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Grandma’s Thanksgiving Dressing

Grandma’s Thanksgiving Dressing baked golden brown in a glass casserole dish with chunks of bread, herbs, and vegetables.
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Grandma’s Thanksgiving Dressing is a traditional Southern holiday side dish made with buttery sautéed aromatics, seasoned hand-torn Italian bread, and flavorful turkey stock. Perfectly baked to golden perfection, it’s a nostalgic favorite for Thanksgiving dinner tables.

  • Author: Catherine
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 40 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour
  • Yield: 6–8 servings 1x
  • Category: Side Dish
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: Southern
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 loaves Italian bread, torn into 1-inch pieces
  • 2 sticks butter
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 1 cup diced celery leaves and top stalks
  • 8 cups water (for stock)
  • Turkey neck and giblets (optional, for homemade stock)
  • 1–2 tablespoons Thanksgiving Seasoning (see note)

Instructions

  1. Tear the Italian bread into 1-inch pieces and place in a large mixing bowl.
  2. In a medium pot, simmer turkey neck and giblets in 8 cups of water with 1 tablespoon of poultry seasoning for at least 20 minutes to make stock.
  3. In a skillet, melt the butter and sauté the diced onion and celery until soft and translucent.
  4. Sprinkle the Thanksgiving Seasoning blend over the torn bread and toss gently to coat.
  5. Pour the buttered onion and celery mixture over the bread and mix well.
  6. Ladle in 1.5 to 2 cups of the warm turkey stock, stirring between each ladle, until the bread is moist but not soggy.
  7. Press the mixture into a buttered 9×13 casserole dish. Flatten the top using damp hands and cover with foil.
  8. Bake at 350°F for 30–40 minutes, uncovering during the last 10 minutes to brown the top.

Notes

  • Thanksgiving Seasoning: 2 parts kosher salt, 1 part black pepper, 1 part poultry seasoning.
  • If dressing is too wet, add more bread or bake uncovered longer.
  • If too dry, add a bit more stock and bake covered for 10 more minutes.
  • Can be prepared the day before and refrigerated before baking.
  • Store leftovers in airtight containers; freeze up to 2 months.
  • Use store-bought unsalted chicken broth if not making turkey.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://recipeshots.com/grandmas-thanksgiving-dressing-recipe/