Stuffing Wreath (Thanksgiving Monkey Bread) Recipe

If it isn't Thanksgiving without the stuffing in your home, you've probably experimented with countless recipes — or perhaps you have a tried and true favorite you never veer away from. Regardless, you'll want to try this dazzling variation created by Tasting Table recipe developer Jessica Morone. The flavor profile sticks to the classic comforting taste you're used to, but the presentation is another story. Baked in a bundt pan, this stuffing wreath (AKA Thanksgiving monkey bread) is a treat for both your taste buds and eyes.

Morone shares, "Stuffing is my favorite holiday food, especially for Thanksgiving." She's not the only one who feels that way, and this recipe is sure to make a stuffing fan out of anyone. Morone comments, "Baking this stuffing wreath will make your kitchen smell just like Thanksgiving, and you'll want to eat it right away." If you're planning to serve this to guests, make sure to have a snack beforehand to avoid digging in too early!

For this recipe, grab some breakfast sausage, unsalted butter, chicken broth, rubbed sage, poultry seasoning, salt, black pepper, and canned biscuits. The prep work is minimal here; all you'll need to do before getting started is beat an egg and chop up some onion, celery, and fresh rosemary. 

Add sausage to a large skillet. Cook over medium heat, breaking up the meat as it cooks, until no longer pink. Use a slotted spoon to remove the sausage to a paper-towel lined plate.

Wipe out the pan with a paper towel and add the butter, onion, and celery. Cook over medium heat until vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes.

Add chicken broth, chopped rosemary, sage, poultry seasoning, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook for another 2 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool until warm, but not hot, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 325 F.

Grease a 10-inch bundt pan with cooking spray.

Place the cut biscuits into a large bowl. Add the cooked sausage, vegetables, and beaten egg, and gently mix together.

Pour the biscuit mixture into the prepared bundt pan. Bake for 55-60 minutes until golden brown and the internal temperature reads 160 F.

Let cool until the pan is no longer hot, then invert onto a plate, garnish with additional fresh herbs if desired, and serve warm.

While you might be tempted to make this stuffing wreath the focus of your meal, it is especially suitable alongside other foods. Morone comments, "I would serve this as a side dish for a holiday meal, like for Thanksgiving or Christmas, or as a side dish for something like a Sunday roast dinner." Paired with hearty proteins, vegetables, and bright sauces, this stuffing wreath really stands out and ties everything together. 

Of course, nothing is stopping you from serving the leftovers solo to really take in every last bite. "You can store leftovers covered in the fridge for about 2 days," Morone recommends. When you're ready to finish up the extra stuffing (if you didn't already get to it a few hours after your meal), she advises, "I would reheat it either in the oven or you can just reheat individual servings in the microwave." The oven will retain more of the original texture, whereas the microwave offers maximal convenience.

Morone's recipe features classic stuffing ingredients, which makes it especially comforting and loveable. Nevertheless, you may be missing some items or feel partial to others. She offers a few substitutions, starting by eliminating the meat. "If you want to make it vegetarian, I would swap out the sausage for something like mushrooms and use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth," Morone instructs. "You could also add chopped apples to the celery/onion mixture for a bit of a sweeter flavor," she suggests.

Refrigerated canned biscuits are extremely convenient for this recipe. Still, if you're the type of cook who insists on making everything from scratch, Morone notes that homemade biscuit dough can be used, "but it's a lot more effort than buying the canned dough and probably won't make it taste significantly better." If you go ahead with it, keep Morone's advice in mind: "You want to use the uncooked dough, not baked biscuits."