21 Earthy Dressing and Stuffing Recipes (2024)

Whether you're a Thanksgiving stuffing traditionalist or need a new family side dish, Food & Wine's stuffing recipes are ideal for any holiday dinner. Find something vegetarian-friendly, quick and easy, or indulgently delicious (we're partial to bacon). From classic sausage-and-bread stuffing to upgrades that use tarragon, prosciutto, and cranberries, these Thanksgiving stuffing recipes will become family and friend favorites.

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Rustic Bread Stuffing with Swiss Chard and Chestnuts

21 Earthy Dressing and Stuffing Recipes (1)

Swiss chard lends a pleasant earthiness to this hearty vegetarian stuffing; meaty chestnuts add texture and richness.

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02of 21

Pastrami and Rye Stuffing

21 Earthy Dressing and Stuffing Recipes (2)

Earthy rye, smoky and meaty pastrami, sweet onions, and sharp mustard round out the layers of flavor in this deeply savory, deli-inspired stuffing.

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03of 21

Cheesy Scallion Stuffing with Sesame Seeds

21 Earthy Dressing and Stuffing Recipes (3)

Cookbook author Eric Kim prepares a sourdough-scallion casserole topped with a mixture of Parmesan cheese and toasted sesame seeds that evokes the sweet umami richness and slight crispness of Korean pajeon (pancakes). The combination of ingredients is well calibrated and delicious.

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04of 21

Sweet Onion Challah Stuffing

21 Earthy Dressing and Stuffing Recipes (4)

Baked in thin layer in a sheet pan, this nostalgic stuffing has plenty of deliciously crispy edges. The addition of orange juice adds a lightly sweet, floral flavor to this otherwise-traditional dish.

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05of 21

Cranberry-Walnut Stuffing

21 Earthy Dressing and Stuffing Recipes (5)

Tart cranberries and toasted walnuts add flavor and a crunch to this crowd-pleasing holiday side dish. Rustic hunks of toasted bread form the backbone of this stuffing; a buttery sauteed mixture of onion, celery, herbs, and cooked sausage fills it out with rich flavor.

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Mushroom-and-Chestnut Stuffing with Giblets

21 Earthy Dressing and Stuffing Recipes (6)

This rich and delicious make-ahead Mushroom-and-Chestnut Stuffing with Giblets from Anthony Bourdain gets flavor from fresh herbs. The dish also gets a boost from a super simple homemade stock made from turkey wings and necks. It's a definite crowd-pleaser.

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Sourdough Stuffing with Sausage, Red Onion and Kale

21 Earthy Dressing and Stuffing Recipes (7)

Folding kale into this delicious and easy stuffing is a nice surprise, especially when you get crispy bites of it (as well as crunchy bits of sourdough) off the golden top.

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08of 21

Chestnut Stuffing with Fennel

21 Earthy Dressing and Stuffing Recipes (8)

When Suzanne Goin was a child, making stuffing for the holidays was one of her first forays into cooking. "My mom always used store-bought crumbs, and it became my job to doctor them up," says Goin. "I'd just raid the spice cabinet and the first batches were a little [wild]. But I figured out what I liked best." This chestnut-laced stuffing with pancetta and fennel is adapted from Sunday Suppers at Lucques. The crispy olive oil-soaked bread cubes on top are especially delectable.

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Multigrain Bread Stuffing with Sausage and Herbs

21 Earthy Dressing and Stuffing Recipes (9)

This is the perfect stuffing — moist in the middle and crisp on the top. Two bonuses: It's made with healthful multigrain bread and can be assembled one day ahead.

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10of 21

Sausage-and-Bread Stuffing

21 Earthy Dressing and Stuffing Recipes (10)

Gary Vaynerchuk's mother, Tamara, makes Stove Top stuffing every Thanksgiving, and he proudly admits loving it. Its simplicity inspired this recipe by former F&W editor Grace Parisi. Using homemade turkey stock gives it a rich flavor ⁠— for a shortcut, use chicken broth instead.

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Bacon, Onion, and Rye Bread Stuffing

21 Earthy Dressing and Stuffing Recipes (11)

After tossing the ingredients and spreading them in a pan, Melissa Rubel Jacobson chills the stuffing for at least an hour before baking. This ensures that the bread soaks up the liquid — key to a stuffing that's crisp on top and moist within.

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12of 21

Smoky Chorizo Stuffing

21 Earthy Dressing and Stuffing Recipes (12)

Rather than traditional sausage stuffing, chef George Mendes of NYC's Aldea serves a smoky version using chorizo and hot pimentón de la Vera (smoked paprika).

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13of 21

Cornbread Stuffing with Country Sausage

21 Earthy Dressing and Stuffing Recipes (13)

Enrich traditional stuffing with country sausage and cornbread and add a kick with poblano chiles. This can be made two days in advance.

