Easy Sausage & Herb Stuffing
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A family favorite for the holidays, this easy sausage and herb stuffing uses store-bought stuffing cubes, eliminating the step of slicing and drying out the bread.
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 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 gravy and cranberry sauce, the type of bread does not matter!
What you’ll need to make Sausage Stuffing
I’ve made this recipe using stuffing cubes from the supermarket (usually made by Arnold or Pepperidge Farm) and “fresh” dried stuffing cubes from Whole Foods — both work well, but if you can get the ones from Whole Foods, they add a bit more texture (they are sold in a plastic bag labeled “stuffing cubes”).
As for the sausage, try to find bulk Italian sausage, which is simply sausage without the casings. If you can’t find it, just buy regular Italian sausage and remove the casings; the best way is to cut straight through the sausages with kitchen shears and then peel the casings off (this is much more efficient than trying to squeeze the meat out).
Step-By-Step Instructions
Begin by melting a stick of butter in a large sauté pan. Add the chopped onions and celery.
Cook until soft, about 8 minutes.
Add the garlic and cook a few minutes more.
Transfer the vegetables to a large bowl. In the same pan, cook the sausage until browned.
As it cooks, use a metal spatula to break it apart into small pieces.
Add the sausage to the stuffing cubes and veggies. Then add the broth, egg, herbs, salt and pepper.
Mix well.
Transfer the contents to a buttered 9 x 13-inch baking dish.
Bake for 65-75 minutes, until the top is golden brown and crisp.
Enjoy!
Video Tutorial
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Easy Sausage & Herb Stuffing
A family favorite for the holidays, this easy sausage and herb stuffing uses store-bought stuffing cubes, eliminating the step of slicing and drying out the bread.
Ingredients
- 8 cups (400g) store-bought unseasoned stuffing cubes
- 1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter
- 1½ cups diced yellow onion (from 1 large or 2 small onions)
- 1 cup diced celery (from 3 large 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
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with butter.
- Place the stuffing cubes in a large mixing bowl.
- 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.)
- 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.
- 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.
- Note: If you can't find bulk sausage, simply buy regular sausage and remove the casings.
- 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. 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
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- 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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Savory and delicious! We served for Thanksgiving and almost everyone went back for a second serving. It was the first of the leftovers to go.
Hello, I am wondering what, if anything, I could replace the Italian sausage with, or can I just leave it out altogether and expect a slightly smaller quantity of stuffing. Thank you very much.
Hi Kathleen, This recipe really relies on the sausage for flavor. You might try this stuffing instead — it’s also delicious 🙂
Let me just add to the many glowing comments already here. OHMYGAWD! Nothing short of amazing. I had considered myself a pretty good dressing/stuffing cook. Nope. Not after using this recipe. Reallllly, it is alllllll I wanted to eat on Thanksgiving. haha I made a double batch so had some left later Thursday, Friday, Saturday, etc. This will be the only recipe I use moving forward.
Made this for Thanksgiving and my husband said it’s the best he has ever had. Which is high praise since we are foodies! I used half onion/half shallots and half Italian/half breakfast sausage. Otherwise followed the directions exactly.
I made this yesterday for Thanksgiving dinner and it turned out really good! I followed the recipe exactly except I used 3 eggs. This is very close to my mom’s recipe. I’ll definitely use it again.
I have been making this stuffing recipe every Thanksgiving for several years now. It is ALWAYS a big hit, everyone loves it and I frequently get asked for the recipe. It is very easy to make and absolutely wonderful without changing a thing. I always use fresh herbs when I make it and I also always make my own bread cubes using gluten-free bread and no one can ever tell. Most of the time I leave the egg out because we have a family member who is allergic to eggs and it still tastes just as wonderful with or without the egg. My other “secret” is that I source my sausage from a local farm market vendor and I think that makes it extra special. Thank you so much for this amazing recipe, it will be our family tradition for many Thanksgivings to come!
I made this ahead and forgot to take it out of the freezer until now… the turkey will be ready in less than two hours. It was supposed to thaw out for 24 hours! Any suggestions?
