The Best Sausage Stuffing Recipe (2024)

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This flavorful Sausage Stuffing made with chicken sausage, celery, onions, herbs and french bread is my go-to Thanksgiving stuffing recipe!

The Best Sausage Stuffing Recipe (1)

Sausage Stuffing

I don’t know about you, but for me the ONE thing I crave most on Thanksgiving is this stuffing with sausage! Sure, the turkey and gravy are all great too, and yes, even the vegetables and cranberry sauce. But personally, no Thanksgiving is complete without the homemade sausage stuffing, and this recipe never disappoints. This is the stuffing I make every Thanksgiving along with my dry brine Turkey and this delicious Cranberry and Pear Sauce. If you need a gluten-free stuffing, this Cornbread Stuffing is perfect. See more Thanksgiving Recipes to go with your turkey this year!

The Best Sausage Stuffing Recipe (2)

Ingredients

  • Bread Cubes: whole wheat French bread or baguette are used. You can also use sour dough or a rustic loaf.
  • Butter: whipped butter, salted butter, unsalted butter, vegan butter or even olive oil can be used
  • Vegetables: diced yellow onion and diced celery, from about 4 celery stalks
  • Sausage: sweet Italian sausage, chicken or turkey is used but you can also use pork sausage if you prefer.
  • Fresh herbs: fresh sage and fresh thyme are used. If you wish, add some fresh flat-leaf parsley or fresh chopped rosemary for more flavor.
  • Broth: homemade chicken stock or turkey stock can be used or store bought reduced sodium chicken broth
  • Spices: I use salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste. You can also add some poultry seasoning.

How To Make Sausage Stuffing

  1. Bread: To make the bread cubes, start with whole wheat baguettes and cut the bread in cubes the night before to let it sit out and harden overnight. You can also do this in the oven the day of, but I personally like to prep as much as possible the night before. (QUICKER METHOD: If you don’t have time to do this overnight, you can place the bread on a rimmed baking sheet and bake in a 350°F oven about 20 minutes, or until the bread is dried out.)
  2. Saute the sausage and vegetables: In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and celery and sauté, stirring occasionally, until tender and translucent, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl. In the same pan over medium heat, cook the sausage, crumbling with a wooden spoon, until lightly browned and cooked through, about 10 minutes.
  3. Combine ingredients in a bowl: Transfer the sausage to the bowl with the onion/celery mixture. Add the bread, sage and thyme to the bowl with the sausage/onion mixture and stir to combine. Pour the chicken broth and stir to evenly coat the bread. Adjust salt and pepper to taste and stir to mix well.
  4. Stuffing Mixture: Transfer the bread cube mixture to the prepared casserole dish and bake for 30 minutes. Using a wooden spoon, gently stir. Continue baking until golden, about 30 to 35 minutes more. About 1 hour total.

Variations

  • If you can’t find a good Italian chicken sausage, turkey sausage would also be great.
  • If you prefer to use pork sausage, feel free to swap it out. Calories will increase.
  • I don’t use egg in this recipe, but if you want to add one as a binder, you can.
  • If you want to add a touch of sweetness, add dried cranberries or apples.

Storage and Leftovers

Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days. You can also freeze for up to 3 months.

The Best Sausage Stuffing Recipe (3)

The Best Sausage Stuffing Recipe (4)

More Thanksgiving Side Dishes:

  • Mashed Potatoes
  • Spinach Gratin
  • Roasted Green Beans with Caramelized Onions
  • Pumpkin Mac and Cheese with Roasted Veggies
  • Stuffing Muffins

The Best Sausage Stuffing Recipe (5)

Sausage Stuffing Recipe

4.92 from 12 votes

This flavorful, savory Sausage Stuffing recipe made with chicken sausage, fresh herbs and french bread, my go-to Thanksgiving stuffing recipe!

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

The Best Sausage Stuffing Recipe (6)

Prep: 15 minutes mins

Cook: 1 hour hr 20 minutes mins

Total: 1 hour hr 35 minutes mins

Print Rate Pin SaveWW Points

Yield: 12 Servings

Serving Size: 3 /4 cup

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 14 ounces whole wheat French bread or baguette, crusts removed (weight after crust is removed)
  • 2 tablespoons whipped butter
  • 1 1/2 cups diced yellow onion
  • 1 3/4 cups diced celery, about 4 celery stalks
  • 13 ounces fresh sweet Italian sausage, chicken or turkey, casing removed
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh sage
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
  • 3 cups reduced sodium chicken broth, plus more if needed
  • salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
  • cooking spray

Instructions

  • Cut the bread into 1/2-inch cubes. Spread the bread out on a sheet pan and let it dry overnight - OR - place the baking sheet in a 350°F oven and bake about 20 minutes, or until the bread is dried out. Set aside.

  • Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray a large baking dish with oil.

  • In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and celery and sauté, stirring occasionally, until tender and translucent, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl.

  • In the same pan over medium heat, cook the sausage, crumbling with a wooden spoon, until lightly browned and cooked through, about 10 minutes. Transfer the sausage to the bowl with the onion/celery mixture.

  • Add the bread, sage and thyme to the bowl with the sausage/onion mixture and stir to combine. Add the chicken broth and stir to evenly coat the bread. Adjust salt and pepper to taste and stir to mix well.

  • Transfer to the baking dish and bake for 30 minutes. Using a wooden spoon, gently stir. Continue baking until golden, about 30 to 35 minutes more. Serve immediately.

