Classic stuffing is a must-have for many on the Thanksgiving dinner table (us included), but you don’t have to stop at the basic version. We’ve got a stuffing recipe for any menu: Apple stuffing gives a touch of sweetness to balance out the savory side, and our cornbread stuffing switches up the classic with beloved cornbread. If you’re looking to bulk up the Thanksgiving side (or if your ideal stuffing just isn’t complete without a protein), then this sausage stuffing is here for you. Cranberries add a bit of sweetness to balance out our sausage in this recipe that’s baked until toasty-yet-soft perfection. Keep reading on for all of our top tips on how to ace it:
The best bread for stuffing:
A nice rustic country or sourdough loaf is often our ideal choice for stuffing; we also love baguettes in this recipe. We’re looking for a bread that will hold up well with all of the liquid, and dries out beautifully to get the best results. If you prefer to add some sweetness to balance out the sausage and savory seasoning, then brioche is another great option.
The best sausage for sausage stuffing:
Sweet or hot Italian sausage are excellent choices, as are pork fennel, chicken apple, andouille, or even chorizo. Feel free to use a mix of two if you just can’t pick one!
Top tips for making sausage stuffing:
— Do I need to use stale bread? We love to use stale bread to avoid sogginess; we strongly recommend buying the bread you'll be using a day or two earlier so it can dry out. If you’re in a pinch, you can also stick your cubed bread into the oven at 200º and bake until dried out and toasted, around 20 minutes.
— The ideal stuffing texture. We love that this stuffing gets super toasty on the outside and remains nice and soft in the middle. But if everyone in the fam is into verging-on-soggy stuffing (seriously, it's a thing!), we recommend covering the casserole dish with aluminum foil for the entire baking time.
Make ahead & storage:
Stuffing is a great make-ahead Thanksgiving side to get ahead of the big day. The bread can be toasted up to 3 days ahead of time. Once cooled, store it in an airtight container. You can also assemble your stuffing right before being baked and keep covered in the refrigerator overnight.
If you have any leftovers, keep them stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Made this recipe? Let us know how it went in the comments below!
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- Yields:
- 8 serving(s)
- Prep Time:
- 25 mins
- Total Time:
- 1 hr 45 mins
- Cal/Serv:
- 395
Ingredients
- 1
large boule or 2 baguettes
- 6 tbsp.
unsalted butter, divided, plus more for baking dish
- 1
medium yellow onion, chopped
- 4
stalks celery, thinly sliced
Kosher salt
- 2
cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp.
chopped fresh sage
- 2 tsp.
chopped fresh rosemary
- 2 tsp.
fresh thyme leaves
Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp.
chopped fresh parsley, plus more for serving
- 1 lb.
Italian sausages, casings removed
- 1/2 c.
dried cranberries
- 1 1/2 c.
low-sodium chicken broth
Directions
- Step 1Tear or slice bread into cubes and let sit at room temperature overnight to dry out. (Alternately, place bread on baking sheets and bake at 200º until dried out and toasted, about 20 minutes.) Transfer bread to a large bowl.
- Step 2Preheat oven to 350º. Grease a 13" x 9" baking dish with butter. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt 3 tablespoons butter. Add onion, celery, and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and fragrant, about 8 minutes. Stir in garlic, sage, rosemary, and thyme and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute more; season with salt and pepper. Stir in parsley and remaining 3 tablespoons butter. Add onion mixture to bowl with bread.
- Step 3 In same skillet over medium-high heat, cook sausage, stirring and breaking up with a wooden spoon, until seared and cooked through, about 10 minutes.
- Step 4Add sausage, broth, and cranberries to bread mixture. Transfer to prepared dish and cover with foil.
- Step 5Bake stuffing until cooked through, about 45 minutes. Uncover and continue to bake until bread is golden brown, about 15 minutes more.
- Step 6Top with parsley before serving.
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