Easy Sausage & Herb Stuffing
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A family favorite for the holidays, this easy sausage and herb stuffing uses store-bought stuffing cubes, eliminating the step of slicing and drying out the bread.
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 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 does not matter!
What you’ll need to make Sausage Stuffing
I’ve made this recipe using stuffing cubes from the supermarket (usually made by Arnold or Pepperidge Farm) and “fresh” dried stuffing cubes from Whole Foods — both work well, but if you can get the ones from Whole Foods, they add a bit more texture (they are sold in a plastic bag labeled “stuffing cubes”).
As for the sausage, try to find bulk Italian sausage, which is simply sausage without the casings. If you can’t find it, just buy regular Italian sausage and remove the casings; the best way is to cut straight through the sausages with kitchen shears and then peel the casings off (this is much more efficient than trying to squeeze the meat out).
Step-By-Step Instructions
Begin by melting a stick of butter in a large sauté pan. 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.
Bake for 65-75 minutes, until the top is golden brown and crisp.
Enjoy!
Video Tutorial
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Easy Sausage & Herb Stuffing
A family favorite for the holidays, this easy sausage and herb stuffing uses store-bought stuffing cubes, eliminating the step of slicing and drying out the bread.
Ingredients
- 8 cups (400g) store-bought unseasoned stuffing cubes
- 1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter
- 1½ cups diced yellow onion (from 1 large or 2 small onions)
- 1 cup diced celery (from 3 large 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. 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
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- 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.
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I made this ahead and forgot to take it out of the freezer until now… the turkey will be ready in less than two hours. It was supposed to thaw out for 24 hours! Any suggestions?
Hi Jo, I’m probably too late to weigh in but you can bake from partially frozen; it will just take a bit longer.
I made this tonight ahead and am planning to heat it up for Thanksgiving tomorrow. I’ve never made stuffing before and, according to my taste test, this is delicious! I got nervous my bread was too dry with the recommended amount of broth and added another cup because I was scared it would burn right away in the oven. I shouldn’t have though, it made it slightly too soggy. My own fault. The flavor is still there and amazing. Will continue making this until I get it right 🙂
This is quite similar to the stuffing I’ve made for many years. I sub in some white wine for a bit of the chicken stock and add half a pound of mushrooms when sautéing the onions and celery. I use country sausage rather than Italian. Also, I’ve never added an egg. Maybe next year I’ll try adding oysters, but the in-laws are fussy eaters.
I’m making the dish tonight and baking it tomorrow, should I wait for it to get to room temp before putting it in the oven tomorrow? If not, should I still only bake, uncovered, for 65-75 min?
Hi Hannah, You can go either way — if it goes in cold, it will likely take closer to 75 min.
This stuffing is legendary in my family and I’ve been making it for four years now. My niece calls is Death Row Stuffing because if she was on Death Row and could choose one meal, it would be this! LOL.
I make a few modifications that I personally believe put it over the top! I make my own bread cubes with Dave’s Killer 21 grain bread. I use fresh herbs, really good quality heritage sausage, bone broth as opposed to chicken broth. I also use fresh herbs. And my secret extra ingredient is a cup of shredded Manchego cheese!
Can you prepare and put in casserole dish but not bake till next day?
Yep!
Can this be put in a slow cooker? For how long?
Hi Bon, I’ve never made this in a slow cooker so I can’t say for sure how it would turn out and if you cooked it in there, how long it would take. If you do want to give it a try, here are some conversion tips that may help.
I happen to have a loaf of challah around. Can I use it in this stuffing instead of store-bought cubes? I know you have a mushroom stuffing but I really love this one (have made it for years) and I don’t have mushrooms. 🙂
Hi Sarah, you can use challah here – just make sure to dry it out first. Enjoy!
Hiii!!! I have been making this recipe for years. And all of my family members ask me to do it every year or end of them. The rest of the. we are short on time. I noticed you say at the most. You can make it 1 day early. do you think it would be OK to Make it 2 days ahead and not bake?
Yep that should be fine. Enjoy!
I’m having a hard time finding unseasoned stuffing. If I use seasoned stuffing what changes would you recommend? Thank you!
Hi Julie, If you can only find seasoned stuffing cubes, I would cut the salt and herbs in half, then add more to taste before baking if necessary. Enjoy!