I’m a Thanksgiving purist. A lover of the classics. So for me, the Thanksgiving meal must consist of, at the very minimum, turkey, stuffing, gravy, and cranberry sauce. And typically I make the same recipes every year (sometimes the turkey is roasted, as in this year, and sometimes grilled, if I get kicked out of the oven). But every so often I veer ever so slightly off my very strict path and make something that is just a teeny bit different. This savory mushroom-laden stuffing is classic enough to keep me happy, but with a slight little twist that makes perfect sense on my holiday table.
It has all the components of a traditional favorite with torn country-style bread, lots of onions and celery, and plenty of herbs and butter. But instead of sage I used thyme and added loads of earthy mushrooms, cream, and eggs. It’s almost like a savory bread pudding, but not quite that custardy.
This stuffing is a snap to put together up to one day in advance, and then just let it bake for the last hour before dinner.
A word to the wise: even though this is called “stuffing,” I stopped stuffing my bird many years ago and recommend that you bake this alongside the bird. You still get plenty of crisp, browned crust and loads of flavor, without the fear of undercooked bird juices getting into your glorious stuffing.

Wild Mushroom Stuffing
Makes 8 to 10 servings