Sharing our very favorite Thanksgiving Stuffing Recipe today! This is without a doubt The Best Stuffing Recipe I’ve ever had. Made with sourdough, cornbread, and so much more, this delicious stuffing will be the star of your Thanksgiving dinner!
Thanksgiving Stuffing Recipe
If you are looking for a stuffing recipe that all of your guests will love, look no further, I’ve got the perfect recipe! I know it’s a bold statement to say this could be the best stuffing ever, but…..it really is 🙂 No joke, my husband who absolutely despises stuffing, came home and said, “Oh wow, this is the best stuffing I have ever had!” There’s nothing more unappealing than a dry tasteless stuffing, so I decided to create my own version with ALL of my favorite stuffing ingredients.
Try my Perfect Mashed Potatoes Recipe too! Follow Picky Palate on Instagram for daily recipe inspiration and all of your Holiday baking needs!
Ingredients For The BEST Thanksgiving Stuffing Recipe
- cornbread– I generally buy the pre-made cornbread at my grocery store. Saves a little time. You can absolutely make your own if you’d rather.
- sourdough or other artisan bread of choice– I enjoy using a jalapeno cheddar
- butter– For the most part I use salted butter for my cooking and baking.
- carrots– Wash, dry and peel your carrots and dice.
- onion– White onion works great. Peel and dice same size as carrots.
- celery– Wash, dry and dice same size as onion and carrots.
- baby bella mushrooms– Gently wash and dry mushrooms. Give a coarse chop.
- garlic– You can get the minced garlic in jars from the grocery store or use fresh garlic and mince yourself.
- chicken broth– Use low sodium chicken broth when possible.
- ground sausage– Look for the Jimmy Dean mild sausage or other flavors you prefer.
- fresh parsley– Fresh parsley adds freshness and color to the stuffing.
- fresh rosemary– Rosemary is so fragrant and is perfect herb in stuffing.
- fresh thyme– Thyme adds another layer of flavor and freshness to the stuffing.
- fresh sage– Find fresh sage in the produce department near the other fresh herbs.
- kosher salt– Kosher salt is a coarse salt that is commonly used in cooking and baking.
- freshly ground black pepper- For best tasting results use fresh ground black pepper.
How To Make The BEST Thanksgiving Stuffing Recipe
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place cubed sourdough and cornbread onto a large baking sheet. Bake for 25 minutes, until lightly toasted. Remove from oven.
- Melt butter into a large dutch oven or large pot over medium heat. Saute onions, celery, carrots and mushrooms for about 10 minutes or until veggies turn tender. Stir in garlic and cook for another minute then pour in chicken broth, parsley, rosemary, sage, thyme, salt and pepper. Stir and reduce heat to low to simmer.
- Brown sausage in skillet, drain if necessary then add to vegetable mixture. Place bread cubes into a large bowl and slowly pour mixture over cubes gently stirring throughout to ensure all pieces get coated. Taste a couple pieces and season with additional salt and pepper according to taste. I added a few more pinches of kosher salt and pepper at this point.
- Divide stuffing into a 9×13 inch baking dish and a 11×7 inch baking dish (if needing more room). Bake for 25-30 minutes, until just golden brown on top. Should still be nice and moist. Remove from oven and serve!
Melt butter in large pot then add the stuffing vegetables to saute until softened. I generally stir and cook for close to 10 minutes.
When vegetables are softened, pour and stir in the chicken broth. I prefer to use a low sodium chicken broth to have control of the the salt I add myself.
Stir in fresh herbs to the pot then add cooked sausage.
If I Don’t Have Fresh Herbs Can I Use Dried?
While I recommend using fresh herbs for your homemade stuffing, you can use fresh herbs. For the parsley use 2 tablespoons of dried and 1 teaspoon each of dried rosemary, thyme and sage.
Can I Leave Out The Mushrooms?
Mushrooms are not for everyone, if they are not a favorite in your home, feel free to leave them out of the recipe. No other substitutions needed.
When sausage has been browned, bread cubes toasted and broth cooked, it’s time to start adding the broth to the toasted bread cubes.
Slowly pour sausage/vegetable broth over toasted bread cubes. After adding a few ladels, I stir to combine and then continue using this pattern.
Gently stir until toasted bread cubes are combined with broth mixture.
Lightly spray a 9 x 13 inch baking dish with cooking spray and transfer stuffing to dish. If needed, use another small baking dish to bake stuffing. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 25-30 minutes. Tops will get slightly golden.
How To Serve Thanksgiving Stuffing Recipe
Serve this homemade stuffing warm with your favorite Thanksgiving Dinner menu. Try topping your stuffing with 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan Cheese before baking too. I’ve even added my favorite hot sauce to my bowl of stuffing before enjoying.
