This delicious chestnut stuffing is warm, herby, and perfect for the holidays. It’s made with simple ingredients like bread, veggies, eggs, and chestnuts, and it can be baked in a dish or used to stuff a turkey. Super easy to make ahead and full of comforting flavors.

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Ingredients Needed:

4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 small onion
2 stalks celery
3 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons fresh sage
1 pound day-old white bread
2 tablespoons fresh parsley
1 tablespoon fresh thyme
2 large eggs
2 ½ cups vegetable stock
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 ½ cups cooked chestnuts*

How To Make Chestnut Stuffing Recipe?

Preheat the oven: set it to 190°C and butter a 9×13-inch baking dish.
Cook the veggies: melt butter in a large pan over medium heat, then add the onion and celery. Cook for 5–7 minutes until soft.
Add garlic and herbs: stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add sage and cook for another minute. Take the pan off the heat and let it cool for 5 minutes.
Mix bread and herbs: in a big bowl, combine the cubed bread, parsley, and thyme.
Combine everything: pour in the eggs, stock, salt, pepper, and cooked veggies. Gently toss everything together.
Fold in the chestnuts: use a spatula to gently mix in the chopped chestnuts.
Bake the stuffing: spoon the mix into your dish, spread it evenly, and press it down lightly. Bake uncovered for 35–40 minutes until golden on top.
Optional – use for stuffing: you can also fill your turkey with the mix and roast it until the center hits 74°C.

Recipe Tips:

Use dry bread only: fresh bread makes the stuffing soggy. Make sure your bread is at least a day old or toast the cubes in the oven until dry before using.
Don’t skip the herbs: fresh sage, thyme, and parsley add real flavor. Dried herbs won’t give the same taste, so try to use fresh ones if you can.
Let the veggies cool before mixing: if the cooked onion and celery are too hot, they can start cooking the eggs when you mix them in. Wait 5 minutes before combining.
Fold the chestnuts gently: chestnuts break easily, so mix them in carefully at the end to keep some nice big pieces in every bite.
Don’t pack it too tight in the dish: press the stuffing in lightly. If it’s packed too tight, it won’t bake evenly or get that nice golden top.

How To Store & Reheat Leftovers?

Refrigerate: First, let the leftover chestnut stuffing cool to room temperature. Then, transfer it into an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Freeze: Let the stuffing cool completely, then place it in a freezer-safe container or wrap it tightly in foil. Freeze for up to 2 months.
Reheat: heat a non-stick skillet over medium-low heat. Add a small amount of butter or stock, then warm the stuffing while stirring gently for a few minutes until hot.

Nutrition Facts:

Calories: 287 kcal
Total Fat: 9g
Saturated Fat: 5g
Cholesterol: 56mg
Sodium: 874mg
Potassium: 261mg
Total Carbohydrate: 43g
Dietary Fiber: 2g
Sugars: 4g
Protein: 8g

Try More Delia Smith Recipes:

Delia Smith Quince Jelly Recipe
Delia Smith Rock Cakes Recipe

Delia Smith Chestnut Stuffing Recipe

Course: Side DishCuisine: BritishDifficulty: Easy

Servings

servings

Prep time

minutes

Cooking time

minutes

Calories

287

kcal

Ingredients

4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 small onion
2 stalks celery
3 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons fresh sage
1 pound day-old white bread
2 tablespoons fresh parsley
1 tablespoon fresh thyme
2 large eggs
2 ½ cups vegetable stock
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 ½ cups cooked chestnuts*

Directions

Preheat the oven: set it to 190°C and butter a 9×13-inch baking dish.
Cook the veggies: melt butter in a large pan over medium heat, then add the onion and celery. Cook for 5–7 minutes until soft.
Add garlic and herbs: stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add sage and cook for another minute. Take the pan off the heat and let it cool for 5 minutes.
Mix bread and herbs: in a big bowl, combine the cubed bread, parsley, and thyme.
Combine everything: pour in the eggs, stock, salt, pepper, and cooked veggies. Gently toss everything together.
Fold in the chestnuts: use a spatula to gently mix in the chopped chestnuts.
Bake the stuffing: spoon the mix into your dish, spread it evenly, and press it down lightly. Bake uncovered for 35–40 minutes until golden on top.
Optional – use for stuffing: you can also fill your turkey with the mix and roast it until the center hits 74°C.

Notes

Use dry bread only: fresh bread makes the stuffing soggy. Make sure your bread is at least a day old or toast the cubes in the oven until dry before using.
Don’t skip the herbs: fresh sage, thyme, and parsley add real flavor. Dried herbs won’t give the same taste, so try to use fresh ones if you can.
Let the veggies cool before mixing: if the cooked onion and celery are too hot, they can start cooking the eggs when you mix them in. Wait 5 minutes before combining.
Fold the chestnuts gently: chestnuts break easily, so mix them in carefully at the end to keep some nice big pieces in every bite.
Don’t pack it too tight in the dish: press the stuffing in lightly. If it’s packed too tight, it won’t bake evenly or get that nice golden top.