26 Must-Have Stuffing Recipes For Thanksgiving
A Thanksgiving meal isn't complete without stuffing.
When it comes to Thanksgiving, some people are all about the mashed potatoes, others the green bean casserole, some the turkey… Us? We’re in it for the STUFFING. So whether you like it crispy, soggy (it’s a thing!), or a mix of both, we’ve got tons here for you here. Check out our 26 stuffing recipes for ideas, then get creative and make your own.
At its most basic, stuffing is a mixture of (stale) bread, herbs and spices, and sometimes meat, held together with eggs. Sort of like bread pudding, but savory. Technically, it should only be called stuffing if it’s “stuffed” inside your turkey; otherwise, it’s known as dressing. The more you know! Because it’s hard to guarantee both your stuffing and your turkey to come out well if they’re made that way, most people bake theirs outside the bird and use both terms interchangeably.
The great thing about stuffing is how much you can do within the confines of that basic structure. Use a baguette or sourdough, like we do in our classic recipe, or swap in different breads, like we do in our cornbread stuffing, our croissant stuffing, our soft pretzel stuffing, or our crescent roll stuffing. Just make sure whatever you use is stale so it can soak up all the yummy liquid—tear whatever you use into pieces, then leave it out overnight for best results. Some stuffings have meat, like our sausage stuffing or our oyster stuffing, but they’re also great without. Add other ingredients in instead, like the fruit in our apple stuffing, our pineapple stuffing, or our cranberry stuffing. Though most stuffings are baked in a casserole dish, there’s room to play there too. Try our stuffing stuffed pumpkins, our sheet pan stuffing, or our stuffin’ muffins to see what we mean. Once you’ve got the basic structure, stuffing is easily adapted to your tastes—you never know, you might discover a combination you’ll want to make for years to come.
Want more Thanksgiving inspiration? Check out our top Thanksgiving appetizers, desserts, and cocktails too.
Easy Cranberry Stuffing
You don't need meat to make a stuffing everyone will love. This vegetarian option is filled with everyone's favorite Thanksgiving flavors—apples! cranberries! sage! thyme!—if anyone complains about meatless stuffing, just send them home without dessert. 😉
Get the Easy Cranberry Stuffing recipe.
Cornbread Dressing
Homemade cornbread is preferred for this dressing, and buttermilk cornbread is even more classic. BUT using boxed-mix or store-bought cornbread in this recipe is totally okay! Everyone will still freak out over how amazing it is because the ratio of everything else (sausage, eggs, butter, herbs) is spot-on.
Get the Cornbread Dressing recipe.
Classic Stuffing
When it comes to the big Thanksgiving feast, we consider the roast turkey and the sweet potato casserole as sides to the STUFFING. A good stuffing makes or breaks Thanksgiving dinner, so follow our tips to make it the best you can.
Get the Classic Stuffing recipe.
Sausage Stuffing
We love that this stuffing gets super-toasty on the outside and remains nice and soft in the middle. But if everyone in the fam is into verging-on-soggy stuffing (seriously, it's a thing!), we recommend covering the casserole dish with foil while baking.
Get the Sausage Stuffing recipe.
Vegan Stuffing
Listen, we all know that stuffing is the best part of a staple Thanksgiving menu. But because of the butter, eggs, and chicken broth that usually goes into classic stuffing, it's a dish that vegans can't always enjoy—until now! We created a stuffing that's so delicious, you might even be convinced to turn a few of your other holiday classics into vegan Thanksgiving versions.
Get the Vegan Stuffing recipe.
Cauliflower Stuffing
This low-carb cauliflower stuffing proves that you don’t always need bread to make an amazing stuffing. Cauliflower is basically a sponge: It’ll soak up the flavor of whatever you cook it with, so we recommend going heavy on the herbs (and the butter! 😈).
Get the Cauliflower Stuffing recipe.
Keto Stuffing
Haters will say you can't make stuffing that's low-carb. We say, bye haters! Using our recipe for keto bread yields a stuffing that's crisp on top and deliciously tender on bottom, just like a good stuffing should be.
