Thanksgiving is that kind of holiday where the sides become the stars. And if there’s a side dish capable of upstaging the turkey, it’s stuffing. Stuffing isn’t just a plate filler for many of us it’s the dish we’re most looking forward to. Warm, rich, and tied up in family tradition, it’s the flavor of the holiday.
It was that deep passion for stuffing that led us into a somewhat compulsive cooking quest: Could we figure out if a single recipe could be the best, can’t-be-topped Thanksgiving stuffing? Is there a singular version that reigns supreme? We sought to find out even if it meant eating more bread cubes than any human probably should in a week.
Four Famous Recipes, One Goal
We selected four stuffing recipes from well-known sources. Some of them were food legends, some more known for movies or TV than for culinary skill. The idea was simple: cook each one exactly as instructed, taste with an open mind, and decide which one belonged at the holiday table forever.
1. Ina Garten – Sausage and Herb Stuffing
Sausage Cornbread Stuffing
Equipment
- 1 Large Saute Pan With a lid, if available, for even cooking.
- 1 Large Mixing Bowl Essential for combining ingredients thoroughly.
- 1 Ovenproof Baking Dish For baking the stuffing until golden.
- 1 Chef's knife For precise dicing of vegetables and chopping herbs.
- 1 Cutting Board For safe and efficient ingredient preparation.
Ingredients
Main
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 large onion small dice
- 3 ribs celery small dice
- Kosher salt
- 1 pound spicy sausage casing removed, broken into bite-size chunks
- 3 cloves garlic smashed and finely diced
- 3/4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
- 10 sage leaves finely chopped
- 3 sprigs rosemary leaves finely chopped
- 10 cups stale cornbread cut into 1-inch cubes
- 2 cups dried cranberries
- 3 to 4 cups chicken stock
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Coat a large saute pan with olive oil, add the onions and celery and saute over to medium heat. Season with salt and cook until the vegetables start to become soft and are very aromatic. Add the sausage and cook until the sausage begins to brown. Stir in the garlic and saute for another 1 to 2 minutes. Add the walnuts, sage and rosemary and cook for another minute, then remove from heat.
- In a large bowl mix together the cornbread, cranberries, and the sausage mixture. Add chicken stock and knead with your hands until the bread is very moist, actually wet. Taste to check for seasoning and season with salt, if needed and transfer to an ovenproof dish.
- Bake the stuffing until it is hot all the way through and is crusty on top, about 30 to 35 minutes. MMMMM...stuffing!
Notes
2. Adjust chicken stock gradually. The goal is moist, not soupy. The 'wet' description is accurate – the cornbread should absorb the liquid fully without turning into a paste.
3. Elevate the flavor by using homemade chicken stock. Consider adding a splash of dry white wine or brandy to the pan with the aromatics for an extra layer of complexity before adding sausage.
4. For a crispier top, consider increasing the oven temperature slightly to 375°F for the last 10 minutes of baking, or finish under the broiler for a minute, watching carefully to prevent burning.
Ina Garten built a reputation on comforting food that’s just a bit better, so we were looking forward to her stuffing. Her recipe used white or sourdough bread as a base, along with Granny Smith apples, Italian sausage, dried cranberries, and fresh parsley, chopped.
The blend of flavors was just right. The apples and cranberries yielded sweet-tartness, and the sausage added a rich depth of flavor. The parsley contributed freshness. The balance between filling and bread was ideal no ingredients overpowered the others.
However, given that it was labeled “herb stuffing,” it leaned much too heavily on parsley alone. A mix of herbs like thyme or sage would have smelled so much finer. And perfect taste, the texture didn’t hold together well. Taking a bit of extra stock or an egg would have glued it into a real burdensome meal.
2. Gwyneth Paltrow – Classic Bread Stuffing
Bistro Challah Bread
Equipment
- 1 Large Mixing Bowl
- 1 Measuring Cups and Spoons
- 1 9x5 inch Loaf Pan Or similar size
- 1 Kitchen Towel or Plastic Wrap For covering dough
- 1 Dough Scraper (Optional, for easier handling)
Ingredients
Main
- 4 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1 cup warm water about 110 degrees
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 3 eggs
- 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 cups flour
- 1 tablespoon salt
Instructions
- Place the yeast, sugar and warm water in a mixing bowl. Stir and let stand for about 10 minutes, until creamy and foamy. Add the melted butter and eggs and mix well.Combine the flour with the salt. Add it to the yeast mixture, 1 or 2 cups at a time, until it forms a soft dough. Place the dough on a well-floured board and knead until the dough becomes smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Place the dough in a large, well-greased bowl, then flip the dough over to coat with oil. Cover with plastic wrap or a towel and let stand in a warm place for about 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Punch the dough down, form it into a loaf and place in a greased loaf pan. Bake for about 1 hour, or until the bread is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped. Let cool before slicing.
Notes
Next was Gwyneth Paltrow. More famous for acting and wellness endeavors, she has also written cookbooks, so we were curious. Her recipe called for ciabatta, challah, or multi-grain bread, along with fennel, celery seeds, parsley, and rosemary.
We chose challah, which gave the filling a nicely tender texture that was still light and didn’t have a dense feeling. The fennel was the unexpected surprise subtle but strong enough that you’d stop and say, “What is that taste?” The mix of tradition and something new just worked.
Richness came courtesy of oil and butter in the base, plus extra butter sprinkled over the top of the bread before baking. That added a golden, crunchiest top crust that was irresistible. All was moist but not wet, full but not too much. If you required a stuffing that felt traditional but subtly differentiated, that was this one.