Hi Jo, I’m probably too late to weigh in but you can bake from partially frozen; it will just take a bit longer.
I made this tonight ahead and am planning to heat it up for Thanksgiving tomorrow. I’ve never made stuffing before and, according to my taste test, this is delicious! I got nervous my bread was too dry with the recommended amount of broth and added another cup because I was scared it would burn right away in the oven. I shouldn’t have though, it made it slightly too soggy. My own fault. The flavor is still there and amazing. Will continue making this until I get it right 🙂
This is quite similar to the stuffing I’ve made for many years. I sub in some white wine for a bit of the chicken stock and add half a pound of mushrooms when sautéing the onions and celery. I use country sausage rather than Italian. Also, I’ve never added an egg. Maybe next year I’ll try adding oysters, but the in-laws are fussy eaters.
I’m making the dish tonight and baking it tomorrow, should I wait for it to get to room temp before putting it in the oven tomorrow? If not, should I still only bake, uncovered, for 65-75 min?
Hi Hannah, You can go either way — if it goes in cold, it will likely take closer to 75 min.
This stuffing is legendary in my family and I’ve been making it for four years now. My niece calls is Death Row Stuffing because if she was on Death Row and could choose one meal, it would be this! LOL.
I make a few modifications that I personally believe put it over the top! I make my own bread cubes with Dave’s Killer 21 grain bread. I use fresh herbs, really good quality heritage sausage, bone broth as opposed to chicken broth. I also use fresh herbs. And my secret extra ingredient is a cup of shredded Manchego cheese!
Can you prepare and put in casserole dish but not bake till next day?
Yep!
Can this be put in a slow cooker? For how long?
Hi Bon, I’ve never made this in a slow cooker so I can’t say for sure how it would turn out and if you cooked it in there, how long it would take. If you do want to give it a try, here are some conversion tips that may help.
I happen to have a loaf of challah around. Can I use it in this stuffing instead of store-bought cubes? I know you have a mushroom stuffing but I really love this one (have made it for years) and I don’t have mushrooms. 🙂
Hi Sarah, you can use challah here – just make sure to dry it out first. Enjoy!
Hiii!!! I have been making this recipe for years. And all of my family members ask me to do it every year or end of them. The rest of the. we are short on time. I noticed you say at the most. You can make it 1 day early. do you think it would be OK to Make it 2 days ahead and not bake?
Yep that should be fine. Enjoy!
I’m having a hard time finding unseasoned stuffing. If I use seasoned stuffing what changes would you recommend? Thank you!
Hi Julie, If you can only find seasoned stuffing cubes, I would cut the salt and herbs in half, then add more to taste before baking if necessary. Enjoy!
If you have seasoned cubes, is that ok, or do I need to eliminate some of the ingredients in this recipe? Thanks, Mary
Hi Mary, I would cut the salt and herbs in half, then add more to taste before baking if necessary. Enjoy!
Hi Jenn,
I can’t find cubes anywhere! What kind of bread do suggest in place?
Thank you if you see this!
Erin (long-time fan!)
Hi Erin, I think the best choices are French or Italian bread. Hope you enjoy the stuffing!
This recipe is fantastic! I just finished my second trial run of this recipe before thanksgiving. It is great as is, but my family loves a lot of herbs, so I doubled them and added thyme. I also added about a half cup of unsalted pepitas; growing up my dad always added roasted chestnuts to our stuffing and it was soooo good, but since my husband is allergic to nuts I use pepitas instead. Also to save myself a step I use salted butter instead of using salt.
Superb!! I could eat an entire plate of this.
Hi! Planning to make night before. About how long will it take to reheat? Will it still be crispy if it’s covered?
Hi Lauren, I’m guesstimating it will take about 30 minutes to reheat (and you can take the foil off for the last 5 minutes or so to crisp up the top). Enjoy!
Hi, this is the same recipe my mom used to make, and I have too for as long as I can remember, but I never made it in advance, should I reheat at 350? Thanks!
How nice that this is the recipe you’ve been making for years! If making ahead, I’d reheat it, covered with foil, in a 325°F oven until hot.
