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Traditional Stuffing Recipe with Cranberries

This Traditional Stuffing Recipe with Cranberries is a quick and easy side dish to make for your holiday dinners.  

My stuffing with cranberries recipe is made with local dried cranberries produced in Frankfort, Michigan called Graceland Fruits.  The dried cranberries are so delicious that I eat them by the handfuls.  

With my step-by-step instructions you will learn how to create easy homemade stuffing that your whole family will be raving about.  Baked Stuffing in a casserole dish creates toasted breadcrumbs.  

Cranberry Traditional Stuffing Recipe in a baking pan with a dish of frozen cranberries.
Cranberry Traditional Stuffing Recipe

Are you looking for other Thanksgiving sides to go with this cranberry stuffing?  Try some of my family favorites:  oven turkey topped with fresh herbs, mashed butternut squash or griddle roasted butternut squash, glazed carrots, Lion’s Mane Mushroom, homemade mashed potatoes, and pesto gravy and don’t forget the apple cider slush cocktail with spiced rum!!  

My best stuffing recipe will also add a bit of color to your festive holiday table.

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.  This page contains affiliate links.  Click on the highlighted text in a post to explore a product.  If you purchase through one of them, I will receive a commission (at no additional cost to you).  I ONLY EVER ENDORSE PRODUCTS THAT I TRULY LOVE.  Thank you for your support!

Dressing vs. Stuffing

You will get different answers from different people on what the difference is between dressing and stuffing.  When I was growing up in the late 1900’s, dressing was the term used for breadcrumb filling used to stuff a bird.  

When asking my kids what is stuffing, they say “Stove Top Stuffing”.  Another explanation that I have heard is a breadcrumb mixture that is used inside a bird is called stuffing but that same recipe that is cooked in a dish or outside of the bird is called dressing.  

In my household, I must make “Stove Top” stuffing for my kids, and I also must make “dressing” for my husband and his family that has been “stuffed inside the turkey” and baked in a dish alongside the turkey.

Best Bread for Stuffing

Any bread will work for making stuffing.  The trick is that you need to cut the bread into small pieces and let them air dry for at least one day.  Several days are better, but one day will work.  

Use gluten free bread to make a gluten free stuffing.  Make cornbread stuffing, whole wheat stuffing, and you get what I mean.  

If you are like me, just buy a bag of seasoned cubed bread stuffing mix.

Stuffing Ingredients

Gather all your ingredients to make this traditional stuffing recipe with cranberries.  

Traditional Stuffing Recipe Ingredients - diced celery, onion, broth, bag of stuffing mix, butter, fresh parsley, and dried cranberries.
Traditional Stuffing Recipe Ingredients

I like to keep it simple!!  I use a bag of stuffing mix, butter, diced onion and celery, broth, dried cranberries, and some fresh parsley.

How to Make Stuffing

First, dice the onion and celery into small pieces.  

Second, in a large pot, melt the butter over medium heat.  Add the diced celery and onion to the pot of melted butter.  Cook for about 5 minutes until the onion becomes translucent and the celery becomes soft.  

Sauté the diced onion and celery in melted butter.
Sauté the diced onion and celery in melted butter.

Once the vegetables are tender, add the broth and bring all to a boil.  

In the meantime, place the stuffing mixture in a large bowl along with the dried cranberries and fresh parsley.  

Dry stuffing mix with dried cranberries and fresh parsley.
Dry stuffing mix with dried cranberries and fresh parsley.

Next, pour the boiling broth and sautéed onion and celery, evenly over top of the bread cubes in the bowl.  

Combine all of the cranberry stuffing ingredients.
Combine all of the cranberry stuffing ingredients.

Mix all the ingredients together to fluff up the stuffing. 

Mixed stuffing in a bowl.
Mixed stuffing in a bowl.

Baking Stuffing

Place the prepared stuffing mixture into a greased 9×13 casserole dish.  Cover the dish with foil.  

Cranberry Stuffing Recipe in a baking dish.
Cranberry Stuffing Recipe in a baking dish.

Bake in a 350° Fahrenheit oven for 20 minutes.  To make a crispy top, remove the foil and bake for another 10 minutes.    

