First, let’s address the elephant in the room: Is it stuffing or is it dressing?
Technically, if it’s not cooked inside the turkey, it’s dressing. For some unknown reason, though, over the past decade or two, stuffing has become the term of choice, no matter how it’s cooked. So that’s what I’m calling these three delightful versions of the holiday staple.
Over the years, I’ve taken many informal polls around the Thanksgiving dinner table. Hands down, stuffing always wins the “favorite dish” category, which makes me wonder why I don’t make it more often.
Typically, stuffing is made with ingredients you’re likely to have on hand, like bread, onions, broth, and lots of butter. And it’s usually fairly easy to pull together.
While most recipes call for “stale” or “day-old” bread, I find it to be too tough and leathery. I prefer bread that has been dried in the oven, as it has a crispier texture.
How much broth is added can be a controversial topic. Some people like their stuffing very moist. If you’re one of those people, feel free to add extra broth.
Classic Sausage and Fresh Herb Stuffing
Serves 8 to 10.- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for baking dish
- 1 1/2 pounds baguette loaf or hearty Italian bread, torn into 1-in. pieces (about 10 cups)
- 1 pound bulk breakfast sausage
- 2 medium yellow onions, chopped
- 1 cup thinly sliced celery
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh sage
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh thyme
- 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3 to 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth, divided
- 2 large eggs
Place bread pieces on a large, rimmed baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Stir and continue to bake for another 10 to 15 minutes, until the bread is crispy, but not browned. Remove from oven and set aside to cool.
Meanwhile, melt butter in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook, breaking up clumps with the back of a spoon, until no longer pink. Add the onions and celery and continue to cook for 6 to 8 minutes, until softened. Add the sage, thyme, salt and pepper, and cook for 1 minute more. Remove from heat.
Place the bread in a large bowl. Add the sausage mixture to the bowl. Drizzle 2 cups of broth over the mixture and toss gently, to combine.
Whisk eggs with 1 cup broth in a small bowl. Add to bread mixture; fold gently until thoroughly combined. Add more broth if mixture is too dry. Transfer to prepared baking dish, cover with foil, and bake until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center registers 160 degrees F, about 30 minutes.
Chorizo, Butternut Squash, and Cornbread Stuffing
Serves 8 to 10.Roasted butternut squash brings a hint of sweetness to this Southwest-inspired stuffing. Making your own cornbread ensures a hearty texture and not-too-sweet flavor.
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups cornmeal
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 3/4 cups whole milk
- 3 large eggs
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 2 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch cubes
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 1/4 teaspoon salt, divided
- 6 tablespoons butter
- 1 pound fresh chorizo sausage, casings removed
- 2 medium onions, chopped
- 2 large poblano peppers, stemmed, seeded, and chopped
- 3 chipotle chiles, finely chopped (from a can of chipotle chiles in adobo sauce)
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and 1 teaspoon salt. In another bowl, whisk together milk, 3 eggs, and melted butter. Whisk milk mixture into flour mixture until just combined. Pour batter into prepared dish. Bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 15 to 20 minutes. Leave oven at 425 degrees F.
Turn out hot cornbread onto rimmed baking sheet and immediately break into 1 1/2-inch pieces with two forks. Set aside. (Cooled, crumbled cornbread can be transferred to zip-top bag and stored at room temperature for up to 24 hours.)
To prepare the stuffing: Place butternut squash in a large bowl. Drizzle with oil, add 1/2 teaspoon salt and toss to coat. Arrange on a large, rimmed baking sheet and bake in 425-degree F oven for 20 minutes. Stir and continue baking for another 20 to 25 minutes, until tender and lightly browned. Remove from oven and set aside.
Melt 6 tablespoons butter in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chorizo sausage and cook, breaking up clumps with the back of a spoon, until no longer pink. Add the onions and poblano peppers and continue to cook for 6 to 8 minutes, until softened. Add chipotles, garlic, remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt and pepper, and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Transfer crumbled cornbread to a large bowl with sausage mixture and butternut squash. Add the broth, milk, and eggs and stir to combine. Transfer stuffing into the greased 9-by-13 baking dish (you can use the same one you baked the cornbread in).
Vegan Chestnut, Mushroom, and Sourdough Stuffing
Serves 6 to 8- 1 (14- to 16-ounce) sourdough loaf, torn into 1-inch pieces (about 9 cups)
- 1/2 cup vegan butter, plus 1/4 cup melted vegan butter
- 8 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, caps cut into 1/4-inch slices
- 10 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh sage
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 5 ounces roasted, peeled chestnuts, roughly chopped
- 1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans
- 2 1/2 to 3 cups vegetable stock
Place bread pieces on a large, rimmed baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Stir and continue to bake for another 10 to 15 minutes, until the bread is crispy, but not browned. Remove from oven and set aside to cool.
Meanwhile, melt 1/2 cup vegan butter in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over high heat. Add shiitake and cremini mushrooms and cook, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring, for about 3 minutes or until softened. Add wine, thyme, sage, salt and pepper, and continue to cook, stirring, until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
In a large bowl, combine bread and 1/4 cup melted vegan butter and toss to coat. Add mushroom mixture, chestnuts, and pecans to the bread. Drizzle 2 cups of vegetable broth over the top and gently toss to combine. Add a little more broth if the mixture is too dry.
Transfer to prepared dish and bake until top is browned and crisp, about 30 to 40 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes and serve.
