I Tested 6 Different Breads for Thanksgiving Stuffing—Here’s the One I’ll Use Forever

I've seen debates rage among friends and family over the best kind of bread for stuffing: Some swear by challah for its richness, others enjoy sourdough for its tang and structure. Brioche lovers find its butteriness unmatched, while cornbread enthusiasts claim it's not Thanksgiving without it. Just because you love a certain loaf, however, it doesn't mean it's the best bread for stuffing. With so many flavors and textures in play, it's important to consider which is best for absorbing stock and complementing the other ingredients—such as sausage and aromatics—in a stuffing.

The Tests

To find the best bread for stuffing, I prepared six versions of former Serious Eats editor Kenji’s classic sage and sausage stuffing, each with a different bread: brioche, French bread, white sandwich bread, sourdough, cornbread, and challah. Per the recipe instructions, I oven-dried each bread, then incorporated it into the stuffing, taking detailed notes on the flavor and texture of each stuffing on the day it was made and each of the two days after.

Brioche

Brioche is an enriched bread made with eggs and plenty of dairy, giving it a fluffy texture and buttery flavor. It has a good structure and is also incredibly tender, making it a popular choice for French toast and bread pudding. But how would it hold up in stuffing? 

Oven-drying the brioche took less time than any of the other breads. The bread was also the most crumbly: It broke apart easily, instantly absorbed most of the liquid when tossed with the stuffing ingredients, and, after baking, the stuffing was rather mushy. The bread, however, was quite delicious and absorbed the flavor of the stock, sausage, and aromatics well. The flavors of the stuffing were more pronounced the next day, but its texture was still just as soft as it was when it was freshly made, offering little structure. On the second day, the bread began to dry out, but remained dense and pasty in the center.

The Verdict: Brioche makes a delicious stuffing, but it becomes far too soft when combined with wet ingredients in a stuffing. If you plan on using brioche for your stuffing, be mindful of the amount of liquid you add—stop when the bread has absorbed most of it—and toss gently to combine with the other ingredients.

French Bread

French bread—at least the kind sold in most US grocery stores—is a soft, wide loaf with an airy crumb and crisp crust. In his classic sage and sausage stuffing recipe, Kenji notes that its fine-holed structure "makes for better flavor absorption and retention," making it a great choice for stuffing.

After I mixed the oven-dried bread with the aromatics and stock, the cubes began to break down slightly, but held their shape for the most part. Once baked, the stuffing was more squishy than custardy. Over the course of a day, the stuffing became even softer, and after two days, it was quite dense. Though the cubes held their shape and the stuffing remained delicious, the interior had become gummy. 

The Verdict: French bread absorbs liquid readily and is fine for those who prefer stuffing on the softer side. It's best used for stuffing you plan to eat on the same day, as it becomes stodgy as it sits.

Soft White Sandwich Bread

White sandwich bread's wide availability, versatile flavor, and tender crumb make it a popular stuffing option for many people. Like supermarket Italian or French bread, it has a fine crumb and texture, and is generally considered a good option for stuffing.

When oven-dried, sandwich bread has just the right structure—not too firm and not too soft—for stuffing. In my tests, it absorbed the stock easily and did not fall apart when gently tossed with the rest of the stuffing ingredients. The next day, the stuffing had gotten much softer, but not unpleasantly so. It had a cohesive texture, retaining its custardy nature without becoming squishy. The bread's neutral flavor allowed the stock, meat, and herbs to shine. By the third day, the bread cubes clung together more, as the moisture had fully integrated. It still wasn’t as good as on the first day—but it would likely be quite delicious paired with other Thanksgiving leftovers.

The Verdict: Sandwich bread is a versatile, reliable, and convenient option that holds up well, and its neutral flavor lets the flavors of the aromatics and stock take the center stage. Unlike artisanal breads with irregular crumbs or tough crusts, sandwich bread absorbs liquid predictably and bakes into a uniform texture, allowing it to behave the same way every time. For cooks who are after a classic stuffing, sandwich bread is tough to beat.

Sourdough

Sourdough is a naturally leavened bread with a well-hydrated, chewy crumb and a hard crust. It has a distinct tanginess that may not be welcome in all stuffings. The sourdough's tart flavor contrasted nicely with the savory stock, and the bread's firmness allowed it to retain most of its structure while also absorbing a fair amount of stock. The day after I prepared the stuffing, the bread cubes remained defined. I also found the stuffing more flavorful: The bread's tanginess and the stock's savory notes had melded, resulting in a bright, herbaceous stuffing. On the third day, the bread began to harden slightly—something easily remedied by a generous drizzle of gravy. 

The Verdict: Sourdough bread produces a sturdy stuffing that won't become excessively moist or stodgy. Though it dries out slightly on the second and third day—not ideal for make-ahead stuffing—it's fine for leftovers. Its tanginess is perfect for those who like sour flavors. If you like a stuffing that's robust both in flavor and texture, sourdough is a great choice.

Cornbread

Cornbread is a popular stuffing option, especially in the South. There are two kinds of cornbread: unsweetened Southern-style cornbread and sweetened Northern-style cornbread. For my testing, I used Northern-style cornbread. Many people swear by cornbread for their stuffing, as its earthiness complements the savory notes of the stock, aromatics, and meat. When incorporated into stuffing in my tests, the cornbread held its structure well and did not become overly soft. Though it had softened further on the second and third days, it was still structurally sound, making it an ideal choice for make-ahead stuffing or leftovers that will hold up well. 

The Verdict: Cornbread holds its shape well and is an excellent option if you plan on making your stuffing ahead or simply like its flavor profile. If you plan on using Northern-style cornbread, it will provide your stuffing with a lovely salty-sweet flavor profile, while Southern-style cornbread is a great stuffing bread for those who like their cornbread more savory.

Challah

Challah, a Jewish braided bread enriched with eggs and oil, is tender, slightly sweet, and has a fine crumb. My stuffing made with challah felt adjacent to French toast: The bread's subtle sweetness and egginess added richness to the stuffing, and complemented the savory sausage and fresh herbs. Baked into stuffing, the bread became nicely custardy while also maintaining its structural integrity. Though the stuffing had dried out slightly on the second and third day, it was still flavorful and moist. I'd recommend using challah if you want to make your stuffing ahead of time or if you expect to have leftovers and you want them to taste just as good as they did on the first day.

The Verdict: Challah is the best bread to use if you want a rich, custardy stuffing. It's also a great option if you want to make your stuffing ahead of time or want leftovers that taste just as good as they did on their first day.

The Takeaway

The best bread for stuffing is one that absorbs liquid well, maintains structural integrity, and holds its shape without turning mushy. Ideally, it should taste good the next day, so that leftovers are just as enjoyable. 

While brioche and French bread are popular options, I found them both lacking in structure and flavor across all three days of testing. Still, you can use them if you prefer a softer stuffing and don't plan on having leftovers.

Sandwich bread is a solid and convenient choice: It's a versatile bread that holds its shape well when baked, and has a neutral flavor that complements a wide range of ingredients.

When used in stuffing, sourdough, cornbread, and challah are flavorful and well-structured. For those who want a sturdy stuffing with tangy flavors, sourdough is the go-to. Cornbread provides a pleasant, earthy flavor and grittiness, and does not become mushy. Challah bakes into a rich, custardy stuffing, and holds its shape well for up to three days, making it the ideal loaf for make-ahead stuffing and delicious leftovers. 

Ultimately, the best bread for stuffing depends on what you are looking for. Understanding how each bread behaves in stuffing, however, will make it much easier to pick the ideal one for your Thanksgiving table.