Last Step:

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Video

Notes

Makes about 9 cups.

Nutrition

Serving: 3 /4 cup, Calories: 166 kcal, Carbohydrates: 19 g, Protein: 9 g, Fat: 6.5 g, Saturated Fat: 2.2 g, Cholesterol: 30 mg, Sodium: 549 mg, Fiber: 2.5 g, Sugar: 2.9 g

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Categories:

  • Chicken Recipes
  • Christmas
  • Egg Free Recipes
  • Fall
  • Freezer Meals
  • Holiday Recipes
  • Kid Friendly
  • Recipes
  • Sides
  • Thanksgiving Recipes
  • Weight Watchers – WW Recipes

Photography by Sarah Fennel.

The Best Sausage Stuffing Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How much water do you put in sausage before stuffing? ›

Add at least 1 oz. of water per pound of meat to aid in the stuffing process. This aid in mixing the meat with the seasoning and will ease the stress put on the gears of your meat mixer and sausage stuffer. Try experimenting with liquids other than water when mixing your next batch of sausage.

What does adding egg to stuffing do? ›

Eggs: Two lightly beaten eggs help hold the dressing together and add moisture.

What makes the best sausage? ›

Good sausage is all about balance. Balance of salt and savory, balance of meat and fat, balance of spices and herbs within the whole. Knowing a proper ratio of salt to meat (and fat) is essential, but once you understand it you can adjust to your own perception of saltiness, which varies wildly among people.

What temperature should stuffing be cooked at? ›

How do you safely cook stuffing? The stuffed meat, poultry, or stuffing in a casserole should be placed immediately after preparation in an oven set no lower than 325 °F. A food thermometer should be used to ensure that the stuffing reaches the safe minimum internal temperature of 165 °F.

Why is my sausage stuffer hard to turn? ›

Stuffer is hard to crank:

Sausage mixture has become too stiff. Add water to mix. Add lubricant (mineral oil or vegetable oil) to the Piston Gasket and the interior of the Cylinder.

What happens if you put too much water in stuffing? ›

The stuffing should be moist but not wet. If there is a puddle of broth at the bottom of the bowl, you've added too much. Add more bread to soak up the excess moisture. If the mix is still dry and crumbly, add more liquid and toss gently until it starts to clump together.

Is stuffing better with or without eggs? ›

Eggs add richness to the stuffing, and makes it cohere better. I'd use two eggs per pound of bread.

How do you keep stuffing moist when cooking? ›

Typically, baking the stuffing inside the bird helps keep the mixture moist. “I prefer stuffing (in the bird) to dressing (outside of the bird) because all those delicious drippings that come off the turkey gets absorbed right into the stuffing,” Bamford says.

What is traditional stuffing made of? ›

Turkey stuffing was popularized in the early days of Thanksgiving, as it is written in many 16th-century Boston area documents. Stuffing most often uses dried bread, herbs, and vegetables that are reconstituted with liquid, stuffed into the turkey cavity, and baked until it is firm and finished cooking.

What is the most important ingredient in sausage? ›

Skeletal muscle meats from slaughtered animals are the principal ingredients used in sausage production. However, the different skeletal muscles vary not only in their contents of fat, water and proteins, but also in their water binding and emulsifying properties, colour, etc.

What is the most popular sausage seasoning? ›

Some of the most popular whole herbs and spices used in sausage making are:
  • Tellicherry Peppercorns.
  • Fennel Seed.
  • Yellow Mustard Seed.
  • Allspice Berries.
  • Dill Seed.
  • Celery Seed.
  • Anise Seed.

What makes sausages taste good? ›

Salt: Salt enhances flavor and acts as a preservative. Sugar: Sugar can be used to balance the saltiness in sausage and add a slight, tasty sweetness. Spices: Various spices give a sausage its robust flavor. Commonly used sausage spices include black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, parsley and paprika.

How do you tell if your stuffing is done? ›

Since it's cooked inside the turkey, you know that it's done when the internal temperature of the stuffing is 165° F. Anything less and you risk salmonella from turkey juices that have seeped into the stuffing during the cook. You need a thermometer.

Can you eat stuffing left out overnight? ›

People have a habit of leaving the food out on the buffet table long after the meal is finished. If turkey, stuffing, or gravy is left out at room temperature (40 to 140°F) for over 2 hours it may no longer be safe to eat.

How long can stuffing sit out before baking? ›

If stuffing is prepared ahead of time, it must be either frozen or cooked immediately. To use cooked stuffing later, cool in shallow containers and refrigerate it within 2 hours. Use it within 3 to 4 days.

How much water to add to sausage mix? ›

Try adding at least 1oz (~30 ml) of water per pound of meat. This will not only help with the mixing process but take the stress put on the gears of your mixer & stuffer.

How much water do you need to cook sausage? ›

Fill skillet with enough water to reach a quarter of the way up sides of sausages. Simmer, covered, until sausages are cooked through and water evaporates, 10 to 15 minutes. (If sausages have cooked through but water has not evaporated, uncover, and continue to cook until water evaporates.)

How much water do you put in stuffing mix? ›

Empty the sachet into a bowl, adding 425ml of boiling water, mixing well. Add a large knob of butter if desired. 3. Leave to stand for 5 minutes then place the stuffing into either an ovenproof dish or alternatively form into stuffing balls on a greased baking sheet and bake for 25-30 minutes until piping hot.

Why do you add water to sausage when cooking? ›

add a little water once browned to keep them from. sticking to the pan.

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