Classic Thanksgiving Stuffing
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This will be the only stuffing recipe you will ever need! So much fresh herbs and so buttery. It’s simply the best EVER!
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Turkey shmurkey. The only thing I truly look forward to during Thanksgiving time is the stuffing. That and the pumpkin cheesecake. But we’ll get to that a little later.
IS IT STUFFING OR DRESSING?
Stuffing is cooked inside the turkey, soaking up all the juices. Dressing is typically cooked separately from the turkey in a casserole dish with additional liquid. The two terms are used interchangeably, and it really depends on who you’re asking. This recipe is technically a dressing as we are not stuffing our turkey.
Ingredients
Bread
The bread used in your stuffing is key here. We recommend using crusty bread such as a sourdough loaf.
Breakfast sausage
Our secret ingredient as it is already perfectly seasoned! Italian sausage is also a great option.
Butter
A must-have in all your holiday recipes.
Garlic, onion and celery
Keeping it real with all the classic ingredients, all cooked in butter until fragrant and tender.
Fresh Herbs
This is a great chance to use up all your fresh herbs (from your turkey and other side dishes). Dried herbs can also be substituted in a pinch.
Chicken stock
Or turkey stock! The better quality your stock, the better your stuffing. Homemade stock is even better.
The stuffing though – holy moly. Smothered in some turkey gravy with an afternoon nap – that right there is the holy grail. And why mess with a classic, right? If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
So that’s what we have here. A true classic made with perfectly toasted sourdough bread, so much fresh herbs, and all the buttery goodness one can hope for (mixed in with some of the sausage pan drippings, of course).
TIPS AND TRICKS FOR SUCCESS
- Use day old bread. Stale 1-2 day old bread (such as a sourdough loaf) is ideal here to soak up all the liquid.
- Make it vegetarian. This recipe can easily be converted for our vegetarian friends, omitting the sausage and substituting vegetable stock for the chicken stock.
- Prep the night before. Stuffing is one of those great sides that you can prep ahead of time, assembling everything the night before, allowing all the flavors to come together overnight.
WHAT TO SERVE WITH Thanksgiving STUFFING
Classic Thanksgiving Stuffing: Frequently Asked Questions
A crusty bread, such as a sourdough loaf, is ideal here. Avoid overly soft breads as it can result in soggy stuffing (or dressing). For something a little different, we also love this cornbread stuffing.
Sweet Italian sausage would be a great sub!
Absolutely! But because dried herbs are often more potent/concentrated than fresh herbs, you need less when using dry. The correct ratio is 1 tablespoon fresh herbs to 1 teaspoon dried herbs.
Yes! This can be made and assembled the night before, letting it come to room temperature for about 30 minutes prior to baking, adding a splash of chicken stock (or turkey juices) to keep from drying out.
Classic Thanksgiving Stuffing
Ingredients
- 1 (16-ounce) loaf sourdough bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound breakfast sausage
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 sweet onion, diced
- 2 ribs celery, diced
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage leaves
- 1 ½ tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 ½ cups chicken stock
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly oil a 9 x 13 baking dish or coat with nonstick spray.
- Spread bread cubes in a single layer on a baking sheet. Place into oven and bake until crisp and golden, about 10-13 minutes; set aside.
- Heat olive oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add sausage and cook until browned, about 5-8 minutes, making sure to crumble the sausage as it cooks. Transfer sausage to a paper towel-lined plate.
- Melt butter in the skillet. Add garlic, onion and celery, and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 4-5 minutes. Stir in parsley, sage, thyme and rosemary until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Remove from heat. Stir in bread and sausage; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Stir in chicken stock until absorbed and well combined. Let stand 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until liquid is absorbed.*
- Spread bread mixture into the prepared baking dish. Place into oven and bake until top is browned, about 30-35 minutes.
- Serve immediately.
Video
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
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I adore this recipe so much! This works well with gluten free stuffing mix as well. This year, I’m going to try adding a chopped apple to it, and see how it goes.
This was AMAZING! I always make a recipe as is for the first time. It was excellent the way it is written. I think I would prefer less sausage- that is not to say their is anything wrong with the recipe itself- again, just my preference!
This was not supposed to go here; don’t know why it did that
This is my mother’s delicious recipe exactly but w/out the sausage. Who needs sausage in stuffing when you’re already eating turkey?
This stuffing looks great but I do not eat meat. Do you think I could substitute you delicious brown butter mushrooms for the sausage? Thanks so much. I love your site!
Yes! But please use your best judgement when making substitutions and modifications. I hope it turns out!
Wow, substituting the sausage with the brown butter mushrooms is a brilliant idea!!!
How did the mushroom substitution for sausage turn out? Did you make any other tweaks?
No, No! Never make the stuffing the day before if you are going to put it in the turkey as stuffing. If it is cold and is used as stuffing, it will not cook thoroughly. That is when people become ill. However, if one is going to put this in a casserole to bake separately, prepping it the day before will be all right as long as the casserole will not be so full that the entire breading mix does not bake thoroughly. If you make this entirely on Thanksgiving, the stuffing will be warm from cooking the sausage, onions, and celery and using warmed broth. You are making turkey broth with the giblets, right? Why would you use chicken broth when it is so easy to make turkey broth?
Cynthia, yes, you can absolutely make stuffing ahead of time, but if that is not what you prefer, you can make it the day of. If one does not have access to turkey broth, they can use chicken broth. It’s as simple (and easy) as that! 🙂
Have a great Thanksgiving!
If anyone is looking for turkey broth I just got some from Trader Joe’s. I’m in Mission Viejo, CA
I’ve made my stuffing like this for forty or more years,it never disappoints! Mmmmmm good!!
That’s great!
Thank you for sharing this when you did! I was going to combine and modify your stove top and apple walnut recipes to make a classic stuffing dish. This is exactly what I was looking for! I love you recipes, Damn Delicious is my go-to recipe box!
Oh perfect timing!
Reheating directions??
If you are making this ahead of time, you can proceed with step 6, adding a few more minutes to make sure the stuffing has been heated through.
Hi! I’m looking forward to making this for thanksgiving. One question though. If I were to prepare this the day before as noted, would I add the chicken stock as well and let it sit in the fridge overnight? Would that make it mushy when cooked the next day?
Not at all! 🙂