Whether you are the Christmas dinner chef or their little helper, we have five brilliant Christmas stuffing recipes that are guaranteed to please the whole family.
The first is a classic recipe from Mary Berry. Then we have a sage and onion stuffing recipe from Gordon Ramsay and a third recipe that is a simple stuffing to cater to vegetarians or vegans. We also have a Jamie Oliver recipe that is packed full of flavour and is a guaranteed show-stopper. Lastly, we have also included a Panettone and Italian Sausage Stuffing recipe from Nigella Lawson that is sure to impress. No matter what you and your guests are looking for in a Christmas spread, we have got you covered!
1. Mary Berry's Christmas stuffing recipe
This classic recipe from Mary Berry uses traditional flavours combining sage, onion and sausage meat with zesty undertones from the lemon and the below recipe makes 16 servings.
Prep: 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Cooking time: 10 to 30 minutes.
Ingredients
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40g of butter, plus extra for greasing
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1 large onion, finely chopped
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700g pork sausage meat
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150g fresh white breadcrumbs
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1 large unwaxed lemon, juice and finely grated zest
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3 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
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1 tbsp chopped fresh sage
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salt and freshly ground black pepper
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1 tbsp vegetable oil
Method
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Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat, add the onion and fry gently for 8-10 minutes, or until softened.
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Stir in the remaining stuffing ingredients, except for the vegetable oil, until well combined. Season to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
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Using wet hands, shape the sausage meat mixture into 16 equally-sized balls. Place on a lightly greased baking tray, cover with cling film and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
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Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6.
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Heat the oil in a large frying pan over high heat. Add the stuffing balls and fry for 4–5 minutes, turning once, until golden on both sides.
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Return the fried stuffing balls to the baking tray (or, if there is room, place them in the same roasting tray as the turkey or chicken). Bake the stuffing balls for 20–25 minutes, or until cooked through. If they brown too quickly during cooking, cover with kitchen foil. Serve with roast turkey, roast chicken, or other roast meat.
Here is a video if you would like to follow the cooking process for more details.
2. Gordon Ramsay's sage and onion stuffing recipe
This classic stuffing recipe from Gordon Ramsay can be made as stuffing balls or in one large dish if you prefer to serve it that way. For an extra Christmas twist, Gordon suggests adding a handful of chopped cooked chestnuts and dried cranberries along with the sausage meat. The below recipe serves 6.
Cooking time: 25-30 minutes
Ingredients
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1 tbsp butter, plus extra for greasing
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1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
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30g breadcrumbs
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½ tsp garlic powder or granules
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½ tsp smoked paprika
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Pinch ground white pepper
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1 tsp mixed dried herbs
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Few sprigs fresh sage, leaves finely chopped
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½ tsp baking powder
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1 tsp self-raising flour
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500g sausage meat
Method
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Preheat the oven to 220°C/Fan 200°C/Gas 7. Grease an ovenproof dish or small roasting tray with butter. Melt the butter in a small frying pan over a medium heat and add the chopped onion. Cook for 6-8 minutes or until softened. Transfer the onion to a large bowl and allow to cool.
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Add the breadcrumbs, dried spices, dried herbs, sage, baking powder and flour to the bowl and mix well to combine. Pour in 200ml boiling water from the kettle, mix well and leave to stand for 5 minutes.
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Add the sausage meat and mix thoroughly – this may be easier by hand.
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Using damp hands, divide the stuffing mixture into 12 portions and roll each into a ball (each about the size of a walnut or golf ball) then place in the greased dish.
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Leave to stand for 5 minutes.
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Then bake for 25-30 minutes or until cooked through.
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If you are looking for a vegan alternative to this recipe, we have that sorted for you too.
3. Vegan sage and onion stuffing recipe
As far as Christmas stuffing recipes go, this simple and versatile recipe from the BBC Food Team is perfect for catering to vegetarians or gluten sensitivities. It is quick and easy but does not skimp out on flavour. The below recipe makes 6 servings.
Prep: less than 30 minutes.
Cooking time: 30 minutes to 1 hour
Ingredients
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1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
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1 tbsp vegetable oil
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1 tbsp fresh sage, finely chopped
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80g of fresh white breadcrumbs (To make it gluten-free substitute for gluten-free breadcrumbs)
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salt and pepper
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1 egg, beaten (To make it vegan substitute 1 tbsp of chickpea flour mixed with 3 tbsp of water or 1 tbsp of egg replacer to 3 tbsp of water)
Method
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Sweat the onion in the oil, until soft but not coloured
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Mix the onion, sage and breadcrumbs together and season well.
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Add enough of the beaten egg to bind the mixture together and use to stuff meat or poultry or to roll into individual stuffing balls.
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If you are making stuffing balls, then cook in a roasting tin for 30 minutes.
