Simple Bread Dressing

Name: Simple Bread Dressing
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 2 h 15 min
Total time: 2 h 45 min
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients: 0.75 cup unsalted butter; unsalted butter for greasing the dish; 1 lb day-old white bread (sandwich or French bread works well), torn into 1-inch pieces; 2.5 cup yellow onions, chopped medium-fine; 1.5 cup celery stalks, sliced 1/4-inch thick; 0.5 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped; 2 tbsp fresh sage leaves, chopped fine; 1 tbsp fresh rosemary needles, minced; 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves, stripped from stems; 2 tsp kosher salt; 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper; 2.5 cup low-sodium chicken broth, warmed slightly; 2 large large eggs, room temperature

Traditional Bread Dressing with Fresh Herbs

The key to exceptional dressing lies in properly dried bread that soaks up the savory broth without turning mushy. Fresh herbs brighten every bite while the slow bake creates crispy edges with a tender, custard-like center. This is the kind of side dish that makes people ask for seconds and the recipe.

AmericanDinnerSide DishComfort FoodHolidayBaking

Prep30 min

Cook2 hrs 15 min

Total2 hrs 45 min

Servings8

Difficultymedium

Ingredients

¾ cupunsalted butter
unsalted butter for greasing the dish
1 lbday-old white bread (sandwich or French bread works well), torn into 1-inch pieces
2½ cupyellow onions, chopped medium-fine
1½ cupcelery stalks, sliced 1/4-inch thick
½ cupfresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
2 tbspfresh sage leaves, chopped fine
1 tbspfresh rosemary needles, minced
1 tbspfresh thyme leaves, stripped from stems
2 tspkosher salt
1 tspfreshly ground black pepper
2½ cuplow-sodium chicken broth, warmed slightly
2 largelarge eggs, room temperature

Instructions

Heat your oven to 250°F and butter a 13x9x2-inch baking dish generously. Spread the torn bread pieces across a rimmed baking sheet in a single layer — overlapping pieces won't dry evenly. Bake for about 1 hour, stirring every 20 minutes, until the bread feels completely dry and sounds hollow when tapped. Let cool completely before transferring to a large mixing bowl.
⏱ 1 hr
Melt the 3/4 cup butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it stops foaming. Add the onions and celery, stirring frequently until they soften and develop golden edges — this takes about 10 minutes. The vegetables should smell sweet and aromatic. Scrape everything into the bowl with the dried bread, then add all the fresh herbs, salt, pepper, and 1 1/4 cups of the broth. Toss gently with your hands until evenly distributed, then let cool to room temperature.
⏱ 10 min
Bump the oven temperature up to 350°F. Whisk the eggs with the remaining 1 1/4 cups broth until smooth, then pour over the bread mixture. Fold everything together until the liquid is absorbed and the mixture holds together when squeezed — it should look moist but not soggy. Pack into your prepared baking dish, cover tightly with foil, and bake until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center reads 160°F, about 35 to 40 minutes.
⏱ 40 min
Remove the foil and continue baking until the top turns golden brown and feels firm when gently pressed, another 35 to 45 minutes. The edges should be crispy while the center stays tender. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving — this helps it set up and makes serving cleaner.
⏱ 45 min