Can I use ciabatta bread to make stuffing instead of store bought stuffing cubes? What other breads would you suggest?
Hi Michelle, I think you’ll have better luck with French or Italian bread.
Jen,
I am thinking of making this stuffing the night ahead. Would you reheat it before you cook your turkey or after? I just have one oven and am trying to figure out timing…
Hi Kristen, I think I’d reheat it after. Turkey needs to rest for 20 to 30 minutes and then it needs to be cut so that should provide just about enough time for the stuffing to reheat. Hope that helps and happy Thanksgiving!
Love this recipe! I’ve been serving this for 5 years. Can it be cooked in the morning and kept warm in a slow cooker until dinner is ready? Looking to eat around 5:00 pm and don’t want it to dry out.
Hi Julie, so glad you like the stuffing! What you’re suggesting will work fine, but it will take away any crispiness from the top of the stuffing. Another alternative is to bake it in the morning, refrigerate, and before serving it, covered with foil, in a 325° oven until hot.
Hi. Have dry brined myturkey for several yrs! Well worth it! My stuffing with sausage is pretty much like yours. Am so happy to have a recipe for this,because I am like a robot making this and no firm recipe. Now my children have asked for a recipe. Now I can give them yours! Thank you.
Can I stuff the turkey with this recipe and if so, any changes to the directions? Thank you!
Hi Nela, I prefer it baked separately which makes it crisp on top. That said, if you do want to cook it inside the turkey, I’d suggest reducing the broth by about 1/2 cup because the turkey will add moisture to it. Enjoy!
If you make the day before thanksgiving and you assemble everything before baking, do you still add the broth before refrigerating it? or do you wait to add the broth until before you bake it the day of?
You add the broth before refrigerating it. Enjoy!
Can this be made without the sausage and if so are there any other changes to the recipe?
Hi Theresa, the sausage plays a really important role here as it adds a ton of flavor. If you want an option that doesn’t contain sausage, I’d suggest this stuffing instead. Hope you enjoy if you make it!
Sorry, this just didn’t work for us. I love garlic, and usually go thru a bulb or two weekly, but before making this You’ll need to consider if garlic is part of the flavor profile you’re using for the rest of your meal, otherwise it may not work for you. It just didn’t fit with our traditional Thanksgiving dinner.
Our turkey is dry brined with herbs and garlic powder, the gravy has garlic, the green bean casserole has garlic, the mashed potatoes have garlic.
Anyone at our table who doesn’t like garlic or mushrooms is going to be stuck with the candied sweet potatoes, the roasted Brussels sprouts, and the cranberry sauce! (And pie, of course. Lots of pie.)
Hi Jenn, I need to double this recipe and was wondering if I could cook it in my Nesco roaster which would hold 2 pans of the dressing. I have 3 Nesco roasters that I use for Thanksgiving to free up space in my oven for all the sides. I cook the turkey in one, ham in one so would like to use the third for the dressing. Having 20 people for dinner is a challenge when you only have one stove!
Hi Margaret, I’m not familiar with a Tesco roaster so it’s hard to say for sure, but if it works the same way a typical oven does, it should work.
Came out exactly like the picture. Exactly as advertised. We bought the sausage from Trader Joe’s and cut the casings..super easy. We splurged for the $8.00 stuffing cubes from Whole Foods.
It took about 60 minutes in our oven instead of the 65-75 minutes.
I joked to my husband “our oven needs recalibration cause it’s cooking faster than Jenn’s.”
Thank you again for another easy winning dish.
