These Thanksgiving Stuffing Recipes Will Make the Feast Legendary (2024)

Opinion

Take your family's favorite holiday side to the next level this year.

By Christopher Michel
These Thanksgiving Stuffing Recipes Will Make the Feast Legendary (1)

If we had to pick a favorite from our Thanksgiving side dishes, it would be a tough call, but Thanksgiving stuffing (or dressing, depending on where you live) would come out on top.

The combo of bread, veggies, and various other ingredients soaked in stock and turkey drippings, then slowly roasted to perfection is just too hard to beat. And there are so many different ways to make stuffing! You can add fresh oysters and a rich bacon-cream sauce. You can use buttermilk cornbread and sweet sausage. You can go with apples and walnuts, or sourdough and cranberries. In fact, we tend to make at least two different stuffings every year, just because they're so good!

Scroll through our list and pick one to make this year. All have been tested in the Country Living test kitchen, so you know they're delicious and easy to make!

1

Pork-and-Sage Stuffing

These Thanksgiving Stuffing Recipes Will Make the Feast Legendary (3)

Think of this as the quintessential stuffing recipe: Sourdough bread, sweet Italian sausage, and plenty of veggies and herbs.

Get the recipe for Pork-and-Sage Stuffing.

2

Oyster Stuffing with Bacon-Scallion Cream Sauce

These Thanksgiving Stuffing Recipes Will Make the Feast Legendary (4)

Oyster stuffing is a Southern coastal tradition. The cream sauce is a "why-didn't-we-think-of-this-before" innovation.

Get the recipe for Oyster Stuffing.

3

Best Easy Fresh Herb Stuffing

These Thanksgiving Stuffing Recipes Will Make the Feast Legendary (5)

This recipe is sure to wow a crowd, and it even takes under an hour to prepare.

Get the recipe for Fresh Herb Stuffing.

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4

Turkey Roulades with Sourdough Pancetta Stuffing

These Thanksgiving Stuffing Recipes Will Make the Feast Legendary (6)

This easy and tasty dish is a great way to get turkey and stuffing all together in a much simpler — and still beautiful — presentation.

Get the recipe for Turkey Roulades with Sourdough Pancetta Stuffing.

5

Classic Southern Cornbread Dressing

These Thanksgiving Stuffing Recipes Will Make the Feast Legendary (7)

In the great debate between dressing and stuffing, we say have both!

Get the recipe for Classic Southern Cornbread Dressing.

6

Rosemary Monkey Bread Stuffing

These Thanksgiving Stuffing Recipes Will Make the Feast Legendary (8)

Serving stuffing by the slice may be the smartest idea since the first Thanksgiving.

Get the recipe for Rosemary Monkey Bread Stuffing.

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7

Apricot-Wild Rice Stuffing

These Thanksgiving Stuffing Recipes Will Make the Feast Legendary (9)

Wild rice and apricots give classic stuffing a sweet spin.

Get the recipe for Apricot-Wild Rice Stuffing.

8

Tamale Dressing

These Thanksgiving Stuffing Recipes Will Make the Feast Legendary (10)

Yellow beets and green chile-chicken tamales add color and bold flavor to this classic stuffing—ahem, dressing—recipe.

Get the recipe for Tamale Dressing.

9

Buttermilk Cornbread Stuffing with Pecans and Sweet Sausage

These Thanksgiving Stuffing Recipes Will Make the Feast Legendary (11)

This recipe by the Beekman Boys calls for Super-moist Cornbread. If using cornbread for stuffing, make it two days prior: Cut cornbread into 1-inch chunks, place on a large baking sheet in a single layer, and let dry out at room temperature for two days.

Get the recipe for Buttermilk Cornbread Stuffing with Pecans and Sweet Sausage.

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10

Apple-Walnut Stuffing

These Thanksgiving Stuffing Recipes Will Make the Feast Legendary (12)

An assortment of breads helps enhance the flavor and texture of your homemade stuffing.

Get the recipe for Apple-Walnut Stuffing.

