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    Home » Recipes » Side Dishes » Best Sausage Stuffing Recipe

    Best Sausage Stuffing Recipe

    Published: Nov 8, 2019 · Modified: Sep 26, 2021 by Barbara Curry · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe
    3.86 from 14 votes

    Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links.

    Stuffing in a casserole dish.

    It’s not Thanksgiving without a good homemade stuffing recipe! Whether you make it inside the bird or out, it’s a classic. Add some Italian sausage, celery, onions and sourdough bread for what will be sure to become your new go-to side dish.

    A casserole dish of baked stuffing with a serving spoon.

    I’ve always loved stuffing – it’s truly what makes a holiday meal, along with corn pudding, green been casserole and pineapple casserole.

    I always believed that the only way to make true Thanksgiving stuffing was to actually stuff it inside a turkey. If it didn’t cook in all the yummy turkey juice then it wasn’t the real deal. All other stuffings or dressings I had tried were dry and didn’t have much flavor.

    However, I’ve had a change of heart and this is now my favorite stuffing recipe. Both the texture and flavor comibne in what I consider to be the BEST Thanksgiving stuffing.

    Stuffing vs Dressing

    I’ve lived most of my life in the South but my parents are not from the South. We ate “stuffing” growing up which consisted of bread, celery, onion, butter and egg along with some seasonings which then you stuffed inside a turkey. Anything that wasn’t inside the turkey was “dressing” and something other people ate.  So this recipe is actually “dressing” and not “stuffing”, according to how I grew up.

    However, I’ve learned that what you call this side dish depends more on where you are from then whether it’s cooked inside or outside the turkey.  Southerner’s call it “dressing” where the rest of the country, me included, call it “stuffing”.

    A spoon full of baked Thanksgiving stuffing.

    Why you’ll love Italian Sausage Stuffing

    • The perfect stuffing recipe has flavor from onions and celery along with sage. It’s like a savory bread pudding.  But with all the other soft food you typically see at Thanksgiving, like corn pudding and mashed potatoes, it’s nice to have something with a little crunch. I also appreciate that this stuffing recipe uses sourdough bread, which when baked, is crunchy on the top but soft and moist inside.
    • You can assemble the stuffing ahead of time and bake it right before dinner. If your stuffing is inside the turkey, you have to remove it when you remove the turkey to keep from getting salmonella and then if you’re not eating right away, it can get cold. This version stays hot and crispy.
    • The Italian sausage adds so much flavor to the traditional stuffing ingredients.
    • You can make this any time of year, not just when you’re cooking a turkey.
    • It’s perfect if you are spatchcocking the turkey. If you want to learn about how to spatchcock a turkey, check out Laura’s post on Foodology Geek where she walks you through the steps.

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      Best Sausage Stuffing Recipe Ingredients

      Ingredients for homemade stuffing.
      • Sourdough bread – you can also use a loaf of French or Italian bread or whatever you like in the bakery section of the grocery. It needs to be dried out so that it can soak up the custard mixture. You will need a 1 lb loaf.
      • Pecans – toasted pecans add a nice crunch
      • Italian Sausage – this adds so much flavor
      • Onions and celery – for that classic stuffing taste
      • White wine and chicken stock – you can use all chicken stock if you prefer
      • Bay leaves and sage – it’s not Thanksgiving without these herbs
      • Pantry staples – butter, eggs and olive oil

      How to make the Best Sausage Stuffing Recipe Ever

      Step 1

      Combine dry bread pieces with toasted pecans.

      Step 2:

      Cook the Italian sausage and when browned add it to the bread.

      A bowl of bread with pecans.

      Step 3

      In the same skillet, sauté onions, celery and sage and add to the bread mixture. Add some white wine to the skillet and cook down and then add butter until melted. Pour over your bread mixture.

      A bowl of bread with celery and onions on top.

      Step 4

      Whisk together eggs and chicken stock and pour that over the bread mixture. Season and transfer to a large baking dish and top with butter. 

      A casserole dish of stuffing with butter pats on top.

      Step 5

      Bake for 30 minutes covered at 350º, then increase the temperature to 450º and remove the cover so that the top can get golden and crisp

      Pro tip: If you forget to use day old bread and your loaf is fresh, cut it into cubes and place in the oven at 250º for a few minutes.

      I hope this side makes your Thanksgiving feast even more special.

      A serving spoon of stuffing.

      How to serve Stuffing with Sausage

      Stuffing with sausage is best served hot right out of the oven. It is also one of those side dishes that will retain its flavor and texture when it’s warm.

      Storing this Stuffing with Sausage Recipe

      Once it has cooled, this stuffing with sausage recipe should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. To reheat the stuffing, place it in the oven at 350º until it is warm and the top is crisp.

      Can you prepare uncooked stuffing ahead of time and refrigerate or freeze it?

      Unlike the stuffing that goes inside the turkey, you can prepare the uncooked stuffing ahead of time and refrigerate until you are ready to bake it. You can not freeze this before it has been baked, the texture will not be the same and the filling will separate.

      Stuffing Recipe (Sausage) FAQs

      Can you freeze sausage stuffing?

      Stuffing freezes great.  Just let it thaw and then reheat in the oven, the top will even stay crispy after it’s been frozen.  You can serve it with Lemon Garlic Chicken, or if you are crunched for time, have some with a rotisserie chicken.

