Give Boxed Stuffing A Textural Upgrade With An Ingredient In Your Pantry

Boxed stuffing is certainly a convenient shortcut to get you that much closer to a Thanksgiving feast. We even have a list of boxed mixes that we ranked, so you can choose the tastiest option. Still, there are plenty of ways to make packaged stuffing mix taste homemade. In fact, adding nuts is one textural upgrade that will take boxed stuffing to new and delicious heights — and you likely already have a container of them sitting in your pantry.

Stuffing tends to be soft, crumbly, and maybe even chewy, so nuts are the crunchy contrast your stuffing needs. They also bring an extra layer of savoriness to the mix that'll complement the earthiness of the vegetables, bread crumbs, and mixed dried herbs that come in most boxed stuffing. Of course, many popular types of nuts are suitable for stuffing. Hazelnuts, pecans, and walnuts are among the most popular, but almonds, cashews, pistachios, pine nuts, and even Brazil nuts would also taste delicious in a holiday meal.

To add nuts to stuffing, simply give half a cup to a cup of the raw nut of your choice a rough chop before stirring them into the stuffing mix, pouring in stock, and baking according to the box instructions. It's important to use raw nuts, as the extensive time in the oven is more than enough time to roast them, developing their crunch and flavor. If you use roasted nuts, you run the risk of burning them and incurring a bitter taste.

Nuts aren't too novel of a stuffing ingredient. After all, Marilyn Monroe's own unique stuffing recipe contained three different types of nuts, coupling them with plenty of other unconventional ingredients like raisins and hard-boiled eggs. To that effect, you can complement the crunch and the flavor with the addition of other ingredients to elevate boxed stuffing even more. The savory richness of a pecan or almond would pair well with dried cranberries, for example.

A buttery, slightly sweet nut like cashews or pistachios would bring a spicy, sweet kick when paired with crystallized ginger. We've got many homemade stuffing recipes to inspire nut pairings, like this recipe for autumn country bread stuffing that uses pecans, cranberries, and fresh thyme. Alternatively, take a lesson from this sourdough sausage stuffing by pairing walnuts with shredded sausage and dry white wine in your next boxed stuffing dish.

Just be sure not to overload the stuffing with copious add-ons. The best way to ensure the perfect texture for stuffing is to let the bread be the star of the show, so any add-ins should only equate to half the amount of bread in the dish. We would also recommend making your stuffing ahead of time in a casserole dish rather than baking the stuffing inside of your turkey, which is a mistake you should avoid making with stuffing because it has the potential for foodborne illnesses. Another textural tip is to finish off the stuffing uncovered in the oven to incur a crispy topping.