.

How do you heat pre made stuffing? ›

Heat the oven to 350°F and transfer the stuffing to an oven-safe dish (or, you can keep it in the dish that it was originally cooked in). If it seems dry, you'll want to add a splash of broth. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes, then remove foil and bake again until crisp, 15–20 minutes.

How do you cook 2 boxes of stove top stuffing? ›

To cook 2 boxes of Stove Top Stuffing, simply double the amount of water and butter listed on the box instructions. Cook the stuffing in a large saucepan, then fluff with a fork before serving.

Are you supposed to cook the stuffing before putting it in? ›

Give stuffing a head start by heating it up before placing inside the turkey. Like the turkey, stuffing needs to reach the 165 degree mark. If the bird is done before the stuffing, remove stuffing from the cavities and continue to cook in a baking dish.

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