If your favorite part of Thanksgiving, like mine, is the stuffing, you'll love this recipe for Sage and Bacon Stuffing. Take the classic Thanksgiving stuffing with sage, onion, celery, and parsley, and add salty, savory bacon for the perfect side dish.
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Why You'll Love This Dish
This bacon stuffing recipe is extremely delicious. You have all of the traditional flavors of Thanksgiving dinner amplified by crispy bacon.
The stuffing is moist but not soggy. You can add one cup of chicken broth for a more crisp stuffing, or two for a more classic texture.
This recipe does not need to cook inside the turkey. I have found that stuffing that cooks inside the turkey tends to get steamed, rather than lightly crisped, and can impact the texture of the turkey as well.
Don't bother with the hassle! This method is easier and creates a better end product.
What You'll Need
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- Bread I tested this recipe with a loaf of ciabatta, sourdough, and French bread, and all were excellent.
- Bacon Use whatever your favorite brand is, here.
- Butter I prefer to use unsalted butter so that I can determine how salty the finished dish is. Be mindful of using salted butter with already salty bacon.
- Fresh Sage
- Celery
- Onion I have made this recipe with sweet and yellow onions, both of which I'd recommend.
- Chicken Broth or chicken stock
- Fresh Parsley
- Salt My preferred brand is always Diamond Crystal.
How to Make Stuffing with Bacon
Step One Cube the bread or tear into bite-sized pieces. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Add the bread cubes to a baking sheet.
Step Two Once the oven is up to temperature, cook the bread for 20 to 30 minutes until the bread is dried out and crisp. Remove from the oven and increase the heat to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
Step Three While the bread toasts in the oven, finely chop the onion and celery.
Step Four: Roughly chop the parsley.
Step Five Slice the sage leaves.
Step Six Fry the bacon in a skillet over medium heat. Do not pour off the bacon grease. Chop or crumble the bacon once cooled.
Step Seven Butter a baking pan or casserole dish.
Step Eight Add the butter to the bacon grease and melt. If the butter starts to get dark, turn down the heat a bit. Scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan.
Step Nine Whisk in the sage and poultry seasoning.
Step Ten Sauté the onion and celery for 3 to 5 minutes, until the onion is soft and translucent.
Step Eleven Add the broth to the skillet, mix well, and season to taste.
Step Twelve Add the bacon and parsley to the bread mixture in a baking dish or casserole dish. Mix until thoroughly combined.
Step Thirteen Pour the vegetable and broth mixture over the bread. Bake it in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes to make the top of the bread crispy and golden brown. Do not cover the stuffing when cooking.
Step Fourteen Serve hot!
Variations
- You can make cornbread stuffing in place of using traditional bread.
- Instead of bacon, you can use a bit of sausage.
- Try this stuffing recipe with apples for a bit of sweetness and tartness.
How to Store
Fridge You can store leftover stuffing right in the baking dish with some aluminum foil or plastic wrap, or transfer to an airtight container. Place in the fridge and eat within 3 to 4 days.
Freezer I do not recommend freezing this recipe as the texture will suffer.
FAQ
Unfortunately no. The USDA has guidance on proper stuffing handling hilariously titled You've Got the Right Stuff(ing). Now that song will be in my head all day.
I recommend using a yellow or sweet onion for your stuffing. However, a red onion would work, too. If all you have on hand is a white onion, I highly doubt your guests will notice.
Absolutely! Bacon adds a wonderful salty, savory note to your favorite stuffing recipe.
How to Serve
This stuffing is wonderful with traditional Thanksgiving fare, like a Thanksgiving Turkey with greens, biscuits, gravy, and cranberry sauce!
Need a festive dessert? This spice cake is delicious!
Expert Tips
- For a more moist, traditional stuffing, use two cups of chicken broth. For a slightly more crisp stuffing, use only one.
- Taste as you go! Be sure to taste the liquid mixture before you add it to the bread. While you can add salt to your finished dish, it's best to season as you cook.
- Use unsalted butter if possible. This will allow you to have full control over the saltiness of the dish!
Other Recipes You'll Love
Need more Thanksgiving inspiration? Try these recipes!
Garlicky Sautéed Cruciferous Crunch
📖 Recipe
Sage and Bacon Stuffing
Ingredients
- 16 ounces bread from a high-quality loaf, like sourdough, Italian, or ciabatta
- 4 slices bacon
- ½ cup butter plus about 1 tablespoon more for greasing the baking dish
- 12 sage leaves
- 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
- 1 medium onion sweet or yellow
- 2 stalks celery
- 1 to 2 cups chicken broth or stock see note 1 below
- ½ cup roughly chopped parsley
- kosher salt to taste
Instructions
- Cut the bread into cubes or tear into bite-sized pieces. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Add the bread cubes to a baking sheet.
- Once the oven is up to temperature, cook the bread for about 20 minutes, until the bread is dried out and crisp. Remove from the oven and increase the heat to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Meanwhile, finely chop the onion and celery.
- Roughly chop the parsley.
- Slice the sage leaves.
- Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat. Do not pour off the bacon grease.
- Remove the bacon from the pan and crumble or chop when cool.
- Add the butter to the bacon grease and melt. If the butter starts to get dark, turn down the heat a bit. Scrape up any browned bits in the pan.
- Whisk in the sage and poultry seasoning.
- Once melted, sauté the onion and celery for 3 to 5 minutes, until the onion is soft and translucent.
- Add the broth to the skillet, mix well, and season to taste.
- Add the bacon and parsley to the bread mixture in a baking dish or casserole dish. Mix until thoroughly combined.
- Pour the vegetable and broth mixture over the bread. Bake it in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes to make the top of the bread crispy and golden brown. Do not cover the stuffing when cooking.
- Serve hot!
Notes
- For a more moist, traditional stuffing texture, use two cups of chicken broth. For a slightly more crisp stuffing, use only one.
- Stale bread is great for this recipe.
- Do not refrigerate uncooked stuffing.
- Fridge You can store leftover stuffing right in the baking dish with some aluminum foil or plastic wrap, or transfer to an airtight container. Place in the fridge and eat within 3 to 4 days.
- Freezer I do not recommend freezing this recipe as the texture will suffer.
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