Mama's Old-Fashioned Stuffing
- SERVES
- 10
- COOK TIME
- 1 Hr 30 Min
From generation to generation some holiday traditions never waver. That's why our Mama's Old-Fashioned Stuffing will be a welcome addition to your holiday table. Made with fresh ingredients and market shortcuts, it's a cinch to recreate childhood memories.
What You'll Need
- 2/3 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup finely chopped celery (about 4 stalks)
- 1 1/4 cup finely chopped onion (about 2 small onions)
- 1 1/2 cup finely chopped carrots (about 3 carrots)
- 5 eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 (14-ounce) package cubed herb-seasoned stuffing mix (8 cups)
- 4 cups water
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
What to Do
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 9- x 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
- In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add celery, onions, and carrots, and sauté until light golden and tender, about 10 minutes. Let cool slightly.
- Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine eggs, stuffing mix, water, salt, and pepper; mix until well blended and stuffing is soft. Add vegetable mixture to stuffing mixture; mix well and place in baking dish.
- Bake about 1-1/4 hours, or until golden.
If you'd like to add some new stuffing recipes to your repetoire, here are some others you can try: Cranberry Nut Stuffing and Holiday Sausage Stuffing. We can't decide which we like best, so we often serve two!
Notes
-
I find it easier to use a food processor than to finely chop the veggies by hand.
- If you're looking for more great holiday side dishes like this one, check out our FREE eCookbook, Thanksgiving Side Dishes: 35 Family-Favorite Recipes for Thanksgiving Sides.
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rac7431 2877525
Nov 09, 2018
WATER???? O, NO, NO. Use chicken stock or broth. AND some white wine. Omit butter and use cream of chicken soup. The wine really does something for the stuffing. No body mess with my stuffing but me.!!! Ya'll have a wonderful and blessed holiday season!
Kamicat
Sep 19, 2016
No matter what you use - bread or packaged stuffing or a combo, real butter is a must, not oil.. Try adding a chopped, peeled apple and/or dry cranberries for a special touch.
slowpoke2
Dec 06, 2014
amending my previous post....to onion celery butter mix add in about 1 can of stock or chicken broth.....to taste add more if dry...oops family still wont know recipe if I don't add this in! LOL
slowpoke2
Dec 06, 2014
Our moms verison and she used to cook for the amish farm help loaf bread cheap white bread torn into cubes let bread sit in oven uncovered overnight before using this will stiffen it up so it wont turn to mush stick butter melted into skillet on stovetop add large onion we like Vidalia chopped add to stalks celery chopped cook til translucent --you will smell it when its ready for those of you who are unsure add to dried out cubes of bread tablespoonsful of dried sage or equiv in fresh if you have and to tablespoonful of poultry seasoning to taste add in one beaten egg pour all of these over bread cubes add to bread cubes the butter celery onion mix --toss gently and pour into size pan and cover bake in a degree oven for - minutes uncover and let it dry out some to desired dryness…Read More moistness I usually give it about min we also add to ours links of mild Italian Johnsville sausages sliced up which we partially cook to get rid of some of the grease We still have a meat processing shop S which locally sells their own what they call Christmas sausage and that is excellent mixed in with the stuffing before putting in the oven will add this recipe in as none of my brothers wives know the secret to moms great dressing we all wait all year for now for the scalloped corn with saltines recipe
grannytina1 272961 6
Nov 15, 2017
a good recipe.. although I add 1-1 1/2 tablespoons chicken seasoning and 1 to 1/2 cups water Can also use two chicken cubes stirred up in very warm water( I use the microwave to heat things up) ... so it will not be dry I also add 1 lb. /jimmy dean pork sausage sage.. cooked first add to stuffing stuffing and never more that 2 eggs I like to use a loaf of uncut Italian bread cube and put on cookie sheet and toast a little in oven makes the very best dressing MMMMMMMMM Good! hubby like the stuffing better than the turkey!
AlbertBaker 906331 0
Dec 06, 2017
This is called "stuffing" for a reason. Stuff it in the turkey to cook it.
lojo888 2218342
Oct 15, 2014
I just made this for supper. My husband and I really enjoyed. It reminded us of stuffing that we had in Amish country Ohio
spacosta719 914620 4
Sep 22, 2014
What's with the eggs? Are they for a special purpose. I've never added them to a stuffing mix.
