40 Stuffing Recipes for Thanksgiving (2024)

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40 Stuffing Recipes for Thanksgiving (1)

ByAlyssa Asaro

<i>Taste of Home</i>'s Editorial Process

Updated: Feb. 08, 2024

    You say stuffing, I say dressing, let's call the whole thing delicious! Whether you use bread, rice or cornbread, add sausage, apples or nuts, you'll find a stuffing recipe here that satisfies everyone around the table.

    Everyone’s Thanksgiving plates look different. Some have mac and cheese, others green beans. With endless options of festive casseroles, desserts and sides to decorate your tables, it’s rare to find two homes that are perfectly in sync. But there are a couple of constants that bind us during the holiday season.

    Stuffing and a big turkey are at almost every Thanksgiving table. They complement each other so well it’s hard to have one without the other. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t many ways to make your stuffing special. There are fruits in some, meat in others, and don’t even get us started on the types of bread you can use. But no matter how you make your stuffing, it’s just that; a binding agent not just for your meal, but the hearts gathered around the table.

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    Stuffing from the Slow Cooker

    If you’re hosting a big Thanksgiving dinner this year, add this simple slow-cooked stuffing to your menu to ease entertaining. It cooks in just three hours and stays moist. Best of all, it doesn’t use precious oven space.

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    Badger State Stuffing

    The contrasting sweet, savory and slightly tart flavors in this Thanksgiving classic are what make it so special. Bacon, fruit and sauerkraut give the stuffing a strong and memorable taste.

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    Sausage Bread Dressing

    This Italian sausage stuffing has some hidden sweetness. With apples and pecans, this must-have dish tastes just like fall.

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    Pecan-Cornbread Dressing

    Using cornbread stuffing mix cuts down on the time it takes to prep this smoky stuffing. Bacon and pecans give it a savory and sweet mix that’ll perfectly complement your other Thanksgiving dishes.

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    Savory Zucchini Bread Pudding

    This stuffing hits all the best flavor notes; savory, sweet and cheesy. Canned pumpkin and cinnamon work to make an aromatic and colorful dish.

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    Hearty Rice Dressing

    The creamy beef and pork dish packs just the right amount of heat. With 50 servings, you’re going to want to invite everyone you know to dinner. Or cut the recipe in half!

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    Oyster Stuffing

    Beef and pork stuffings are tried and true, but if you’re looking to switch things up a bit this year, this is the recipe for you. Oyster lovers can leave them whole instead of chopping them up.

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    This dish has all the makings of smoky stuffing but with potatoes as the base instead of bread. If you have leftovers, top some with an over-easy egg for breakfast.

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    Slow Cooker Bacon-Mushroom Dressing

    This stuffing cooks in the slow cooker while the turkey’s in the oven. It uses two types of prepackaged mix: cornbread and seasoned cubes.

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    Cheesy Bacon Ranch Potato Stuffing

    No gravy is required for this creamy mashed potato stuffing. This dressing is the combination of the two best Thanksgiving side dishes with some great add-ons like bacon and mushrooms.

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    Traditional Holiday Stuffing

    You can’t beat the classics. Sausage and sage add a gourmet taste to this classic stuffing.

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    Special Herb Dressing

    This satisfying dressing has all the great tastes people crave. With meat, fresh herbs, earthy mushrooms, crunchy apples and a burst of tart cranberries, this large-serve stuffing is great for a potluck.

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    Moist Poultry Dressing

    Mushrooms and onions complement the big herb flavor in this stuffing. The slow cooker lends a hand to how it stays so moist.

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    Cranberry Pecan Stuffing

    Cranberries and pork really make this stuffing something special. The pecans add just the right amount of sweetness and crunch.

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    Wild Rice Stuffing

    Use up your giblets in this buttery rice stuffing. It soaks up all the best flavors of your turkey and only bakes for 30 minutes.

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    Slow Cooker Mushroom Stuffing

    Put your slow cooker to work! This herby mushroom stuffing is vegetarian for any guests that require it.

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    Southern Cornbread Dressing

    This southern dressing has hard boiled eggs and turkey giblets woven into it for a nice blended taste. It turns out moist, hearty and ready for more turkey.

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    “Everything” Stuffing

    This stuffing really does have it all. From the earthiness of the mushrooms to the sweetness of the apples, you get every flavor profile without overshadowing any of them.

