Baked Thanksgiving Dressing Recipe To Feed A Crowd

Baked Thanksgiving dressing is what I like to serve when there are enough people around the table that one batch just won’t do. This version starts with the same white bread, butter, celery, onion, and ground sage I use in my Crock Pot Dressing recipe. I doubled the batch and divided it between two baking dishes so there’s plenty to pass around.

What I like about baking it is the difference between the top and the middle. The bread along the edges gets golden and a little crisp, while the dressing underneath stays soft and buttery. If you always reach for a corner piece, there are twice as many corners to go around.

This recipe makes about 16 generous side servings. You can stretch it to about 20 smaller servings if you’re serving a lot of other sides. And if you’re bringing the dressing to a family dinner, two pans make it easy to set one at each end of the table.

What Makes This Dressing Taste Like the Crock Pot Version?

The flavor starts on the stove. The chopped celery and onion soften in melted butter, and the ground sage goes right into the skillet with them. That way, the butter carries the sage through the bread as you toss it. You get that familiar Thanksgiving flavor in every spoonful.

The same ingredients do the work here as in the Crock Pot. Chicken or vegetable stock adds the moisture, and the amount you need depends on how dry your bread is. I like to add a little at a time until the cubes feel evenly damp and still hold their shape.

If you grew up calling this Thanksgiving stuffing, you can still call it that. Dressing is simply the name I use when I cook it in its own baking dish orin the crock pot rather than in the cavity of the bird.

The Best Bread to Use

Plain, soft white sandwich bread is what I use for this baked Thanksgiving dressing recipe. It soaks up the seasoned butter easily and gives the center that soft texture I want in Thanksgiving dressing. Leave the crusts on and tear or cut the slices into small cubes. You’ll need about 36 standard slices, but measuring out 24 loosely filled cups is more reliable since loaves vary.

Measure the bread before drying it. Spread it out on rimmed baking sheets and leave it loosely covered overnight, tossing the cubes once or twice so the ones underneath get some air. The outsides should feel a little dry by morning. The cubes can still have some give when you squeeze them.

If you forgot to set the bread out, spread the cubes on baking sheets and dry them in a 200°F oven. Stir them occasionally and pull them out once the surfaces feel dry. Keep an eye on the edges. The goal is pale, slightly dried bread that will soak up the butter and stock.

Ingredients

White sandwich bread
Start with soft white bread and dry it as described above. Loosely fill the measuring cup so you get the right amount of bread.

Unsalted butter, celery, and onion
Chop the celery and onion fairly small so they soften at about the same rate and spread easily through the bread. Use unsalted butter so you can control the salt.

Salt, black pepper, ground sage, and optional thyme
Ground sage is the main seasoning. Check that the jar says ground sage, since rubbed sage has a fluffier texture and measures differently. Dried thyme adds a little extra flavor if you like it.

Chicken or vegetable stock
Use unsalted stock if you have it. Start with about a cup per pan’s worth of bread, then add more as needed. The cubes should feel lightly damp with no stock collecting in the bottom of the bowl.

How to Make Baked Thanksgiving Dressing

Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease two 9 × 13 inch baking dishes. Divide the bread cubes between two large bowls. Working with half the bread at a time gives you room to toss it without crushing it or sending pieces over the side of the bowl.

Melt the butter in a large skillet, then add the celery and onion. Cook over medium heat until both are tender, stirring occasionally. Add the salt, pepper, ground sage, and thyme, if using, and cook for another 3 minutes, stirring so the seasonings don’t stick.

Spoon half the butter mixture over each bowl of bread in a few additions, tossing gently after each one. Drizzle in a cup of stock per bowl, toss again, and give the bread a moment to absorb it. Check a few cubes from different parts of the bowl. If they still feel dry, add more stock a little at a time.

Spread the mixture loosely into the prepared dishes. Cover both pans with foil and bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Then uncover them and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes, or until the tops are golden and the centers of both pans reach 165°F. If the tops brown before the centers are ready, loosely cover the pans again and finish baking. Let the dressing rest for 5 minutes before serving.

How to Bake Two Pans of Thanksgiving Dressing In The Oven

If both dishes fit on the middle rack with room for air to circulate, bake them side by side. If you need to use two racks, swap the pans and turn them when you remove the foil. Check the temperature in both dishes, since one may finish before the other.

You can dry the bread and chop the onion and celery the day before. Keep the bread at room temperature once it’s dry and refrigerate the chopped vegetables in a covered container. On Thanksgiving, combine the bread with the butter mixture and stock just before baking. That leaves you with less chopping and measuring while you’re getting the rest of dinner ready.

If the oven is tied up with Oven Roasted Turkey, have your bread and chopped vegetables ready to go. Once the turkey comes out, adjust the oven to 350°F and finish mixing the dressing. If you also plan to bake Green Bean Casserole, set out your dishes ahead of time so you can see how much rack space you’ll need.

Storing and Reheating Leftovers

Refrigerate leftover baked Thanksgiving dressing in shallow containers within 2 hours and use it within 3 to 4 days. To reheat a larger portion, drizzle on a little stock if the bread feels dry. Cover the dish and warm it in a 350°F oven until the middle reaches 165°F. Uncover it for the last few minutes if you want to crisp up the top again.

If there’s just a spoonful or two left, heat it up for a turkey sandwich with a little cranberry sauce. The sage and buttery bread are just as good the next day.

Enjoy! Mary

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