Easy Sausage & Herb Stuffing Recipe
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy.
This rich and savory stuffing recipe is perfect the holidays. Hearty sausage, fragrant herbs, and store-bought stuffing cubes make it easy—and you can even make it ahead!
I used to host elaborate Thanksgiving celebrations, where I’d cook for days on end, only to be completely exhausted by the time my guests arrived on Thanksgiving day. After one glass of wine, I’d be nodding off at the table and dreaming of my pillow. I finally wised up by simplifying my side dishes and desserts. This rich sausage and herb stuffing recipe relies on store-bought stuffing cubes, which eliminates the step of slicing and drying out the bread. Believe me, when you’re using a pound of sausage and an entire stick of butter, and pairing the dish with turkey gravy and cranberry sauce, the type of bread you use does not matter. This is the easiest and best stuffing recipe, hands down!
“I made this for Thanksgiving and made the mistake of not doubling the recipe. Corrected that for Christmas as it was GONE – first empty dish on the buffet table.”
What You’ll Need To Make Sausage Stuffing
- Store-bought unseasoned stuffing cubes – I’ve made this easy stuffing recipe using dried bread cubes from both Arnold and Pepperidge Farm. I’ve also had good results with the “fresh” dried bread cubes from Whole Foods, which add a bit more texture (these are sold in plastic bags labeled “stuffing cubes”).
- Unsalted butter – Adds rich flavor and helps create a moist texture.
- Aromatics (yellow onion, celery, and garlic) – Provide savory depth and a classic stuffing flavor.
- Bulk sweet Italian sausage – If you can, look for bulk sausage (sausage without casings). If only whole sausages are available, just remove the casings: cut through the sausages with kitchen shears, then peel the casings off—it’s much easier than squeezing out the meat.
- Low-sodium chicken broth – Keeps the stuffing moist without adding too much salt.
- Large egg – Helps bind the stuffing together for a cohesive texture.
- Fresh Herbs (rosemary, sage, and parsley) – Bring freshness and a touch of earthy, holiday flavor.
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper – For seasoning and balancing flavors.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-By-Step Instructions
Begin by melting a stick of butter in a large skillet.
Add the chopped onions and celery.
Cook until soft, about 8 minutes.
Add the garlic and cook a few minutes more.
Transfer the vegetables to a large bowl. In the same pan, cook the sausage until browned.
As it cooks, use a metal spatula to break it apart into small pieces.
Add the sausage to the stuffing cubes and veggies. Then add the broth, egg, herbs, salt and pepper.
Mix well.
Transfer the contents to a buttered 9 x 13-inch baking dish or similarly sized casserole dish.
Bake for 65 to 75 minutes, until the top is golden brown and crisp.
Enjoy!
Make-Ahead & Freezing Instructions
This homemade stuffing recipe can be assembled up to a day ahead and refrigerated until ready to bake. Allow a few extra minutes in the oven if baking from the fridge. It can also can be frozen after baking, tightly covered, for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to serve it, defrost in the refrigerator for 24 hours. Reheat it, covered with foil, in a 325°F oven until hot.
Video Tutorial
You May Also Like
Easy Sausage & Herb Stuffing
This rich and savory stuffing recipe is perfect the holidays. Hearty sausage, fragrant herbs, and store-bought stuffing cubes make it easy—and you can even make it ahead!
Ingredients
- 8 cups (400g) store-bought unseasoned stuffing cubes
- 1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter
- 1½ cups diced yellow onion (from 1 large onion)
- 1 cup diced celery (from 3 celery stalks)
- 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 pound bulk sweet Italian sausage (i.e., sausage with the casings removed) -- see note below
- 2¾ cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped rosemary
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped sage
- ¼ cup fresh chopped parsley
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with butter.
- Place the stuffing cubes in a large mixing bowl.
- In a large sauté pan, melt the butter. Add the onions and celery and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for about 8 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft. Add the garlic and cook 2 minutes more. Add the vegetables to the stuffing cubes. (Don't wash the pan but scrape out every last bit of vegetables, otherwise they will burn in the next step.)
