Thanksgiving Stuffing with Bacon

This Thanksgiving Stuffing with Bacon is the perfect side dish and will quickly become a Thanksgiving tradition! The secret is frying the bacon first so you can cook the veggies in the bacon grease.

Is Bacon Good in Stuffing?

Yes! It gives the stuffing so much flavor! You have to put this Bacon Stuffing on your Thanksgiving menu this year. It is unbelievably good! Forget about the stuff you buy in the box – this should be a new holiday tradition. I have used sausage in dressings and stuffings before but this is the first time I’ve tried bacon. It took me about 30 minutes to prep and then it went right in the oven. It made the whole house smell incredible. When my boys came home from school they even asked me why it smelled like Thanksgiving.

What kind of bread is best for stuffing?

You can use pre-made bread cubes, but fresh french bread just tastes so good — and you can get it really cheap at the grocery store. It only took me a few minutes to cube it myself. What makes this recipe so flavorful is sautéing the celery and onions in the leftover bacon grease, so make sure you don’t throw it away  If you are crunched for time on Thanksgiving Day, you can make this the night before. Cover the cooled dressing with plastic wrap and put it in the fridge. You can also store the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge.

Recipe Tip – Make the Bacon Ahead

A tip from their family is to prepare the bacon ahead of time and freeze it until ready to add to the stuffing, but make sure to save some bacon grease for sautéing the vegetables. You can fry the bacon or bake it in the oven. Spread a sheet of tin foil over a cookie sheet and add the slices of bacon. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Let the bacon cool, and place it in a resealable freezer bag.

A big thanks to Katelyn Walker, Emily’s sister-in-law, for this recipe. It is a family recipe handed down to her from her Grandma Jolly.

If you are serving anyone with a gluten allergy for Thanksgiving dinner, we also have a Gluten-Free Stuffing recipe that is delicious. Be sure to see more of our favorite Thanksgiving Recipes including appetizers, salads, more side dishes, and, of course, turkey and gravy.

How to Make Bacon Stuffing

Bacon Stuffing

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This Bacon Stuffing is the perfect side dish and will quickly become a Thanksgiving tradition! The secret is frying the bacon first so you can cook the veggies in the bacon grease.

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Total: 1 hour 45 minutes

Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 1 loaf french bread
• 1 lb bacon
• 2 cups chopped celery
• 1 onion chopped
• 1 tsp sage
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 cups chicken broth

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350.
• Cut the french bread into 1-inch cubes and put in a large bowl.
• Cut the bacon into small pieces and cook in a skillet.
• Drain the bacon, but DO NOT throw away the grease. Add the bacon to the bread pieces.
• Saute the celery and onions in the leftover bacon grease. Add to the bacon and bread.
• In the large bowl, add sage, salt and pepper.
• Add 1-2 cups of chicken broth, depending on how moist you like the stuffing.
• Stir until well combined.
• Pour into a greased casserole dish and bake covered for 70 minutes. Then bake uncovered for 20 minutes.

Equipment

• Skillet
• Casserole dish

Nutrition

Calories: 525kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 50mg | Sodium: 1157mg | Potassium: 412mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 180IU | Vitamin C: 7.9mg | Calcium: 58mg | Iron: 3mg

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Side, Side Dish, stuffing, thanksgiving

Recipe by: Echo Blickenstaff

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