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Mushroom, Sourdough, and Poblano Stuffing

21 Earthy Dressing and Stuffing Recipes (14)

F&W's Justin Chapple keeps the big day stress-free by baking his stuffing the day before and then reheating it just before serving. The trick to make-ahead Thanksgiving stuffing is adding a little stock before reheating it.

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Cornbread Stuffing with Bacon and Greens

21 Earthy Dressing and Stuffing Recipes (15)

Chef David Tanis grew up in the Midwest, with rich corn bread stuffing for Thanksgiving. He tweaks his mother's recipe by adding a smoky element. "She'd roll over if she saw the bacon," he says. But it's not critical to the stuffing, which also gets savory flavor from hearty kale, so you can leave it out.

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Shiitake Mushroom and Fresh Herb Stuffing

21 Earthy Dressing and Stuffing Recipes (16)

Tender and browned mushrooms add an earthiness alongside sage and thyme in this golden side dish.

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Whole-Grain Stuffing with Mustard Greens, Mushrooms, and Fontina

21 Earthy Dressing and Stuffing Recipes (17)

This wonderfully hearty stuffing can double as a vegetarian main dish for Thanksgiving. Just substitute mushroom broth or water for the chicken stock.

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Sausage-and-Apple Stuffing Bites

21 Earthy Dressing and Stuffing Recipes (18)

Since stuffing is one of the most popular parts of a Thanksgiving meal, try doing it as fun little hors d'oeuvre bites.

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Sticky-Rice Dressing

21 Earthy Dressing and Stuffing Recipes (19)

Joanne Chang says, "A Chinese meal isn't complete without rice; Thanksgiving isn't complete without stuffing. This sticky-rice dressing combines the best of both worlds." Chinese sausage makes the rice deliciously sweet and savory.

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Spiced Lamb-and-Rice Dressing with Chickpeas

21 Earthy Dressing and Stuffing Recipes (20)

Instead of the more common bread-based dressing, Sam Mogannam's mother, Mariette, always serves turkey with this hearty, savory Palestinian stuffing, traditionally used as a filling for grape leaves or halved zucchini.

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Pumpkin Seed Bread Salad

21 Earthy Dressing and Stuffing Recipes (21)

Combine crusty country Italian bread with timely pumpkin seeds and sherry for a rich, warm bread salad.

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21 Earthy Dressing and Stuffing Recipes (2024)

FAQs

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

"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 do you 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.

How wet 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.

What makes stuffing unhealthy? ›

Nutrition Notes

Stuffing is essentially bread, salt, and butter, so it probably comes as no surprise that it isn't the healthiest food served on Thanksgiving.

Is stove top stuffing the same as dressing? ›

Stove Top first began marketing its instant mix 40 years ago, and now sells roughly 60 million boxes for Thanksgiving alone. For those vexed by the difference between stuffing and dressing: stuffing technically refers to anything cooked in the cavity of an animal, whereas dressing is cooked on the side.

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.

Why is my stuffing always mushy? ›

If the stuffing came out too wet and soggy (aka bread soup!) try not to over mix it, otherwise it'll turn into mush. Curtis Stone says to pour it on a large sheet tray and spread it out. Bake it on high heat to crisp it up, but make sure it doesn't burn.

What temperature should dressing be cooked at? ›

Cook until the center of the dressing reaches 165 degrees. When checked with a food thermometer. Never place frozen dressing or other frozen food in a slow cooker, it will not reach proper safe temperature fast enough.

Is it better to make stuffing with soft 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.

Why you shouldn't eat stuffing? ›

Bacteria can survive in stuffing that has not reached 165 degrees that could then cause food poisoning. After removing the bird from the oven, wait for 20 minutes before taking the stuffing out of the turkey's cavity; it will cook a little more this way.

Is pepperidge farm stuffing bad for you? ›

This product contains a high percentage of the Institute of Medicine's recommended adequate intake for sodium of 1500 mg a day (IOM 2005). This value is much lower than what the FDA requires be listed on food labels -- 2400 mg. Americans average 3,400 mg of sodium a day.

What to use instead of butter in stuffing? ›

Coconut oil, olive oil, safflower oil, and coconut butter are some of the most used butter alternatives. Depending on temperature, coconut oil can be both a solid and a liquid.

Is stuffing just soggy bread? ›

While you can use almost any bread — cornbread, bagels, or even frozen waffles — to make stuffing, it needs to be dried or “staled” first. 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.

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 is Thanksgiving stuffing made of? ›

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.

Why do we only eat stuffing on Thanksgiving? ›

For one, modern stovetops weren't widely available until the 18th century — birds were roasted on a spit over an open fire — which made it difficult to cook side dishes at the same time. The solution? Simply cook the sides in the bird. Moreover, preparing stuffing this way meant more bang for one's caloric buck.

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