4. Jamie Oliver's vegetarian Christmas stuffing recipe
Jamie Oliver’s showstopper vegetarian stuffing is a great meat-free alternative to the Christmas spread. Combining aromatic flavours from the cinnamon and nutmeg with nuts, dried fruit and squash; this stuffing is guaranteed to stand out. The below recipe makes 8 servings.
Cooking time: 2 hours plus cooling.
Ingredients
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1 small butternut squash (1kg)
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2 red onions
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Glug of olive oil
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1 pinch of ground cinnamon
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1 tsp ground coriander
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1 whole nutmeg, for grating
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1 bunch of fresh sage (30g)
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50g dried cranberries
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50g shelled pistachios
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500g stale bread (For gluten-free use gluten-free bread)
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300ml semi-skimmed milk (For dairy-free use oat or cashew milk)
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Essential equipment:
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A 1.5 L pudding bowl.
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Cook time: 2 hours plus cooling.
Method
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Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4.
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Wash the squash, then carefully quarter it lengthways and remove the seeds, placing the squash in a roasting tray, skin side down.
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Peel, quarter and scatter over the onions, drizzle with 1 tablespoon of oil, add the cinnamon, ground coriander and a pinch of sea salt and black pepper, finely grate over half the nutmeg, then toss together.
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Roast for 40 minutes, then remove from the oven.
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Pick and roughly chop the sage leaves with the cranberries and pistachios, toss with a light drizzle of oil, then scatter over the squash and onions.
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Roast for another 5 minutes, then remove and leave to cool.
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Tear the bread into a bowl, pour over the milk and leave to soak for a few minutes.
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Squeeze out any excess milk, then pinch and tear the bread into the tray of cooled veg. Using your hands, really squash and squidge everything together with another pinch of sea salt and black pepper until well mixed.
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Line a 1.5-litre pudding bowl with a scrunched-up sheet of wet, oiled greaseproof paper (or you can use a baking dish to give you a greater surface area for a crispy top if you prefer). Pack in the stuffing and drizzle with 1 more tablespoon of oil, then cover with greaseproof paper, tying it in place with string.
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Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes, or until golden and gnarly. Use the greaseproof paper to help you lift it out of the bowl, then confidently flip it on to a plate and serve.
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Get ahead: Make this in advance up to the stage where it’s ready to bake. You can use 250g of this stuffing in your turkey, should you so wish.
5. Nigella Lawson’s Panettone and Italian Sausage Stuffing recipe
This iconic Panettone and Italian Sausage Stuffing recipe from Nigella Lawson can elevate your Christmas spread as it is combines the classic flavours of sweet, fruited bread and the fieriness of Italian sausage to create a dish that is sure to impress your guests. The below recipe is for 8-10 servings.
Ingredients
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2 onions, peeled
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3 sticks of celery
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4x15ml tbsp olive oil
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1 kg Italian sausages
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4 eggs
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500ml chicken stock
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500g panettone, cut into 2–3cm cubes
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Large handful of chopped parsley, plus more to serve
Method
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Preheat the oven to 200°C/gas mark 6.
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Lay out the panettone cubes on a large baking sheet, and toast them in the oven for 10 minutes, till they are crisp and golden at the edges. Allow to cool.
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Chop the onions and celery finely, but don’t go so far that you end up with a mush.
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Put 2 tablespoons of the oil into a pan and, when warm, add the celery and onion and cook gently, stirring every now and again, for 10–15 minutes until softened.
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Add the remaining oil to the pan, then squeeze the sausages out of their casings into the pan and squish and turn with a wooden spoon to break the pieces up as much as possible and mix with the celery and onion.
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Cook the sausagemeat for about 10 minutes, or until the pinkness has left it, stirring regularly with your wooden spoon. You can do everything up till this stage in advance if you like.
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In a bowl, whisk the eggs with the stock (adding salt if it isn’t already salty, so taste the stock first) and pour this over the stuffing, leaving it to soak in for 5 minutes or so before baking, uncovered, in the oven for 45 minutes. It will be dark golden and crisp on top, but utterly firm underneath.
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Sprinkle with chopped parsley and use a large spoon to serve.
FAQs
Is it better to make stuffing the night before?
Preparing the stuffing ahead of time can help you save time on the day of cooking when you will be busy preparing the entire spread. Most recipes, including the ones we have mentioned in this list, explain what bits can be prepped the night before and the ideal ways to store it to retain freshness.
How do you keep stuffing moist when baking?
In order to keep your stuffing from drying out in the oven, make sure to start with a little more liquid than you want your final stuffing to have. You can add 1 cup of broth or stock for every 4 cups of dry stuffing mix.
Butter, turkey drippings, olive oil, rendered bacon fat, eggs or even Parmesan cheese can add bit more moisture to your stuffing.
It is also important to cover the stuffing with aluminium foil for most of the baking time and only remove the foil after 30 minutes if you want the top to brown.
Ellen Kinsey is a senior health and wellness product writer for Yours, specialising in natural health and beauty. She lives and breathes all things food, travel and wellness.