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.
What does adding egg to stuffing do? ›
Eggs: Two lightly beaten eggs help hold the dressing together and add moisture.
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.
How do you make stuffing not mushy? ›
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.
Is stuffing better with or without eggs? ›
Vegetable broth – To moisten the bread. Eggs – They add richness and moisture, helping to create the stuffing's irresistible gooey center. And sea salt and fresh black pepper – To make all the flavors pop!
What was stuffing originally made of? ›
The earliest documentary evidence is the Roman cookbook, Apicius De Re Coquinaria, which contains recipes for stuffed chicken, dormouse, hare, and pig. Most of the stuffings described consist of vegetables, herbs and spices, nuts, and spelt (a cereal), and frequently contain chopped liver, brains, and other organ meat.
What makes stuffing unhealthy? ›
It probably comes as no surprise that stuffing isn't the healthiest addition to your Christmas or Thanksgiving plate, but that's no reason to omit it. Typically high in fat, carbs and salt, stuffing can be made fresh or purchased chilled, frozen or dehydrated.
What can you use as a binder instead of eggs in stuffing? ›
16 egg substitutes
- Mashed banana. Mashed banana can act as a binding agent when baking or making pancake batter. ...
- Applesauce. Applesauce can also act as a binding agent. ...
- Fruit puree. Fruit puree will help bind a recipe in a similar way to applesauce. ...
- Avocado. ...
- Gelatin. ...
- Xanthan gum. ...
- Vegetable oil and baking powder. ...
- Margarine.
Why is Thanksgiving stuffing so good? ›
Something magical happens when stale bread meets butter, celery and tons of sage. Flavors meld and the bread turns soft and gooey and outshines everything else on the Thanksgiving plate. If it were up to me, I would only eat stuffing and stone crabs the whole day.
Is it better to make stuffing with fresh or stale 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.
You will want a total of 12-13 cups of bread cubes. You want them to be very dry and golden brown, no soft pieces when you touch them. DRY is the KEY! PLEASE NOTE: If you do not toast them enough, they will hold moisture resulting in soggy / mushy stuffing.
Why can't you make stuffing ahead of time? ›
Stuffing can be made ahead of time for many reasons, including saving time, freeing up oven space, and allowing flavors to develop. However, the USDA recommends not refrigerating uncooked stuffing because it can be a good medium for bacteria growth. If you do make stuffing ahead, you can take steps to ensure food safety:
Cool and refrigerate
After assembling and baking stuffing, you can refrigerate it at room temperature until you're ready to use it. You can store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.
Freeze
You can also freeze leftover stuffing in a freezer-safe container for up to one month. When you're ready to use it, thaw it overnight in the fridge and then reheat it in the microwave or oven.
Separate wet and dry ingredients
If you're stuffing a turkey, you can prepare the wet and dry ingredients ahead of time and keep them separate in the fridge. Then, mix them together right before stuffing the bird. Make-Ahead Stuffing Means One Less Thing to Worry About on ...
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When you're ready to reheat your stuffing, you can bring baked stuffing to room temperature so it reheats evenly. Then, cover it and bake it in a preheated oven at 350°F for 30–40 minutes, or until it's heated through. To make it extra crispy, you can remove the foil for the last 10 minutes of baking. If the stuffing seems dry, you can add some turkey drippings or stock before reheating. Reheat Your Holiday Stuffing Without Drying It Out - Real Simple
Jul 24, 2022 — If you've already baked your stuffing—or someone else, including your favorite...
Should I cover my stuffing while cooking? ›
Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil. Bake at 400°F for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake until crispy. Uncover the stuffing and continue baking until the top is crispy and golden-brown, 15 to 20 minutes more.
How moist 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 is fabric stuffing made of? ›
It is usually made from polyester and other recycled materials. Fiberfill stuffing is inexpensive to make, and its insulating and filler properties make it ideal for different projects and purposes. Fiberfill stuffing is normally made from polyester, a synthetic fiber that is very cheap and easy to recycle.
What is proper stuffing? ›
Staffing is the process of hiring eligible candidates in the organization or company for specific positions. In management, the meaning of staffing is an operation of recruiting the employees by evaluating their skills, knowledge and then offering them specific job roles accordingly.
What is English 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 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.