Savory Ground Beef Stuffing

Finding a creative way to use up leftover stuffing after the holidays can feel like an impossible task. Sure, you can reheat it as a side dish for a few days, but eventually everyone gets tired of eating the same thing over and over again, and you’re left wondering what else you can possibly do with all that stuffing sitting in your fridge.

That’s where this ground beef stuffing recipe comes in handy: it transforms your holiday leftovers into a satisfying weeknight dinner, uses simple ingredients you probably already have, and comes together in less than 30 minutes from start to finish.

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What Kind of Ground Beef Should I Use?

For this stuffing recipe, you’ll want to use ground beef with a fat content between 80/20 and 85/15 – this gives you enough flavor without making your stuffing too greasy. Leaner ground beef like 90/10 can work, but it might result in a slightly drier stuffing since the fat helps keep everything moist and adds richness. If you’re watching your fat intake, go ahead and use the leaner option, just be prepared to add a bit more broth to compensate. You can also swap in ground turkey or ground pork if that’s what you have on hand, though the flavor profile will change a bit.

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Options for Substitutions

This stuffing recipe is pretty forgiving and works well with a few swaps:

• Cornbread cubes: If you don’t have cornbread, regular white bread cubes work just fine. You can also do a mix of half cornbread and half regular bread for a nice texture. Just make sure whatever bread you use is dried out or toasted first.
• Ground beef: Feel free to swap this with ground turkey, ground pork, or Italian sausage (remove from casings). Each will give you a slightly different flavor profile but all work great.
• Fresh herbs: Don’t have fresh herbs on hand? Use dried instead – just cut the amounts to about one-third (so 2 teaspoons dried sage, 1½ teaspoons dried thyme, and 1 teaspoon dried parsley).
• Beef broth: Chicken broth or vegetable broth can step in here without any issues. The stuffing will still be moist and flavorful.
• Butter: You can use olive oil instead of butter if needed, though butter does add a nice richness to the dish.
• Eggs: The eggs are important for binding everything together, so I’d recommend keeping them in if possible. In a pinch, you could try 2 flax eggs (2 tablespoons ground flaxseed mixed with 6 tablespoons water, let sit 5 minutes).

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake people make with stuffing is adding too much broth at once, which can turn your casserole into a mushy pudding instead of a nicely textured side dish – start with 2 cups and add more gradually until the bread is moist but not soaking wet.

Another common error is not browning the ground beef properly, so make sure to break it into small crumbles and let it develop a nice brown crust before mixing it with the other ingredients, as this adds flavor to the entire dish.

Don’t skip the step of sautéing your celery and onions until they’re soft and translucent, since raw vegetables will release water during baking and make your stuffing watery.

Finally, if your cornbread cubes aren’t completely dried out, spread them on a baking sheet and toast them in a 300°F oven for 15-20 minutes before using, which helps them hold their shape and absorb the broth evenly.

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What to Serve With Ground Beef Stuffing?

Ground beef stuffing is hearty enough to be a main dish on its own, but it really shines alongside classic comfort sides. I love pairing it with roasted green beans or glazed carrots to add some color and freshness to the plate. Mashed potatoes or sweet potato casserole are always crowd-pleasers if you want to go full comfort food mode. For something lighter, a crisp autumn salad with apples and pecans complements the savory flavors nicely, and don’t forget some turkey gravy on the side for drizzling over everything.

Storage Instructions

Store: Leftover stuffing keeps really well in the fridge for up to 4 days in an airtight container. I actually think it tastes even better the next day once all those flavors have had time to meld together. It makes a great quick lunch paired with some leftover turkey or even just on its own.

Freeze: This stuffing freezes like a dream for up to 3 months. Let it cool completely, then portion it into freezer-safe containers or bags. I like to freeze individual servings so I can grab just what I need without thawing the whole batch.

Reheat: Warm it up in the oven at 350°F covered with foil for about 20 minutes, or until heated through. If you want the top crispy again, remove the foil for the last 5 minutes. You can also microwave individual portions for 2-3 minutes, though the oven method keeps the texture better.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 3200-3500
• Protein: 110-130 g
• Fat: 170-190 g
• Carbohydrates: 270-300 g

Ingredients

For the stuffing base:

• 1 tbsp fresh parsley
• 4 tbsp butter
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 garlic cloves (minced)
• 1 1/2 tbsp fresh thyme (chopped)
• 1 lb ground beef
• 12 cups cornbread cubes
• 1 large onion (finely diced)
• 1/2 tsp pepper (freshly ground preferred)
• 4 celery stalks (finely diced)
• 2 tbsp fresh sage (chopped)

For the wet mixture:

• 2 large eggs (room temperature)
• 2 cups beef broth

Optional additions:

• chopped pecans
• sautéed mushrooms
• chopped walnuts
• diced apples
• dried cranberries (optional but recommended)

Step 1: Prepare the Cornbread Cubes

• 12 cups cornbread cubes

Place the dried out cornbread cubes into a large mixing bowl and set aside.

