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.
Feast on these Thanksgiving recipes
It's time to get creative with your holiday menu, from starters to the final sweet bite.
Appetizers: Dips that do double duty as spreads for leftovers, too.
Stuffing: Three ways, including one vegan, to upgrade the traditional side.
Side dishes: From spuds to salads, 5 recipes that bring new flavors to the table.
Wine: Our favorite boxed wines to bring along to holiday gatherings, plus an N/A must-have.
Dessert: Tips to help you make pie crust like a pro, plus the recipe for a gluten-free chocolate tart.
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.
No matter how you like your stuffing (or dressing), I think we can all agree, it wouldn't be Thanksgiving without it.
Classic Sausage and Fresh Herb Stuffing
Serves 8 to 10.
When most people think of stuffing, this is the version that comes to mind. Using fresh herbs gives this iconic dish an added flavor boost that will also make your entire home smell like Thanksgiving. From Meredith Deeds.
• 1/2 c. (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for baking dish
• 1 1/2 lb. baguette loaf or hearty Italian bread, torn into 1-in. pieces (about 10 c.)
• 1 lb. bulk breakfast sausage
• 2 medium yellow onions, chopped
• 1 c. thinly sliced celery
• 3 tbsp. finely chopped fresh sage
• 2 tbsp. finely chopped fresh thyme
• 1 1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 3 to 4 c. low-sodium chicken broth, divided
• 2 large eggs
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9- by 13-inch baking dish. Set aside.
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, about 30 minutes.
Continue to bake, uncovered, until set and top is browned and crisp, 30 to 40 minutes longer. Let cool for 10 minutes and serve.
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. From Meredith Deeds.
For the cornbread:
• 1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 c. cornmeal
• 2 tbsp. sugar
• 1 tbsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 3/4 c. whole milk
• 3 large eggs
• 6 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
For the stuffing:
• 2 lb. butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1-in. cubes
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 1/4 tsp. salt, divided
• 6 tbsp. butter
• 1 lb. 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 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 2 1/2 c. low sodium chicken broth
• 1 c. whole milk
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
Directions
To prepare the cornbread: Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Grease a 9- by 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
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.
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 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).
Bake (with the oven still at 425 degrees) until browned and crisped on top and heated through, about 35 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes and serve.
Vegan Chestnut, Mushroom and Sourdough Stuffing
Serves 6 to 8.
Savory, earthy and a little tangy, this plant-based stuffing is sure to please the vegans and meat eaters alike at your Thanksgiving table. Chestnuts can be found in the shell in the produce section of many grocery stores. For a shortcut, look for roasted and peeled chestnuts in some gourmet stores or online. From Meredith Deeds.
• 1 (14- to 16-oz.) sourdough loaf, torn into 1-in. pieces (about 9 c.)
• 1/2 c. vegan butter, plus 1/4 c. melted vegan butter
• 8 oz. fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, caps cut into 1/4-in. slices
• 10 oz. cremini mushrooms, sliced
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp. finely chopped fresh sage
• 1 tbsp. finely chopped fresh thyme
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1 c. dry white wine
• 5 oz. roasted, peeled chestnuts, roughly chopped
• 1/2 c. chopped toasted pecans
• 2 1/2 to 3 c. vegetable stock
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9- by 13-inch baking dish. Set aside.
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.