How To Store Leftovers
Store any leftover stuffing in an airtight container for up to 3-5 days in the refrigerator. Re-heat as needed. It’s nice to add a splash or two of chicken broth before re-heating. Keeps stuffing moist. Use your other Thanksgiving leftovers to make a turkey stuffing sandwich. Add a little gravy and even cranberry sauce. It’s delicious!
The Best Stuffing Recipe Ever
Equipment
- Oven
- Dutch Oven or large pot
- 9 x 13 inch baking dish
- cutting board
- chef knife
- measuring spoons
- measuring cups
- mixing spoon
Ingredients
- 1 lb Sourdough Loaf cubed
- 12 oz baked cornbread cubed
- 14 Tablespoons butter 1 3/4 sticks
- 1 large onion diced (about 1 1/2 Cups)
- 1 bunch of celery chopped (about 3 Cups)
- 3 large carrots chopped (about 2 Cups)
- 8 oz baby bella mushrooms chopped (about 1 1/4 Cups)
- 2 Tablespoons minced garlic
- 2 1/2 Cups chicken broth
- 1/2 Cup fresh chopped parsley
- 2 Tablespoons fresh rosemary
- 1 Tablespoon fresh sage
- 1/2 teaspoon ground thyme or 1 Tablespoon fresh
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
- 1 lb Jimmy Dean Sage Sausage
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place cubed sourdough and cornbread onto a large baking sheet. Bake for 25 minutes, until lightly toasted. Remove from oven.
- Melt butter into a large dutch oven or large pot over medium heat. Saute onions, celery, carrots and mushrooms for about 10 minutes or until veggies turn tender. Stir in garlic and cook for another minute then pour in chicken broth, parsley, rosemary, sage, thyme, salt and pepper. Stir and reduce heat to low to simmer.
- Brown sausage in skillet, drain if necessary then add to vegetable mixture. Place bread cubes into a large bowl and slowly pour mixture over cubes gently stirring throughout to ensure all pieces get coated. Taste a couple pieces and season with additional salt and pepper according to taste. I added a few more pinches of kosher salt and pepper at this point.
- Divide stuffing into a 9x13 inch baking dish and a 11x7 inch baking dish (if needing more room). Bake for 25-30 minutes, until just golden brown on top. Should still be nice and moist. Remove from oven and serve!
Nutrition
Pin The BEST Stuffing Recipe!
Welcome to my online kitchen! Picky Palate is where you’ll find family friendly recipes along with the best Disney eats, tips and copycat recipes! 
I made this last year and it was phenomenal! I made it again this year already, with some tweaks that I noted last year, and it’s just as wonderful as I remembered. I will be making this for years to come!!!
Looks good, one nitpick. As written, that’s a dressing. Its only stuffing if its stuffed into something.
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The only thing I add to my stuffing (which is amazingly similar, except I don’t cube I just tear it all into pieces) is I make Jalapeno cornbread and use that… and the Jimmy Dean Hot Sausage. I mean, we are Mexicans. 🙂
I just made this as a trial run tonight for Thanksgiving. It’s delicious. Making some small tweaks due to my own inexperience cooking but overall a 10!
Great points altogether, you just received a logo new reader. What might you suggest about your publish that you just made a few days in the past? Any sure?
Just wanted to say I made this for our pre-Thanksgiving neighborhood get together last night and it recieved very high compliments. I think it is a great combo of the more southern cornbread “dressing” and the typical yankee “stuffing”. Glad it made an extra pan because last night’s pan is GONE! 😉
I made this last year for Thanksgiving and it was indeed, The Best Stuffing Ever! If you are looking for a stuffing recipe this year, look no further. It is on my keeper list!
One year the turkey didn’t get the chance to thaw all the way and we had to take an ice pick to the cavity before we could start cooking it! Disaster!
I’m not a big stuffing fan, but yours looks and sounds amazing! 🙂
This definitely looks and sounds like the best stuffing ever! Yum!
OMGoodness!!! This was the best stuffing ever! I made it for my family at Thanksgiving and they loved it. My dad even looked at my mom and said “I love what you did with the stuffing this year”. My mom looked at me and said “its Jessi’s recipe”. I felt guilty claiming it but I did anyways. So thank YOU for a great recipe. Here’s a secret I also passed along your blog to my sister who is now stalking you too (just like me!). Keep up the great stuff!!!
The stuffing was a huge hit!!! I’m so glad I made this for Thanksgiving. Thank you for posting.
I made this for Turkey Day and everyone absolutely loved it! This was my first time cooking for Thanksgiving and I will make continue to make this every Turkey day and Christmas! Thanks 🙂
This was great even though my roommates got drunk the night before and ate all the sourdough, and I could only find french to replace it morning of, and I cut the bread in unreasonably large chunks… still delicious! Thanks!
I wanted to come back and tell you that your delicious stuffing recipe was a hit with my family. I followed each step of the recipe and it really helped with your photos. I loved the sage flavor and the sausage was more in the background of the flavors. I will definitely make this one again next year.
