Sausage Stuffing

A simple & savoury holiday side dish that's perfect for Christmas & Thanksgiving, this Sausage Stuffing is a classic recipe!

Course Main Dish, Side Dish

Cuisine Christmas, Comfort Food, Holiday, Holidays, Side Dish, Thanksgiving, Vegetarian

Keyword homemade stuffing, stuffing

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 1 15

Total Time 1 40

Servings servings

Calories 378kcal

Author Chrissie

Equipment

Ingredients

8 cups day-old french bread cubed in 1 to 1.5-inch pieces, (about one 1-lb loaf)
1 pound sweet Italian sausage Or use breakfast sausage or country sausage
1 large onion diced
1 cup diced celery
2 cloves garlic finely minced
a few pinches each of salt and pepper
1 cup cranberries use fresh or frozen
2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped (or use 2 teaspoons dried)
2 tablespoons fresh sage chopped (or use 2 teaspoons dried)
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary chopped (or use 2 teaspoons dried)
1 tablespoon fresh thyme chopped (or use 1 teaspoon dried)
2 1/2 cups chicken stock
2 large eggs

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit and arrange the cubed bread on a large baking sheet.
Roast for about 20 minutes, then remove the pan from the oven to cool.
Alternatively, use pre-toasted bread cubes available at most grocery stores (check the bakery section). You can also place the bread cubes on a baking sheet, cover with a clean kitchen towel, and leave out for 24 hours.
Set the oven temperature to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Heat a skillet on the stovetop over medium heat and add the sausage. Be sure to remove it from its' casing first, if it's in casing.
Brown the sausage and remove it to a plate lined with a paper towel. Drain the fat from the pan, leaving about 2-3 tablespoons of the sausage fat behind.
Add the onion, celery and garlic to the pan with the remaining sausage fat and sauté just until the onion is soft and translucent.
Add the onion mixture to a large bowl, along with the roasted bread cubes, sausage meat, and cranberries.
Add the salt and pepper and fresh herbs and stir well.
Whisk the eggs into the vegetable stock and add the liquid to the bread mixture slowly, stirring well as you add the liquid so the bread re-hydrates evenly.
Once the mixture is well combined, pour it out into a greased 9-inch by 13-inch rectangular baking dish (or equivalent), smoothing out the top so it's as even as possible.
Cover the pan with foil and bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit, covered.
After the stuffing has cooked for 30 minutes, remove it from the oven and remove the foil.
Add the baking pan back to the oven and bake for another 25-30 minutes or until the top of the stuffing is crispy and golden brown.
Serve immediately.

Video

Notes

Make Ahead Instructions

To make this stuffing ahead of time, simply follow the recipe as directed until just before baking. Cover the stuffing well and place the pan in the fridge. When you're ready to bake, make sure the stuffing is covered with foil and place the cold pan in a cold oven (to prevent the pan from breaking in the oven), letting the pan heat up with the oven. Bake as directed in the recipe.

Storage Instructions

Store any leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Freezer Instructions

It's possible to freeze this stuffing before baking: prepare the recipe as directed up until it's time to bake. Cover well with plastic wrap and freeze in the baking dish. Defrost in the fridge for 24 hours. When ready to bake, add the cold pan to a cold oven and let the pan slowly heat up as the oven preheats. Bake as directed once the oven reaches the correct temperature.

To freeze after baking, simply freeze in an airtight container or in a well-covered baking dish. Defrost in the fridge for 24 hours before reheating in the oven, covered, until heated through. Remember, if the pan is cold from the fridge, place it in a cold oven and let it heat up with the oven so the pan doesn't break or crack.

Reheating Instructions

Reheat this stuffing in a baking dish in the oven, covered, until heated through (about 5-10 minutes).

Nutrition