It’s not Thanksgiving without a good homemade stuffing recipe! Whether you make it inside the bird or out, it’s a classic. Add some Italian sausage, celery, onions and sourdough bread for what will be sure to become your new go-to side dish.
I’ve always loved stuffing – it’s truly what makes a holiday meal, along with corn pudding, green been casserole and pineapple casserole.
I always believed that the only way to make true Thanksgiving stuffing was to actually stuff it inside a turkey. If it didn’t cook in all the yummy turkey juice then it wasn’t the real deal. All other stuffings or dressings I had tried were dry and didn’t have much flavor.
However, I’ve had a change of heart and this is now my favorite stuffing recipe. Both the texture and flavor comibne in what I consider to be the BEST Thanksgiving stuffing.
Is it “stuffing” or “dressing”
I’ve lived most of my life in the South but my parents are not from the South. We ate “stuffing” growing up which consisted of bread, celery, onion, butter and egg along with some seasonings which then you stuffed inside a turkey. Anything that wasn’t inside the turkey was “dressing” and something other people ate. So this recipe is actually “dressing” and not “stuffing”, according to how I grew up.
However, I’ve learned that what you call this side dish depends more on where you are from then whether it’s cooked inside or outside the turkey. Southerner’s call it “dressing” where the rest of the country, me included, call it “stuffing”.
Why you’ll love this homemade stuffing recipe
- The perfect stuffing recipe has flavor from onions and celery along with sage. It’s like a savory bread pudding. But with all the other soft food you typically see at Thanksgiving, like corn pudding and mashed potatoes, it’s nice to have something with a little crunch. I also appreciate that this stuffing recipe uses sourdough bread, which when baked, is crunchy on the top but soft and moist inside.
- You can assemble the stuffing ahead of time and bake it right before dinner. If your stuffing is inside the turkey, you have to remove it when you remove the turkey to keep from getting salmonella and then if you’re not eating right away, it can get cold. This version stays hot and crispy.
- The Italian sausage adds so much flavor to the traditional stuffing ingredients.
- You can make this any time of year, not just when you’re cooking a turkey.
What you’ll need
- Sourdough bread – you can also use a loaf of French or Italian bread or whatever you like in the bakery section of the grocery. It needs to be dried out so that it can soak up the custard mixture. You will need a 1 lb loaf.
- Pecans – toasted pecans add a nice crunch
- Italian Sausage – this adds so much flavor
- Onions and celery – for that classic stuffing taste
- White wine and chicken stock – you can use all chicken stock if you prefer
- Bay leaves and sage – it’s not Thanksgiving without these herbs
- Pantry staples – butter, eggs and olive oil
How do you make stuffing
Step 1
Combine dry bread pieces with toasted pecans.
Step 2:
Cook the Italian sausage and when browned add it to the bread.
Step 3
In the same skillet, sauté onions, celery and sage and add to the bread mixture. Add some white wine to the skillet and cook down and then add butter until melted. Pour over your bread mixture.
Step 4
Whisk together eggs and chicken stock and pour that over the bread mixture. Season and transfer to a large baking dish and top with butter.
Step 5
Bake for 30 minutes covered at 350º, then increase the temperature to 450º and remove the cover so that the top can get golden and crisp
Pro tip: If you forget to use day old bread and your loaf is fresh, cut it into cubes and place in the oven at 250º for a few minutes.
I hope this side makes your Thanksgiving feast even more special.
FAQs and tips
Can you freeze leftover stuffing?
Stuffing freezes great. Just let it thaw and then reheat in the oven, the top will even stay crispy after it’s been frozen. You can serve it with Lemon Garlic Chicken, or if you are crunched for time, have some with a rotisserie chicken.
What kind of bread should you use for stuffing?
I like to use sourdough bread for that distinct flavor but if that’s not your favorite, then go with a French loaf from the bakery section. Regular sandwich bread will get a little mushy. I generally cut it into cubes and let it sit out all day. Dried bread will absorb more of the liquid and flavor.
Is stuffing better with or without eggs?
Eggs help bind the ingredients together in stuffing. If you don’t use eggs, you should use another binding ingredient.
What can you do with stuffing leftovers?
You can freeze the leftovers and re-heat in the oven. It’s great with any chicken dish if you run out of turkey.
