Best 4 Do Ahead Stuffing Recipes

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Thanksgiving is a time for family, friends, and of course, delicious food. No Thanksgiving feast is complete without stuffing. This versatile dish can be made with a variety of ingredients, from classic bread cubes and sausage to more unique options like wild rice and dried fruit. Best of all, stuffing can be made ahead of time, freeing up your oven space on the big day. This article features three delicious do-ahead stuffing recipes for your Thanksgiving feast. The first recipe is a classic bread stuffing made with celery, onion, and herbs. The second recipe is a more modern take on stuffing, using quinoa, cranberries, and pecans. The third recipe is a vegetarian stuffing made with mushrooms, spinach, and feta cheese. All three recipes are easy to follow and can be made in advance. So whether you're a traditionalist or you're looking for something new, there's a do-ahead stuffing recipe in this article that's perfect for you!

Let's cook with our recipes!

MAKE-AHEAD SAUSAGE STUFFING



Make-Ahead Sausage Stuffing image

Stress less at the holidays by getting your stuffing halfway done before T-Day. Simply prepare the bread cubes, sausage and vegetables, then stop and freeze. Finish and bake it on the big day. Once you have the prep in the bag, the rest is easy.

Provided by Food Network Kitchen

Categories     side-dish

Time 2h35m

Yield 8 servings

Number Of Ingredients 11

1 1/2 sticks (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter
1 pound sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
1 medium onion, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
4 celery stalks, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 tablespoon dried sage
1 tablespoon dried thyme
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
One stale 1 1/2-pound loaf bread, sliced, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 12 cups)
2 cups homemade turkey stock or low-sodium chicken broth
2 large eggs
1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves, chopped

Steps:

  • Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook, breaking it up into bite-sized pieces, until it is browned and cooked through, about 5 minutes. Transfer the sausage with a slotted spoon to a large bowl.
  • Melt 5 tablespoons of the remaining butter in the skillet. Add the onions, celery, sage, thyme, 1 teaspoon salt and several grinds of pepper, and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions and celery are soft and lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Add the mixture to the bowl with the sausage; add the bread cubes, and toss to coat.
  • Let the bread-sausage mixture cool to room temperature. Transfer it to a resealable plastic bag, label and date, and freeze for up to 2 weeks.
  • To serve, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Heat the stock and 4 tablespoons of the remaining butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat until the butter melts. Whisk the eggs and parsley together in a large bowl. Break the frozen stuffing with your hands into smaller chunks, add to the bowl and toss. Add the stock-butter mixture, and toss to combine. Transfer to the prepared baking dish, and dot with the 2 remaining tablespoons butter. Cover tightly with foil, and bake until the stuffing is hot, 50 minutes to 1 hour. Uncover and continue to bake until golden brown on top, about 20 minutes more. Serve warm.

MAKE AHEAD STUFFING



Make Ahead Stuffing image

This is my favorite (and wildly popular) bread stuffing recipe updated with make-ahead instructions. It's a great way to get a jump-start on the holiday!

Provided by Meggan Hill

Categories     Side Dish

Time 1h10m

Number Of Ingredients 11

1/2 cup butter (plus more for buttering baking dish (1 stick))
1 large yellow onion (chopped)
4 celery ribs (sliced lengthwise and chopped)
3 eggs
2 cups chicken broth ((see note 1))
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup fresh parsley (minced (see note 2))
1 teaspoon fresh sage (minced, or 1/2 teaspoon dried)
1 teaspoon fresh thyme (minced, or 1/2 teaspoon dried)
1 teaspoon fresh marjoram (minced, or 1/2 teaspoon dried)
1 large loaf French bread (about 1 pound, cut into 1/2" cubes and dried overnight on counter (see note 3))

Steps:

  • Coat a 9" by 13" baking dish with butter. In a large skillet over medium high heat, melt butter until foaming. Add onion and celery and sauté until translucent, about 7 to 8 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, whisk eggs in large bowl. Stir in broth, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.
  • To skillet, add parsley, sage, thyme, and marjoram and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Transfer to bowl with eggs and mix well.
  • Add bread cubes and toss to combine. Transfer to buttered baking dish and cover with foil. Refrigerate until ready to bake, or freeze if you're planning to bake it farther in advance than the next day.
  • When ready to bake, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Keep stuffing tightly covered with foil and bake until mostly heated through, about 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake until crispy edges form, about 10 to 20 minutes longer.