      What’s the best bread for stuffing?

      I like to use sourdough bread for that distinct flavor but if that’s not your favorite, then go with a French loaf from the bakery section.  Regular sandwich bread will get a little mushy. I generally cut it into cubes and let it sit out all day. Dried bread will absorb more of the liquid and flavor.

      Is stuffing better with or without eggs?

      Eggs help bind the ingredients together in stuffing. If you don’t use eggs, you should use another binding ingredient.

      What can you do with stuffing leftovers?

      You can freeze the leftovers and re-heat in the oven. It’s great with any chicken dish if you run out of turkey.

      How wet should stuffing be before baking?

      The stuffing needs to have enough moisture to hold the bread together. If you add too much liquid, it can be mushy depending on how dry your bread is.

      Do you bake stuffing covered or uncovered?

      Stuffing with sausage needs to cook for an hour but that will make the top too brown, so cover it for the first half and then uncover for the last half.

      Do you use broth or stock for stuffing?

      You can use either chicken broth or stock for this sausage stuffing. Most of the flavor is coming from the sausage and onions and celery. You could even you vegetable broth if you wanted.

      What is traditional stuffing made of?

      Traditional stuffing is made of bread, onions, celery, eggs and butter.

      More Thanksgiving SIDE dishes

      • Cornbread corn pudding with a serving spoon in a casserole dish.
        Creamy Corn Pudding Recipe with Toasted Cornbread
      • A casserole dish of green bean casserole topped with crispy onions.
        Creamy Green Bean Casserole without Canned Soup
      • A baking dish of cheesy broccoli casserole.
        Creamy Broccoli Cheese Casserole Recipe
      • Sweet potato casserole with spicy pecans.
        Easy Sweet Potato Casserole with Bacon

      Adapted from Bon Appetit

      If you loved this recipe, give it a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating! Also, snap a picture of your finished dish and share it with me on Instagram using the hashtag #butterandbaggage and tagging me @butterandbaggage.

      A serving of homemade stuffing in a casserole dish.

      Best Sausage Stuffing Recipe Ever

      Author: Barbara Curry
      It’s not Thanksgiving without a good homemade stuffing recipe! Whether you make it inside the bird or out, it’s a classic. Add some Italian sausage, celery, onions and sourdough bread for what will be sure to become your new go-to side dish.
      3.86 from 14 votes
      Print Pin
      PREP: 30 minutes
      COOK: 1 hour
      Servings: 16

      Ingredients
       

      • 10 cups sourdough bread dried out and torn into pieces (1 lb loaf)
      • ½ cup pecans toasted and chopped
      • 3 tablespoons olive oil
      • 12 ounces Italian sausage
      • 2 onions diced
      • 1 cup celery diced
      • salt and pepper
      • 1 bay leaf
      • 1 tablespoons fresh sage chopped
      • ½ cup white wine
      • ¾ cups butter divided
      • 2 eggs beaten
      • 2 cups chicken stock
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      Instructions
       

      • Preheat oven to 350º. Butter a 9 X 13 glass baking dish.
      • Tear dried bread into pieces and place in a large bowl. Add toasted and chopped pecans to the bowl.
      • Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat and add sausage breaking it up with a wooden spoon. Cook until browned and cooked through about 7-10 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and add to bowl with bread.
      • In the same skillet add onions and celery, season with salt and pepper, sage and bay leaf and cook until onions are slightly browned and soft, about 10 minutes. Transfer to bowl with bread.
      • Reduce heat to medium and add wine to the skillet, scraping up the browned bits. Cook until almost evaporated, about 1 minutes. Add ½ cup of butter, stirring until melted. Pour over bread mixture.
      • In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs and chicken stock and pour over bread mixture. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to baking dish and dot with remaining ¼ cup of butter.
      • Cover baking dish with foil. Bake for 30-35 minutes until a knife inserted in center comes out hot. Increase temperature to 450º. Remove foil and bake uncovered until golden brown and crisp, 20-25 minutes. Let sit for 10 minutes before serving.
      Barbara’s Tips + Notes
      • If using fresh bread, cut into cubes and place in 250º oven until slightly dry.
      • You can prepare this a day ahead and bake before serving.
      • If you don’t like sourdough, use a french bread. not sandwich bread which will get mushy.
      • You can freeze the leftovers and cover and reheat in a 350º oven for 5-10 minutes.

      Nutrition

      Calories: 277kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 60mg | Sodium: 378mg | Potassium: 172mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 324IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 29mg | Iron: 1mg
      Follow Me On SocialDid you make this recipe? Mention @ButterandBaggage or tag #ButterandBaggage on Instagram!

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      Comments

      1. Bex says

        November 27, 2020 at 6:14 pm

        5 stars
        This is the most delicious stuffing I have ever made. It is so savory and flavorful. I will recommend this to everyone!

        Reply
        • Barbara Curry says

          November 29, 2020 at 4:32 pm

          I’m so glad you liked it, I love the flavor the sausage adds.

          Reply

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      Barbara Curry is the culinary adventurer of Butter & Baggage. With a dedicated enthusiasm for real butter made from happy cows she is in constant pursuit of delicious recipes and tasty dishes. She shares her experiences, ventures, and occasional misadventures because let’s face it things can get messy in any kitchen.

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