Test Kitchen Team
Sep 23, 2014
Hi there! There are so many ways to make stuffing (and everybody has their favorite!), but this is an old-fashioned recipe from someone's grandmother here in the Test Kitchen. She made it with eggs to make it more souffle-like and moist. She originally used white bread, cut up, but we made it a little easier by using stuffing mix. Let us know how you like this delicious stuffing!
codcut
Sep 22, 2014
My gram would have a fit if this is what's called "old fashioned" stuffing! We never use bagged stuffing mix. A couple loaves of good old white bread, ripped apart by hand, crust and all. No toasting, no cutting off crust. Onions, celery cooked in real butter till just softened. No carrots, and what's with the oil? To soften, either water or broth in the bowl with bread. And Bells Poultry Seasoning is a must. Little yellow box with the turkey on it. You guys call it sage. Schlep it all together and stuff your bird or bake in a loaf pan if preferred. Nothing like my grams stuffing coming out of that turkey hot and so delish.
curious1
Nov 17, 2014
That's the way to make dressing as far as this one's concerned. What I really looked forward to on Thanksgiving was the "test" bowl that mom would pass out b4 putting it in the oven
jmpeterson433 9785 548
Nov 17, 2014
You almost got it right codcut. You have to slowcook the veggies in real butter with sage, thyme, and rosemary before you mix in with the bread. ;-)
Lindi2013 0318946
Sep 19, 2016
Boxed mix?!! Unheard of, totally agree! Everything you said, plus tons of sage, and poultry seasoning, pepper, stuffed into the turkey...never, ever did anyone get ill. However, if anyone must, use a crockpot to bake, or loaf pan in the oven. How old is the "mama" who used a box mix?!! ) The ONLY time to use a boxed mix is....let's see...never!
Steve
Jan 25, 2017
Wow, codcut! And your're the only one in the world that has the ONE and ONLY stuffing recipe in the ENTIRE UNIVERSE! I'm sure glad I ran across your post, or I'd have thought I was on the Mr. Food Test Kitchen page! What was I thinking?
Steve
Jan 25, 2017
And, Lindi how old do you think someone has to be to be a "mama" that cooks stuffing these days? Sit in YOUR rocker and think about that!
grannyblu
Feb 02, 2014
Not Good where is the butter to saut the celery and onions? where is the sage to give it real stuffing flavor? where is the chicken broth or bouillon cubes mixed with hot water?
Trishanne50
Dec 07, 2013
I like using homemade cornbread and the seasoned stuffing mix. Add bell peppers, onion and celery to mine, chicken broth, poultry seasoning and sage. It really tastes good.
larrylike 9779057
Nov 18, 2013
No old fashion like I ever had. Where's the sage. Never used water oil or carrots. I believe I'll pass on this one. No offence
momgoose52
Sep 23, 2013
Really good recipe but instead of water I use chicken stock to give it more chcken flavor.
redstarr
Dec 21, 2012
I think this is a REALLY BAD name for this dish. What in the world is old fashioned about stuffing mix? Truely, make cornbread and add your own spices.
Trishae
Dec 08, 2012
My mother's recipe, which I have used for yrs is almost the same. Mine doesn't call for carrots, oil or water. the juices come from sauteing the onions and celery. we also used plain bread cubes and seasoned it ourselves with poultry seasoning. This you would add to your own taste. There was never a 'recipe' per se', it would go according to the size of your turkey as to how much celery and how many onions were used, also how many bags of stuffing cubes. I would normally use 3 bags of cubes to 2 bunches of celery stalks and about 6 nice sized onions. As I said the poultry seasoning would be to your own taste. My mother would normally get me to taste it, so when I started making it I knew what it should taste like.
rtasr 6564202
Nov 21, 2012
I have been making similar for years using white bread and adding poultry seasoning. I grew up using sage, and my husband liked it dry enough to cut it like cake for snack then turkey gravy over it for dinner. I like to sneak vegetable whenever I can.
Pythonia
Nov 02, 2012
Just about as good as Gamma made. Better than mine. Add some browned sausage and a few chestnuts, and I am back in Gamma's kitchen eating it raw!
thomasrhughes 7319 297
Dec 09, 2011
where the heck is the sage ? YOU CANNOT MAKE A STUFFIN OR A DRESSIN WITH OUT SAGE..... HERE IN THE south , shame ,shame on yall !!!!
almyra55 9685397
Sep 24, 2012
Recipe calls for......herb-seasoned stuffing. I would think the sage would be in that.
mkramer6 3568022
Sep 24, 2012
To almyra - herb stuffing does not have sage in it. When buying the bread cubes, if you want sage, buy the sage and onion package.
