Classic Sausage Stuffing Recipe

What You’ll Need

Here are the ingredients you’ll need to make this classic sausage stuffing recipe. Scroll down to the printable recipe card to find the exact ingredient quantities and full recipe instructions.

• Bread – You’ll need a long loaf of soft, day-old French bread — not a baguette, which is thinner, with a harder crust. Slice it, then tear it into pieces.
• Sausage – I use bulk pork sausage, without any seasoning.
• Butter – Butter adds richness and also helps the top get crispy.
• Onion and celery – These fresh ingredients are classic aromatics for stuffing.
• Chicken broth – Use low-sodium broth to keep a handle on the salt level. This adds moistness to the dressing.
• Fresh herbs – Italian parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme are absolutely lovely.
• Salt and pepper – I use Morton kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Eggs – These help bind the stuffing together.

How to Make Sausage Stuffing

If you’ve never made stuffing from scratch before, let me assure you that it’s very easy. Let me walk you through it!

• Toast the bread. Divide the torn bread pieces onto two rimmed sheet pans. Bake in a 300ºF oven for 15 minutes, until the bread is dry, stirring and rotating the pans every 15 minutes. Transfer the bread to a large bowl and increase the oven temperature to 350ºF.
• Brown the sausage. While the bread is drying in the oven, cook the sausage in a large skillet over medium heat for 5 minutes, breaking it up as it cooks.

• Add the aromatics. Stir in the butter, onion, and celery and keep cooking until the sausage is browned and the veggies are softened. Scrape the sausage, veggies, and any browned bits into the bowl with the bread.
• Add the broth and seasonings. Fold ½ cup of the broth into stuffing mixture, then fold in another ½ cup of broth. Add the herbs, salt, and pepper and fold again.

• Finish assembling. Beat the eggs in a small bowl and whisk in the remaining broth. Fold this into the stuffing mixture and transfer to a baking dish coated with nonstick spray.
• Bake. Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 40 minutes. Remove the foil and bake 25 to 30 minutes more, or until the stuffing is heated through and the top is lightly browned.
• Broil and finish. Turn on the broiler and broil the top for 1 to 3 minutes to make it extra crispy and browned, then finish with additional black pepper and herbs before serving. 

Sausage Stuffing Tips & Variations

Here are a few more pointers for this sausage stuffing recipe.

• Don’t skip drying out the bread. This is key for stuffing that is tender without being mushy; it allows the bread to soak up the broth and butter without compromising its texture.
• Switch up the bread. For a slightly tangy flavor, swap the French bread for sourdough.
• Add some Parmesan. Sprinkle freshly grated Parmesan on top of the stuffing before broiling for a little extra richness and nutty flavor.
• Make it ahead of time. You can assemble this sausage stuffing recipe and then instead of baking it immediately, cover and refrigerate it for a day. Let it come to room temperature before baking.

What to Serve With Stuffing

This sausage stuffing recipe pairs perfectly with all those classic holiday dishes: roasted turkey, Crockpot Ham, Creamy Mashed Potatoes, Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes, Jiffy Corn Casserole, homemade Spoon Bread and Rhodes Rolls, Cranberry Sauce, and so on.

How to Store Leftovers

• Refrigerator: Cover the sausage stuffing in the baking dish or transfer leftovers to an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 4 days. 
• Freezer: Freeze leftover stuffing tightly wrapped in the baking dish, in a freezer bag, or in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge before reheating.
• To reheat: To keep the stuffing from drying out, reheat it in a baking dish tightly covered with foil in a 350ºF oven. Smaller portions of leftovers can be warmed up in the microwave.