Easy Sausage & Herb Stuffing Recipe

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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!

Spoon in a baking dish of sausage and herb stuffing .

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.”

Heather

What You’ll Need To Make Sausage Stuffing

sausage stuffing ingredients
  • 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.

Butter melting in a skillet.

Add the chopped onions and celery.

Chopped vegetables cooking in a skillet of melted butter.

Cook until soft, about 8 minutes.

Wooden spoon stirring a skillet of vegetables.

Add the garlic and cook a few minutes more.

Pile of garlic in a skillet of chopped vegetables.

Transfer the vegetables to a large bowl. In the same pan, cook the sausage until browned.

Sausage in a skillet.

As it cooks, use a  metal spatula to break it apart into small pieces.

Wooden spoon stirring sausage in a skillet.

Add the sausage to the stuffing cubes and veggies. Then add the broth, egg, herbs, salt and pepper.

stuffing components in bowl

Mix well.

stuffing mixture in bowl

Transfer the contents to a buttered 9 x 13-inch baking dish or similarly sized casserole dish.

stuffing in baking dish

Bake for 65 to 75 minutes, until the top is golden brown and crisp.

Baked stuffing in a baking dish.

Enjoy!

Spoon in a baking dish of sausage and herb stuffing.

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

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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!

Servings: 8-10
Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Cook Time: 1 Hour 30 Minutes

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

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with butter.
  2. Place the stuffing cubes in a large mixing bowl.
  3. 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.)
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. Note: If you can't find bulk sausage, simply buy regular sausage and remove the casings.
  7. 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 Edamam

  • 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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Comments

  • How many servings is this

    • This serves 8 – 10.

  • Yes, that works!

  • Hi, I would like to add shredded carrots, how much do you think would be a good amount? Thanks in advance, the recipe looks amazing!!

    • I think a cup would be a good amount here. Would love to hear how it turns out with the carrots!

  • Hey, Jenn!
    I am SO excited I found your site! I am most definitely making this for Thanksgiving. However, I am wanting to half this recipe and perhaps fit it in an 8×8? What would be your recommendations for cooking time? (And any other tips you have for halfing it) Thanks!!

    • Hi Marah, I’m glad you came across the site! If you halve the recipe, it should just fit in an 8 x 8 dish. The baking time should be about the same, but keep an eye on it. Hope you enjoy!

  • I have the following question

    is it 2 and 3/4 cups of low sodium chicken broth or 2 3/4 cups of low sodium chicken broth?

    Please let me know.
    Thank you

    • It is 2 and 3/4 cups. Sorry for any confusion!

  • That will work perfectly fine, Crystal. Enjoy!

  • Hi Jenn. I’m an American expat hosting Thanksgiving dinner in Scotland. Do you think this recipe could work with a box of Stovetop Stuffing (chicken flavor) as opposed to the diced stuffing cubes? Would there need to be any adjustments? Thanks in advance!

    • Hi Katarina, you can get away with using Stovetop stuffing. I’d just reduce the salt in the recipe and add it to taste. Happy Thanksgiving!

  • Hi!
    How would you change the cook time if prepared in a muffin pan?
    (Everyone wants crispy edges, so my solution this year is a muffin pan).
    Thanks!
    Kelly

    • Creative solution! I’d start checking them after 30 minutes. I’d love to hear how they turn out!

      • The stuffins were a huge hit! Thank you for the recipe and the advice!
        I baked them for 30 minutes, then broiled them for 5 minutes.
        So delicious!
        Everyone has asked me to make them again for Xmas!
        Thanks again!

  • If I fully cook this the day before, how long and at what temp should I warm it up for? Thanks so much!

    • Hi Maegan, I’d reheat in a 325°F oven for 15-20 min, or until hot. Enjoy!

      • Thank you so very much for responding, happy Thanksgiving!!

  • This recipe says 8 cups of stuffing cubes which is 64oz . The recipe is saying 8 cups(14oz) of cubes. Please clarify. Have not made this yet can’t rate it but want to make this week for thanksgiving

    • Hi Andy, the 14 oz. bag is based on weight, so you’ll want to stick with the recipe and purchase a 14 oz. bag of stuffing (which is the equivalent of 8 cups). Happy Thanksgiving!

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