More Thanksgiving SIDE dishes
Corn Pudding Recipe
Green Bean Casserole from Scratch
Broccoli Cheese Casserole
FAQs
Turkey stuffing was popularized in the early days of Thanksgiving, as it is written in many 16th-century Boston area documents. Stuffing most often uses dried bread, herbs, and vegetables that are reconstituted with liquid, stuffed into the turkey cavity, and baked until it is firm and finished cooking.
Is it good to 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.
Is it better to make stuffing with fresh or dry bread? ›
Any attempts to make stuffing with soft, fresh baked bread will result in a bread soup with a soggy texture. Follow this tip: Stale, dried-out bread makes the best stuffing.
What kind 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 is British stuffing made of? ›
Stuffing consists of a mixture of savoury ingredients such as breadcrumbs, herbs, fruit, nuts, sausagemeat and onion which are bound together with egg or liquid to form a semi-solid mixture. It is usually cooked with roast meat such as chicken, pork or lamb and is served as an accompaniment to the sliced, cooked meat.
What's the difference between stuffing and filling? ›
Although most people in America debate on whether the dish should be called stuffing or dressing the people of Pennsylvania call it filling. Essentially filling is the same as stuffing or dressing. The name suggests that it will fill something like stuffing does.
Do you cook stuffing before you stuff? ›
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.
Is it better to make stuffing the night before? ›
The short answer to whether you can making stuffing ahead of time is yes. "Making stuffing ahead saves time, allows stove and oven space for other things, and making it ahead gives time for the flavor to fully develop," Chef David Tiner, Director at Louisiana Culinary Institute in Baton Rouge, tells Southern Living.
What makes stuffing unhealthy? ›
Typically high in fat, carbs and salt, stuffing can be made fresh or purchased chilled, frozen or dehydrated. Traditionally, a stuffing would use the giblets of the bird with the addition of sausage meat, a source of starch, such as bread, with some aromatics such as onion, herbs and spices.
How soggy should stuffing be before baking? ›
The stuffing should be moist but not wet. If there is a puddle of broth at the bottom of the bowl, you've added too much. Add more bread to soak up the excess moisture. If the mix is still dry and crumbly, add more liquid and toss gently until it starts to clump together.
You can dry your bread up to two days in advance! Once cooled, store your bread cubes in a zipper-lock bag and keep them on your counter. Need a trustworthy recipe? Here are a few of our favorites.
What is the fastest way to dry bread for stuffing? ›
This Thanksgiving, skip the waiting and planning that staling demands, and pop open your oven instead. We start by cubing our bread—for traditional recipes, we favor a simple white sandwich-style loaf—then toast it in the oven at a low 275°F for about 45 minutes, tossing it every now and then to help it dry evenly.
Can I make stuffing day before? ›
Absolutely. Most Thanksgiving stuffing recipes can be made at least partially in advance since: A) They're easily assembled a day or two ahead of Thanksgiving Day; and B) They're often baked using a two-step process (once covered with foil to cook through, then uncovered to achieve a crispy top).
Why shouldn't you use stale bread for stuffing? ›
"If you're using stale bread and adding liquid, there will be nowhere for the liquid to go," says Seixas. "It's like when you're trying to cram more people into a fully booked flight. There's no space for extra moisture to fill." As a result, your stuffing will have a soggy texture.
What is traditional stuffing made of turkey? ›
How do you make traditional stuffing? If you've never made Thanksgiving turkey stuffing before, you may think it is difficult. Our recipe is very simple, though and calls for just a handful ingredients: bread, butter, onion, celery, chicken broth, eggs and spices.
What is the difference between Thanksgiving dressing and 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.
What is stuffing made of Thanksgiving? ›
The BEST traditional Thanksgiving Stuffing recipe is easy to make dried bread cubes, sausage, diced vegetables, and chicken broth. It's a great side dish to make ahead of time and it definitely tastes best homemade! Pair this easy homemade stuffing with our popular turkey recipe, homemade rolls, and Thanksgiving pie.
What is meat stuffing made of? ›
Think a big casserole with the flavors of stuffing but instead of bread, it's mostly just ground meat! I use sausage and beef for the meat, and then there is a lot of potato and breadcrumbs to hold everything together. And butter. Lots of butter!
