Sausage Stuffing Recipe

Overhead view of a white baking dish of sausage stuffing with a spoon inside. A linen napkin on the side and a plate.

Make your holiday feast complete with this Sausage Stuffing recipe! It’s tender, moist, and savory, thanks to Italian sausage, fresh herbs, chicken broth, and eggs. You can use nearly any type of fresh bread; a sandwich loaf, sturdy white, Italian or French bread are all great picks!

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 1 10

Total Time 1 20

Servings servings

Calories 460kcal

Author John Kanell

Equipment

Large sheet tray or rimmed baking sheet
Large skillet
3½-quart casserole dish or 9x13-inch baking dish
Large mixing bowl

Ingredients

12 cups (1-inch) bread cubes from 1 pound (450g) bread
½ cup unsalted butter (113g)
2 cups diced yellow onion (251g)
2 cups diced celery (250g)
4 garlic cloves minced, or 2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 pound spicy or sweet Italian sausage casings removed (450g)
¼ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
2 cups chicken broth (480mL)
2 large eggs

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 300°F.
On two large sheet trays or rimmed baking sheets, spread the bread cubes in a single layer. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring once halfway through and rotating the trays in the oven until the cubes are dried out. Let the bread cool slightly, about 10 minutes, then place it in a large bowl.
Increase the oven temperature to 375°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish or 3½-quart casserole dish with butter.
In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. Add this mixture to the bowl with the bread.
Add the sausage to the skillet and cook it over medium-high heat for 5 to 6 minutes or until browned. Add the sausage and any drippings to the bowl with the bread and vegetable mixture.
Add the parsley, sage, rosemary, salt, and pepper to the bowl. Gently fold the ingredients together until well combined.
In a large liquid measuring cup, whisk to combine the chicken broth and the eggs.
Slowly pour the broth mixture all over the stuffing while stirring everything together, to moisten the bread evenly. (Mix gently so that the bread pieces stay in cubes.)
Spoon the stuffing into the prepared dish. Bake until it is hot in the center and golden brown on top, 25 to 30 minutes.

Video

Notes

Slowly stir in the broth mixture. Evenly distribute the broth and egg mixture throughout the bread by slowly drizzling it over the bread and sausage mixture as you mix. Stirring slowly allows time for the bread to soak up the liquid evenly.
Gently mix. You don't want to break up the bread too much as you stir, so mix gently.
Add additional broth as needed. Depending on the bread's dryness and density, you may need to add one extra cup of broth to hydrate it. The stuffing mixture should appear wet and slightly soggy. If your mixture feels dry, add more broth.
Seasoning variations: Stir in 2 teaspoons of chopped fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon of dried thyme for an extra herbal flavor. For a fruity finish, fold in 1 chopped apple or pear or ⅓ cup of chopped dried cranberries. To add some heat, use spicy Italian sausage and stir in up to 1 teaspoon of red pepper chili flakes.

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