Skillet dressing with biscuits, sticky rice stuffing with Chinese sausage, a kicked-up Calabrian-chile-and-chorizo version, and more reasons to be thankful for carbs.
Photograph by Emma Fishman, Food styling by Susie Theodorou, Prop styling by Sophie Leng
First, semantics: What’s the difference between stuffing and dressing? Technically, stuffing is cooked inside the turkey, while dressing bakes separately in a pan. In practice, most of us use the terms interchangeably—and we’d argue crispy edges take precedence over everything else.
For a classic Thanksgiving experience, start with our tried-and-true-and-tried-again-and-still-true Simple-Is-Best Stuffing, a reader favorite for more than a decade. Torn crusty bread soaks up buttery stock and lots of fresh herbs, emerging golden on top and tender underneath. Want sausage? Our Sausage-and-Herb Stuffing adds breakfast sausage to the same formula. Or branch out with cornbread dressing, a make-ahead stuffing loaded with caramelized onions, gluten-free versions built on wild or black rice, and a spicy number with chorizo and Calabrian chiles. There are stuffing recipes here for traditionalists and Thanksgiving rule breakers alike. Pick one—or, considering how fiercely people defend their favorite stuffing, maybe two.
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Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Mieko Takahashi
Simple-Is-Best Stuffing
This classic stuffing recipe has been a reader favorite for more than a decade for good reason. Torn crusty bread creates craggy, crisp edges, while plenty of butter and the Thanksgiving dream team of parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme keep things firmly traditional.
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Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Judy Kim, prop styling by Beth Pakradooni
Sausage-and-Herb Stuffing
Our best sausage stuffing starts with breakfast sausage, which brings savory, sage-rich depth without overpowering the classics: onion, celery, parsley, and thyme. Sturdy bread gets crisp and golden on top while staying plush underneath.
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Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Susie Theodorou, prop styling by Kalen Kaminski
Cornbread Dressing With Sausage and Corn Nuts
This dressing doubles down on corn flavor: Ground-up corn nuts bloom in garlicky butter before joining crumbled cornbread and sausage. The result is savory, crispy, and just unexpected enough.
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Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Thu Buser, Prop Styling by Tim Ferro
Make-Ahead Sausage and Caramelized Onion Stuffing
Future you will be grateful for this make-ahead stuffing. Spicy-sweet Italian sausage and deeply caramelized onions bring the flavor; a quick 15-minute reheat brings back the crispy edges just before dinner.
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Classic Herb and Fennel Stuffing
For the people who want their Thanksgiving stuffing to taste unmistakably like Thanksgiving: crusty bread, fennel, celery, and plenty of fresh herbs. Divide it between two smaller baking dishes for maximum crispy edges.
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Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Nathaniel James, Food Styling by Laura Rege
Skillet Dressing With Cornbread and Biscuits
The smart cook’s secret to this Southern-style dressing? Make a big batch of biscuits for breakfast, then crumble the leftovers and toss with cornbread, celery, onion, sage, and plenty of butter before baking in a cast-iron skillet until crisp and golden.
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Photo by Michael Graydon + Nikole Herriott, food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, prop styling by Kalen Kaminski
Wild Rice Dressing
Bread isn’t mandatory for Thanksgiving stuffing. This gluten-free dressing pairs nutty wild rice with mushrooms, fresh thyme, and toasted pecans for a savory side that can also pull double duty as a warm grain salad.
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Photograph by Emma Fishman, Food styling by Susie Theodorou, Prop styling by Sophie Leng
Chorizo and Calabrian Chile Stuffing
Calabrian chile butter and spicy chorizo give this bread stuffing a little swagger without taking it completely off-script. Make it when your table wants tradition, but also some heat.
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Cornbread, Sausage, and Pecan Dressing
This cornbread dressing rewards advance planning. Do the first round of baking a day or two ahead, chill overnight, then finish it just before serving to get the top deeply golden and crisp.
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Photo by Michael Graydon + Nikole Herriott, food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, prop styling by Kalen Kaminski
Cornbread Stuffing With Sausage and Collard Greens
Cornbread, sausage, and collard greens make a powerhouse Thanksgiving stuffing. Toasting the cornbread first helps it soak up the rich, herby mixture without collapsing into mush.
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Grits Dressing
Stone-ground grits bake with bacon, cheddar, eggs, and cream into a golden, corn-pudding-like Thanksgiving side that’s rich, savory, and decidedly scoopable.
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Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Astrid Chastka, Food Styling by Anna Hampton
3-Ingredient Thanksgiving Stuffing
Thanksgiving cooking doesn’t get much more streamlined: Store-bought cranberry-nut bread, Italian sausage, and celery are all you need for this three-ingredient stuffing. Save this one for when the rest of your menu is doing the most.
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Cornbread Dressing With Sausage and Fennel
The first step is the secret: Drying and toasting the cornbread gives this sausage-and-fennel dressing a sturdier texture and crisp finish instead of letting it go soft.
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Kale Dressing
Slow-cooked Tuscan kale drives the flavor in this crisp-edged, tender-centered dressing. Make the greens a few days ahead for dinner, then save the leftovers for assembling the dressing.
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Italian Mother-in-Law Dressing
Swiss chard, pine nuts, olives, and dried fruit send this Thanksgiving dressing in an Italian direction. It’s colorful, savory-sweet, and ready for a table that isn’t afraid to wander from tradition.
More Thanksgiving recipes
Hannah Lee Leidy is a food writer and editor based in the Carolinas. She is currently the digital content editor for Our State magazine, a position she came into following her time at The Local Palate. Her contributions have appeared in Condé Nast Traveler, Bon Appétit, Epicurious, Culture, and Eater. She’s worked in both … Read More
Joe joined the Bon Appétit team in 2022 after climbing the editorial ranks for a few years at Condé Nast’s other food publication, Epicurious. As the senior SEO editor, he works to make sure Google loves all of BA’s cooking stories just as much as you do. Look for his … Read More
