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 turkey 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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Jenn can the dressing be prepared and frozen prior to baking it? Looking forward to trying it. Thank you!
Yep definitely. Enjoy!
How many days ahead can you make this dish? I have made this and it is delicious but always made it same day. I stuffed cornish hens . 🙂
Hi Maura, The stuffing can be assembled up to a day ahead and refrigerated until ready to bake.
Hi Jenn, I’m not sure if this has been asked before, but due to needing to bring this to another house with a long wait between the making and the eating, do you think this could be prepared in a crockpot? Would it be too mushy or is there a way to prevent that? I’d appreciate your thoughts!
Hi Colleen, 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.
can you make this 2 days ahead?
Yep!
Hello! My husband’s family are coming for dinner and do not eat pork – Can I substitute another kind of sausage such as chicken for this recipe?
Yes definitely 🙂
Have you ever added nuts or leeks ?
Hi Dina, I haven’t but I think they’d be delicious.
Jenn, is it possible to make this dressing, stovetop? I am going to have a full oven, and this needs more than an hour in the oven. I guess I could make it ahead of time, freeze it, and then warm it in the oven. But a stove top method would be a solution–what do you suggest? Thanks in advance for your advice, Ruth
Hi Ruth, unfortunately, I don’t think it will work to make this on the stove top. Making it ahead of time and reheating it in the oven is a great alternative. See the bottom of the recipe for making ahead instructions for more detail.
Hi Ruth, I ran into the same oven space problem and started doing this in an electric skillet and it ended up being the best way ever in my opinion. I was able to control the heat and even fluctuate between lid to no lid to get the moisture just right since I could see what was going on at all times through the glass. It turned out to be the best texture and flavor I’ve ever produced. A stove top would likely get too hot on the bottom of the pan but the electric skillet can be better controlled and set to low settings. I highly recommend it.
Great recipe. Just made it to freeze. Added mushrooms. It tastes divine 🙂
Love your recipes! Everyone I’ve tried has been delicious! Never worried about trying one for the first time on company! My “boys” love Sister Shubert yeast rolls, but I want to make your cornbread pumpkin muffins for the Thanksgiving table this year. Do you think I could use toasted/dried Sister Shubert diced rolls in this recipe? That way we could all be happy…. what boy doesn’t love sausage & bread!
Hi Jenny, So glad you like the recipes 🙂
Yes, as long as they’re toasted/dried out, the diced rolls should work — sounds like a win-win!
Hi. Should I bring the stuffing to room temp before baking it if I make it the day before?
Hi Tina, you can put it directly in the oven. It may take a few extra minutes, but nothing significant. Enjoy!
This has been my go-to stuffing recipe ever since I first made it years ago. Everyone loves it! I always double or triple it so that I’m sure to have leftovers. It’s a lot of chopping when you do that, but completely worth it!
I’ve made this recipe in the past and received rave reviews. If I want to prepare the stuffing in advance, is there any advicce for refrigerating the UN-cooked stuffing and cooking the day of, or fully baking in advance and then reheating? I’m worried the stuffing will be either too mushy or too dry.
Hi Holly, Glad you like it! You can go either way, but if I had to choose, I’d opt for assembling it the day before and baking it the day of. Hope that helps!
Question: I want to make this at the same time that my turkey is roasting. Turkey recipe calls for 325 and this 375. How do I do this? Thanks in advance for any/all suggestions!
Hi Mark, The stuffing actually bakes at 350°F. I’d assume it will take an extra 10 minutes or so but check to make sure the center is fully baked. Hope you enjoy!
Thanks; for some reason I had 375 on my mind. I have made this a number of times in the past, and all who have tried it loved it. This will be the first time I have made it concurrently with the turkey. Thanks again!
This looks amazing and I’d love to make it for Thanksgiving but my son really dislikes celery. What could I use as a substitution for that? Celery seed? If so, how much would you add so it enhances the flavor without too much celery taste? Thanks!
Hi Jen, Honestly you can just leave it out; it will still be delish and the whole family will enjoy :).
Hi instead of stuffing cubes can I use the kind that’s called classic stuffing? It’s more broken up instead of cubes. Almost like big crumbs.
Hi Kt, that will work — And if it’s seasoned omit the salt and sage from the recipe and season to taste. Hope you enjoy!
Hi Jenn,
I’ve made this stuffing several times and love it! Just have a quick question on it. Can it be made & cooked the day before and reheated in the oven? I saw the freezer instructions but wasn’t sure if it could be cooked and refrigerated ahead of time.
