Haven't Decided Yet? Here are Our 10 Best Stuffing Recipes for Your Thanksgiving Table (2024)

Stuffing or dressing, whatever you call it, it's delicious. If you're a little late to the Thanksgiving planning game and still haven't picked out the perfect recipe, don't sweat it. It's not too late yet, so please, do yourself (and your guests) a favor, and don't settle for boxed stuffing just yet. Here are the 10 most popular, most visited stuffing recipes across our entire site. Read on to see why we love them and to find the perfect one for your family this year.

1. Artichoke Parmesan Sourdough Stuffing

"I made this stuffing for Christmas dinner and it was the best stuffing I have ever had. It was a lot of work but definitely worth it! Everyone at the table raved about how good it was!" — Janno60

Mushrooms and artichoke hearts are added to a classic stuffing recipe for a combination that's utterly irresistible. Every November, we're asked again and again for this 5-star-rated recipe. It's even better with a little extra Parmesan, so feel free to sprinkle on some more. Good-quality sourdough bread is necessary here.

Why it's one of the best: It's moist, richly savory, and consistently racks up rave reviews. Many of our users comment that it's even better than their heirloom family stuffing recipes and always earns recipe requests from guests.

"I first encountered this recipe in the November 1994 issue of Sunset magazine. My family has been absolutely militant about this stuffing since that time, I have to make it every year for Thanksgiving. For us, there is no other stuffing recipe worthy of notice." -Terri S.

2. Herbed Bread Stuffing with Mushrooms and Sausage

"I made this for Thanksgiving, and it was a hit. We had plenty of leftovers and it got even better after being in the fridge for a few days." — caitygw

This 5-star stuffing recipe incorporates mushrooms and sausage for a super-hearty stuffing that could almost pass as a main course. "Peasant-style" white bread refers to rustic breads that feature a thick, crusty exterior and hearty crumb. Ask for it in the bakery section of your local grocery. Pro tip: You can prepare the toasted bread cubes 2 to 3 days before Thanksgiving; store at room temperature in a zip-top plastic bag.

Why it's one of the best: Everyone (but especially anyone who's less-than-enthusiastic about turkey) around the Thanksgiving table are going to love this ultra meaty stuffing. Many users rave that it's perfect as-is and doensn't need any changes, but it's easily adaptable to fit your needs.

"Served this with our Thanksgiving meal and it was incredible! I prepared it with no modifications to the recipe. Had several compliments and little leftover. Will absolutely start preparing this dish every year for our Thanksgiving feast." -SnickelFritz

Watch how to make it:

3. Italian Chard Stuffing

"Stands on its own for dinner—who needs turkey? Use spinach if you have no chard. I also mixed hot and mild sausage...absolutely killer!" — Anonymous

Featuring hunks of juicy sausage, fresh herbs, great bread, and a hit of pleasantly bitter chard, this Italian Chard Stuffing is rated 5 stars for good reason. One of our editors originally got the recipe from her mother-in-law, and we've found that it's just as appealing now as it was 42 years ago. Feel free to sub in spinach for the chard, chicken broth for the milk (to make it dairy free), and mix sweet and hot sausage, if preferred.

Why it's one of the best: Not only do our users rave over this distinctive stuffing, but it's totally make-ahead friendly (which is a huge help on the big day). You can assemble it up 1 day ahead, cover, and refrigerate. When you're ready to cook it, allow roughly 45 minutes to 1 hour of bake time instead of the 30 minutes called for in the method.

"WOW! Made this for the first time for Thanksgiving and it was a hit! Very easy to make, and great to make ahead. Everyone LOVED it and there were no crumbs even left! Several people requested that it be made again for the next get together!" -Michelle2000100

4. Cornbread Stuffing With Sweet Potato and Squash

Boost both the color and the flavor dynamics of classic cornbread stuffing by adding cubed butternut squash, sweet potato, and apple. To assemble it ahead, one of our reviewers suggested prepping the stuffing well ahead of time, then freezing it before cooking, wrapped tightly with plastic, for up to 3 months.

Why it's one of the best: We love that this recipe highlights some of fall's finest flavors and delivers a little extra vibrancy to the table. Packaged cornbread stuffing mix saves you time, but you can easily substitute fresh cornbread.

