The Best Stuffing Recipe Ever | Thanksgiving Stuffing Recipe (2024)

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This is without a doubt The Best Stuffing Recipe I’ve ever had. Made with sourdough, cornbread, and so much more, this delicious stuffing will be the star of your Thanksgiving dinner!

The Best Stuffing Recipe Ever | Thanksgiving Stuffing Recipe (1)

Thanksgiving Stuffing Recipe

If you are looking for a stuffing recipe that all of your guests will love, look no further, I’ve got the perfect recipe!I know it’s a bold statement to say this could be the best stuffing ever, but…..it really is 🙂 No joke, my husband who absolutely despises stuffing, came home and said, “Oh wow, this is the best stuffing I have ever had!” There’s nothing more unappealing than a dry tasteless stuffing, so I decided to create my own version with ALL of my favorite stuffing ingredients.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

  • It’s the only Thanksgiving Stuffing recipe you’ll ever need!
  • Even people who don’t love stuffing, love this stuffing recipe.
  • It makes delicious leftovers inside a sandwich with turkey and mashed potatoes!

Try my Perfect Mashed Potatoes Recipe too! Follow Picky Palate on Instagram for daily recipe inspiration and all of your Holiday baking needs!

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Ingredients For The BEST Thanksgiving Stuffing Recipe

Here are the ingredients you’ll need to make the best Thanksgiving stuffing. See the recipe card located at the bottom of the post for full details and instructions.

  • cornbread– I generally buy the pre-made cornbread at my grocery store. Saves a little time. You can absolutely make your own if you’d rather.
  • sourdough or other artisan bread of choice– I enjoy using a jalapeno cheddar
  • butter– For the most part I use salted butter for my cooking and baking.
  • carrots– Wash, dry and peel your carrots and dice.
  • onion– White onion works great. Peel and dice same size as carrots.
  • celery– Wash, dry and dice same size as onion and carrots.
  • baby bella mushrooms– Gently wash and dry mushrooms. Give a coarse chop.
  • garlic– You can get the minced garlic in jars from the grocery store or use fresh garlic and mince yourself.
  • chicken broth– Use low sodium chicken broth when possible.
  • ground sausage– Look for the Jimmy Dean mild sausage or other flavors you prefer.
  • fresh parsley– Fresh parsley adds freshness and color to the stuffing.
  • fresh rosemary– Rosemary is so fragrant and is perfect herb in stuffing.
  • fresh thyme– Thyme adds another layer of flavor and freshness to the stuffing.
  • fresh sage– Find fresh sage in the produce department near the other fresh herbs.
  • kosher salt– Kosher salt is a coarse salt that is commonly used in cooking and baking.
  • freshly ground black pepper- For best tasting results use fresh ground black pepper.
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How To Make The BEST Thanksgiving Stuffing Recipe

Preheat Oven. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place cubed sourdough and cornbread onto a large baking sheet.

Toast Bread Cubes. Bake for 25 minutes, until lightly toasted. Remove from oven.

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Cook Vegetables. Melt butter into a large dutch oven or large pot over medium heat. Saute onions, celery, carrots and mushrooms for about 10 minutes or until veggies turn tender. Stir in garlic and cook for another minute.

Add Chicken Broth and Herbs. Pour in chicken broth, parsley, rosemary, sage, thyme, salt and pepper. Stir and reduce heat to low to simmer.

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Cook Sausage. Brown sausage in skillet, drain if necessary then add to vegetable mixture.

Add Sausage Broth Mixture To Bread Cubes. Place bread cubes into a large bowl and slowly pour mixture over cubes gently stirring throughout to ensure all pieces get coated. Taste a couple pieces and season with additional salt and pepper according to taste. I added a few more pinches of kosher salt and pepper at this point.

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Transfer Stuffing To Baking Dish. Divide stuffing into a 9×13 inch baking dish and a 11×7 inch baking dish (if needing more room). Lightly spray a 9 x 13 inch baking dish with cooking spray and transfer stuffing to dish. If needed, use another small baking dish to bake stuffing.

Bake. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 25-30 minutes. Tops will get slightly golden.

If I Don’t Have Fresh Herbs Can I Use Dried?

While I recommend using fresh herbs for your homemade stuffing, you can use fresh herbs. For the parsley use 2 tablespoons of dried and 1 teaspoon each of dried rosemary, thyme and sage.

Can I Leave Out The Mushrooms?

Mushrooms are not for everyone, if they are not a favorite in your home, feel free to leave them out of the recipe. No other substitutions needed.

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How To Serve Thanksgiving Stuffing Recipe

Serve this homemade stuffing warm with your favorite Thanksgiving Dinner menu. Try topping your stuffing with 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan Cheese before baking too. I’ve even added my favorite hot sauce to my bowl of stuffing before enjoying.

How To Store Leftovers

Store any leftover stuffing in an airtight container for up to 3-5 days in the refrigerator. Re-heat as needed. It’s nice to add a splash or two of chicken broth before re-heating. Keeps stuffing moist. Use your other Thanksgiving leftovers to make a turkey stuffing sandwich. Add a little gravy and even cranberry sauce. It’s delicious!

Try More Thanksgiving Recipes!

  • The BEST Mashed Potatoes
  • One Hour Buttermilk Dinner Rolls
  • Classic Pumpkin Pie
  • Green Bean Casserole

The Best Stuffing Recipe Ever

This is without a doubt The Best Stuffing Recipe I've ever had. Made with sourdough, cornbread, and so much more. This delicious stuffing will be the star of your Thanksgiving dinner!

