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

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

These Thanksgiving Stuffing Recipes Will Make the Feast Legendary (17)

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.

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

FAQs

What is the best kind of bread to use for stuffing? ›

Breads such as sour dough, French bread or Italian loaves are for the best bread for stuffing. Their soft-but-sturdy interiors are the perfect texture for stuffing. The pieces retain their shape without crumbling.

In what did recipes did people originally use stuffing? ›

So how far back can we find stuffing used in cooking? Some time between the 2nd century BC and the 1st century AD, a chef by the name of Apicius created a cookbook entitled, “Apicius de re Coquinaria.” In its pages are recipes for stuffed chicken, rabbit, pig, and even dormouse.

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.

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.

Is it better to make stuffing with fresh or stale bread? ›

The bread is one of the most important ingredients in the stuffing. This is the base; it's what gives the stuffing structure, and it plays a big role in determining the texture. While you can use almost any bread — cornbread, bagels, or even frozen waffles — to make stuffing, it needs to be dried or “staled” first.

What is the flat bread with pocket that is perfect for stuffing called? ›

Pita, also Pitta, breads, also called Arabic bread, balady, shamy, Syrian bread, and pocket bread, are circular, leavened double-layered flat breads that originated in the Middle East. It is prepared with flour, water, baker's yeast, and salt.

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.

What country invented stuffing? ›

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.

What's the difference between turkey dressing and turkey stuffing? ›

"Stuffing is cooked in the cavity of the turkey, so the juices soak into the ingredients, making it more flavorful. Dressing gets cooked on its own and needs extra liquid to make it flavorful." So stuffing is cooked inside the bird. Dressing is cooked outside the bird, usually in a casserole dish.

Why put mayo in eggs? ›

The mayo helps to stabilize the mixture and incorporate more egg into the eggs, making them fluffy. Plus, the extra fat can also make them silkier, and more rich.

Why is turkey stuffing so good? ›

It's wildly flavorful and buttery and filled with herbs and most importantly, a delicious neutral flavor that truly goes with any meal. Stuffing is by FAR my favorite side dish. In fact, Thanksgiving is alllll about the side dishes for me.

Why is stuffing cooked inside the turkey? ›

As the turkey cooks, its juices drip onto the stuffing, infusing the bread and vegetables with extra flavor. Some people also think the practice yields a moister stuffing, while others "do it to save space in the oven," says Baker.

Why not eat stuffing from turkey? ›

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 is stuffing called when it's not in the 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.

Should you put stuffing in the turkey or not? ›

Should I stuff my turkey? Stuffing cooked inside the turkey cavities is delicious, but it does slow down the cooking time and could be a potential health hazard if done incorrectly. For perfect no-worry results, opt for "dressing" instead – stuffing cooked alongside the bird instead of inside.

What types of flatbread is used in a sandwich that can be rolled around the stuffing to make a pinwheel shaped ›

Lavash Small and rectangular, when softened in water, can be rolled around a stuffing to make a pinwheel shaped sandwich. 25. Wraps These are very thin, flat breads that are used for sandwich wraps, burritos and tacos.

What is the best bread for Thanksgiving sandwiches? ›

A Thanksgiving leftover sandwich is no place for fancy homemade bread or a crusty loaf from the local bakery. You need something plain and processed. If you're going with white bread, we like Nature's Own Perfectly Crafted Thick Sliced White Bread.

What is stuffing bread made of? ›

There's onion powder, parsley, sage, thyme, marjoram, rosemary, black pepper, and plenty of butter. And so as not to forget the vegetables, you'll add a generous sprinkling of celery seed on top. Try this stuffing bread.

How to keep stuffing moist when baking? ›

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.

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