Best Thanksgiving Pickford Stuffing Recipe

This Pickford stuffing is the most amazing sausage stuffing recipe you will ever make! Whether you make it with a smoked bird, our sheet pan turkey or even a spiral ham it’s a family favorite side dish. It’s so good we make it at Thanksgiving, Easter and year round with dinner!

Pepperidge Farm Sausage Stuffing

We first had it about 10 years ago when I had just given birth to my second daughter. It was a few days before Thanksgiving and my neighbor brought dinner over to us.

Bummed that we couldn’t make it to the big feast with our family, it was a yummy surprise on our doorstep for us to enjoy together. We were so happy! If you are preparing your turkey this year but want to make the best Thanksgiving turkey stuffing recipe, here it is!

Pepperidge Farm Stuffing Recipe

I’m telling you, after we ate this with a piece of roasted duck we just couldn’t stop talking about “that stuffing”. We still do ’til this day.

• Now when any holiday is around the corner I think back on that amazing stuffing and just had to find out what was in it.
• I finally asked my friend to share “the secret” with me. If you’re looking for the best Thanksgiving stuffing recipe, this is it!

Ok so it definitely comes along with great memories for me as I flash back to the days when my now 10 year old was an itty bitty thing, but making it again reminds me of just how good it really was (and is).

• Packed with LOTS of flavor it could almost be a meal in itself, but also perfect along side turkey during Thanksgiving or at Easter time too.

Ok, so really you could make this year round it’s so good, like I did here with my dutch oven whole chicken recipe. It’s really easy to throw together too.

Best Sausage Stuffing

I do have a few tips you should follow to get it from a good bite to amazing. Whether you should make it, or can, ahead of time and variations on the base.

• Do not make it the day before, it must be fresh
• Use a good base (bagged stuffing) that is already seasoned, this Pepperidge Farm herb stuffing is the ONLY type we use to make this Pickford stuffing
• Load it up with (diced) vegetables you love, and onions
• Add some meat to your stuffing, if you’ve never done it you’ll love the addition – we always use a roll of spicy ground sausage (must be spicy in our opinion for the BEST stuffing ever)
• Make it separately, not inside the bird
  • if you just must have some inside go for it, but cook the majority of your stuffing on the stovetop as I show in the video I’ve included in this post

Season after you’re done! The dry herb stuffing mix suggested here + the spicy sausage gives it a TREMENDOUS amount of flavor.

Therefore, I usually don’t add any seasonings. If you normally do wait until it is done. Taste it and then decide whether you want more so you don’t over-season it.

The Best Stuffing

Of course you first need to decide how to cook a turkey this year. No Thanksgiving dinner is complete without that.

You might want to try something new there too so here are a few suggestions. Note: we never stuff the turkey cavity, it’s better cooked separately in our opinion.

• A pressure cooker turkey saves room in your oven.
• Smoked turkey is our very favorite method.
  • During the week you could just make sheet pan chicken thighs

Thanksgiving stuffing

1. Celery
2. Onion
3. Mushrooms -baby bellas are best
4. Sausage – Jimmy Dean (spicy is best)
   1. Italian sausage can be used if you can’t find the above
5. Chicken broth

What is the best boxed stuffing?

1. You MUST use this Pepperidge Farm herb stuffing for it to be out of this world. Do NOT substitute for a cheaper brand.
2. Butter

When I asked my friend Valerie if I could share this recipe she said “yes if you call it the Pickford Stuffing”. Why?

Because that’s where this recipe came from. Pickford was the last name on her Mother’s side. The best recipes are always passed down from our Grandmas or Moms right. 😉 Now that “the secret” is out I can make it at every holiday from now on and remember those days at home with my newborn.

The sweet neighbor who thought of us on that holiday I’m still friends with, and now I can pass it on to my kids to make when they’re older too.

Stuffing Recipes

Looking for other stuffing recipes cooked using other methods?

• Instant Pot stuffing uses onions, celery, sweet potato and other goodies. Bread stuffing or dressing in your pressure cooker is very possible!
• Bundt pan stuffing uses french bread or cornbread stuffing with fresh herbs
• Slow cooker stuffing is a savory dry bread stuffing that can be made into apple stuffing with some diced fruit
• Gluten free stuffing may be needed too depending on your company.
  • Add protein and make this chicken stuffing casserole too

Looking for more great Thanksgiving side dishes? Cream corn casserole recipe is a MUST I tell you!! If it’s something you’ve never tried I guarantee it will fly off the table and your guests will ask for the recipe.

Can I make stuffing the day before?

Because it uses vegetables in it, and broth, your stuffing will have a very wet texture if you prepare it beforehand.

BUT if you are okay with that it is perfectly fine to make ahead of time and refrigerate for the big day. Keep in mind though that stuffing with raw eggs should not be stuffed inside the turkey, and should be made fresh.

We have a bunch of Thanksgiving sides to share. These are our favorites and can’t be forgotten on that special day with family!

• Instant Pot corn casserole recipe and Instant Pot green bean casserole save room in your oven if you have a lot cooking!
•  This is the best green bean recipe as far as we are concerned. If you need vegetables that are baked and healthier than others this is a great choice.

Here are a bunch of leftover turkey meat recipes too for the next day/week. You can make SO many other things beyond sandwiches, speaking of those though this is a great 2nd layer with your meat and bread!

Can homemade stuffing be frozen?

Take it off the Thanksgiving table immediately when it’s done being eaten. Transfer to freezer bags and suck all the air out so it stays really moist for up to 3 days. Refrigerate your leftover savory stuffing in airtight containers. Reheat in a pan on low heat or in the microwave for about 45 seconds or so.

Here’s the printable recipe for the best sausage stuffing on your stovetop!