"I am Southern by birth and we eat dressing, but that stuffing is the best thing I have put in my mouth in a long time. Thanks for a new Thanksgiving addition to my recipe box." -JennyRicky

5. Sausage and Apple Stuffing

Sweet Italian sausage, chopped fresh fennel, and apple combine with tangy sourdough for an intriguing and sophisticated, top-rated Thanksgiving stuffing.

Why it's one of the best: This Cooking Light recipe is low in calories--a mere 166 per serving--and perfectly balances the umami umph of Italian sausage with sweet golden delicious apples and fennel for a wow-worthy uptake on the classic side dish.

"I am not a stuffing person but I made this for my family. They raved about it. Lots of flavor and enjoyable!" -Katdean

6. Mushroom and Leek Stuffing

For this veggie- and herb-packed stuffing, look for a poultry herb blend in the produce section--one package contains all the fresh herbs you need, saving you money on the front end and waste on the back end. Prep it the night before or early on Thanksgiving day and refrigerate until you're ready to bake.

Why it's one of the best: This dish is impressive and full of savory goodness from the mushrooms and leeks, but is simple to prepare and super budget friendly. Plus, it's 5-star-rated and cuts back on a bit on fat by leaving out the butter and sausage.

"I was worried and had a boxed stuffing just in case, but I didn't need it. It was a hit among everyone, even my mother-in-law who hates mushrooms! Everyone kept asking me for the recipe!" -TPetricini

7. Sausage-Pumpkin CornBread Stuffing

Meaty rich sausage is complimented by sweet, crumbled cornbread and earthy pumpkin puree in this easy, make-ahead friendly recipe with short ingredient and instruction lists.

Why it's one of the best: This recipe gives you an option to 'make it' from scratch or 'fake it' and save 30 minutes of prep time by using a bag of cornbread stuffing. Oh, and did we mention it uses pumpkin?!

"SO delicious. I normally don't like stuffing, but i LOVED this. I added a little more broth because I wanted extra-moist stuffing, but otherwise I followed the recipe exactly. So tasty." -Janeliza11

8. Butternut-Bacon Stuffing

Guests will rave over this autumn-inspired stuffing filled with flecks of crispy bacon and diced butternut squash. Pro tip: Look for pre-cubed butternut squash in the refrigerated vegetable section of your local grocer to cut back on the prep time.

Why it's one of the best: Uh, bacon. Need we say more? But, really, we love this minimal ingredient list that allows the sourdough bread, bacon, and squash to really shine. Feel free to play with flavor variations by adding additional herbs if you'd like.

"This was really good. I opted to change out the sage with rosemary. While roasting the squash, I added large hunks of garlic (after roasting remove from pan, chop and add back to the squash again) and seasoned the squash with pepper, salt, fresh rosemary, and a little allspice . . . Good flavors here." -Daneanp

9. Herb Stuffing

Baguette slices make the base for this easy herb stuffing, while porcini mushrooms, chicken broth, yellow onion, celery, and fresh parsley and dill lend the stuffing its robust flavor.

Why it's one of the best: It's 5-star-rated, loaded with flavor (seriously, no one is about to complain about blandness here), and make-ahead friendly. You can cover and refrigerate the uncooked stuffing for up to 24 hours and then bake as directed, adding 10 minutes to the baking time.

"This was delicious! . . . I think it was pretty simple to make, and love that you can finish it up until the bake it step and come back to it when you are ready. It went perfectly with our herbed turkey. I will make this again next holiday I get to host (or am invited to bring a side!)" -Islaya85

10. Pancetta, Sourdough, and Apple Stuffing

Tangy sourdough bread matched with salty pancetta makes this 5-star stuffing absolutely mouthwatering. A smart tip from one of our users: "The stuffing comes out much better when, at the end of 45 minutes of cooking, you add a few more minutes under the broiler to put a perfect crust on top."

Why it's one of the best: Pancetta is a welcome addition that's a little more elegant than crumbled bacon and a nice change of pace from classic sausage. Make this stuffing up to 1 day ahead and chill, uncovered. When ready, bake for an hour.

"Excellent recipe - I've made this twice. I made it first last year and it was fantastic - the first dish to disappear from the Thanksgiving dinner table." -Mmartel