Description
This easy sausage and herb stuffing recipe combines classic flavors of savory Italian sausage, fresh herbs, and aromatic vegetables with store-bought stuffing cubes for a flavorful and comforting side dish. Perfectly moist inside with a crisp, golden top, this stuffing is a great addition to any holiday meal or cozy dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Stuffing Base
- 8 cups (400g) store-bought unseasoned stuffing cubes
Vegetables & Aromatics
- 1½ cups diced yellow onion (from 1 large onion)
- 1 cup diced celery (from 3 celery stalks)
- 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
Meat
- 1 pound bulk sweet Italian sausage (casings removed)
Liquids & Binder
- 1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter
- 2¾ cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 large egg, beaten
Herbs & Seasonings
- 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 Oven and Prepare Dish: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with butter to prevent sticking and promote browning.
- Prepare Stuffing Base: Place the store-bought stuffing cubes into a large mixing bowl, setting the foundation for the stuffing.
- Sauté Vegetables: In a large sauté pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the diced onions and celery and cook for about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables become soft and fragrant. Add the finely chopped garlic and cook for an additional 2 minutes, being careful not to burn the garlic.
- Combine Vegetables with Bread Cubes: Transfer the cooked vegetables into the bowl with stuffing cubes, scraping every bit out of the pan to capture all flavors.
- Cook Sausage: Using the same pan, cook the bulk sweet Italian sausage over medium heat for 8-10 minutes until browned and cooked through. Break up the sausage into pieces no larger than ¼ inch to ensure even texture. Add the cooked sausage and rendered fat to the bread and vegetable mixture.
- Add Liquids and Herbs: Pour in the low-sodium chicken broth and beaten egg. Add the fresh chopped rosemary, sage, parsley, salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Mix everything thoroughly until the bread cubes are softened and moistened evenly.
- Bake Stuffing: Transfer the mixed stuffing to the prepared baking dish. Bake uncovered in the preheated oven for 65-75 minutes until the top is deeply golden and crisp, and the inside is heated through.
- Serve and Enjoy: Once baked, allow the stuffing to rest briefly before serving as a delicious side dish to your favorite main courses.
Notes
- If bulk sausage is unavailable, use regular sausage and carefully remove the casings before cooking.
- This stuffing can be assembled a day ahead and refrigerated until ready to bake; add a few extra minutes to baking time when cooking from refrigerated.
- After baking, stuffing can be tightly covered and frozen for up to 3 months. Defrost in the refrigerator for 24 hours before reheating in a 325°F oven covered with foil until hot.
- Use fresh herbs for the best flavor, but dried herbs can be substituted at 1/3 the quantity if needed.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/8 of recipe
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 550 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 25 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 15 g
- Cholesterol: 80 mg
