5 Healthier Stuffing Recipes for Thanksgiving or Anytime

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Turkey tends to get all the attention on Thanksgiving, but most of us live for sides. According to Campbell’s annual State of the Sides Report 2023 , more than two-thirds of Americans prefer side dishes to the entrée , and while mashed potatoes are the reigning favorite, stuffing or dressing comes in, hot, in second place. Why does the traditional mixture of bread, vegetables, and butter that accompanies turkey have two names? When cooked inside the cavity of the bird, it is known, appropriately enough, as stuffing, but folks also call it dressing when it’s cooked in a separate dish outside the bird, according to the Food Network . Regardless of what name you prefer, the latter cooking method is recommended by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) , because cooking stuffing inside a turkey (or any bird) can up the risk of foodborne illness like salmonella. Of course, even without the risk of food poisoning, stuffing isn’t exactly the most nutritious holiday dish — and it’s definitely off-limits if you’re following a low-carb diet like keto. While stuffing does contain a few vegetables like onions and celery, traditional stuffing recipes call for several sticks of butter and some kind of refined bread. Butter is packed with saturated fat , a nutrient that should be kept to a minimum. The American Heart Association recommends limiting saturated fat to no more than 13 grams (g) per day based on a 2,000-calorie-a-day diet, and 1 tablespoon (tbsp) of butter already gets you over halfway there, at 7 g, according to data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) . Cubes of white bread, whether it’s baguette, French bread, brioche, challah, or even corn bread, are missing an essential nutrient: fiber. Without fiber to slow digestion down, these carbs are digested quickly and can spike blood sugar . Stuffing can also be high in sodium — one cup of homemade stuffing contains 942 milligrams (mg) of sodium according to the USDA estimates. Overhauling your Thanksgiving stuffing can be as easy as swapping the refined white bread for a whole-grain version, and using low-sodium broth or stock. But if you desire an even healthier twist, have guests with special dietary needs, or are feeling inspired to shake up the traditional menu this year, scroll down to find five creative and healthy stuffing recipes to try. Each is overflowing with nutrient-dense ingredients and all can be whipped up in under 30 minutes. We’ve got a stuffing recipe for the low-carb dieter, a few for the gluten-free crowd, a handful for your vegan or vegetarian friends, and even one for the pizza lover. Serve one or all of these up, and you’ve got yourself a new Thanksgiving or holiday tradition! P.S.: Stuffing isn’t just for turkeys! These recipes also work well as a filling for hollowed-out squash or bell peppers, so think creatively.

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