3. Emeril Lagasse – “Simple but Fabulous” Stuffing
Emeril has a reputation for bold flavors, and so was his stuffing. It included crispy bacon, scallions, garlic, eggs, and a pinch of his classic seasoning. The product tasted bright, sort of Southern, with the scallions and seasoning providing personality.
The one surprise was how much the bacon flavor was restrained we needed more oomph there. The crust on top was excellent, textured-wise, but the inside was almost too moist in spots. Cutting one egg and some liquid would probably take care of that. However, it was rich, meaty, and a welcome change from more traditional versions.
4. Marilyn Monroe – Vintage Stuffing Recipe
Stuffed Portobello Mushroom Burger with Grilled Lemons and Garlic Aioli
Equipment
- 1 Grill Outdoor grill or grill pan
- 1 Mixing Bowl Medium-sized for cheese mixture and aioli
- 1 Tongs For handling hot items on the grill
- 1 Paring Knife For cleaning mushroom gills and mincing garlic
- 1 Cutting Board
Ingredients
Main
- 4 portobello mushrooms stemmed
- 5 ounces goat cheese
- 1- ounce thyme leaves
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice divided
- 2 lemon sliced
- 4 whole wheat buns
- 2 bunches arugula
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
Instructions
- Clean gills from mushrooms. Combine goat cheese, thyme, 1 teaspoon lemon juice mix well. Stuff seasoned goat cheese into mushroom cavity. Grill stuffed mushrooms 10 to 15 minutes, add lemons and bread to the grill. Combine garlic, mayonnaise and remaining 1 teaspoon lemon juice for aioli. Spread aioli generously onto bun. Add arugula, grilled mushroom and grilled lemons to burger.
Notes
2. Grilling Lemons: Grilling lemon slices caramelizes their sugars, mellowing their tartness and intensifying their citrus flavor, which provides a lovely acidic counterpoint to the rich mushroom and goat cheese.
3. Garlic Aioli: For best flavor, use fresh garlic and mince it very finely. You can whisk in a tiny amount of olive oil while combining the aioli ingredients to add richness and improve texture.
4. Bun Toasting: Lightly toasting the buns on the grill adds texture and prevents them from becoming soggy from the aioli and mushroom juices.
The shock contender was Marilyn Monroe. Her handwritten recipe included ground beef, liver, parmesan, five herbs, nuts, raisins, and hard-boiled eggs. Her method was just as unconventional wetting a whole loaf of bread, wringing it out, and not using broth at all.
The result was intriguing but divisive. The liver flavor took over, overshadowing the other ingredients. The sweetness from the raisins and the strong herbs didn’t quite harmonize with the meatiness. The soaked bread, once wrung out, gave the stuffing a mealy texture that lacked structure.
It was fascinating to try, especially knowing it came from such an iconic figure, but it’s not something we’d make again without major adjustments.
And the Winner Is…
From a taste of all four, one dish obviously took the cake: Gwyneth Paltrow’s Classic Bread Stuffing. It found that perfect sweet spot between classic comfort and some extra something. The fennel was a great addition, the texture was spot-on, and the richness made it recall-worthy. It’s the type of recipe that can be a family heirloom.
Lessons from the Stuffing Showdown
While choosing a winner was the objective, the exercise did provide some notable facts regarding what makes stuffing terrific and how it can get disastrous.
Bread is the Foundation
The bread itself is what completes the dish. Gwyneth’s challah contributed a plush, rich texture to her work, and Ina’s sourdough gave solidity. Marilyn’s saturated loaf illustrates how too much moisture can ruin texture. The best results are in bread dried out beforehand so that it is able to take in flavor without becoming mushy.
The Moisture Balance
Not enough liquid makes stuffing dry and crumbly. Too much, and it’s mushy. Ina’s might have benefited from a little more binding, and Emeril’s required a bit less. Eggs, stock, and butter all bear on the final texture, so achieving the balance is key.
Herbs and Aromatics
Onion and celery are almost standard in the recipes for stuffing they provide depth and aroma. Thyme, rosemary, and sage make stuffing smell like Christmas when used as herbs. Ina’s was slightly skimpy in this regard, while Marilyn’s was overdone. The key is to know how much is enough so all the tastes can get along.
Creativity Works Best in Moderation
Marilyn’s liver, raisin, nut, and parmesan salad was bold but too much. Flavorful touches are at their best when they enhance the dish without overpowering it. Gwyneth’s fennel is a perfect lesson in how one twist can elevate a traditional base without overwhelming it.
Other Celebrity Standouts’ Stuffings
Beyond our standout foursome, there are plenty of celebrity recipes with some cool ideas to share:
Martha Stewart takes it classic but offers upgrade choices of toasted pecans or dried cherries.
Joanna Gaines uses French bread, mushrooms, and cream for an adult, meatless version.
Rachael Ray keeps it simple with seasoned stuffing cubes and sweet-tart apple.
Guy Fieri gets wild with pepperoni, focaccia, and sun-dried tomatoes basically pizza stuffing.
Ree Drummond uses three types of bread, including cornbread, for layered texture.
Bobby Flay tops his with hot Italian sausage and country bread for an added depth of savory flavor.
Paula Deen adds saltine crackers to her cornbread stuffing, but it can get soggy.
Final Thoughts
Stuffing is technically a side dish, but in so many families, it’s the headliner of Thanksgiving tradition. This taste test showed just how many directions you can take it from classic herb-and-bread staples to full-on flavor leaps.
In the end, our ballot was cast for Gwyneth Paltrow’s Classic Bread Stuffing because it nailed comfort, texture, and just enough flair. But the ultimate takeaway? Stuffing is utterly versatile. Try to stick to tradition or go wild, and the best one is the one that makes your holiday table complete.