Homemade stuffing recipe with cranberries in a baking dish and spooned on a plate.
Homemade stuffing recipe with cranberries.

Traditional Stuffing Recipe – FAQ

What is Stuffing?

Are you wondering what a traditional stuffing is?  Traditional stuffing is made of dried bread cubes, seasoning of choice, broth, and cooked celery and onion.  Stuffing can be made and then “stuffed” inside the bird cavity.  Make sure that the fully cooked stuffing comes to 165° Fahrenheit in the center, before removing from the bird.  

What to Do with Leftover Stuffing?

Make Thanksgiving Leftover Casserole!  My brother Joel makes this every year with all the leftovers.  Get the recipe here.

Can I Freeze Stuffing?

Yes, you can freeze stuffing!  Place in an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months.  You can freeze cooked and uncooked stuffing as well as stuffing that has been prepared inside or outside the turkey.

Do You Want to Spice Up Your Cranberry Stuffing Recipe?

Add one or more of these simple ingredients to take your stuffing recipe to the next level!
-Cooked Bacon
-Cooked Sausage
-Apples
-Roasted squash
-Nuts

Traditional Stuffing Recipe with Cranberries in a baking dish and plate.
Traditional Stuffing Recipe with Cranberries

Traditional Stuffing Recipe with Cranberries Recipe

Yield: 14 Servings

Traditional Stuffing Recipe with Cranberries

Traditional Stuffing Recipe with Cranberries in a baking dish and plate.

This Traditional Stuffing Recipe with Cranberries is a quick and easy side dish to make for your holiday dinners. With my step-by-step instructions you will learn how to create easy homemade stuffing that your whole family will be raving about.

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes

Ingredients

  • Butter 4 tablespoons
  • Onion, Sweet, small diced 1 cup
  • Celery, small diced 1 cup
  • Broth, Chicken 2 cups
  • Stuffing Mix, Herb seasoned, cubed 12 oz
  • Cranberries, Dried, chopped 1/2 cups
  • Parsley, Fresh 1 tablespoon

Instructions

  1. Gather all your ingredients to make this traditional stuffing recipe with cranberries.
  2. Dice the onion and celery into small pieces.
  3. Second, in a large pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the diced celery and onion to the pot of melted butter.
  4. Cook for about 5 minutes until the onion becomes translucent and the celery becomes soft.
  5. Add the broth to the cooked vegetables and bring all to a boil.
  6. In the meantime, place the stuffing mixture, dried cranberries and fresh parsley in a large bowl.
  7. Next, pour the boiling broth, evenly over top of the bread cubes in the bowl.
  8. Mix all the ingredients together to fluff up the stuffing.
  9. Place the prepared stuffing mixture into a greased 9x13 casserole dish.
  10. Cover the dish with foil.
  11. Bake in a 350° Fahrenheit oven for 20 minutes.
  12. To make a crispy top, remove the foil and bake for another 10 minutes.

Notes

You can freeze stuffing! Place in an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months.

    Add one or more of these simple ingredients to take your stuffing recipe to the next level! Cooked Bacon, Cooked Sausage, Apples, Roasted squash, or Nuts.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This page contains affiliate links. Click on the highlighted text in a post to explore a product. If you purchase through one of them, I will receive a commission (at no additional cost to you). I ONLY EVER ENDORSE PRODUCTS THAT I TRULY LOVE. Thank you for your support!

Nutrition Information

Yield

14

Serving Size

1

Amount Per Serving Calories 71Total Fat 4gSaturated Fat 2gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 2gCholesterol 9mgSodium 199mgCarbohydrates 8gFiber 1gSugar 5gProtein 1g

Note: For exact nutritional information, consult your dietitian. All nutritional information is simply a guideline.

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By on October 22nd, 2021
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About Sherry

Welcome to FROM MICHIGAN TO THE TABLE! My name is Chef Sherry Ronning and I am a food blogger from Michigan. Professionally cooking and baking Midwestern Cuisine for more than 30 years. Specializing in fresh fish, venison, farm raised meats and griddle recipes. Please enjoy my recipes!!

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