Our Best Thanksgiving Stuffing and Dressing Recipes

Whether you cook yours in the bird or bake it on the side, stuffing is a holiday must-have. There's no shortage of ways to make this crowd-pleasing classic so we’ve rounded up all our best ideas — to help you prepare the perfect feast!

October 11, 2021

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Herb and Apple Stuffing

Ina cooks her savory-sweet stuffing inside the turkey for maximum flavor.

Get the Recipe: Herb and Apple Stuffing

Ciabatta Stuffing with Chestnuts and Pancetta

For Giada's Italian-style Thanksgiving, she makes stuffing with rustic ciabatta bread mixed with sauteed vegetables and salty pancetta. The earthy chestnuts and savory Parmesan cheese make the dish extra special.

Get the Recipe: Ciabatta Stuffing with Chestnuts and Pancetta

Air Fryer Sausage Stuffing

Whether you're looking for a smaller recipe or just want an overall simplified method, this air fryer sausage stuffing checks all the boxes. We went super classic, using sliced white bread (that's even toasted in the air fryer!), celery, garlic and fresh herbs like sage and thyme. The entire dish comes together in less than hour, making this the perfect stuffing for a low-key Thanksgiving gathering.

Get the Recipe: Air Fryer Sausage Stuffing

Herb Stuffing with Dried Fruit

This bread stuffing with mixed dried fruit, sage, thyme and parsley makes a great accompaniment for roast turkey.

Get the Recipe: Herb Stuffing with Dried Fruit

Sage Dressing

Earthy wild mushrooms, as well as dried sage and thyme, give Bobby's dressing a deep, rustic flavor.

Get the Recipe: Sage Dressing

Caramelized Onion and Cornbread Stuffing

Tyler uses sweet corn muffins to make this stuffing, mixing it with caramelized onions and fresh sage.

Get the Recipe: Caramelized Onion and Cornbread Stuffing

Cranberry-Pecan Wild Rice Stuffing

Mix dried apricots and dried cranberries into this thyme-scented stuffing with crunchy pecans.

Get the Recipe: Cranberry-Pecan Wild Rice Stuffing

The Best Stuffing

There's something for everyone in our festive stuffing. It's filled with satisfying ingredients like sausage and mushrooms, plus classic Thanksgiving flavors like onion, celery and lots of chopped herbs. We like it best when baked in a casserole dish and served alongside the turkey. This is also the safest way to prepare it.

Get the Recipe: The Best Stuffing

Pretzel Stuffing

Traditional meets tangy with Molly’s pretzel stuffing. She complements the flavor of salty pretzel rolls by incorporating beer, bacon and Dijon mustard.

Get the Recipe: Pretzel Stuffing

Sausage Cornbread Stuffing

Don't add the chopped garlic to the hot pan at the same time as your vegetables or it will burn. Instead, add it in with the sausage once the vegetables have been cooked and the heat has been lowered — you'll still get all the same wonderful aromatics in your stuffing.

Get the Recipe: Sausage Cornbread Stuffing

Vegan Stuffing

All the usual suspects are here (minus the butter and eggs) to recreate the comforting flavors of traditional stuffing. Although green tea may seem like an oddball ingredient, the earthy flavor makes it a better replacement for chicken stock than vegetable stock, which can be too sweet and high in sodium.

Get the Recipe: Vegan Stuffing

Sage, Sausage and Apple Stuffing

This super-simple recipe uses store-bought stuffing cubes and seasoned sausage for convenience and flavor.

Get the Recipe: Sage, Sausage and Apple Dressing

Plantain Stuffing

Caramelized plantains lend a rich sweetness to Sunny’s cornbread stuffing.

Get the Recipe: Plantain Stuffing

World's Best Cornbread Stuffing

Easy and full of flavor from spicy sausage and fresh herbs, this dressing is like a savory bread pudding, the perfect addition to any Turkey Day spread.

Get the Recipe: World's Best Cornbread Stuffing

Turkey Sausage and Chestnut Stuffing

Giada’s Italian-style stuffing is made with sweet turkey sausage and jarred chestnuts, plus diced apples and dried cranberries for a little sweetness.

