Best Bread for Stuffing

Are you making stuffing for your upcoming holiday meal? Do you wonder which type of bread is best for creating delicious, crunchy, and savory stuffing? This blog post has you covered with the best bread to use for delicious stuffing recipes.

What is Stuffing?

Stuffing is a side dish that is typically served at a holiday meal. As the name suggests, this side dish is typically “stuffed” inside the cavity of a turkey. However, many folks serve it alongside the main course, sometimes referring to it as “dressing.”

This dish is typically made with at least two types of bread, chicken stock, and a Mirepoix (onions, carrots, and celery). Additionally, or at least in my family, we add sausage, cajun seasoning, and a bit of pepper for extra protein and flavor.

The Best Bread for Stuffing

Sliced Sandwich Bread

Sliced Sandwich Bread is a superb option for making holiday stuffing. However, I do recommend using day-old bread or drying it out in the oven prior to mixing it into the other stuffing ingredients. Although fresh bread is delicious for immediate enjoyment, day-old or dried-out bread helps absorb the stuffing ingredients. The flavor absorption creates a more flavorful side dish.

French Baguette

Another bread option for making stuffing is a French Baguette. Its tight crumb texture, crispy exterior, and tender interior make this a superb bread for your holiday stuffing recipe. Simply rip day-old bread into rustic pieces (aka don’t worry about making it neat), toss it into the other ingredients, let it absorb the flavors, and then bake until perfection.

Sourdough Dutch Oven Bread

Are you looking for a way to use day-old or week-old Sourdough bread for your holiday recipes? Then, use it in your holiday stuffing! A Sourdough Dutch Oven Loaf, much like the one pictured, is one of the best breads for stuffing because of its crispy exterior and soft, tender interior. Simply tear the round of bread into manageable pieces, toss them into the wet ingredients, and bake until tender, juicy, and devourable.

Sourdough Cornbread

Sourdough Cornbread or Cornbread (in general) makes another excellent choice for the best breads for stuffing. If your family is like mine and adds sausage to their stuffing, cornbread is the perfect balance for the sweet and savory balance in this side dish. Furthermore, fresh or day-old cornbread is delicious to use on this holiday side and you can make it from a box or homemade.

Italian Bread

Similar to a French Baguette, Sourdough Italian Bread is tender on the inside and crispy on the exterior which makes this another delicious bread option for your favorite stuffing recipe. However, in order for this bread to perform its top absorption level, I’d recommend tearing it into pieces and baking it or letting it “dry out” for a day or two.

Pumpkin Sourdough Brioche Bread

If you’re looking for a more festive, fall-inspired stuffing for your holiday side dish, rip up Pumpkin Sourdough Brioche and pop it in. Traditionally, Brioche is a softer crumb with a softer exterior which helps it absorb the liquids.