Thanksgiving Soft Pretzel Stuffing is a new take on the classic. Soft pretzels replace bread in this easy, flavorful stuffing recipe that will be the new star of your holiday table.
Stuffing, or dressing, is kind of a strange concept to me. Bread, vegetables, seasonings and stock are mixed together and baked for a soft bread side dish that classically appears on holiday tables.

I've made a variety of stuffing recipes over the years, like Cranberry Pecan Stuffing or Make-Ahead Old Fashioned Celery and Onion Stuffing, and they've all been good, but I've never loved any of them. Until I had the random idea to use soft pretzels in place of the bread. I love pretzels, so I figured this had to be a winner.
What is Thanksgiving soft pretzel stuffing?
This stuffing, or dressing, recipe is pretty similar to the classic recipes. The only main differences are that I used soft pretzels in place of the bread and I decided to add in some extra flavor by adding Everything But The Bagel seasoning. It's mild, but adds a slight new twist to a classic recipe.
Ingredients for this recipe
- soft pretzels
- butter
- celery
- onion
- carrot
- garlic
- dried sage, rosemary and thyme
- chicken stock
- fresh parsley
- Everything But the Bagel seasoning
- salt
Instructions for this recipe
First, start by preparing the pretzels. Microwave soft pretzels for 1-2 minutes, until they're no longer frozen. Then tear or cut the pretzels into bite sized pieces, pulling them apart to expose the bready part inside.
Then, bake the pretzels until they're crunchy. Place the pretzel pieces on a parchment lined baking sheet in an even layer. Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes until they're very crispy. Remove from the oven and set aside.
Meanwhile, cook up the vegetables. Melt butter in a skillet and cook the celery, onion and carrot until softened. Stir in the garlic, dried thyme, rosemary and sage and cook for a few more minutes. Remove from the heat and transfer to a large bowl.
Next, mix up the ingredients. Add the pretzel pieces to the bowl with the vegetables, along with the fresh parsley and Everything But the Bagel seasoning. Add in half of the chicken stock and stir until well combined. Let sit for 15 minutes, then stir in the remainder of the chicken stock.
Finally, bake the soft pretzel stuffing. Transfer the mixture to a 2 quart oven-safe dish and bake for 20 minutes. Serve immediately.
Substitutions and Serving Suggestions
- Replace the dried sage, rosemary and thyme with fresh ones, or use poultry seasoning instead.
- For a vegetarian option, replace the chicken stock with vegetable stock.
- Add in ingredients like cooked bacon or sausage, spicy brown or Dijon mustard or even top the stuffing with shredded cheese.
- Feeling really ambitious? Make your own soft pretzels and use those! Store-bought pretzel rolls or buns would also work in this recipe.
- Serve this soft pretzel stuffing with turkey, ham, chicken or just about any protein!
FAQ's for Thanksgiving Stuffing
Any type of stuffing, including this pretzel one, should be moist before you bake it. If it is too dry, it's going to dry out further and be really crunchy after baking. But if it is too wet, it's going to end up soggy and fall apart when you bake it.
Honestly, the options are endless. Thicker slices of bread will allow you to cut it into cubes, like the packaged type you see at the grocery store. I've made stuffing using all types of bread - sandwich bread, Italian bread, sweet Hawaiian rolls, leftover burgers buns and now pretzels.
Yes, stuffing can be prepared and frozen before cooking if you're doing it in advance. Cover it tightly in plastic wrap, then foil and freeze for up to 2 weeks, but I think it's best used within a week. Note: if you add an egg to your stuffing, you should bake, cool, then freeze the stuffing.
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Recipe
Thanksgiving Soft Pretzel Stuffing
Ingredients
- 6 whole soft pretzels
- 2 stalks celery diced
- 1 large onion minced
- 1 large carrot grated
- 4 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- ½ teaspoon dried sage
- ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 1 tablespoon parsley fresh, chopped
- 1 tablespoon everything bagel seasoning
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.6 whole soft pretzels
- Microwave soft pretzels for 1-2 minutes until no longer frozen. Tear pretzels into bite sized pieces and pull them apart to expose the inside of the pretzel.
- Place in an even layer on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes, until crunchy. Set aside.
- Meanwhile, melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium high heat and add in the celery, onions and carrots. Cook for 5 minutes until softened, then add in the garlic and dried herbs. Stir to combine and cook another minute.2 stalks celery, 1 large onion, 1 large carrot, 4 tablespoon unsalted butter, 1 teaspoon minced garlic, ½ teaspoon dried sage, ½ teaspoon dried rosemary, ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- Transfer the cooked vegetables to a large bowl and then add the pretzel pieces on top. Add in the fresh parsley, everything bagel seasoning, half of the chicken stock and salt. Stir until combine. Let sit for 15 minutes while the pretzels absorb the stock, then add in the remaining cup.1 tablespoon parsley, 1 tablespoon everything bagel seasoning, ½ teaspoon salt, 2 cups chicken stock
- Transfer to a 2 quart baking dish and bake for 20 minutes. Serve immediately.
CC
the whole family loved this!! my soft pretzels were pretty big, so i probably used 4 instead of 6. the everything bagel seasoning was the key, imo. thanks for sharing!!
NicholeL
I'm so glad you liked this!