Sausage Stuffing

Why you’ll love this stuffing recipe:

If you’re already a fan of savory stuffing, this sausage stuffing recipe with sweet Italian sausage is going to knock your socks off! You may never make any other stuffing recipe again!

• Quick Prep Time – With a prep time of just 15 minutes, all you have to do is cook the sausage and veggies. Then, the oven does all the heavy lifting so you can prepare the rest of your meal!  
• Flavorful – This Italian sausage stuffing has layers of flavor from the sweet sausage, fresh herbs, and aromatics. Plus, it has incredible contrasting textures with the crispy top and moist center.
• Versatile –  You can easily mix and match different ingredients to make this stuffing with sausage your own. Add in extra veggies, more herbs, chopped nuts, or dried fruit to create a new taste and texture. 

Key Ingredient Notes:

• French bread – I like to use French bread because I prefer the soft center and crisp crust in this recipe. However, if you have other bread on hand, you can definitely use it instead. Just be sure to tear it into similar-sized pieces so that it cooks evenly.
• Sweet Italian sausage – I love the flavor that sweet sausage gives the stuffing! Be sure to remove the casing before cooking. 
• Unsalted butter – Butter gives the stuffing its rich flavor and is perfect for cooking the sausage and veggies. You can substitute olive oil if preferred, but the flavor won’t be quite as rich. 
• Large onion – When you’re dicing the onion, try to make sure that the pieces are similar in size so that they cook evenly when you sauté them.
• Celery stalks – The easiest way to dice celery stalks is to first slice them in half lengthwise. Then, place them top-side down, and dice both halves at the same time.
• Garlic cloves – When it comes to garlic, fresh is always better! This recipe calls for four cloves, but you can always add more if you like. 
• Flat-leaf parsley – Chop up the parsley so that it’s fine, and be sure to have plenty left over to garnish the stuffing! 
• Fresh sage and thyme – Slice these into very small pieces so they incorporate evenly throughout the dish. 
• Chicken broth – I love the rich flavor that chicken broth gives this stuffing. However, you can absolutely swap it out for vegetable broth if needed. 
• Heavy cream – Full-fat cream gives the stuffing a rich texture. It also prevents the bread from drying out during cooking, keeping the center moist. 
• Large eggs – These help enhance the richness of the stuffing and act as a binder, providing structure and holding the ingredients together. 

How to make this recipe:

Before you begin, place a rack in the center position of your oven, and allow the oven to preheat to  325°F. You’ll also want to grease a baking sheet with butter. 

2. Cook the sausage & Veggies

• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, and melt 4 tablespoons of butter. Add the sausages, breaking them up into smaller chunks with a spoon, and cook for 4 to 5 minutes on each side. Transfer the cooked sausage to a bowl. 
• Melt the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter in the same pan, and add the onions and celery.
• Cook for 5 minutes on medium heat. Then, add the garlic, salt, and herbs, and cook for an additional minute. Shut off the heat, and add the sausage back to the pan, tossing to combine. 

3. Assemble and bake the stuffing

• Add the onion and sausage mixture to the baking sheet along with the toasted bread, and toss again to combine. 
• Whisk the eggs and heavy cream together in a medium bowl. Add in the chicken broth, and whisk until smooth. Add the bread mixture to the bowl, and toss to combine and coat the pieces. 
• Arrange the bread on the baking sheet, and cover it with foil. Bake for 40 minutes or until the liquid is set. The mixture shouldn’t move when you jiggle the pan! 
• Discard the foil, and return the uncovered baking sheet to the oven. Bake just until the bread is browned and crispy on top. This should take about 20 minutes. Be careful not to let it burn! 
• Cool the sausage stuffing for 5 minutes, and garnish with extra chopped parsley before serving. 

Make-Ahead Tips:

I love to make this sausage stuffing ahead of time, especially when cooking for the holidays! I recommend making a double batch so you have extra to use for leftover stuffing breakfast casserole the next day, too. 

• Tear the bread into pieces, and dice the veggies a day in advance. Store the bread in a sealable bag or airtight container at room temperature, and transfer the vegetables to the fridge. 
• Assemble the stuffing up to 24 hours in advance. Cover it tightly with aluminum, and store it in the fridge until you’re ready to bake it.
• Do not prepare the dish longer than 24 hours in advance, because the egg mixture breaks down bread, which results in a mushy texture! 

Storing Tips:

There are rarely leftovers of this savory stuffing at my house! However, if you do happen to have stuffing left, or if you made extra, it’s simple to store.

• Let the stuffing cool to room temperature. Then, cover it tightly, or transfer it to an airtight container, and store it in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
• To reheat, cover the stuffing with aluminum foil, and warm it in the oven for 15-20 minutes at 350°F. Or, heat individual portions in the microwave. 
• Freeze cooked or uncooked stuffing for up to 3 months.

Sausage Stuffing FAQs: 

More Side Dish Recipes: 

• Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes
• Air Fryer Honey Glazed Carrots
• Roasted Butternut Squash
• 30-Minute Saffron Risotto