We’re only a month away from our favorite food holiday—Thanksgiving. And while Thanksgiving may look different this year than in the past, it doesn’t mean any of your food traditions have to suffer. Turkey, cranberry sauce, pies, gravy, and green bean casserole are staples and so is stuffing or dressing. So, what’s the difference between stuffing and dressing?
Besides having different names, these sides are essentially the same thing—they are made with chicken stock, onion, and bread. What you call this side actually depends on how you make it. Stuffing is stuffed inside the turkey and cooked there. Dressing is roasted in a separate dish and flavor is usually added with mix-ins.
But in most cases, your preferences for stuffing or dressing boils down to where you live. Cooks from the Northeast and Pacific Northeast usually have stuffing and cooks from the South and Midwest prefer dressing.
Some people claim that the name depends on what carb you use. In the south, it’s common to use cornbread in the dressing, in the Northeast chefs prefer to use baguettes, challah, or white bread, and in the Pacific Northwest, chefs use sourdough bread and seafood.
Regardless of how you cook the stuffing/dressing, we can all agree that it’s an essential staple on the Thanksgiving table and our holiday wouldn’t be the same without it.