Get the Recipe: Raffy's Turkey Sausage and Chestnut Stuffing

Sausage, Apple and Walnut Stuffing

Anne's stuffing is crunchy, sweet and savory, with a little kick from spicy sausage and garlic.

Get the Recipe: Sausage, Apple, and Walnut Stuffing

Cornbread Dressing with Pancetta, Apples and Mushrooms

Ree uses three kinds of bread — cornbread, French bread and ciabatta — to add layers of texture and flavor to her stuffing.

Get the Recipe: Cornbread Dressing with Pancetta, Apples, and Mushrooms

Sausage and Herb Stuffing

Sweet and savory, Ina's stuffing is bursting with fall flavors, with tart apples and dried cranberries mixed with savory sausage. You can use white or sourdough bread, but Ina likes using a French boule, a traditional round loaf.

Get the Recipe: Sausage and Herb Stuffing

Chorizo and Collard Green Dressing

After your chorizo has been cooking for a bit, add the rest of your vegetables to the same pot so that they soak up all the spicy flavor.

Get the Recipe: Pat's Chorizo and Collard Green Dressing

Bacon-Parmesan Stuffing

Looking for a Thanksgiving shortcut? Prepare this cheesy bacon stuffing a few days beforehand, then keep it in the fridge until you’re ready to bake. If it looks a little dry, a drizzle of broth or melted butter will do the trick.

Get the Recipe: Bacon-Parmesan Stuffing

Sourdough, Wild Mushroom and Bacon Dressing

Make sure to add plenty of chicken stock to your dressing before putting it in the oven to make sure it stays moist. You can also add more before serving to give the dressing a richer, juicier dimension.

Get the Recipe: Sourdough, Wild Mushroom, and Bacon Dressing

Cornbread Stuffing with Apples and Sausage

Dress up store-bought cornbread stuffing with cooked veggies, Italian sausage, tart apples, fresh herbs, crunchy pecans and a touch of bourbon.

Get the Recipe: Cornbread Stuffing with Apples and Sausage

Basic Stuffing

If you love to improvise then this recipe is for you! It's the perfect base for all your favorite add-ins.

Get the Recipe: Basic Stuffing

Cornbread Stuffing

Michael binds his stuffing with a rich cream and egg mixture, instead of just regular chicken stock, so it becomes like a savory bread pudding.

Get the Recipe: Cornbread Stuffing

Three-Bread Stuffing

Upgrade prepackaged, pre-seasoned cornbread stuffing for a super-quick, semi-homemade version of a Thanksgiving staple.

Get the Recipe: Three-Bread Stuffing

Wild Rice and Goat Cheese Dressing

Bobby's Throwdown twist on stuffing uses wild rice, along with spicy chorizo and tangy goat cheese.

Get the Recipe: Wild Rice and Goat Cheese Dressing

Panettone Stuffing

Add an Italian twist to this American favorite by using soft, slightly sweet panettone bread as the base for his Thanksgiving dressing.

Get the Recipe: Panettone Stuffing

Oyster Stuffing

This recipe combines tender oysters, crumbled cornbread and juicy bacon for a stuffing your guests will surely demand year after year. To save time, try to find already shucked oysters in their liquor (juice) in small plastic tubs at your local supermarket or seafood monger.

Get the Recipe: Oyster Stuffing

Pear-Pecan Stuffing

Classic fall flavors explode in this stuffing, with bourbon-cooked pears and crunchy pecans.

Get the Recipe: Pear-Pecan Stuffing

Country Bread and Sage Dressing

Bobby's savory stuffing gets a small dose of heat from chunks of hot Italian sausage.

Get the Recipe: Country Bread and Sage Dressing

Classic Gluten-Free Stuffing

Gluten-free bread cubes are the only special ingredient you'll need to pull off this classic stuffing recipe. Sauteed celery, onions and a generous dose of herbs produce the savory results you're used to tasting.

