Our Favorite Thanksgiving Stuffing with Raisins and Walnuts (15-Minute Prep, Make-Ahead Friendly)

This easy Thanksgiving Stuffing is our family’s favorite, made with toasted sandwich bread, sautéed onion and celery, warm herbs, sweet raisins, and crunchy walnuts. With just 15 minutes of hands-on prep and simple, budget-friendly ingredients, it bakes up golden and crisp on top and soft and savory inside, making the perfect side dish everyone will go back for!

Every family has that Thanksgiving side dish — the one nobody is allowed to mess with — and for us, it’s this delicious stuffing with raisins and walnuts. It didn’t start out perfect, though. This recipe is the result of years of trial and error: a few soggy batches, a few bone-dry ones, one year with way too much sage, and plenty of tinkering in between. Little by little we landed on the version that now shows up on our table every single Thanksgiving, and honestly, we wouldn’t change a thing.

What makes this stuffing so good is the balance. The bread cubes get toasted in the oven first so they soak up all that buttery, herby broth without turning mushy, while a quick egg-and-broth mix gives the inside a soft (but not too gooey) texture and leaves the top golden and crisp. Then come the raisins and walnuts, which add little pops of sweetness and crunch that make every forkful just a bit more interesting than your standard stuffing. It’s cozy, savory, a little sweet, and made with simple, inexpensive ingredients you likely already have on hand.

Why we love this stuffing recipe

• Ready in 90 minutes — With just 15 minutes of hands-on prep, most of the time is spent letting the oven do the work, which frees you up to tackle the rest of your Thanksgiving menu.
• Budget-friendly — Plain sandwich bread, onion, celery, and pantry spices keep the cost low while still feeding a full holiday crowd.
• The perfect texture — Toasting the bread first means a crisp, golden top with a soft, moist center, and never a soggy middle.
• Make-ahead friendly — The bread can be dried and the stuffing assembled ahead of time, so Thanksgiving Day stays (mostly!) stress-free.
• Easily feeds a crowd — One 9×13-inch baking dish makes about 12 servings, perfect for big family gatherings and Friendsgiving. You can also easily scale this recipe up or down depending on the size of your party.

Ingredients needed

• White sandwich bread, cut into cubes: Drying the bread in the oven is the secret to stuffing that soaks up all the flavor without turning soggy.
• Unsalted butter: Used to sauté the onion and celery for a rich, savory base, with a little extra to grease the baking dish so the edges get golden and crisp.
• Onion and celery: Classic veggie combination for a reason! The onion adds a mellow sweetness in every bite, while the celery adds that familiar, fresh holiday flavor and a little texture.
• Salt & pepper: Bread soaks up a lot of the seasoning, so we add the salt and pepper right to the sautéed veggies to make sure the whole dish is well seasoned.
• Dried thyme: Gives this stuffing that cozy, unmistakably Thanksgiving aroma. We bloom it in the butter with the veggies so its flavor really comes through.
• Italian seasoning: This is our shortcut for a blend of herbs like oregano, basil, rosemary, and sage in one jar. It adds layers of flavor without having to buy a bunch of separate spices.
• Raisins: Our family’s favorite twist! The raisins plump up as they bake and add little bursts of sweetness that play perfectly against the savory herbs.
• Walnuts: Chopped coarsely so they stay crunchy, adding a toasty, nutty contrast to the soft bread.
• Low-sodium chicken broth: Half goes in with the veggies to moisten the bread and half gets whisked with the eggs. Low-sodium keeps the salt level in check since we’re already seasoning generously.
• 3 large eggs: Whisked with the broth, the eggs act as a binder that holds everything together and gives the center a soft, custardy texture.

How to make stuffing

1. Dry the bread

Spread the bread cubes in an even layer on a large baking sheet. Bake in the oven at 250°F for 30–40 minutes, stirring halfway through, until the cubes are dry and crisp but not browned. Remove them and increase the oven temperature to 350°F.

2. Sauté the vegetables

In a large skillet with melted butter over medium heat, add the onion, celery, salt, pepper, thyme, and Italian seasoning. Cook until the vegetables are softened.

3. Combine the base

Transfer the vegetable mixture to a large bowl. Add the raisins, walnuts, and 1 cup of the chicken broth, and stir to combine.

4. Add the bread

Add the dried bread cubes on top and gently toss until everything is evenly coated. Then put everything into a baking dish greased with butter and spread into an even layer.

5. Make the egg mixture

In a small bowl or large measuring cup, whisk the remaining 1 cup broth with the eggs until smooth. Then pour the egg mixture evenly over the stuffing.

6. Bake and serve!

Bake at 350°F for 25–30 minutes, until the top is golden brown and crisp and the center is set. Let the stuffing rest for a few minutes before serving.

Recipe variations for stuffing

• Add sausage — Brown ½ to 1 pound of breakfast or Italian sausage and stir it in with the vegetables for a heartier, meatier stuffing.
• Swap the fruit — Try dried cranberries, chopped dried apricots, or diced fresh apple in place of the raisins.
• Switch up the nuts — Pecans are a great swap for walnuts, or leave the nuts out entirely for a nut-free version.
• Try different bread — Cornbread, sourdough, or day-old French bread all work well. Just keep the total around 12 cups of cubes.
• Add fresh herbs — Stir in a few tablespoons of chopped fresh sage, parsley, or rosemary right before baking for a brighter flavor.
• Add mushrooms — Sauté 8 ounces of sliced mushrooms with the onion and celery for extra earthy flavor.

Have any leftover stuffing?

In our house, leftover stuffing is almost as exciting as Thanksgiving dinner itself! Here are a few of our favorite ways to give it a second life:

• The ultimate leftover sandwich — Layer stuffing with sliced turkey, cranberry sauce, and a little gravy between 2 slices of bread.
• Thanksgiving casserole — Layer leftover turkey, veggies, and gravy in a dish, top with stuffing, and bake until bubbly.
• Breakfast hash — Our favorite way to enjoy stuffing for breakfast! Crisp stuffing in a skillet with a little butter and serve topped with fried or poached eggs.
• Stuffing muffins — Pack stuffing into a greased muffin tin and bake at 375°F for 15-20 minutes for crispy, grab-and-go bites.

Stuffing storage tips

• Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days
• Freezer: You can freeze baked stuffing in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating. The texture will be slightly softer, so uncover it at the end of reheating to re-crisp the top.
• Reheating: Drizzle with a splash of chicken broth, cover with foil, and reheat at 350°F for 15–20 minutes. Uncover for the last 5 minutes to re-crisp the top. Individual portions can also be microwaved with a splash of broth.

More Thanksgiving recipes

This easy stuffing recipe works with any meal, but it’s especially perfect for Thanksgiving! Complete your feast with a few of these other delicious Turkey Day sides:

• The Best Mashed Potatoes
• Roasted Sweet Potato & Arugula Salad
• Brussels Sprouts Salad
• Butternut Squash Soup
• Maple Roasted Butternut Squash Salad

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