I was never a fan of dressing as a side dish for the holidays until I made this classic dressing. This dressing is easy to make and has that great holiday flavor of fresh herbs like sage, as well as nutmeg and cloves. It’s not too soggy because it bakes until the top browns. It’s a very basic recipe, but for that reason it compliments rather than overshadows the holiday dinner.
TIPS: Be sure to dry out the bread cubes prior to using. You can also use french or artisan bread that is several days old that has hardened a bit. You can prepare this recipe ahead of time by preparing it through step 2, then store the sautéed vegetables separate from the bread crumbs in the refrigerator, not combining them (step 3) until you are ready to bake.
Classic Bread Dressing
Ingredients
- 1 lb loaf of french bread or artisan bread cut into half inch cubes (should have about 10-12 cups)
- 8 Tbsp butter (divided)
- 3 C onions diced to 1/4 inch
- 2 C celery (including inner leaves) diced
- 1 clove garlic finely chopped
- 1 1/2 Tbsp fresh sage chopped (or 1 1/2 tsp dry)
- 1 1/2 Tbsp fresh thyme chopped (or 1 1/2 tsp dry)
- 1 tsp celery seeds
- pinch ground nutmeg
- pinch ground cloves
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
- 2 C homemade or low sodium chicken broth
Instructions
- Leave bread cubes out uncovered on a sheet pan overnight to dry out. (Alternatively bake the cubes in 275 degree oven for 30 minutes until dry but not golden).
- In a 12-inch skillet over medium heat melt 4 Tbsp butter. Add the onions, celery, garlic, sage, thyme, celery seeds, nutmeg, cloves and salt. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft, about 10 minutes. (Do not brown vegetables). Set aside to let cool.
- Heat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl toss the bread cubes with the sautéed vegetables and season with pepper.
- Melt the remaining 4 Tbsp butter. Brush the inside of a 3 Qt baking dish with some of the melted butter. Pour the remaining butter, along with the broth, over the dressing. Toss well. Spread dressing into the baking dish in an even layer. Cover with foil and bake until heated through, about 20 minutes. Uncover and continue to bake until the top is crisp and golden, another 20-30 minutes.
- Enjoy!