- In the same pan, cook the sausage over medium heat for 8-10 minutes, until browned and cooked through, breaking up the sausage with a metal spatula while cooking (the largest pieces should be no greater than ¼-inch). Add the browned sausage and fat to the bread cubes and vegetables.
- Add the chicken broth, egg, rosemary, sage, parsley, salt and pepper to the bread cube mixture and mix until the bread is soft and moistened. Transfer the stuffing to the prepared baking dish and bake for 65-75 minutes, uncovered, until deeply golden and crisp on top.
- Note: If you can't find bulk sausage, simply buy regular sausage and remove the casings.
- Make-Ahead/Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The stuffing can be assembled up to a day ahead and refrigerated until ready to bake; follow the baking instructions in the recipe, allowing a few extra minutes in the oven. It can also can be frozen after baking, tightly covered, for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to serve it, defrost in the refrigerator for 24 hours. Reheat it, covered with foil, in a 325°F oven until hot.
Nutrition Information
Powered by 
- Per serving (10 servings)
- Calories: 467
- Fat: 28 grams
- Saturated fat: 10 grams
- Carbohydrates: 40 grams
- Sugar: 5 grams
- Fiber: 6 grams
- Protein: 15 grams
- Sodium: 1,063 mg
- Cholesterol: 57 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
See more recipes:
Comments
Add a Comment
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Hi,
I am making this with 2 boxes of stove top stuffing mix instead of 14 oz breadcrumbs. I’ll omit your spices of course. Any other adjustments? Also…I want to add 2 lbs of sausage instead of 1 lb. Any adjustments?
Hi Shelley, I would omit the salt and just add it to taste. And, not adjustments necessary if you’re going to double the sausage. It will just be a very sausage-y dish!
noticed I only have herb seasoned bread cubes–will that still work should I cut down on any of the seasoning? thanks
Hi Joanne, Yes, that will still work. Just cut back on the added salt (just to add it to taste) and omit the sage. Enjoy!
I used dried rosemary is that okay? I saw you said to replace it with thyme.
Sure– it will still be delicious!
hello, I have already cut up regular white bread into cubes as my family prefers this method. we normally cook stuffing in bird but this year I’m going to go pan route.
question: since using regular white bread should I do anything special to it? use same amount of liquid? I don’t want it to be too soggy so I’m assuming not covering it to bake wold help….would love your thoughts
Hi Shannon, You may need a little less liquid — I would add it a little at a time until it seems right. And yes leaving it uncovered will definitely help.
Hi I am planning on making this stuffing for thanksgiving but I was wondering if I use stove top stuffing that already has chicken broth should I still add more chicken broth to it
Hi Elizabeth, I’m not sure I understand the question. Is your Stovetop stuffing already prepared?
Well it says on the box that it has chicken broth already so I am wondering if I still add more chicken both
Ah, I see. Yes, go ahead and add more.
Can this stuffing mix be assembled two days ahead of time, and then refrigerated, or should it be frozen?
Hi Karen, It fine to make 2 days ahead and refrigerate.
Hi Jenn,
I would like to make this for Thanksgiving but my son cannot eat onions. I can use onion powder in place of the onions, how much should I use?
Hi Tani, I think you could get away with that. I’d use about 1 1/2 Tbsp. of onion powder. Also, feel free to add an additional cup of celery to fill the onion “void.” Hope you enjoy!
Hello! I am making this dish this week. Someone asked that I add bacon to the stuffing. Do you think this would be a complimentary addition flavor-wise, and would I need to tweak any other ingredients? THANK YOU!
I think bacon would work here and don’t think you’d need to tweak other ingredients. (I would cook the bacon first before adding it.) I’d love to hear how it turns out!
Can you put this sausage dressing inside the turkey and cook it that way?
Yes Kathy you can. I’d just reduce the broth by about half so the stuffing isn’t too soggy. Enjoy!
How much would you reduce the broth in this case?
Hi Trish, I’d cut the amount of broth you’re using in half.
Hi Jennifer, do you use the crust of the bread in your stuffing?
Best, Janelle
Hi Janelle, this recipe calls for stuffing cubes as opposed to bread, but if you are using bread, you can go either way with the crust; it’s more of a personal preference.