Turkey Stuffing for a Crowd
This turkey stuffing recipe is easy to make for 25, 50, or even 100 people with crowd-pleasing flavor and so much better than boxed stuffing. Moist and savory with minimal prep time and perfect for beginner cooks. This recipe is so easy in fact, you can even assemble a day in advance, then just bake the day of service. So, if you are looking for a recipe to help you cook for a lot of people, be it a special occasion, church supper, charity, or outreach meal, THIS is the recipe you want.
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What makes this recipe work
Turkey stuffing is the star of the holiday meal but also a labor of love. My Best Stuffing Ever recipe on my sister blog is literally the best stuffing ever, but if you are cooking for 50, 80, or even 100 people, THIS here is the recipe you want to make because it is much easier while still at the same time fulfilling all stuffing expectations.
This recipe works because we start with seasoned stuffing and use chicken bone broth to deliver more flavor with no more effort. I also use dried minced onion instead of regular onion because chopping a ton of onion to feed a crowd sucks.
Other than those changes, this is a standard, traditional stuffing recipe and just so tasty. It can be made a day in advance and even cooked a day in advance; although, if you want the crispy bits on top and around the edges, I do recommend baking the day of service. Delicious and easy to scale up for a crowd – and especially good with my turkey gravy.
How to make stuffing for 100
Well, I’ll tell you what you don’t have to do to make this stuffing: measure a bunch of seasonings and chop onion. By using seasoned bread cubes and dried minced onion, this recipe is a huge time-saver for making a ton of Thanksgiving stuffing for a crowd.
The one prep step I still feel is warranted is the celery. We chop the celery, then give it a little sauté in some butter. Then we just throw all the ingredients together and bake.
I do let the stuffing sit for a bit before baking to give the bread time to soak up the broth. This step is key, so don’t skip!
But this is also a great stopping point to prep other dishes, and this rest period can be overnight! Just cover tightly with foil, and store in the refrigerator overnight before baking to serve.
FAQ
Yes. This recipe can be prep a day in advance, then baked the day of. It can also be prepped and baked a day in advance, then reheated. If you want the crunchy stuffing bits around the edges of the pan, it is best to bake just before serving.
Yes, once cooked, stuffing can be frozen for 1 week. I don’t recommend freezing longer than that because bread tends to “take up” the flavors and aromas of the freezer. Allow to thaw, then reheat in the oven.
Yes. Simply use vegetable stock in place of the chicken broth or stock.
Looking for more holiday side dishes? Check out my Apple Juice Carrots and Buttermilk, Boursin, and Chive Mashed Potatoes. Like my stuffing, these dishes can be prepared a day in ahead.
Turkey Stuffing for a Crowd
Equipment
Ingredients
- 8 Tbsp unsalted butter (1 stick)
- 4 large celery ribs thinly sliced
- 4 eggs
- 2 Tbsp dried minced onion
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 4 cups chicken bone broth or chicken stock
- 24 oz herbed seasoned cubed stuffing
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the celery and sauté 2-3 minutes until the celery starts to soften and is vibrant and fragrant.
- Transfer the butter-celery mixture to a hotel pan. Add remaining ingredients and toss to combine.
- Cover pan tightly with foil. Let sit for an hour covered (or overnight in the refrigerator).
- Heat oven to 350℉.
- Bake stuffing at 350℉ for 30 minutes covered. Remove foil and bake an additional 30 minutes uncovered until stuffing is crispy around the edges. Serve.
Great stuffing is always a crowd favorite!
That amount is stuffing in the recipe is not enough for 100 people. I’ve cooked many times do I double or triple the amount of ingredients then? How do I go about if it’s from 30 to 100 people?
Hello Marie, the recipe as written is for 24 people. There are toggles and adjustments in the recipe card for you to easily multiply the recipe, but basically you want to just quadruple it. Let me know if this isn’t clear.
What size pan for a double batch?
Hi Jeanne – if making a double batch, just split it between two hotel pans (such as these) or four 13 x 9 bake dishes.