Stuffing is a must have on my holiday table, I typically make cornbread dressing, crock pot stuffing, classic turkey stuffing or this sausage stuffing which always gets rave reviews. You can even make this recipe in advance and then bake it when you’re ready to eat! Roast turkey is great and all, but I really come to Thanksgiving for all of the fabulous side dish recipes as well as drinks like Thanksgiving punch. This sausage stuffing is one of my favorite Thanksgiving side dishes – I have to admit, I always go back for seconds!
Sausage Stuffing Ingredients
To make this recipe, you will need sausage, butter, yellow onion, celery, garlic, bread cubes, chicken broth, eggs, sage, parsley, salt and black pepper.
How Do You Make Sausage Stuffing?
Preheat the oven and coat a baking dish with cooking spray. Brown the sausage in a large skillet with butter, breaking it up with a spatula into small pieces. Add more butter to the pan, along with onions and celery. Cook until the vegetables are soft. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Place the bread cubes in a very large bowl. Add the sausage and veggie mixture, chicken broth, eggs, sage parsley and salt and pepper to taste. Stir everything together, then pour it into the prepared pan. Bake until golden brown. Add some extra fresh parsley on top, then serve.
Tips For The Perfect Dish
You can use pre-prepared unseasoned stuffing cubes, or make your own stuffing cubes by cutting your favorite variety of bread into pieces and leaving it out overnight to get stale. Sausage stuffing can be assembled up to 8 hours in advance, then covered and stored in the fridge until you’re ready to bake it. If the top of the stuffing starts to brown too quickly in the oven, you can cover the dish with foil until it is completely cooked through. Serve your stuffing alongside main course options such as Instant Pot turkey breast, rack of lamb, Easter ham, slow cooker turkey breast and Instant Pot ham.
Flavor Variations
This recipe is delicious as written, but you can easily customize the ingredients to suit your tastes.
Protein: Swap out the Italian sausage for bacon or smoked chicken apple sausage. Bread: Try using half cornbread, half white bread. You can also use a loaf of sourdough bread or an herb focaccia with good results. Fruit: Stir in some sauteed apples or pears, or add up to 1/4 cup of dried cranberries or apricots. Vegetables: Feel free to add more veggies to your stuffing. Some great choices include water chestnuts, mushrooms, kale or carrots. Flavorings: Try using different herbs such as thyme or rosemary. You can also stir in some chopped pecans.
Everyone always goes crazy for sausage stuffing, it’s one of the first dishes to disappear at Thanksgiving! That combination of crispy buttery bread, savory sausage and tender veggies just can’t be beat.