My husband’s favorite part of the Thanksgiving meal is stuffing and he loved it. So thank you.
Blessings,
Debbie
OH MY GOODNESS! I just made this for tomorrow (Thanksgiving) and I’m slapping my hand to stop sampling!!! My 2 year old daughter keeps begging for another bite! Absolutely yummy!!! :O)
Thank you! I love your blog 🙂
Hi, If I prepare this tonight but don’t bake it till tomorrow will it be mushy?? or should I just prepare it early in the morning and bake it late? thank you 🙂
I am going to make your little pecan cheesecakes and stuffing so I can’t wait..
Mandy
Hi Jenny,
This looks soooo good, and I went to the store got my stuff, so excited to try it..but question..you say each dish is 12 servings? just want to make sure, cause I do need a lg portion, and was wondering if I should double it, but if each dish is 12 servings, that brings the grand total to 24 servings total?
just double checking..
thx for your amazing site, I go to it regularly..
I feel a Simon & Garfunkel song coming on…did anyone else notice? Parsley, Sage, Rosemary, & Thyme. I really want to try this recipe, it looks waaaaaay better than the boxed stuff!
After deciding to make a different homemade stuffing this year, I’ve been looking and looking for a dressing recipe that combines cornbread and sourdough because it sounded so good to me. This looks great, can’t wait to try it, and I’m glad to see I’m not crazy thinking of putting these 2 breads together!
Hi Jenny,
I plan on making this stuffing for Thanksgiving. Do you have any tips on making ahead and freezing? Would it work to make the whole thing, and freeze the pans? Or maybe just some of the individual ingredients, then thaw and assemble the day of? Any tips would be really helpful, since I’m not a big stuffing fan, and am not that experienced making it. Love your site – I visit every day!
Hi Tiffani,
I would prepare the whole thing one day in advance at the most. I wouldn’t freeze it, only because I haven’t tried it and I’d hate to waste all of that stuffing!!
Anyway, if you can do it a day in advance then just warm it the day of, you should be just fine 🙂 Happy eating!
I have been surfing the websites for an awesome stuffing recipe and this sure looks like a winner. Two questions. How many will this serve and can I make it a day or two ahead. Thanks
Hi Diane,
This makes two 9×13 inch dishes, so I am thinking about 24 total. I would make it one day in advance at the most. My leftovers were delicious so I think it will be fine 🙂
I can’t wait to make this for Thanksgiving.
Also, I just have to tell you that I have been stalking your site for a while and I just love it. I love your recipes and the photos are gorgeous. Please keep up the awesome work, my hungry tummy demand it. 🙂
Thanks for the comment Jen!! Glad you are enjoying Picky Palate:)
hey jennie,
i have a question…will the top be alittle crispy? or is the whole thing moist? this stuffing looks so delicious, but i always liked the crispy top and the moist middle. could i just cook it alittle longer or would that ruin it?? this recipe looks divine! thank you for your site jenny, it is my favorite!!
Hi Brookie,
If you want to make the top a little more crispy, I would dollop a little softened butter evenly over the top (as if we need more butter? 🙂 This will give it a nice little crust, but the inside will still be nice and moist, enjoy!
That looks amazing! Unfortunately, the one thing my husband has to have at Thanksgiving is his mother’s stuffing…Maybe I’ll make 2 kinds of stuffing this year.
You had me at sourdough!
Hi Jenny
I was wondering if I could use those shady brook farms italian turkey sausages in this recipe. Or do you need the sweetness of the jimmy dean sausages in this recipe.
Absolutely Jackie!! Whatever sausage you prefer will work great.
I love sausage stuffing, can’t wait to try it with cornbread too!
that looks so good, Jenny!! Cornbread makes me swoon.
Wow- you make everything look so easy with those step-by-step pictures.. then I see the ingredients list. HA! You are a true inspiration! I’ve never had a stuffing with this combo of ingredients.. my mom always makes her famous chestnut stuffing.
I can’t wait to see what dessert you whip up for the holidays!
This looks amazing! I don’t know how i feel about cornbread because I hate cornbread, but hubby loves it, so I might give it a try. ONE QUESTION though, could you cook this stuffing in the turkey? What do you think?????? Thanks!
Hi Janessa,
I think this recipe would be fine stuffed inside the turkey, just check the temperature of the turkey to make sure it’s all cooked through around the stuffing 🙂
My sister, Melanie, has been looking for a cornbread stuffing recipe. I will definitely be telling her about yours. It looks great. Totally getting me in the mood for Thanksgiving!
Made this stuffing tonight and it is so delicious! Thank you so much for posting this!
Wow Megan,
You are way ahead of the game! So glad you enjoyed it!! Thanks for posting.
The added veggies are a really nice touch to this stuffing. And you just can’t go wrong with sausage.
There’s nothing about this stuffing that I don’t like! I’ve also never tried it with cornbread before, and simply must after seeing this. Yum!