Get the Recipe: Classic Gluten-Free Stuffing

Cornbread Stuffing

“My grandma made homemade cornbread every night for dinner, so this stuffing is a nod to her tradition,” explains Katie Lee. “I eat so much of it!” Her recipe makes extra herb butter; use it later, or follow Katie’s lead and rub it on your turkey.

Get the Recipe: Cornbread Stuffing

Apple and Onion Stuffin' Muffins

For a quick "Thanksgiving in 60," Rachael uses dolled-up stuffing mix as the base for quick-cooking, individual stuffing muffins.

Get the Recipe: Apple and Onion Stuffin' Muffins

Squash-Shiitake Stuffing

This can't-miss stuffing mixes shiitake mushrooms sauteed in butter with cubes of butternut squash, all pulled together with sourdough bread and a touch of apple cider.

Get the Recipe: Squash-Shiitake Stuffing

Mushroom Brioche Stuffing

A variety of mushrooms adds a meaty texture to this stuffing that both carnivores and vegetarians can enjoy.

Get the Recipe: Mushroom Brioche Stuffing

Cornbread Stuffing with Ham

This stuffing is layered with flavor. Ham adds a salty element to sweet cornbread and bitter mustard greens.

Get the Recipe: Cornbread Stuffing with Ham

Italian Sausage Stuffing

This sausage stuffing is destined to become an annual recipe. It's the classic creation amped up with sweet Italian sausage and baked to perfection.

Get the Recipe: Italian Sausage Stuffing

Rice Stuffing with Butternut Squash

For anyone who's skipping out on bread, a rice stuffing provides an easy altervative. This one is loaded with butternut squash, leeks and cranberries.

Get the Recipe: Rice Stuffing with Butternut Squash

Deviled Crab Stuffing

Seafood lovers will fall in love with this simple stuffing made with lump crab meat. We like to think of it as Thanksgiving's crab cake.

Get the Recipe: Deviled Crab Stuffing

Southern Stuffing

Ree's stuffing is made with herbed cornbread and salty bacon. It pairs perfectly with a lightly-seasoned turkey.

Get the Recipe: Southern Stuffing

Butternut Squash-Mushroom Stuffing

Dinner guests will get another serving of veggies out of this hearty side dish. Butternut squash, mushrooms and collard greens come together with spices and whole-grain bread for something on the healthier side.

Get the Recipe: Butternut Squash-Mushroom Stuffing

Cornbread-Andouille Stuffing

Swap in andouille sausage for country ham in this Southern-style suffing. Crumbly cornbread sops up all the delicious drippings from the turkey, too.

Get the Recipe: Cornbread-Andouille Stuffing

Rosemary Focaccia Stuffing with Pancetta

Cheese lovers everywhere will dive into this Italian-inspired stuffing. Cubes of fontina cheese add a creamy texture to herbed focaccia and salty pancetta.

Get the Recipe: Rosemary Focaccia Stuffing with Pancetta

Fennel-Sausage Stuffing

This is a classic, standby stuffing, with fresh fennel and diced apple adding crunch and fall flavors.

Get the Recipe: Fennel-Sausage Stuffing

Holiday Cornbread Stuffing

This stuffing has a special ingredient (bacon) which makes it a total stand-out recipe. Save time by using store-bought corn bread stuffing mix.

Get the Recipe: Neely's Holiday Cornbread Stuffing

Brown Bread Stuffing with Fruit

Use diced whole wheat bread for this stuffing that it filled with dried apples and dried cherries.

Get the Recipe: Brown Bread Stuffing with Fruit

Sourdough Bread Stuffing

This classic stuffing is full of flavor, with sourdough bread, mushrooms and lots of herbs.

Get the Recipe: Sourdough Bread Stuffing

Chorizo and Cornbread Stuffing

Aarón Sanchez makes Mexican flavors sing in this Thanksgiving staple. Cornbread, vegetables and herbs fry up with chorizo before going into the oven. As a garnish, cilantro and cojito cheese add a layer of hearty Mexican flair.