Get the Keto Stuffing recipe.
Gluten-Free Stuffing
Many would argue that the table just isn’t complete without a big dish of classic Thanksgiving stuffing. But what about your friends and family with allergies that prevent them from eating wheat? This gluten-free stuffing will save the day—and spoiler alert, it tastes exactly the same as the real thing.
Get the Gluten-Free Stuffing recipe.
Apple Stuffing
The classic stuffing recipe is always a favorite at Thanksgiving, but sometimes it can feel a bit heavy. Apples and cranberries add a freshness to stuffing that is greatly needed, and the bright tart notes go perfectly with the buttery bread.
Get the Apple Stuffing recipe.
Crockpot Stuffing
Oven real estate is a big deal on Thanksgiving day. Sure, you've done everything you can to prep ahead of time, but there’s still plenty to cook day-of! Utilizing your slow cooker is one of the best ways to keep your oven free for the major players like turkey and pie.
Get the Crockpot Stuffing recipe.
Cornbread Stuffing
Also known as cornbread dressing, this dish is a classic in the South, where you’ll often find it mixed with sausage, bacon, jalapeños, nuts, even chopped oysters. We kept ours simple with flavors you’d find in classic stuffing, but don't let us stop you from jazzing up your own version with extras.
Get the Cornbread Stuffing recipe.
Best-Ever Oyster Stuffing
If you're new to the oyster stuffing game, let us tell you, you're in for a treat. Oysters lend a briny, super-savory flavor to your stuffing that will keep your guests coming back for second and third helpings.
Get the Best-Ever Oyster Stuffing recipe.
Spinach & Artichoke Stuffing
Spinach & artichoke dip is what your stuffing has been missing. This stuff is dangerously delicious.
Get the Spinach & Artichoke Stuffing recipe.
Pineapple Stuffing
This pineapple stuffing isn't meant to replace your traditional stuffing. Instead, it's meant to come at the end of the meal for dessert. Weird, we know, but trust us! This bread pudding is perfect year round but makes a warm welcome against all of the heavier, pumpkin-flavored desserts.
Get the Pineapple Stuffing recipe.
Crescent Roll Stuffing
It's official: There's nothing crescent rolls can't do. Grab a couple tubes and use them to make our cranberry brie bites or sweet potato crescent bites for appetizers too.
Get the Crescent Roll Stuffing recipe.
Soft-Pretzel Stuffing
Get your hands on the best-quality soft pretzels you can find (typically in the freezer section), tear them up into bite-size pieces, then bake them according to package directions. Let them sit out for a night or two to get nice and stale. Aside from the soft pretzel mix-up, this stuffing recipe is pretty standard, so feel free to make it your own.
Get the Soft-Pretzel Stuffing recipe.
Apple & Sausage Focaccia Stuffing
Apples lend sweetness to this herb-flecked stuffing made with chewy focaccia bread. Vegetarian? Skip the sausage and swap in for veg stock.
Get the Apple & Sausage Focaccia Stuffing.
Beer Cheese Stuffing
Beer nicely cuts the richness of the bacon and cheddar in this stuffing recipe that's inspired by the deliciousness of pub cheese. Pair with our pickle-brined turkey for a Thanksgiving perfect for football lovers.
Get the Beer Cheese Stuffing recipe.
Everything Bagel Stuffing
Have leftover bagels kicking around? Use them to make this inspired stuffing. Use store-bought everything bagel seasoning, or make your own.
Get the Everything Bagel Stuffing recipe.
Sheet Pan Stuffing
Can we all agree that the best part of stuffing is that delectable top layer that gets extra buttery and crunchy? This sheet-pan version is one big serving of that. Bonus: It takes less time to cook too!
Get the Sheet Pan Stuffing recipe.
Camille Lowder is the digital food producer at Delish, otherwise known as our resident queen of recipe galleries. Previously, she attended the Natural Gourmet Institute for culinary school and worked at/managed a number of New York restaurants. She loves anything vegan, foods masquerading as other foods (hello, cauliflower), and a well-used Oxford comma.