11

Basic Herb Stuffing

These Thanksgiving Stuffing Recipes Will Make the Feast Legendary (13)

You simply can't go wrong with this simple Thanksgiving stuffing, which requires only 20 minutes of prep.

Get the recipe for Basic Herb Stuffing.

12

Ina Garten's Herb and Apple Stuffing Recipe

These Thanksgiving Stuffing Recipes Will Make the Feast Legendary (14)

This French bread, rosemary, and apple stuffing comes straight from Ina Garten's kitchen. If it's good enough for the Barefoot Contessa, it's good enough for us!

Get the recipe for Ina Garten's Herb and Apple Stuffing Recipe.

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13

Sausage and Herb Stuffing

These Thanksgiving Stuffing Recipes Will Make the Feast Legendary (15)

While you could opt for a stuffing without meat, this hearty sausage variety is just the thing to fill up your Thanksgiving guests.

Get the recipe for Sausage and Herb Stuffing.

14

Sourdough Stuffing with Sausage, Cranberries, and Apples

These Thanksgiving Stuffing Recipes Will Make the Feast Legendary (16)

Take advantage of autumn's harvest by adding sweet apples and cranberries to your Thanksgiving stuffing.

Get the recipe for Sourdough Stuffing with Sausage, Cranberries, and Apples.

15

Sourdough and Mushroom Stuffing

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A lighter-than-expected stuffing. Serve this Thanksgiving favorite with The Perfect Roast Turkey.

Get the recipe for Sourdough and Mushroom Stuffing.

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16

Bagelshroom Stuffing

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The everything bagel makes its dinnertime debut in this wild-mushroom stuffing flavored with fresh thyme and rosemary.

Get the recipe for Bagelshroom Stuffing.

17

Wild Rice and Basmati Dressing with Sausage and Sage

These Thanksgiving Stuffing Recipes Will Make the Feast Legendary (19)

For this take on Thanksgiving dressing, two types of rice are cooked in a fragrant medley of mushrooms and onions sautéed in butter, bay leaf, and fresh sage.

Get the recipe for Wild Rice and Basmati Dressing with Sausage and Sage.

18

Matzo Stuffing

These Thanksgiving Stuffing Recipes Will Make the Feast Legendary (20)

Matzo meal and chicken broth are added together slowly to ensure this stuffing is deliciously moist. Apples and cinnamon impart a surprising hint of sweetness.

Get the recipe for Matzo Stuffing.

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These Thanksgiving Stuffing Recipes Will Make the Feast Legendary (21)

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These Thanksgiving Stuffing Recipes Will Make the Feast Legendary (2024)

FAQs

Why is stuffing important to Thanksgiving? ›

When one thinks of the very first Thanksgiving feast, lovingly prepared by pilgrims to give thanks for the hospitality shown them by their Native American hosts, a classic bread stuffing likely factors into the menu.

Why put eggs in stuffing? ›

Broth: Chicken broth keeps the stuffing moist without making it soggy. Eggs: Two lightly beaten eggs help hold the dressing together and add moisture. Water: You can add a few tablespoons of water, if you'd like, to achieve your desired consistency.

What type of bread is best for stuffing? ›

The best bread for stuffing is a sturdy loaf with a tight crumb. Bakery French bread, Italian bread, Challah, and Sourdough are all good choices. When you cut up a 1-pound loaf into cubes, it should fit in an even layer on a single half-size rimmed baking sheet.

What's the difference between stuffing and dressing for Thanksgiving? ›

The primary difference between stuffing and dressing is that stuffing is cooked inside a bird and dressing is made on the side. As with many food traditions in the U.S., regional loyalties to stuffing vs dressing abound.

Why not eat stuffing from turkey? ›

That temperature includes any potential stuffing deep in the turkey's cavity. At temperatures below 165°F you risk exposure to salmonella or E. coli, two very scary and gross bacteria. The problem with stuffing your roast turkey is that when the turkey's meat is safely cooked, the stuffing inside still is not.