JOneal6740 6400606
Sep 27, 2012
LOL!! Thomasrhughes... I agree but I have never heard of sage in stuffing. Stuffing and dressing are two different things in my book! haha! Totally agree in the south... gotta have sage in my cornbread dressing!
DAVIDLREED51 76736 89
Dec 07, 2011
I ALSO HAVE CHANGED MOMS DRESSING. I USE 1 PACK OF THE HERB ALSO 1 PACK OF THE CORN BREAD STUFFING MIX.ALSO 1 LARGE PAN OF DAY OLD CORNBREAD.SAUTE ONION AND CELERY.ADD A SMALL BOILED DEBONED CHICKEN 6 BOILED EGGS CUT UP. USE ENOUGH CHICKEN BROTH TO MIX ADD SALT PEPPER AND SAGE EASY ON THE SALT YOU HAVE PLENTY IN THE CHICKEN BROTH.TASTE TILL ITS JUST RIGHT.BAKE FOR ABOUT 1 HOUR COVERED WITH FOIL.TAKE OFF FOIL BROWN ABOUT 15 MINS ALL THIS AT 400 DEGREES
wjdr0114 2202688
Jan 02, 2012
Great dressing recipe now that's the way dressing should be made just like my Mom made it.
mkramer6 3568022
Sep 24, 2012
I buy the sage and onion stuffing mix, boil up the neck, gizzards and heart, chop them up to add to the stuffing mix along with chopped celery, melted butter, chicken broth and an egg. Cook in the slow cooker for about 6-7 hours on low. Great tasting dressing.
letscookacake
Nov 16, 2012
Very very similar to the way my mom always made it and it was the main dish everyone requested and just had to have on holidays! Some variations, but you gotta have the sage ( or use the sage jimmy deans sausage)
tamibaker2 6153033
Nov 23, 2011
No carrots! And a bag of herb seasoned stuffing? Blasphemy!
dearcat
Dec 08, 2012
Blasphemy is right. I am 76 and make stuffing or "dressing" the old-fashioned New England way. I toast the bread, some celery and onions, salt, pepper, melted butter and just enough chicken broth to moisten. and do not forget the Bell's poultry seasoning. Happy bird stuffing.
wlw1301 5374232
Nov 21, 2011
I agree with all of the above, Mom didn't have "store bought" dressing mix. She baked her cornbread the day before making the dressing. That was my MOMS old fashion dressing and I still go by her recipe. Have many compliements and requests to make the DRESSING for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Also save your bisquits that are left over for the week. Ruthie from Tn & Ga
Mommy that Cooks
Nov 08, 2011
I made this as a test run for Thanksgiving and it was amazing. I am a working mom who needs shortcuts that taste like Mama made, without all the work. Thank you Mr. Food for keeping people like me in mind.
nanabobbie
Nov 07, 2011
Old fashioned ? I'm in my early 60's and have never used store bought cubes of unknown origins. I pick up a couple of Italian loafs at the local bakery. To the onions an celery, I add country sausage,apples, pecans and chicken broth. No water ! Oh, and extra sage and poultry seasonings. Now that's stuffing!
Member 4309067
Nov 21, 2010
I know that's right elainebraum..My Mother always used her own baked corn bread and biscuits.
elainebraun 704117 1
Nov 19, 2010
Mama's Old Fashioned Stuffing? C'mon.... Mama didn't have 14 oz. bags of herb seasoned stuffing mix..... My Mama recipe (and it is old fashioned) requires hard rolls, poppy seed or plain or sesame seed..... let get stale and hard.... thanksgiving morning, soak the hard rolls in chicken broth for about 30 seconds (don't let them really get mushy) and squeeze out excess broth..... use this as the base of the stuffing.... then add celery, onions, egg, salt, pepper, poultry seasoning, etc..... Delicious
skippy684 1869269
Nov 21, 2012
I wouldn't use carrots in dressing. I would sautee the celery and onions in real butter, chop in the giblets from the turkey, I use toasted bread (makes the stuffing a nice golden brown), parsley and instead of water I use chicken boullion (really enhances the flavor) season to taste, salt, pepper, sage and believe it or not 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg. This stuffing has worked for our family or many, many years. Hope you enjoy it as well.
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