What am I thankful for today? There are endless blessings in my life that I could list! But one thing on my mind in particular today is Easy Sausage & Herb Stuffing. This recipe from Once Upon A Chef with Jenn Segal found me just before Thanksgiving the year my dad passed away in 2015. It had only been 6 months and it was an emotional time because it would be the first Thanksgiving without him. A time of so many sad firsts…
My mom was understandably in no mood to celebrate any holiday, let alone the one that was my dad’s very favorite. Knowing I could do nothing to ease her pain and lift her spirits, I set out to fill her stomach instead. Mom’s favorite Thanksgiving side has always been dressing/stuffing which she made for our family all the years I was growing up. Her version was made with breakfast sausage. Though I love to cook, I had never before attempted homemade stuffing. I scoured the internet and landed upon the Once Upon A Chef- Easy Sausage and Herb stuffing recipe that sounded like it would fit the bill perfectly. With the minor exception of subbing out the Italian sausage for a roll of breakfast sausage, the recipe came together remarkably well the night before Thanksgiving. I lost myself in the peaceful routine of chopping the veggies and herbs. The comforting aroma of sauteing celery, onions and garlic enveloped me as I prepared this special gift for my mother. I knew she would not be attending any family get together that year, but would by choice, spend the day alone at the house she shared with my dad for so many years. Having worked nights as a nurse for so long, her schedule often made it difficult for her around the holidays to attend family gatherings, but she always cooked a special meal for my dad and I knew this day would be hard. My plan was to prepare an entire pan for her to enjoy with plenty of leftovers to freeze and have later. The recipe turned out perfect and I took the pan over to my mom that Thanksgiving morning, minus one small corner I had sampled. The look of love and appreciation on her face was a true gift to me. Without dad, the full joy of Thanksgiving was not there that year, but this special recipe was a real gift to give and receive that started a new family tradition.
Even though I’ve made this stuffing every year since then and it turns out fantastic each time, it truly was the best that first year. Mom has attended Thanksgiving at my house ever since and still looks forward to this side the most. After that first year, I began preparing this special recipe in advance and freezing it, so I can truly take my time and prepare it with love and joy in my heart. I am off work every year on Veteran’s Day and since my dad was a proud veteran, making this dressing on that day has become a way to pay homage to him as well. I go to the cemetery in the morning on Veteran’s Day with flowers for my dad’s grave and go home and prepare this stuffing using my dad’s big metal mixing bowl and his wooden spoons. It might be hard to imagine how a simple recipe can mean so much, but this one sure does.
Instead of writing a typical review, I thought I’d let you know what a gift this recipe has become in my life. Jenn, thank you so much for sharing it. I’m reminded every year of the comfort it brought at such a hard time and I’m so thankful!
Anna, thanks for your lovely note and for giving me a little background on how you came upon the recipe and the happiness it has brought you and your mom for the past several Thanksgivings. It sounds like you’ve really honored your dad in the process. ❣️
This was a very beautiful tribute. I’m chopping onions. Those aren’t tears.
❤️❤️❤️Thank you!! It’s a very special recipe and I hope yours turned out amazing!
Hi! This recipe sounds delicious, I’m excited to try it! Can it be made using a slow cooker instead of the oven? If so, how long do you think it’ll need to cook?
Hi Andrea, I’ve never made this in a slow cooker so I can’t say for sure how it would turn out – sorry! If you do want to give it a try, here are some conversion tips that may help.
I will be making this recipe for Christmas. It sounds delicious! If I make it one day ahead of time and refrigerate, can it be put directly in the oven or should I let it come to room temperature first?
You can put it directly in the oven; it may just take a few extra minutes. Enjoy!
I have made this several times and it’s always a huge hit. (with family members asking for the recipe) The first time I made it was the start of COVID when supplies were hard to find. I couldn’t get unseasoned stuffing cubes so I bought Pepperidge Farms Herb Seasoned. I also couldn’t get any fresh herbs at the time, but because the stuffing cubes were already seasoned I went with it and just added some dried parsley I had. I also had to used ground sausage and just because I love them added a large can of mushroom pieces and stems. It turned out so good and delicious that’s the way I’ve prepared it ever since although I’m sure the original recipe it awesome as well. This has become a go to stuffing recipe for me!
Hi! I also bought the seasoned herbs as they were out of cubes! Did you still use 8 cups?
This is literally my favorite Thanksgiving recipe ever! I’ve made it every Thanksgiving for the last five years and it’s always been a hit. I even made a vegan version using beyond sausage and country crock avocado butter, came out just as good.
Hi Jenn,
I made this today for our Thanksgiving meal next month. Can I refrigerate it for three weeks
and will it keep or do you recommend freezing it? Thanks so much for your reply!!