Get the Recipe: Chorizo and Cornbread Stuffing

Collard-Cornbread Stuffing

For a Southern spin on classic cornbread stuffing, mix in andouille sausage and some chopped collard greens.

Get the Recipe: Collard-Cornbread Stuffing

Brioche-Pear Stuffing with Italian Sausage and Almonds

Try this savory yet sweet stuffing for a mix of light, fluffy bread, hearty sausage and lots of Italian seasonings like sage, thyme and parsley.

Get the Recipe: Brioche-Pear Stuffing With Italian Sausage and Almonds

Slider Thanksgiving Stuffing

This copycat White Castle stuffing recipe combines two American favorites: hamburgers and stuffing. Packed with flavor and fun, it's sure to shake up your holiday table.

Get the Recipe: Slider Thanksgiving Stuffing

Semolina Bread-Apple Stuffing with Dried Cranberries and Apricots

Try a fruit-filled stuffing this Thanksgiving for bright flavors and bold chunks of apple, cranberry and apricot mixed with leeks.

Get the Recipe: Semolina Bread-Apple Stuffing With Dried Cranberries and Apricots

Challah Bread- Mushroom Stuffing with Wild Rice and Raisins

Light, airy challah gets an earthy makeover when you add mushrooms, raisins and wild rice.

Get the Recipe: Challah Bread- Mushroom Stuffing With Wild Rice and Raisins

Potato Bread-Kale Stuffing with Andouille Sausage

Add kale to your stuffing for an extra serving of greens with potato bread and andouille sausage.

Get the Recipe: Potato Bread-Kale Stuffing With Andouille Sausage

Homemade Three Meat Stuffing

This rich and hearty stuffing is made with beef, pork and Italian sausage — perfect for the meat lovers in your family.

Get the Recipe: Homemade Three Meat Stuffing

Apple and Onion Stuffin'

Save time and money by keeping the ends of your old loaves of bread and using them as the base of your stuffing. They will also create a crispier, heartier dish.

Get the Recipe: Apple and Onion Stuffin'

Tortilla Chip-Chorizo Stuffing

A Mexican-inspired take on classic stuffing combines queso fresco cheese, tortilla chips and fresh cilantro with more traditional ingredients like chicken broth and bread cubes.

Get the Recipe: Tortilla Chip-Chorizo Stuffing

Tamale Stuffing

This stuffing is filled with unique ingredients. Skip traditional stuffing vegetables and feature poblano chiles, chipotle chiles and ripe plantains.

Get the Recipe: Tamale Stuffing

Multigrain Stuffing with Nuts and Dried Fruit

Use multigrain bread cubes for this hearty stuffing that's filled with nuts and dried fruit.

Get the Recipe: Multigrain Stuffing With Nuts and Dried Fruit

Cornbread Stuffing with Shrimp and Ham

Cornbread and white bread mix with shrimp and ham, and get great flavor from Old Bay Seasoning, tarragon and thyme.

Get the Recipe: Cornbread Stuffing With Shrimp and Ham

5-Ingredient Sausage Brioche Dressing

Sweet, buttery brioche adds richness to this quick and easy dressing.

Get the Recipe: Sausage Brioche Dressing

Gluten-Free Raisin-Rye Cornbread Sausage Stuffing

Savory stuffing made with gluten-free rye and cornbread keeps gluten-free guests from missing out on one of Thanksgiving's most highly anticipated dishes. Both can be found in grocery stores with gluten-free options — but better yet, bake some gluten-free cornbread and use the extra for the stuffing.

Get the Recipe: Gluten-Free Raisin-Rye Cornbread Sausage Stuffing

Sausage and Kale Stuffing

There’s only one thing that could upgrade this simple rustic stuffing made with hearty kale and sweet Italian sausage: cheese. Folding in cubes of provolone creates pockets of cheesy, melty goodness.

Get the Recipe: Sausage and Kale Stuffing

Mushroom-Sourdough Stuffing

Adding porcini mushrooms provides earthy, rich flavors and also guarantees a moist stuffing.