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 50 minutes mins

Servings: 12 servings

Calories: 457kcal

Author: Jenny

Cost: $35

Print Pin Rate

Equipment

  • Oven

  • Dutch Oven or large pot

  • 9 x 13 inch baking dish

  • cutting board

  • chef knife

  • measuring spoons

  • measuring cups

  • mixing spoon

Ingredients

  • 1 lb Sourdough Loaf cubed
  • 12 oz baked cornbread cubed
  • 14 Tablespoons butter 1 3/4 sticks
  • 1 large onion diced (about 1 1/2 Cups)
  • 1 bunch of celery chopped (about 3 Cups)
  • 3 large carrots chopped (about 2 Cups)
  • 8 oz baby bella mushrooms chopped (about 1 1/4 Cups)
  • 2 Tablespoons minced garlic
  • 2 1/2 Cups chicken broth
  • 1/2 Cup fresh chopped parsley
  • 2 Tablespoons fresh rosemary
  • 1 Tablespoon fresh sage
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground thyme or 1 Tablespoon fresh
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
  • 1 lb Jimmy Dean Sage Sausage

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place cubed sourdough and cornbread onto a large baking sheet. Bake for 25 minutes, until lightly toasted. Remove from oven.

  • Melt butter into a large dutch oven or large pot over medium heat. Saute onions, celery, carrots and mushrooms for about 10 minutes or until veggies turn tender. Stir in garlic and cook for another minute then pour in chicken broth, parsley, rosemary, sage, thyme, salt and pepper. Stir and reduce heat to low to simmer.

  • Brown sausage in skillet, drain if necessary then add to vegetable mixture. Place bread cubes into a large bowl and slowly pour mixture over cubes gently stirring throughout to ensure all pieces get coated. Taste a couple pieces and season with additional salt and pepper according to taste. I added a few more pinches of kosher salt and pepper at this point.

  • Divide stuffing into a 9×13 inch baking dish and a 11×7 inch baking dish (if needing more room). Bake for 25-30 minutes, until just golden brown on top. Should still be nice and moist. Remove from oven and serve!

Nutrition

Calories: 457kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 78mg | Sodium: 1013mg | Potassium: 402mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 3265IU | Vitamin C: 9.7mg | Calcium: 86mg | Iron: 2.8mg

Keywords: best stuffing recipe, easy stuffing recipe, homemade stuffing, homemade stuffing recipe, how to make stuffing, stuffing recipe sausage, stuffing recipe thanksgiving, stuffing recipe with sausage, thanksgiving stuffing

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The Best Stuffing Recipe Ever | Thanksgiving Stuffing Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What can I add to stuffing for more flavor? ›

Fruit, especially dried fruit like raisins, cranberries, figs and apricots can seriously improve a dreary box of stuffing. That bit of sweetness plays beautifully with other flavors on the table. I've found that fresh fruits like apples and pears are stellar as well.

Should I put egg in my stuffing? ›

The most important ingredient of stuffing may be the binder, which keeps all the other elements in place. For a fluffy texture, use eggs. Stock is the most-used binder. Less conventional possibilities include fruit juice (such as apple or orange) and alcohol (wine or liqueur).

What is traditional stuffing made of? ›

Classic stuffing made with bread cubes, seasonings, and held together with chicken stock and eggs. A holiday staple!

Is stock or broth better for stuffing? ›

Homemade stock is the best, but if you don't have homemade, a good store bought stock will work as well. If you use a store bought stock, try to buy one with no/low sodium. I personally have started using bone broth in my stuffing and LOVE it.

Should you stir stuffing? ›

The bread in the stuffing absorbs moisture, but if it's dry (as it should be, see above), it takes some time for the liquid to settle in. I suggest adding a little at a time, say 1 cup of broth for every 4 cups of dry mix. Give it a good stir, then let it sit for a minute. The stuffing should be moist but not wet.

Is it better to make stuffing the 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).

Can you mess up stuffing? ›

Your Bread Is Too Fresh

There's nothing better than soft, fresh bread—except for when it comes to stuffing. If you want your stuffing to hold up and not end up a soupy, soggy mess, make sure your bread is dried out or staled for a few days.

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 is the best type of bread for stuffing? ›

#1: White Sandwich Bread

Flavor: We were very happy with the flavor—the white bread acts as a sort of blank, neutral palate with a very mild sweetness that allows the richness of the broth, the sage-iness of the sausage, and the vegetables to really shine through.

How wet should stuffing be before baking? ›

We recommend adding stock a little at a time--1/2 cup to 1 cup, depending on how much stuffing you're making--and waiting for the bread to absorb the liquid before adding more. Once the bread is moist but not sitting in a pool of stock, it's ready.

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 can't you refrigerate uncooked stuffing? ›

USDA recommends that you never refrigerate uncooked stuffing. Why? Remember, stuffing can harbor bacteria, and though bacteria grow slower in the refrigerator they can cause problems because stuffing is a good medium for bacteria growth, therefore a higher risk food in terms of cooking safely.

Why is my stuffing always dry? ›

"A dry stuffing or dressing is usually dry after baking simply because the recipe lacked enough moisture or fat," confirms Bridget Lancaster, executive editorial director at America's Test Kitchen.

How do you spice up a bland stuffing? ›

Cooking your onions down before adding the allium to your stuffing will add an unexpected sweetness and nuttiness to the dish. They pair well with other flavor amplifiers like chopped sausage, sage, apples, and brown butter. Caramelizing your onions properly will take time, but it's worth the effort.

What are the flavors of stove top stuffing? ›

There are a variety of flavors, including Chicken, Lower Sodium Chicken, Cornbread, Pork, Beef, Savory Herbs, Traditional Sage, Tomato & Onion, San Francisco Sourdough, Mushroom & Onion, Long Grain & Wild Rice and Roasted Garlic, Turkey, Apple and Cranberry.

How do you make stuffing less gummy? ›

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.

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