Is it really Thanksgiving without a big bowl of dressing on the table? Whether you like yours smooth and scoopable or filled with savory treats like mushrooms and sausage, this dish is as essential as the turkey itself. If you’re looking for something more special than a back-of-the-box dressing recipe, we have plenty of delicious options including cornbread, gluten-free, slow-cooker, and sausage.
Credit:
Photo: Caitlin Bensel Food Stylist: Torie Cox
With lots of aromatics, seasonings, butter, and bread—both crumbled day-old cornbread and toasted white bread—it’s pretty simple to whip up. It’s impressive to serve it with hot sauce and lemon wedges, like you’re an elegant seafaring chef.
Credit: Photographer: Antonis Achilleos; Prop Stylist: Christina Daley; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall
Whether you use homemade or store-bought chicken broth, it’s the key to ensuring that this cornbread dressing is moist and not dried out. You’ll know it’s ready to come out of the oven when the top is golden brown.
Credit:
Greg Dupree; Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer; Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle
For those who love the crunchy crust of the dressing, these dressing balls are the ideal way to enjoy the classic Thanksgiving side.
Credit:
Molly Bolton
This recipe starts with our classic Southern Skillet Cornbread, then gets a bit of a upgrade thanks to shredded chicken and a couple of day-old fast-food biscuits. Baked in the oven until golden brown, it’s the ultimate comfort food.
Credit:
Dane Tashima; Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer; Prop Stylist: Christina Daley
There are some Southerners who actually prefer their stuffing to be made with sourdough, instead of cornbread. The tangy bread gives it a heartier twist.
Credit:
Robby Lozano, Food Stylist: Sally McKay, Prop Stylist: Priscilla Montiel
Stuffing has been reimagined in a cute new way: muffins. Not only are they fun, but they’re also delicious thanks to the addition of aged white Cheddar cheese.
Credit: Photographer: Brittany Conerly; Prop Stylist: Christina Brockman; Food Stylist: Karen Rankin
Complete with homemade cornbread crumbles, this recipe will be passed down in the family for years to come. This recipe serves 14 to 16, so there’s sure to be plenty to serve the whole family and maybe even some leftovers.
Credit: Magnolia
Made with French bread, mushrooms, sage, and poultry seasoning, this recipe is full of traditional flavors and will satisfy those who aren’t fans of cornbread dressing.
Credit:
Jennifer Causey, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Christina Brockman
This stuffing, but cookbook author Eric Kim, is flavored with onions and scallions and sprinkled with sesame seeds.
Credit:
Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Torie Cox
Smoked sausage, such as Conecuh, adds heartiness and an extra layer of flavor to this stuffing recipe. Just make sure to reserve the pan drippings when you brown the sausage as it’ll play a role in the recipe.
Credit:
Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Ruth Blackburn; Prop Styling: Lydia Pursell
Actress Lacey Chabert shares her family’s recipe from cornbread dressing which was originally made by her great-grandmother. Though she can make it from memory, she finally got it down on paper so she could keep the recipe alive.
Credit: Photo: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Ginny Branch Stelling; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall
This classic recipe calls for homemade cornbread. That might sound like a lot of effort, but it is totally worth it. You can also make the cornbread up to two days in advance.
Veggie-Packed Sourdough Stuffing
Credit:
Dane Tashima; Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer; Prop Stylist: Christina Daley
This veggie- and sourdough-packed dressing just may win everyone over at Thanksgiving this year.
Credit: Laurey W. Glenn
If you’ve been making the same Cornbread Dressing for too many years to count, it may be time to switch it up and try incorporating another Southern staple, grits, into your dressing.
Credit: Vianney Rodriguez/Jason David Page
We didn’t think making cornbread dressing could get any easier, then we came up with this slow cooker cornbread dressing recipe, which makes the process infinitely easier to prepare (and a couple of degrees more delicious too).
Credit:
Greg DuPree, Food Stylist: Micah Morton, Prop Stylist: Kathleen Varner
Make sure those with dietary restrictions are included in the big feast with this dressing recipe. It tastes so good, our Test Kitchen couldn’t even tell it was gluten-free.
Squash casserole and cornbread meet to make your new favorite dressing. Serve with other holiday favorites like green bean casserole or mac and cheese for an unforgettable meal.
Dining and Cooking