Get the Recipe: Mushroom-Sourdough Stuffing

Chestnut-Apple-Cherry Stuffing

Cubed brioche adds a subtle buttery decadence while dried cherries bring an unexpected tartness to an otherwise traditional Thanksgiving stuffing.

Get the Recipe: Chestnut-Apple-Cherry Stuffing

Brussels Sprouts-Bacon Stuffing

One way to get everyone to eat their Brussels sprouts? Add bacon! No one will be able to resist this tasty, salty side.

Get the Recipe: Brussels Sprouts-Bacon Stuffing

Cornbread-Bacon Stuffing

Just as bacon-speckled cornbread is a glorious thing, so is cornbread-bacon stuffing. For the bread base, use equal amounts of cubed cornbread and potato bread to keep the dish from seeming too heavy.

Get the Recipe: Cornbread-Bacon Stuffing

Sourdough and Hazelnut Stuffing

Rosemary, currants and hazelnuts work together to give this crowd-pleasing dish a sophisticated fall flavor.

Get the Recipe: Sourdough and Hazelnut Stuffing

Apple-Raisin Stuffing

Savory sourdough and pumpernickel bread are the perfect complement to the sweetness of the apples and raisins in this stuffing recipe.

Get the Recipe: Apple-Raisin Stuffing

Sausage and Kale Thanksgiving Dressing

This fancy dressing from Food Network Magazine uses onion focaccia as the base, then layers on flavor with Italian fennel sausage, butternut squash, kale and Parmesan cheese.

Get the Recipe: Sausage and Kale Thanksgiving Dressing

Individual Sausage Stuffing

Dress up a stuffing mix for fast and impressive results. Individual servings in ramekins or muffin tins bake faster than a whole pan of stuffing, plus they're cute additions to the Thanksgiving table.

Get the Recipe: Individual Sausage Stuffing

Cheesy Mushroom Stuffing

Melty fontina and sharp white cheddar give this stuffing something extra special.

Get the Recipe: Cheesy Mushroom Stuffing

Oyster and Bacon Stuffing

This dish is a classic on New England Thanksgiving tables and this recipe comes straight from a Massachusetts-based chef.

Get the Recipe: Oyster and Bacon Stuffing

Italian Antipasti Stuffing

If you're looking for something to swap in for your traditional sausage stuffing, this recipe is it. With two kinds of meat, pickled veggies and sharp provolone cheese, it definitely hits the spot.

Get the Recipe: Italian Antipasti Stuffing

Bacon, Prune and Chestnut Stuffing

Take a cue from the Northwest and share this unique chestnut stuffing with your guests this year. Plus, who can resist more bacon?

Get the Recipe: Bacon, Prune and Chestnut Stuffing

Southern Stuffing

Ree bakes up her special herbed cornbread to create her southern style stuffing.

Get the Recipe: Southern Stuffing

Chorizo, Kale and Cornbread Stuffing

Fresh kale and bell pepper add perfect pops of color to this traditional Southern dish.

Get the Recipe: Chorizo, Kale and Cornbread Stuffing

Crawfish Cornbread Dressing

Crawfish and cornbread are iconic ingredients in the South and they come together in this reinvented classic.

Get the Recipe: Crawfish Dressing

Bacon-Jalapeno Stuffing

Stuffing goes Southwest with this recipe, which has a healthy dose of pepper jack cheese and chili powder in addition to jalapenos.

Get the Recipe: Bacon-Jalapeno Stuffing

Chorizo-Green Chile Stuffing

Hatch chiles are grown exclusively in the Hatch Valley of New Mexico and they bring some heat to this meaty side.

Get the Recipe: Chorizo-Green Chile Stuffing

Stuffing with Golden Raisins and Walnuts

Want to add a sweet note to traditional stuffing? Try adding golden raisins.

Get the Recipe: Stuffing with Golden Raisins and Walnuts

Delicious Doctored Dressing

Who ever said you have to make your Thanksgiving dressing completely from scratch? Upgrade your boxed stuffing this year with Ree’s easy “doctored” dressing instead.

