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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.
No Thanksgiving dinner is complete with a classic stuffing recipe โ no matter what size the gathering. Table for two? No problem. My favorite homemade stuffing recipe scales down perfectly, and itโs 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.
Table of Contents
Recipe ingredients
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:ย I keep jars ofย homemade chicken brothย in the freezer (itโs a delicious by-product ofย poaching a chicken), but store-bought is also good. Or useย turkey brothย if you have that.
- Herbs:ย 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 breadย 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
- 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 sautรฉ until soft and translucent, about 7 to 8 minutes.
- In a medium bowl, beat the egg. Whisk in the broth, salt, and pepper and set aside.
- 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.
- 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.
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:ย Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Make Ahead Stuffing: After youโve 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 wonโt 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. Youโll 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
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 wonโt make good stuffing and youโll wind up with a dish full of mush, no matter how well you dry it out.
Dry the breadย 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).
Yes! Iโve tested this homemade stuffing recipe in a 9-inch by 9-inch aluminum foil pan.
For food safety reasons, and for a more evenly cooked bird, most modern recipes donโt 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 anย internal thermometerย to be safe to eat. Stuffing a chicken or Cornish hens is also discouraged. For more information, see the USDA website.
More Thanksgiving recipes
Casserole Recipes
Vegetable Casserole
Bread Recipes
Homemade Crescent Rolls
Vegetable Recipes
Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon
Pie and Tart Recipes
Homemade Pecan Pie Recipe
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Bread Stuffing for Two
Ingredientsย
- 1/4 cup butter (ยฝ stick) plus more for buttering dish
- 1/2 large onion peeled and chopped
- 2 celery ribs halved lengthwise and chopped
- 1 egg
- 1 cup chicken broth (see note 1)
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley (see note 2)
- 1/2 teaspoon minced fresh sage or ยผ teaspoon dried
- 1/2 teaspoon minced fresh thyme or ยผ teaspoon dried
- 1/2 teaspoon minced fresh marjoram or ยผ teaspoon dried
- 1/2 (1-pound) loaf French bread cut into 1/2-inch cubes and dried overnight on counter (about 8 ounces, see note 3)
Instructionsย
- 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 sautรฉ until translucent, about 7 to 8 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large bowl whisk the egg. Stir in broth, ยฝ teaspoon salt, and ยผ 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.ย
Notes
- Chicken broth:ย I keep jars ofย homemade chicken brothย in the freezer (itโs a delicious by-product ofย poaching a chicken), but store-bought is also good. Or useย turkey brothย if you have that.
- Herbs:ย Fresh herbs taste the best in this stuffing, but dried work too. I rarely find fresh marjoram and almost always substitute dried.
- French bread: Use any sturdy bread such as Italian, challah, or sourdough bread. Dry the breadย 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).
- Yield: This recipe makes enough for two very generous servings (2 c. each). For a larger batch, see my classic bread stuffing recipe (serves about 10).
- Storage:ย Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
This stuffing was excellent. My daughter has Celiac
disease so I made it with gluten free bread. All 3
adults (and one foodie child) at the table loved it.
Iโm glad it was a hit, Marion! โ Meggan
I made a half-recipe for a solo Thanksgiving dinner and it was excellent. It made enough for two good sized servings, tasted great, and looked and smelled wonderful when it came out of the oven. I didnโt have the fresh herbs the recipe calls for, so I used dried thyme and a little poultry seasoning. I did have fresh rosemary so I added about a half-teaspoon, finely chopped. Itโs a keeper!
So glad you enjoyed it, Susan! โ Meggan
Hi, I was just wondering if I would be able to omit all or most of the butter and substitute chicken broth instead? Thanks!
Hi Heather, I havenโt tried it myself, but I donโt 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! โ Meggan
Absolutely perfect recipe! Made for Thanksgiving and the bowl was cleaned in no time.
Iโm so happy it was a hit, Jennifer! Thank you for taking the time to write. I hope you had a great Thanksgiving! โ Meggan
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
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! โ Meggan
Hello Meggan,
Could this be baked at 400 degrees?
Thanks!
Hi Stephen, yes. It will take less time, so please keep a close eye on it. โ Meggan
Hello again Meggan,
Approximately how much of a cup do you think the 1/2 large onion would be?
Thanks!
Exactly how many cups of cubed bread would be required?
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!
Delicious. My husband and I are the only ones who like dressing so this was the perfect size for us. Full meal plus leftovers!
Happy to hear you and your husband loved this, Ann! Take care!
Made this on Thanksgiving for me and my boyfriend and I came back to make it again because it was perrrrrrfect.