17 easy ways to make stuffing better using things you might already have in your kitchen

Rosie Mayes, the author of the blog I Heart Recipes, told Insider that bacon is an easy and delicious addition to any stuffing recipe.

"You can use many different kinds of meat in stuffing, from chicken to turkey and sausage," she said. "However, you can also use crumbled bacon because bacon adds flavor to everything!"

"If you add sausage or any other ingredients that you are cooking up separately, it's great to add the cooking fat or drippings to your stuffing for that extra moisture and flavor," Chungah Rhee, the author of "Damn Delicious: 100 Super Easy, Super Fast Recipes" and the blog Damn Delicious, told Insider.

In New England, it's traditional to add seafood to stuffing.

"You can add oysters, shrimp, or some people even add scallops to their stuffing," Mayes said.

Instead of throwing away the turkey giblets as you normally might, try repurposing them.

"You can add giblets to your stuffing or browned liver in some dressings," Mayes said.

While most stuffing recipes call for sweet Italian sausage, you can also switch up the kind of sausage you use. For example, if you're looking to give your Thanksgiving stuffing recipe an added kick, you could experiment with spicy Italian sausage like this recipe from chef Emeril Lagasse.

Everyone from famous chefs like Ina Garten to bloggers like Rhee of Damn Delicious have shared their own recipes for apple stuffing.

Cranberries are already a holiday favorite, but they don't need to be limited to just cranberry sauce. If you have some extra berries laying around, why not throw them into your stuffing?

The tartness of the cranberries will add flavor, while their bright color makes for a perfect Thanksgiving plate photo opp.

"A mixture of breads such as sourdough, multigrain, whole wheat, or pumpernickel makes for a great stuffing," Rhee told Insider.

However, no matter what bread you choose, make sure it's slightly dried so the ingredients are properly absorbed.

"Bread should be dried out," Rhee said. "If you use fresh bread, it will end up soggy or even soupy — we don't want that!"

While sourdough or plain white bread is traditionally used in stuffing, many people opt to use cornbread instead. Cornbread makes for a super flavorful, Southern-inspired stuffing base, and soaks up the broth and other ingredients perfectly.

"I usually use cornbread in my stuffing and I always make it the day before," Mayes told Insider. "If I forget to make it the day before, I just overcook it for about 10 to 15 minutes to help dry it out."

"I usually use regular day-old white bread in my stuffing, but I love to add saltine crackers to give it a little more texture as well," Mayes said.

Instead of using chicken or turkey broth, you can add a ton of flavor to your stuffing by opting instead for a cream-based soup.

"If you use cream of chicken, cream of mushroom, or cream of celery soup, that's going to add a little moisture and creaminess to your stuffing," Mayes said.

If you like a little wine on Thanksgiving, why not add it to your stuffing?

"You can absolutely use a dry white wine in place of stock or even incorporate half stock and half wine for some extra flavor," Chungah Rhee told Insider.

"I generally stick to the essentials — thyme, rosemary, parsley, and garlic," Rhee said. "But you could even add some nutmeg or cardamom for a little kick."

Mayes said that while bell peppers are usually a go-to addition for her stuffing, she also likes to use classic vegetables like onions and celery, as well as kale or collard greens.

Pumpkin and butternut squash are two beloved fall vegetables and work exceptionally well in stuffing. To make the perfect pumpkin or butternut squash-filled stuffing, soften and roast your squash or pumpkin beforehand to make sure it cooks along with the other ingredients at the right time.

While carrots, celery, onions, and leeks "cover the basics," you can also add Brussels sprouts to any traditional stuffing recipe, said Rhee.

While many cooks choose to stuff their dressing inside the turkey or bake it in a pan inside the oven, you can also make your stuffing in a slow cooker or Crock-Pot.

"Oven stuffing is always great but if you are trying to keep your oven and stovetop reserved for other dishes, a slow cooker version is another easy and delicious way to make your Thanksgiving stuffing without adding any more stress," Rhee said.

• Read more:
• How to use a slow cooker to make your whole Thanksgiving dinner
• 13 Thanksgiving sides you can make in a slow cooker
• 10 dishes you should never make on Thanksgiving
• What Thanksgiving dinner looks like in different parts of the country