What culture is stuffing from? ›

Purportedly ancient Roman, or else Medieval, cooks developed engastration recipes, stuffing animals with other animals. An anonymous Andalusian cookbook from the 13th century includes a recipe for a ram stuffed with small birds.

Are you supposed to cook the stuffing before putting it in? ›

Fully cook raw meat, poultry, or seafood ingredients before adding to stuffing. Combine the ingredients and place them in your bird immediately before cooking. Don't stuff whole poultry with cooked stuffing. In addition to the turkey, the stuffing's center needs to reach 165 F.

How do you keep stuffing moist when cooking? ›

Typically, baking the stuffing inside the bird helps keep the mixture moist. “I prefer stuffing (in the bird) to dressing (outside of the bird) because all those delicious drippings that come off the turkey gets absorbed right into the stuffing,” Bamford says.

What can you use as a binder instead of eggs in stuffing? ›

16 egg substitutes
  1. Mashed banana. Mashed banana can act as a binding agent when baking or making pancake batter. ...
  2. Applesauce. Applesauce can also act as a binding agent. ...
  3. Fruit puree. Fruit puree will help bind a recipe in a similar way to applesauce. ...
  4. Avocado. ...
  5. Gelatin. ...
  6. Xanthan gum. ...
  7. Vegetable oil and baking powder. ...
  8. Margarine.
Mar 30, 2021

Should you toast bread before making stuffing? ›

Follow this tip: Stale, dried-out bread makes the best stuffing. Either dry out your bread starting a few days before you plan to make the stuffing by letting it sit out or, if you don't have the extra time, cut the bread into cubes, and then toast over a low heat in the oven until dry.

Can I cook stuffing at 325 instead of 350? ›

The stuffed meat, poultry, or stuffing in a casserole should be placed immediately after preparation in an oven set no lower than 325 °F. A food thermometer should be used to ensure that the stuffing reaches the safe minimum internal temperature of 165 °F.

Why can't you make stuffing ahead of time? ›

You haven't said whether you are going to cook the stuffing inside the bird or out, but it's fine to make almost any stuffing a few hours before you'll need it. The important thing is to keep it properly chilled so that bacteria won't have a chance to grow in it.

What do southerners call stuffing? ›

But for the Thanksgiving side dish in the South, the term dressing was adopted in place of stuffing, which was viewed as a crude term, during the Victorian era. Although dressing and stuffing are interchangeable terms, the signature ingredient of this Thanksgiving side dish in the South is cornbread.

Which dish was not eaten at the first Thanksgiving? ›

What Wasn't Served at the First Thanksgiving. It is also worth noting what was not present at the first Thanksgiving feast. There were no cloudlike heaps of mashed potatoes, since white potatoes had not yet crossed over from South America.

What is stuffing called when it's not in a turkey? ›

Some people make the distinction that dressing is the proper name for the dish when it has been prepared outside of the bird—that is, when it has not been stuffed and cooked inside.

What is the importance of stuffing? ›

Staffing helps to recruit the best possible human resources for different job roles in the organization. It focuses on recruitment, training, and development of human resources in organizations. This helps to contribute to improved productivity in the organization.

What is the point of stuffing? ›

“Stuffing used to be a side dish, but now I like to think of it as a kind of condiment for the meat,” said Bruce Aidells, the meat expert who has recently revised his tome “The Great Meat Cookbook.” He said modern meat and poultry, which are bred to be lean, are particularly in need of the flavor and moisture that ...

What is the meaning of stuffing for Thanksgiving? ›

Stuffing, according to Merriam-Webster, is "a seasoned mixture (as of bread crumbs, vegetables, and butter) that is typically placed inside the cavity of a turkey, pepper, etc. and cooked." In other words, a mixture that is "stuffed" inside your poultry.

When did stuffing become part of Thanksgiving? ›

There's no specific date for when stuffing was first invented, but there is evidence of stuffing made from spelt, herbs, and vegetables in an ancient Roman document, according to Tasting Table. And while it's not clear whether or not stuffing was on the first Thanksgiving menu, it did become more popular in the 1800s.

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