Ensuring the cornbread is properly dried will help it hold up better in the final stuffing.

Step 2: Sauté Aromatics and Brown the Meat

• 4 tbsp butter
• 1 large onion (finely diced)
• 4 celery stalks (finely diced)
• 1 lb ground beef
• 2 garlic cloves (minced)
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley
• 2 tbsp fresh sage (chopped)
• 1 1/2 tbsp fresh thyme (chopped)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper (freshly ground preferred)

In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat.

Add the diced onion and celery and sauté for several minutes until the onion just starts to become translucent.

Next, add the ground beef and brown it, breaking it apart as it cooks.

Once the meat is browned, lower the heat to medium and stir in the garlic, chopped parsley, sage, thyme, salt, and pepper.

Allow the mixture to heat for about 1 minute to bring out the flavor of the herbs, then remove from heat.

I like to let the herbs cook just briefly to keep their flavors fresh and vibrant.

Step 3: Combine Cornbread with Meat and Add Mix-Ins

• beef and vegetable mixture from Step 2
• 12 cups cornbread cubes (from Step 1)
• chopped pecans
• sautéed mushrooms
• chopped walnuts
• diced apples
• dried cranberries (optional but recommended)

Add the cooked beef and vegetable mixture from Step 2 to the bowl with the cornbread cubes.

Gently toss to combine.

At this stage, stir in optional mix-ins like chopped pecans, sautéed mushrooms, chopped walnuts, diced apples, and dried cranberries if desired.

I always add a handful of dried cranberries and apples for extra bursts of flavor and texture.

Step 4: Prepare and Add the Custard

• 2 large eggs (room temperature)
• 2 cups beef broth
• cornbread, meat, and mix-ins mixture from Step 3

In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs and beef broth until well combined.

Pour the egg and broth mixture over the cornbread and beef mixture from Step 3.

Gently toss everything to ensure all the ingredients are evenly coated.

The cornbread will crumble a bit, which is normal.

If the mixture seems dry, add more broth a little at a time.

Step 5: Bake the Stuffing

• stuffing mixture from Step 4

Transfer the combined stuffing mixture to a greased 9×13 inch baking pan or large casserole dish.

Cover with foil and bake in a preheated oven at 375°F for about 20 minutes.

Remove the foil and continue to bake for another 10 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the center is set with no excess moisture on top.

Step 6: Cool and Serve

Let the stuffing cool for about 5 minutes before serving.

This short resting time helps the flavors settle and makes it easier to serve neat portions.

Savory Ground Beef Stuffing

Delicious Savory Ground Beef Stuffing recipe with step-by-step instructions.

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Prep Time 16 minutes mins

Cook Time 34 minutes mins

Total Time 50 minutes mins

Servings 4

Calories 3350 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the stuffing base:

• 1 tbsp fresh parsley
• 4 tbsp butter
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 garlic cloves (minced)
• 1 1/2 tbsp fresh thyme (chopped)
• 1 lb ground beef
• 12 cups cornbread cubes
• 1 large onion (finely diced)
• 1/2 tsp pepper (freshly ground preferred)
• 4 celery stalks (finely diced)
• 2 tbsp fresh sage (chopped)

For the wet mixture:

• 2 large eggs (room temperature)
• 2 cups beef broth

Optional additions:

• chopped pecans
• sautéed mushrooms
• chopped walnuts
• diced apples
• dried cranberries (optional but recommended)

Instructions

 

• Place the dried out cornbread cubes into a large mixing bowl and set aside. Ensuring the cornbread is properly dried will help it hold up better in the final stuffing.
• In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the diced onion and celery and sauté for several minutes until the onion just starts to become translucent. Next, add the ground beef and brown it, breaking it apart as it cooks. Once the meat is browned, lower the heat to medium and stir in the garlic, chopped parsley, sage, thyme, salt, and pepper. Allow the mixture to heat for about 1 minute to bring out the flavor of the herbs, then remove from heat. I like to let the herbs cook just briefly to keep their flavors fresh and vibrant.
• Add the cooked beef and vegetable mixture from Step 2 to the bowl with the cornbread cubes. Gently toss to combine. At this stage, stir in optional mix-ins like chopped pecans, sautéed mushrooms, chopped walnuts, diced apples, and dried cranberries if desired. I always add a handful of dried cranberries and apples for extra bursts of flavor and texture.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs and beef broth until well combined. Pour the egg and broth mixture over the cornbread and beef mixture from Step 3. Gently toss everything to ensure all the ingredients are evenly coated. The cornbread will crumble a bit, which is normal. If the mixture seems dry, add more broth a little at a time.
• Transfer the combined stuffing mixture to a greased 9x13 inch baking pan or large casserole dish. Cover with foil and bake in a preheated oven at 375°F for about 20 minutes. Remove the foil and continue to bake for another 10 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the center is set with no excess moisture on top.
• Let the stuffing cool for about 5 minutes before serving. This short resting time helps the flavors settle and makes it easier to serve neat portions.