I definitely recommend freezing it. (You can find freezer-friendly instructions at the bottom of the recipe.) Hope you enjoy come Thanksgiving!
Hi there! I love this recipe and have used it every year. If I only have regular chicken broth, use dry herbs and seasoned bread crumbs would I just omit the salt altogether? Thanks!
I would cut the salt in half and then taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Enjoy!
Is it possible to make this dish without the sausage? One of my family members won’t eat sausage.
Hi Wendy, The sausage adds a ton of flavor to the dish. If you want a vegetarian option, I’d suggest this stuffing instead. Hope you enjoy if you make it!
Hi Jen! I love your recipes. Do you think this would this work with a chicken sausage?
So glad you like the recipes! Yep, chicken sausage will work here.
Hi Jen! I just wanted to let you know that I made this last Thanksgiving and EVERYONE said it was absolutely the star to the entire meal! I’ve tried many dressing recipies over the years and they were all good, but yours was OUTSTANDING! Can’t wait to make this again this Thanksgiving. Thanks so much for all your great, no fail recipies!
Can I used challah bread that was frozen in this recipe???
Sure, just make sure you dry out the challah first.
Hi Jenn,
If I use seasoned stuffing cubes, what would the measurements be if I used dried seasonings?
Hi Gracie, I’d cut back the salt a little and add it to taste. And for dry seasonings, you’ll need 1 tsp of rosemary and sage and 1 and a heaping quarter tablespoon of parsley. Hope you enjoy!
Oops, I posted my comment to the wrong recipe!!
I realized when we had overnight guests that I was lacking in recipes to prepare a tasty, but easy, breakfast dish. I decided to do a search and test some recipes, so I clipped this one. My family gave it a hearty thumbs up so it was a keeper.
Recently several of my sisters stayed the weekend with us to attend a baby shower for our daughter. I made this casserole and put it in the refrigerator. The next morning I was too busy and forgot to bake it. Instead, I baked it after 2 nights in the refrigerator and it still came out just as moist and delicious!!! All positive comments on how good it was!! This is definitely one you should keep at the top of your list as a breakfast go-to recipe!!
Hi, Jenn. I like to cube & toast my own bread for dressing. Would I use a white loaf for this recipe??
Sure, Janice, white is fine. Any bread will really work with the exception of sourdough. Hope you enjoy!
Hi…thx for replying so quickly, Jenn. I meant to say “whole” loaf, not white” loaf. Not sure how much bread to use for this recipe.
You’ll need a total of 8 cups of bread cut into cubes.
Thank you so much. Happy New Year to you and your family, Jenn.
Hi Jen
I also like to make my own bread cubes. I made homemade sourdough bread and toasted them and then saw this comment that sourdough won’t work. Oh no. Is there a reason? Can I make an adjustment so I can use the homemade sourdough cubes?
Hi Denise, the recipe will still work with sourdough – I just suggest against it because, with its distinct taste, it adds that flavor to the stuffing, and I prefer to use something that’s neutral in flavor. Hope that clarifies!
I made this for the first time this christmas. I used a sage/onion sausage and a loaf and a half of store bought stuffing bread cut into cubes. Other than that, i followed the recipe. It was a huge hit and will definitely be our new go to stuffing recipe from now on. Thanks!!
Great recipe! Can you use bacon instead of sausage?
I think you could, but it won’t have the same heft as it would with sausage. I’d love to hear how it turns out if you try it!
I made this recipe yesterday and it was 100% the BEST stuffing we’ve ever had!!
I used poultry seasoning and stuffed the bird with it, though.
It was mouth watering and so delicious it was the only thing I had 2nd helpings of (and I was already stuffed lol)
Oooops, I froze a tray of this stuffing, but I did not cook it before freezing. Would I still just defrost and cook according to the original cooking instructions?
Also, can you recommend a gravy recipe to put on it, in that I am cooking a Roast beef tenderloin for Christmas not turkey
Janet, It should be fine. Just make sure it’s fully thawed before putting it in the oven. And you can use this gravy recipe; just replace the pan drippings with more chicken broth. 🙂