Nutrition Facts : ServingSize 1 cup, Calories 241 kcal, Carbohydrate 24 g, Protein 7 g, Fat 13 g, SaturatedFat 7 g, TransFat 1 g, Cholesterol 97 mg, Sodium 459 mg, Fiber 2 g, Sugar 2 g

DO-AHEAD STUFFING



Do-Ahead Stuffing image

This is a delicious stuffing recipe that can be made up to 3 days ahead. Just mix the ingredients together and store in the fridge.

Provided by BETSY0511

Categories     Side Dish     Stuffing and Dressing Recipes     Bread Stuffing and Dressing Recipes

Time 1h

Yield 16

Number Of Ingredients 10

1 cup butter
2 cups chopped onion
2 cups chopped celery
16 cups dry bread crumbs
1 tablespoon salt
2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon dried sage
2 cups chicken broth, or as needed

Steps:

  • Melt the butter in a large deep skillet over medium heat. Add celery and onion; cook and stir until tender, about 10 minutes. Blend in the bread crumbs, salt, poultry seasoning, pepper, thyme and sage. Stir in enough chicken broth to moisten. Spoon into large resealable bags and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
  • To bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Place the stuffing into greased casserole dishes.
  • Bake for 45 minutes in the preheated oven. If stuffing a bird, cook according to the recipe for your bird and place any extra stuffing into a casserole dish to bake.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 539.6 calories, Carbohydrate 80.2 g, Cholesterol 30.5 mg, Fat 17.3 g, Fiber 5.5 g, Protein 14.9 g, SaturatedFat 8.6 g, Sodium 1321.2 mg, Sugar 7.8 g

EASY SAUSAGE STUFFING (MAKE AHEAD)



Easy Sausage Stuffing (Make Ahead) image

It wouldn't be the holidays without it! My mom's recipe and an easy holiday tradition using packaged stuffing mix. The first steps can be done ahead of time and refrigerated.

Provided by MommyMakes

Categories     Pork

Time 1h

Yield 6 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 7

4 celery ribs
1 white onion
1/2 cup butter
1 lb bulk pork sausage
1 (16 ounce) package crumb seasoned stuffing mix, like pepperidge farms
1/4 teaspoon sage, no more
1 cup chicken broth

Steps:

  • Prepare a small dice of celery and onion, and saute with butter until soft.
  • Remove from pan and reserve. Add crumbled sausage to pan and cook through.
  • Drain sausage on paper towels and combine with celery mixture. This can now be refrigerated until you are ready to stuff the turkey.
  • When you are ready to stuff the turkey combine celery mixture, sausage, stuffing mix and sage in a large bowl.
  • Add chicken broth a little at a time just until stuffing is moist, not mushy or runny.
  • Rinse turkey and empty the cavity. Place turkey in roasting pan.
  • Fill the body cavity with stuffing mixture. Also fill the cavity at the neck under the skin with stuffing. Pat any additional stuffing between the turkey legs. Prepare turkey as desired.
  • To cook in a casserole dish instead of stuffing the turkey, place stuffing mixture in a greased casserole dish and bake according to package directions. If stuffing is drying out dot with butter and add small amounts of broth to moisten.

Tips:

  • Prepare stuffing ahead of time: This can be done up to 3 days in advance, which can save you time on the day of your meal.
  • Use a variety of breads: This will give your stuffing a more complex flavor and texture. Some good options include white bread, whole wheat bread, cornbread, and challah.
  • Add moisture: This will help to keep your stuffing from drying out. Some good options include broth, milk, and eggs.
  • Season your stuffing well: This will help to bring out the flavors of the other ingredients. Some good options include salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder.
  • Don't overstuff your stuffing: This will make it difficult to cook evenly. Aim for about 1 cup of stuffing per person.
  • Bake your stuffing uncovered: This will help to create a crispy crust.
  • Let your stuffing rest before serving: This will help to redistribute the juices and make it easier to serve.

Conclusion:

With these tips in mind, you're sure to make a delicious and flavorful stuffing that will be a hit at your next meal. So next time you're looking for a delicious and easy side dish, give one of these do-ahead stuffing recipes a try.

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