Bread Stuffing for Two

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A scaled-down version of my best stuffing recipe, Bread Stuffing for Two is scrape-the-pan-delicious, and just the right size for smaller holiday gatherings.

Two cornish hens with stuffing on a serving platter.


 

No Thanksgiving dinner is complete with a classic stuffing recipe – no matter what size the gathering. Table for two? No problem. My favorite homemade stuffing recipe scales down perfectly, and it’s full of soft, chewy bread with crispy edges and all the savory flavors you love.

Looking for more Thanksgiving recipes for two? I love a pair of Cornish hens with bread stuffing (shown in the photo above). I also have Mashed Potatoes for Two, Green Bean Casserole for Two, Cranberry Sauce for Two, and a luscious pair of Mini Pumpkin Pies.

Recipe ingredients

Labeled ingredients for bread stuffing for two.

At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.

Ingredient notes

  • Chicken broth: I keep jars of homemade chicken broth in the freezer (it’s a delicious by-product of poaching a chicken), but store-bought is also good. Or use turkey broth if you have that.
  • Herbs: Fresh herbs taste the best in this stuffing, but dried work too. I rarely find fresh marjoram and almost always substitute dried. You can also customize your blend with favorites like rosemary or poultry seasoning.
  • French bread: Use any sturdy bread such as Italian, challah, or sourdough bread. Dry the bread up to 3 days in advance (keep it covered with a dry kitchen towel on counter, or slice and dry in a 300-degree oven for 30 to 40 minutes).

Step-by-step instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and butter a 9-inch square baking pan. In a skillet over medium heat, melt the butter until foaming. Add the celery and chopped onion and sauté until soft and translucent, about 7 to 8 minutes.
Celery, onions, butter and spices being cooked in a silver skillet.
  1. In a medium bowl, beat the egg. Whisk in the broth, salt, and pepper and set aside.
Melted butter mixture for bread stuffing in a glass measuring cup.
  1. Stir in the fresh herbs until fragrant, remove from heat, and add the mixture to the bowl with the broth and egg. Add the bread chunks to the bowl and toss to combine. Transfer to the buttered casserole dish.
Bread stuffing in a baking dish before being baked..
  1. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Then remove the foil and bake another 15 to 20 minutes, until the edges turn crispy and the top turns golden.
Baked bread stuffing in a baking dish.

Recipe tips and variations

  • Yield: This recipe makes enough for two very generous servings (2 cups each). For a larger batch, see my classic bread stuffing recipe (serves about 10).
  • Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
  • Make Ahead Stuffing: After you’ve assembled the stuffing, refrigerate it up to 1 day in advance. See my full Make-Ahead Thanksgiving menu for more ways to cook in advance including a Make Ahead Roasted Turkey, Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes (that won’t get watery in the freezer), and Make Ahead Pumpkin Pie.
  • Freezer: For best results, assemble and freeze the bread stuffing uncooked. Then thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bake as directed in the recipe.
  • Full-sized Stuffing: To make a full-sized batch that feeds about 10, double all the ingredients (but use 3 eggs instead of 2). The baking time stays the same.
  • Crockpot stuffing: Save your oven space and make bread stuffing in your slow cooker. You’ll still have soft, chewy bread cubes with plenty of crispy edges without using your oven.
  • Sausage stuffing: My homemade Cornbread Dressing is made with plenty of sausage for a spicy kick.
  • Vegan stuffing: Filled with wild mushrooms, leeks, fresh kale, and all the classic Thanksgiving herbs you love, this Vegan Stuffing recipe has bread cubes that are soft and chewy on the inside with browned, crispy edges outside. The entire recipe is 100% vegan and delicious.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best bread for stuffing?

The best bread for stuffing is a sturdy loaf with a tight crumb. Bakery French bread, Italian bread, Challah, and Sourdough are all good choices. When you cut up a 1-pound loaf into cubes, it should fit in an even layer on a single half-size rimmed baking sheet. If you need 2 sheet trays to fit your pound of bread cubes, the bread is too soft an airy. It won’t make good stuffing and you’ll wind up with a dish full of mush, no matter how well you dry it out.

How do you dry bread cubes for stuffing?

Dry the bread up to 3 days in advance (keep it covered with a dry kitchen towel on counter, or slice and dry in a 300-degree oven for 30 to 40 minutes).

Can I make this stuffing in an aluminum foil pan?

Yes! I’ve tested this homemade stuffing recipe in a 9-inch by 9-inch aluminum foil pan.

Can you cook stuffing in a turkey?