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    Grandma’s Cornbread Dressing

    This creamy chicken-flavored dressing is pillow-soft. You can chop up your Thanksgiving meat of choice into the dish.

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    Amber’s Sourdough Stuffing

    Sourdough is a nice change of pace from your usual prepackaged stuffing mixes. The natural tang blends nicely with the mushrooms and celery. This stuffing is great for a small night in, or you can double it for a larger crowd.

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    Rice Dressing

    This mushroom and chicken flavored rice dressing is a nice change of pace from traditional bread stuffings. It stays moist and can soak up lots of flavor.

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    Cranberry Cornmeal Dressing

    This sweet and tart dressing is perfect when paired with poultry or even pork. The dried cranberries really complement the dish’s turkey sausage.

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    Sausage and Cornbread Dressing

    A little steak sauce goes a long way in this dressing. Cornbread and cubed bread add a savory burst of flavor.

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    Raisin-Studded Apple Stuffing

    Raisins and tart apples adorn this satisfying sausage stuffing. With the soft bread and crisp apples, you’ll forget about the other side dishes entirely.

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    Apple-Cranberry Stuffing

    Fruit and wild rice make this sweet and tart dressing just a bit earthy. You can use any type of apple, but Granny Smith yields great results.

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    Grandma’s Poultry Dressing

    This poultry dressing requires simple ingredients that you probably already have on hand. Relying on the pork sausage flavor, this hearty stuffing goes great with any turkey.

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    Cornbread Dressing with Oysters

    This hard-boiled egg and oyster dressing is not short on flavor. It cooks separately from the turkey, since cooking stuffing inside the turkey can be dangerous.

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    Cornbread Stuffing

    If you’re from the South, you might get the appeal of a hard-boiled egg stuffing. While other dressings have sausage, and even oysters, this one has chicken for a nice classic taste.

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    This six-ingredient stuffing utilizes seasoned cubes. With mixed fruit and pork sausage, everything’s thrown together really easily for a big flavor payout.

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    With bacon and sausage, this smoky stuffing doesn’t lose any moisture. The bacon even adds a nice coloring to the dish.

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    Apples and dried cherries add a sweet-tart flavor to this Italian-seasoned stuffing. The texture of the cherries are similar to raisins, but they have a richer flavor.

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    Slow-Cooker Dressing

    This very simple dressing is made with ingredients you probably already have on hand. Use unseasoned cubes so you can season them to your liking. Once it’s in the slow cooker, you’re free to turn your attention to the other sides.

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    Herbed Apple-Cranberry Bread Dressing

    Apples give a nice crunch to this stuffing while applesauce and orange juice pack on the sweetness. This breadcrumb dressing is soft and takes in a lot of flavor.

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    Savory Sausage Stuffing

    Pork sausage can be a game changer to your usual stuffing recipe. This simple dressing uses two types of bread and dried cranberries for extra tartness.

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    Skillet Sausage Stuffing

    There’s nothing easier than a skillet stuffing. The savory dish comes together in under a half hour which gives you more time to focus on your day. To make this sausage stuffing, you dress up a package of stuffing mix with pork sausage, mushrooms, celery and onion.

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    Sweet Potato Stuffing

    Sweet potatoes find their way to most Thanksgiving tables. This slow cooker dressing breathes new life into the starch. It’s versatile and able to withstand adding your family’s favorite ingredients to the mix.

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    Sausage-Herb Dressing

    Have you ever heard of coffee in a stuffing? This slow cooker dressing has a deep and herby flavor that you won’t be able to get enough of.

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    Make-Ahead Cornbread Dressing

    This dressing has a few surprising elements, the most notable being spaghetti squash. Spaghetti squash is great for a dressing because like rice, it takes to flavor really well. So with the added sausage, walnuts and cheese you end up with a delightfully rich and textured dish.

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    Mushroom Stuffing

    A hearty cornbread mix combines with mushrooms and bacon for a spectacular result. This dressing is creamy and soft.

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    This fruit and veggie stuffing is both sweet and tart. The apricots give it a nice orange coloring that will brighten your Thanksgiving table.

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    Originally Published: November 21, 2022

    Author

    Alyssa Asaro

    After writing food and lifestyle content for various publications, Alyssa found herself curating email newsletters and writing recipe collections for Taste of Home. In her spare time, she tries out recipes, writes poetry and watches movies.

