This Casserole Is a Thanksgiving Family-Favorite

Whether you call it stuffing or dressing, this dish satisfies all the flavors of Thanksgiving. Diane Rossen Worthington/TNS

In my home, stuffing is a highly prized part of the holiday dinner. I make at least two, and it never gets rotated out of the menu must-haves.

Select a favorite cornbread that is not too sweet. Toast the cornbread cubes in a 325-degree oven for 20 to 30 minutes or until lightly browned. Reserve a quarter cup to crumble for the topping.

Canned water chestnuts and crisp celery impart a crunchy contrast to the smooth stuffing texture and pay homage to my mom’s simple stuffing recipe. You can substitute toasted pecans for the water chestnuts if you prefer. If you like a more complex stuffing, omit the red pepper and water chestnuts, and add 1/2-pound cooked chicken and apple sausage, 1/2 cup finely chopped dried apricots, 1/2 cup dried cranberries, and some roasted chestnuts. Add up to 1/2 cup extra melted butter and 1/2 cup chicken stock. This recipe will stuff a 16-pound bird with enough left over to fill a medium casserole.

As a Seriously Simple cook, serving this right out of the casserole dish makes sense. If you want to be a bit more daring, you can mold the crusty cornbread mixture into a loaf pan shape; once baked, remove from the pan onto a platter and add a parsley garnish or assorted roasted winter vegetables alongside. Make sure to have both a flat serving spatula and a large serving spoon on hand for serving. Serve with turkey, chicken, or duck. Happy Thanksgiving!

Cornbread, Leek, and Red Pepper Casserole

Serves 8 to 10

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 3 medium leeks, cleaned, light green and white part only, finely chopped
• 4 celery ribs, sliced
• 1 pound cremini mushrooms, sliced
• 1 medium red pepper seeded and diced into 1/2-inch pieces
• 2 medium garlic cloves, minced
• 6 1/4 cups favorite cornbread, cubed and toasted
• 1 (8-ounce) can sliced water chestnuts, rinsed well and drained
• 1/2 cup finely chopped parsley
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh sage leaves or 1/2 teaspoon dried
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme leaves or 1/2 teaspoon dried
• 1/2 cup chicken or turkey stock
• 4 tablespoons melted unsalted butter, divided
• 2 tablespoons crumbled cornbread
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley, for garnish

In a large skillet, melt 2 tablespoons butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil on medium heat. Sauté the leeks, stirring frequently, until they are softened, about 5 minutes. Remove the leeks to a large mixing bowl.

Melt the remaining butter and olive oil in the skillet and sauté the celery and mushrooms until they are slightly softened. Add the red pepper and garlic, and sauté for a few more minutes, making sure the red pepper is still firm. Transfer to the large mixing bowl.

Add 6 cups of the cornbread, 1 can water chestnuts, the parsley, pepper, salt, sage, and thyme to the stuffing and mix well. Slowly add the stock and 3 tablespoons of the melted butter to the stuffing. Mix carefully, making sure that the stuffing is moist but not too compact, especially if you are planning to stuff the turkey. Taste for seasoning.

Grease a 9.5-inch-by-5.5-inch loaf pan (or a 3-quart baking/casserole dish) and transfer the stuffing into it. The stuffing can be compacted because it will not expand in the pan. Crush the remaining 1/4 cup cornbread into crumbles and sprinkle on top and drizzle with the remaining tablespoon of melted butter. Cover the stuffing well with foil.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Bake the stuffing for 1 hour. Remove foil cover for the last 15 minutes of baking to create a crunchy topping. If using a loaf pan, unmold the stuffing onto a platter and then reverse it onto a rectangular platter so that the brown side is right-side up. Garnish with parsley and serve immediately. A cake slicer works best for serving. Otherwise, serve right from the casserole dish and garnish with chopped parsley.

Make ahead: This casserole can be prepared two days in advance through Step 3, covered and refrigerated. Remove from the refrigerator 1 hour ahead of baking.