Thanks!!
Glad you like it! Yes, you can bake it ahead and reheat right before serving.
I’ve used this recipe before and it was so good! If I reheat at 350, how long should I leave it in so it is hot but not dried out?
Hi Sandy, I would cover it with foil; I’m guessing 20 to 30 min.
I LOVE your recipes. Quick question about this stuffing — I know you provided info. on how to freeze it, but does the end result come out differently than when you make it the day before? Trying to decide whether to take advantage of the freezing option to give me more time the two days before hosting Thanksgiving, or is it just better if I make it the day before and heat it up on Thanksgiving? Thanks!
Hi Laurie, It freezes nicely so I wouldn’t be hesitant to go that route. And so glad you like the recipes! 🙂
If I omit the sausage to make it vegetarian, will the rest of the recipe still work as written? Any suggestions for substituting the sausage? Thanks!
The sausage plays a really important role here as it adds a ton of flavor. If you want a vegetarian option, I’d suggest this stuffing instead. Hope you enjoy if you make it!
Hi Jenn,
Do you think that Impossible Sausage will work for this one? I too have vegetarians in the family….one that doesn’t like mushrooms. Love all of your recipes! Thanks!
Hi Annie, I’ve never tried it so I can’t say for sure, but I think it’s worth a try. Please report back if you try it!
I used Impossible Savory Sausage and it turned out great!
Is there anything different I need to do if I’m stuffing the bird?
Hi Chris, I’d just reduce the broth by 1/2 cup because the turkey will add moisture. Hope you enjoy!
This is a fantastic recipe. I made my own bread cubes (white, ciabatta, focaccia) because my local grocery stores didn’t have any pre-made bread cubes (I live in Canada). I used the fresh herbs as I had all of them in my garden. The Italian sausage I used added a bit of a fennel flavour (so good). It turned out great. Everyone loved it. This will be the dressing I make for years to come.
Great favour, but for me, it was a little too moist, less chicken broth would probably fix that. I did leave it in the oven for 75 min. I would make it again with less liquid
Could I homebake the stuffing cubes? If so, how do you recommend?
Sure, You can dice the bread and let it sit to dry it out to the consistency of croutons (you could toast it in the oven, too).
Thanks 🙂
This recipe is a winner! Pairs well with prime rib, pork, steaks, and even seafood. It tastes fresh every time you reheat it.
I couldn’t get everything I needed so I improvised. I used bulk hot breakfast sausage, dried herbs, and sage-flavored breadcrumbs. It still turned out great, but with a little heat. I’ll use this recipe over and over again because it was so easy to make and everyone loved it. Thanks!
I made this for Christmas dinner in lieu of plain bread stuffing that I typically make. Loved the outcome and plan to make it again! I didn’t use many of the fresh herbs and it still came out terrific.
hahahah.. i made this But i forgot the egg i dont think you’ll notice .
THIS stuffing is a perennial Thanksgiving family favorite. It’s the only dish that everyone requests. (Thank you Jenn:-) Since we like spicy, and LOTS of sausage, I increase to 1.5lbs meat–1/2 lb. sweet Italian and 1 lb. spicy Italian. Martin’s Potatobred cubed stuffing is my go-to, but I use half the broth, since the bread cubes are already soft. When baking, I foil-cover the stuffing (to retain moistness) and then remove it the last 15 mins for browning. Always turns out perfectly!!
My family’s all time favorite stuffing recipe and so easy to make. I used to do complex stuffings where I made my own breadcrumbs – will never do that again. Thank you so much for such a great recipe! I didn’t change a thing.
Loved this recipe! Will be incorporated into the holiday rotation. Next time I will add spicy sausage as a nod to my late mother-in-law.
Do you think this recipe would work if I add some diced apple?
Sure, Tina, that will work. I’d saute it with the carrots and onions. Hope you enjoy!
Made this for Tday this year – it was honestly the best stuffing I’ve ever had/made hands down! I followed the recipe pretty closely minus I added carrots because I bought a premade mirepoix (major time saver) from my local grocery and I subbed Turkey stock instead of chicken broth which I think made it more savory. But I’m pretty sure you can’t go wrong with this recipe. It was fantastic and will be my go to from now on for Tday!!! Thanks!
This was a moist, flavorful recipe. Perfect for 6 people !
