Stuffing is a long-time favorite dish at our house – especially for the holidays, and it’s a definite must on our table of Thanksgiving side dishes.
Although we typically make our classic Stuffing recipe for the holidays, we love to switch it up and make a variation of it like today’s Sausage Stuffing.
Golden bread cubes soak up rich sausage drippings, aromatic veggies, and fresh herbs for a stuffing that is tender inside with crispy edges. Not only is this Sausage Stuffing flavorful but it’s more hearty because of the addition of sausage – another great option for Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Why we love it:
- More than turkey. Stuffing is typically served with a Roast Turkey, but this dish would go great with Slow Cooker Pork Chops or Best Roast Chicken!
- Crazy simple. This sausage stuffing has a quick prep time and can be made ahead of time making dinner prep a breeze!
- Unique twist. This offers a unique twist to traditional Homemade Stuffing and can be adjusted with different types of bread and flavors of sausage.
Sausage Stuffing Ingredients
- Stuffing cubes, unseasoned (8 cups): The base that soaks up broth and drippings, giving a tender interior with toasty tops. Use store-bought or make your own using stale bread. Cut your favorite bread into cubes and leave it out overnight to dry out. Or put the bread cubes on a baking sheet and put it in a 250°F oven for about 20 minutes.
- Butter, unsalted (½ cup): Adds richness and carries the flavors of the aromatics throughout the dish.
- Yellow onion, diced (1 cup): Brings sweetness and depth that balance the savory sausage.
- Celery, diced (1 cup, 3 stalks): Adds freshness and a subtle herbal note with a little bite for texture.
- Garlic cloves, chopped (4): Infuses the whole pan with warm, savory aroma.
- Italian sausage, sweet (1 pound): Provides meaty flavor, seasoning, and those flavorful drippings that make stuffing irresistible. I used sweet but you can use mild or spicy Italian
- Chicken broth, low sodium (2¾ cup): Moistens the bread cubes so the stuffing bakes custardy inside. Or use chicken stock or vegetable broth.
- Egg, beaten (1): Light binder that helps the stuffing set into cohesive slices.
- Rosemary (1 tablespoon): Piney, woodsy flavor that screams holiday comfort.
- Sage (1 tablespoon): Classic stuffing herb that pairs perfectly with sausage.
- Parsley, chopped (¼ cup): Fresh finish that brightens the rich flavors.
- Garlic salt with parsley flakes (½ teaspoon): Adds seasoned saltiness and boosts the garlic notes.
- Pepper (½ teaspoon): A gentle kick that rounds out the savory herbs.
- optional mix-ins – bacon bits, pears, dried cranberries, chopped veggies, mushrooms, chopped pecans, or walnuts. Be careful to keep the ingredient ratios balanced otherwise, you may end up with dry stuffing.
How to Make Sausage Stuffing
PREP. Preheat oven to 350°F. Add 8 cups stuffing cubes stuffing cubes to a large bowl and set aside.
SAUSAGE. Cook 1 pound sausage until browned and then add to the bowl with the stuffing cubes making sure to include the fat juices.
VEGGIES. Scrape out frying pan and add ½ cup butter. Cook 1 cup diced onions and 1 cup diced celery on medium heat until the veggies are soft (about 5-10 minutes). Add 4 chopped garlic cloves and cook an additional 2 minutes.
BAKE. Pour the veggies into the sausage and bread mixture. Add 2¾ cup chicken broth, 1 egg, 1 tablespoon rosemary, 1 tablespoon sage, ¼ cup parsley, ½ teaspoon garlic salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper. Mix until all the bread pieces are coated and soft.
Pour this into a greased 9×13 baking dish and bake for 60-65 minutes until golden brown.
Kristyn’s Recipe Tips
- Dry bread is best, if your cubes are soft, toast them on a sheet pan at 300°F for 10 to 15 minutes to help them absorb evenly.
- Do not skip the sausage drippings, they add flavor and help crisp the edges.
- Add broth gradually, the mixture should be well moistened but not soggy; a handful squeezed in your palm should hold together.
- For extra golden tops, uncover during the last 10 minutes, or broil briefly watching closely.
- If your sausage stuffing is browning too quickly on top, place a piece of foil loosely over the top until it has finished baking.
Sausage Stuffing Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 8 cups stuffing cubes, unseasoned
- ½ cup butter, unsalted
- 1 cup yellow onion, diced
- 1 cup celery, diced (3 stalks)
- 4 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 pound Italian sausage, sweet
- 2¾ cup chicken broth, low sodium
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 tablespoon rosemary
- 1 tablespoon sage
- ¼ cup parsley, chopped
- ½ teaspoon garlic salt (with parsley flakes)
- ½ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Add 8 cups stuffing cubes stuffing cubes to a large bowl and set aside.
- Cook 1 pound sausage until browned and then add to the bowl with the stuffing cubes making sure to include the fat juices.
- Scrape out frying pan and add ½ cup butter. Cook 1 cup diced onions and 1 cup diced celery on medium heat until the veggies are soft (about 5-10 minutes). Add 4 chopped garlic and cook an additional 2 minutes.
- Pour the veggies into the sausage and bread mixture. Add 2¾ cup chicken broth, 1 egg, 1 tablespoon rosemary, 1 tablespoon sage, ¼ cup parsley, ½ teaspoon garlic salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper. Mix until all the bread pieces are coated and soft.
- Pour this into a greased 9×13 baking dish and bake for 60-65 minutes until golden brown.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe FAQ
Make ahead and storage, assemble up to one day in advance and refrigerate, bake straight from the fridge adding a few minutes; leftovers keep 3 days and reheat covered at 325°F with a splash of broth.
Place leftover stuffing in airtight containers and store in the fridge for 3-4 days, or freeze it for up to 3 months.
For More Recipes:
Cornbread Stuffing
1 hr 5 mins
Homemade Stuffing
1 hr 15 mins
Chicken Stuffing Casserole
1 hr 20 mins
Roast Turkey
3 hrs 20 mins
Can your stuffing be cooked in crock pot?
Yes, you could try cooking in a crockpot!
I want to make this and double it, but when I look at the ingredients and it says 16 CUPS of the stuffing cubes I feel like that sounds very excessive. That’s like 10 12oz bags! Is this correct or am I wrong??