    Read More

    40 Stuffing Recipes for Thanksgiving (42)

    40 Stuffing Recipes for Thanksgiving (2024)

    FAQs

    How much stuffing do I need for 50 people? ›

    In order to fill the cavity of the bird you are stuffing, you should make 3/4 cup of stuffing per person. You may not be able to fit all the stuffing into your turkey. If this is the case, then you can even make a casserole to fill up your guests!

    How much stuffing do I need for 20 people for Thanksgiving? ›

    A leftover turkey sandwich?! 3/4 cup of stuffing per person should be plenty.

    What is the best stuffing mix for Thanksgiving? ›

    Stove Top Turkey Stuffing or the Kroger Turkey Flavored Stuffing mix as a close second. Overall, stuffing is a personal choice but side by side there is a distinct difference between stuffing brands. Without the addition of any other ingredients, Stove Top Stuffing clearly scored top in our taste test.

    Is it better to make stuffing the day before Thanksgiving? ›

    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).

    How much food to feed 40 people? ›

    Each adult will consume 1 pound of food total; children, about 1/2 pound. The more options you have, the less you need of each; decrease the main course portion sizes by 1 to 2 ounces if served on a buffet.

    How much food to cook for 40 people? ›

    Food for Dinner Parties
    FoodUp to 10 guests40-50
    Whole chicken2 (4-pound)10 (4-pound)
    Whole turkey1 (12-pound)5 (12-pound)
    Boneless beef roast5 pounds25 pounds
    Pork roast or ham5 pounds25 pounds
    9 more rows

    How many bags of stuffing for 25 people? ›

    How much stuffing per person? A 14-ounce bag of stuffing makes about 11 servings; a 6-ounce box of stuffing mix makes 6 servings.

    How much stuffing do I need to feed 100 people? ›

    How much stuffing do you need for Thanksgiving? Plan to serve about 3/4 cup of stuffing per guest.

    How much stove top stuffing for 20 people? ›

    How Much Stuffing Per Person
    • 6 people – 4.5 cups.
    • 12 people – 9 cups.
    • 20 people – 15 cups.
    • 4 people – 3 cups.
    • 6 people – 6 cups.
    • 12 people – 12 cups.
    • 20 people – 19.5 cups. Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours! ...
    • 45 Thanksgiving Recipes. 150 best Thanksgiving desserts. Thanksgiving Potluck Recipes.
    Nov 19, 2023

    Should I put an 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).

    Is homemade stuffing better than boxed? ›

    While the instant stuffing was actually a closer contender than most of our testers anticipated, the homemade won hearts (and palates) for its subtle flavor and pleasing texture.

    Is it better to make stuffing with fresh or dry bread? ›

    Any attempts to make stuffing with soft, fresh baked bread will result in a bread soup with a soggy texture. Follow this tip: Stale, dried-out bread makes the best stuffing.

    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.

    Should you stuff a turkey or cook stuffing separately? ›

    Here's an important Thanksgiving food safety tip that will surprise many: USDA doesn't recommend stuffing a whole turkey. The practice increases the risk of cross-contamination and takes the turkey longer to cook. Cook stuffing separately instead.

    Should I leave bread out overnight for stuffing? ›

    If you use soft, fresh bread, you'll ultimately wind up with a soggy, mushy stuffing. So, how do you dry bread for stuffing? There are two ways to go about it. If you've planned your Thanksgiving dinner ahead of time, you can cut your bread into cubes and leave them out to become stale overnight.

    How much stuffing do I need for 60 people? ›

    How much stuffing do you need for Thanksgiving? Plan to serve about 3/4 cup of stuffing per guest.

    How much do I need to feed 50 people? ›

    How Much Food to Serve at a Party
    FOODSERVE 25SERVE 50
    Meats
    Chicken or turkey breast8–9 pounds16–18 pounds
    Fish (fillets or steaks)7-1/2 pounds15 pounds
    Hamburgers6-1/2–9-1/2 pounds13–15 pounds
    35 more rows
    Apr 1, 2024

    How do you calculate food for 50 people? ›

    On average, plan for each adult to consume about 1 pound of food total (not including dessert). Count on children to consume about a ½ pound. Remember; the more options you have, the less you need of each.

    How many lbs of stuffing per person? ›

    For all of the main event dishes, we're planning for overflowing plates, which means you'll want 1/2 pound of potatoes and 3/4 cup stuffing per person.

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