Sausage Stuffing
This Thanksgiving try our homemade sausage stuffing made with Italian sausage, crusty French bread, and variety of savory spices!
Next Thursday is Thanksgiving and we are excited! It’s a day filled with family, friends, and food. Typically, we make either cornbread stuffing, chicken and dressing, or sage stuffing. However, this year we wanted to try something different.
So, Kim practiced making sausage stuffing instead. One bite and I knew we had to share it with you. For her recipe, Kim chose sweet Italian sausage and a custom blend of fresh herbs and spices.
I think she made the right choices because this stuffing is loaded with flavor. It takes about 2 1/2 hours to make, so we should get started right away.
How to make sausage stuffing from scratch?
First, preheat your oven to 250°F and cut your French bread into cubes. Transfer the cubes onto the sheet pan and place them into the oven to toast for about 45-minutes.
After that, transfer them to a large mixing bowl. Increase the oven temperature to 350°F. and grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
Next, place a large skillet over medium heat. Open the sausage casing and add the meat to the skillet.
Let the meat cook until it’s almost done. Be sure to use a wooden spoon to break up the sausage. Now, stir in the butter, onions, and celery and let everything cook for about 4 minutes.
Sprinkle in the garlic and stir the mixture as it cooks for another 30 seconds.
Turn off the heat and pour the sausage and veggies over the toasted bread cubes.
At this point, you can add the chopped parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme. Also, sprinkle in a pinch of salt and pepper.
Toss the stuffing ingredients to combine them. Then, stir in the chicken broth and lightly beaten eggs.
Afterward, transfer the sausage stuffing ingredients to the prepared baking dish.
Last, place the dish into the oven to bake uncovered for about 70 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the center is set.
That’s it, your sausage stuffing recipe is done! Kim and I hope you enjoy it and wish you a wonderful Thanksgiving 🙂
Recipe Tips and FAQ’s:
- You can use any type of sausage you want. Spicy or sweet Italian sausage or you could use ground pork and season it yourself.
- When cutting the French bread, try to cut it into equal-sized cubes. Otherwise, it will not toast evenly in the oven.
- I don’t recommend stuffing your turkey with this stuffing. It’s commonly known that doing so will result in one of two outcomes: undercooked (and dangerous turkey) or overcooked dry stuffing.
- If your stuffing starts to brown too quickly on top, cover it with an aluminum foil tent until it’s done baking.
Do you put egg in stuffing?
Usually, yes you put at least one egg into stuffing. It helps bind the ingredients together.
Can I use breakfast sausage in stuffing?
Absolutely, simply substitute 16 ounces of breakfast sausage in place of the Italian variety.
More Thanksgiving Sides to Try
Ingredients
- 12 cups French bread, crusts removed then cut into 1-inch pieces (day old bread works best)
- 16 ounces sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
- ½ cup unsalted butter, plus more for greasing the pan
- 2 cups white onions, diced (about 2 medium onions)
- 1 ½ cups celery, very small dice (about 4 stalks)
- 1 tablespoon garlic cloves, minced or pressed
- ¼ cup parsley, freshly chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh sage, finely minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme sprig, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 250°F, and place bread pieces onto baking sheets in an even layer. Bake for 45 minutes to an hour or until they’re dried out. Transfer the dried bread to a large bowl.12 cups French bread
- Adjust the oven temperature to 350°F, and butter a 9 x 13 – inch baking dish. Set aside.
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage and break into small pieces. Cook until almost cooked through, then add the butter, onions, and celery. Continue cooking for 3 to 5 more minutes until the sausage is cooked through. Add the garlic, and cook for an additional 30 seconds.16 ounces sweet Italian sausage½ cup unsalted butter2 cups white onions1 ½ cups celery1 tablespoon garlic cloves
- Pour the sausage mixture into the bowl with the bread pieces. Add the parsley, sage, rosemary, thyme, salt, and pepper. Toss to combine.¼ cup parsley1 tablespoon fresh sage1 tablespoon fresh rosemary1 teaspoon fresh thyme sprig1 teaspoon salt½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Add the chicken broth and eggs, and gently stir until all ingredients are evenly coated. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish.2 cups low-sodium chicken broth2 large eggs
- Bake uncovered for 65 to 75 minutes or until the center is set and doesn’t jiggle. If the stuffing begins to brown too quickly, cover it loosely with foil.
- Store any leftovers in the refrigerator for 3 days.