For food safety reasons, and for a more evenly cooked bird, most modern recipes don’t encourage stuffing a turkey. If you decide to stuff your turkey, combine wet and dry stuffing components just before placing them in the cavity, ensuring any raw meat, poultry, or seafood used in the stuffing is fully cooked beforehand. Do not stuff a bird with cooked stuffing. Use a large spoon or your hands to loosely stuff the body and neck cavities (do not pack it tightly because the stuffing expands while it cooks). Truss the main cavity with trussing pins to keep the stuffing inside. The stuffing must register 165 degrees on an internal thermometer to be safe to eat. Stuffing a chicken or Cornish hens is also discouraged. For more information, see the USDA website.

More Thanksgiving recipes

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Two cornish hens with stuffing on a serving platter.

Bread Stuffing for Two

A scaled-down version of the classic, Bread Stuffing for Two is scrape-the-pan-delicious, and just the right size for smaller holiday gatherings. Dry your bread the night before on the counter or in a 300-degree oven for 40 minutes.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings 2 servings
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American
Calories 559
5 from 34 votes

Ingredients 

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 9-inch by 9-inch baking dish with butter.
  • In large skillet over medium-high heat, melt butter until foaming. Add onion and celery and sauté until translucent, about 7 to 8 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large bowl whisk the egg. Stir in broth, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper.
  • To the skillet, add parsley, sage, thyme, and marjoram until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Transfer to the bowl with the eggs and mix well. Add bread cubes and toss to combine. Transfer to prepared baking dish.
  • Cover tightly with foil and bake until mostly heated through, about 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake until crispy edges form, about 15 to 20 minutes longer. 

Notes

  1. Chicken broth: I keep jars of homemade chicken broth in the freezer (it’s a delicious by-product of poaching a chicken), but store-bought is also good. Or use turkey broth if you have that.
  2. Herbs: Fresh herbs taste the best in this stuffing, but dried work too. I rarely find fresh marjoram and almost always substitute dried.
  3. French bread: Use any sturdy bread such as Italian, challah, or sourdough bread. Dry the bread up to 3 days in advance (keep it covered with a dry kitchen towel on counter, or slice and dry in a 300-degree oven for 30 to 40 minutes).
  4. Yield: This recipe makes enough for two very generous servings (2 cups each). For a larger batch, see my classic bread stuffing recipe (serves about 10).
  5. Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Nutrition

Serving: 2 cupsCalories: 559kcalCarbohydrates: 63gProtein: 17gFat: 28gSaturated Fat: 16gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 154mgSodium: 1219mgPotassium: 469mgFiber: 4gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 1684IUVitamin C: 23mgCalcium: 112mgIron: 5mg
Did you make this recipe?Tag @culinaryhill on Instagram so we can admire your masterpiece! #culinaryhill
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Meggan Hill is a classically-trained chef and professional writer. Her meticulously-tested recipes and detailed tutorials bring confidence and success to home cooks everywhere. Meggan has been featured on NPR, HuffPost, FoxNews, LA Times, and more.

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Comments

  1. Hi, I was just wondering if I would be able to omit all or most of the butter and substitute chicken broth instead? Thanks!

    1. Hi Heather, I haven’t tried it myself, but I don’t see why not. You can saute the vegetables in broth, and may need to add a little more broth to the bread mixture, if needed. Nonstick spray should also work to grease the baking pan. Take care! – Meggan

    1. I’m so happy it was a hit, Jennifer! Thank you for taking the time to write. I hope you had a great Thanksgiving! – Meggan

  2. Hi, I was wondering.if this can be made in individual muffin cups? If so, how long would the bake for and would I need any other adjustments?
    Excited to try this for tomorrow!!
    Thank you. Terry

    1. Hi Terry! They absolutely can! I would bake them about 15 minutes covered, then an additional 5 to 10 minutes uncovered. (Keep an eye on them, I notice on holidays my oven tends to take longer to recover the heat because of constantly opening the door for all the different dishes being baked.) I hope you love them! – Meggan

    1. Hello again Meggan,
      Approximately how much of a cup do you think the 1/2 large onion would be?
      Thanks!

    1. Hi K., 1/2 loaf of French bread is usually about 8 ounces and is about 5 cups. It will vary a little depending on the size of the cubes cut. Take care!

  3. Delicious. My husband and I are the only ones who like dressing so this was the perfect size for us. Full meal plus leftovers!5 stars

  4. Made this on Thanksgiving for me and my boyfriend and I came back to make it again because it was perrrrrrfect.5 stars