Jennifer: I made your stuffing for Thanksgiving and it is absolutely fabulous. Thank you for another great and easy recipe. Instead of turkey this year we cooked a ham, and though stuffing doesn’t typically go with ham, I thought, “why not!” Break a few rules!!
I saw your recipe a while ago, and wanted to make it so this year it went with our spiral cut ham, accompanied with steamed asparagus.
Thanks Jennifer.
-Pamela
This was very easy to prepare and EVERYONE loved it! I made it the day before and baked it Thanksgiving Day. I covered it for the first 35 minutes of baking and then uncovered it for the remaining 40 minutes. The only change I made was to use dried herbs (1/3 the amount) as fresh herbs are difficult to find right now. Thanks again for helping me look good!
I was so curious what would happen with dried herbs. Thanks for your comment, now I will try it.
I was so curious how it would turn out if dried herbs were used instead.
This was amazing. I also added one chopped apple and dried cranberries to the dish. Super moist and my husband said ‘best ever’! Thank you, Jenn.
Dressing has always been one of our favorites. We have tried a few different recipes and Wife says this is the best dressing that I’ve made in years maybe ever. Being together 33 years makes that a huge endorsement. Thank you, fun to make fun to eat! P.S Wife did not even smother it with gravy!
Another winner Jen!!! I halved the recipe because we were doing a small thanksgiving and it turned out beautiful! I thought it was the star of my thanksgiving menu ❤️
This was excellent. Even my husband, who is super picky about his stuffing, loved it.
Everyone loved it! Last minute I decided to add a diced apple and some cranberries which turned out great. Will definitely make this a regular at Thanksgiving.
Everyone loved this stuffing! I will definitely make this again!
Phenomenal recipe! I have made for Thanksgiving for two years in a row. Wonderful flavor and will be a recipe in the family for years to come! Thank you!
Love stuffing anyway it can be made. It’s a huge part of the Thanksgiving dinner. I add chopped mushrooms, walnuts and thyme to the mix and everyone loves how this turns out every year.
I’m making your recipe for the first time, do I have to use eggs?
Hi Diane, The egg helps bind the stuffing, but it will still be good without it.
Hi,
If I make the stuffing the day before and refrigerate it, how much longer would it need to be in the oven?
Thank you!
Hi Vivian, It won’t be significant – maybe an extra 5 min.
Hi there – I made this recipe last year and LOVED it! I’m making it again tomorrow and had a quick question. Is it 8 cups of cubes OR 400g? I think 8 cups is more than 400g. I can’t remember what I did last year! TIA!!!
Hi Meredith, There’s some variation with the weight depending on the bread you use, but it’s pretty accurate. If you’re unsure, go with the cup measurement. Hope that helps!
Dry measurement is different than wet measurement you are confusing it with eight fluid ounces is equal to one cup, you have to use the one cup dry measuring scooper
I’m excited to try this recipe, Can I use regular breakfast sausage (like the one that comes in the plastic wrap. That’s what I have on hand right now.
Yep 👍
Prepared the stuffing today….doubled it. In refrig. Would like to place in crock pot tomorrow….how long/which heat do you recommend? Made this last year for Thanksgiving in oven…all loved it…doubling for tomorrow!
Thank you!
Hi Marty, I don’t have enough experience with a crockpot to say. I’m sorry. If you’re just warming it up, I’d put it on the warm setting, but if you plan to cook it in there, but these tips may help you convert the recipe.
I’d love to make this stuffing but I have someone coming to dinner who can’t eat butter – can I substitute olive oil?
Sure, olive oil will work. Hope you enjoy!
can I use a mixture of mild sausage and chorizo in the recipe and if so at what portions?
Sure, Carolyn, and you really can decide on the proportions based on your preference. Please LMK how it turns out with the chorizo!
Can i stuff the turkey with this recipe?
Hi Trudy, 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!
how many does this feed
Hi Jane, It serves 8 to 10. Enjoy!
I just finished assembling it (added baby belle mushrooms) and put in it in the refrigerator to bake tomorrow. My kitchen smells amazing!! Should it still be baked for 65-75 minutes straight from the refrigerator?
You may need to add a few extra minutes on as it will be cold when you put it in the oven.
Thank you for the easy to follow instructions! 🙂
Just one question….is this dish uncovered in the oven for the entire time?
Yep that’s correct 🙂
One of our guests does not eat pork so I bought turkey sausage as a substitute. Since turkey sausage has less fat, do you recommend any modifications to ensure this doesn’t become too dry?
Hi Carrie, I would add 2 tablespoons more butter. Hope you enjoy!