Get the Recipe: Delicious Doctored Dressing

Cast-Iron Oyster and Cornbread Stuffing

Growing up in the mid-Atlantic region, my family has always included oysters as a big part of our dining table. This recipe is the perfect way to incorporate these typically uncooked gems into the traditional Thanksgiving spread and pay homage to the early Black oyster farmers of America. The briny and buttery flavor combined with the sweet cornbread is sure to be the talk of the table!

Get the Recipe: Cast-Iron Oyster and Cornbread Stuffing

Pineapple Stuffing

This nostalgic stuffing is almost like dessert that can be enjoyed during the meal (and after if you want). We’ve added a little vanilla here since it pairs well with the pineapple and is especially great with ham, balancing the sweet with the savory.

Get the Recipe: Pineapple Stuffing

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Thanksgiving

Our Best Thanksgiving Stuffing and Dressing Recipes

Related To:

Herb and Apple Stuffing

Ciabatta Stuffing with Chestnuts and Pancetta

Air Fryer Sausage Stuffing

Herb Stuffing with Dried Fruit

Sage Dressing

Caramelized Onion and Cornbread Stuffing

Cranberry-Pecan Wild Rice Stuffing

The Best Stuffing

Pretzel Stuffing

Sausage Cornbread Stuffing

Vegan Stuffing

Sage, Sausage and Apple Stuffing

Plantain Stuffing

World's Best Cornbread Stuffing

Turkey Sausage and Chestnut Stuffing

Sausage, Apple and Walnut Stuffing

Cornbread Dressing with Pancetta, Apples and Mushrooms

Sausage and Herb Stuffing

Chorizo and Collard Green Dressing

Bacon-Parmesan Stuffing

Sourdough, Wild Mushroom and Bacon Dressing

Cornbread Stuffing with Apples and Sausage

Basic Stuffing

Cornbread Stuffing

Three-Bread Stuffing

Wild Rice and Goat Cheese Dressing

Panettone Stuffing

Oyster Stuffing

Pear-Pecan Stuffing

Country Bread and Sage Dressing

Classic Gluten-Free Stuffing

Cornbread Stuffing

Apple and Onion Stuffin' Muffins

Squash-Shiitake Stuffing

Mushroom Brioche Stuffing

Cornbread Stuffing with Ham

Italian Sausage Stuffing

Rice Stuffing with Butternut Squash

Deviled Crab Stuffing

Southern Stuffing

Butternut Squash-Mushroom Stuffing

Cornbread-Andouille Stuffing

Rosemary Focaccia Stuffing with Pancetta

Fennel-Sausage Stuffing

Holiday Cornbread Stuffing

Brown Bread Stuffing with Fruit

Sourdough Bread Stuffing

Chorizo and Cornbread Stuffing

Collard-Cornbread Stuffing

Brioche-Pear Stuffing with Italian Sausage and Almonds

Slider Thanksgiving Stuffing

Semolina Bread-Apple Stuffing with Dried Cranberries and Apricots

Challah Bread- Mushroom Stuffing with Wild Rice and Raisins

Potato Bread-Kale Stuffing with Andouille Sausage

Homemade Three Meat Stuffing

Apple and Onion Stuffin'

Tortilla Chip-Chorizo Stuffing

Tamale Stuffing

Multigrain Stuffing with Nuts and Dried Fruit

Cornbread Stuffing with Shrimp and Ham

5-Ingredient Sausage Brioche Dressing

Gluten-Free Raisin-Rye Cornbread Sausage Stuffing

Sausage and Kale Stuffing

Mushroom-Sourdough Stuffing

Chestnut-Apple-Cherry Stuffing

Brussels Sprouts-Bacon Stuffing

Cornbread-Bacon Stuffing

Sourdough and Hazelnut Stuffing

Apple-Raisin Stuffing

Sausage and Kale Thanksgiving Dressing

Individual Sausage Stuffing

Cheesy Mushroom Stuffing

Oyster and Bacon Stuffing

Italian Antipasti Stuffing

Bacon, Prune and Chestnut Stuffing

Southern Stuffing