Italian Sausage Stuffing
This Italian sausage stuffing in a mouthwatering combination of savory, crumbled Italian sausage, aromatic herbs, and crusty bread, melding together to create an irresistibly savory, fragrant, and utterly unforgettable herb infused, Italian-inspired stuffing that will elevate your Thanksgiving feast to a new level of deliciousness. A family favorite each year!
This stuffing is a must-have, along with the best homemade cranberry sauce, cranberry bites, and my favorite sweet potato souffle.
Ingredients
This basic stuffing is made more interesting with the addition of Italian sausage. I use sweet Italian sausage, but you can also use hot Italian sausage or any sausage you like.
The bread is cubed and dried out for a day or two in advance, or you can purchase dried bread cubes instead. I have also purchased a stuffing mix in a pinch and used that instead at times.
Optional: Add 2 to 3 lightly beaten eggs for a creamier stuffing.
How to Make
This stuffing is simple to make. Dry out your bread (or buy pre-made), saute your vegetables and sausage, mix all the ingredients, and bake.
Step 1: To dry out bread cubes for your Italian Sausage Stuffing, you have three options. First, you can leave the bread cubes uncovered for a night or two to naturally dry them. Alternatively, you can buy pre-made dried-out bread cubes. If you’re in a hurry, you can preheat your oven to 300°F (150°C), spread the bread cubes on a baking sheet, and bake them for 10 minutes before letting them cool.
Step 2: In a skillet, melt butter over medium heat, sauté diced onions and celery until soft (about 5-7 minutes),
Step 3: Cook Italian sausage until browned (about 8-10 minutes) (you can remove vegetables or keep them in the pan while cooking sausage).
Step 4: In a large mixing bowl, add the dried bread cubes, cooked sausage, sautéed onions and celery, chopped parsley, thyme, fennel, salt, and black pepper. Then, slowly all chicken broth.
Step 5: Combine the ingredients well.
Step 6: Pour all the ingredients into a greased baking dish and bake for covered for 20 to 25 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175°C).
Step 7: Remove the foil and continue baking for another 20-25 minutes until the top is golden brown and the stuffing is heated. Let it rest before serving.
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📖 Recipe
Savory Italian Sausage Stuffing
Ingredients
- 16 cups bread cubes (1.5 pound loaf or 700 grams) dried out, see instructions below
- 1 tablespoon butter or olive oil
- 2 medium onions diced
- 3 stalks celery diced
- 2 pounds Italian sausage sweet, hot, or a combination, casings removed
- 1/2 cup white wine or sherry to deglaze pan optional
- 1 small bunch fresh parsley Finely chopped (or use 1 tablespoon of dried in pinch)
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme
- 1 tablespoon fennel seeds crushed
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 3 cups chicken broth up to 4 cups; adjust as needed
Instructions
Dry Out Bread Cubes
- There are three options to dry out the bread cubes:
- a. Leave the bread cubes out for a night or two, uncovered, to naturally dry.
- b. Purchase pre-made dried-out bread cubes.
- c. Preheat your oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit (150°C). Spread the bread cubes on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes to dry them out. Let them cool before using.
Prepare the Stuffing
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175°C). Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the diced onions and celery. Sauté until they become soft and translucent, about 5-7 minutes.
- In the same skillet, add the Italian sausage, breaking it into small pieces with a spatula or spoon. Cook until it's browned and fully cooked, breaking it up further as needed. This should take about 8-10 minutes.
- Optional: deglaze the pan with the white wine and cook until the liquid has reduced by half. .
- Combine the dried bread cubes, cooked sausage, sautéed onions and celery, chopped parsley, thyme, fennel, salt, and black pepper in a large mixing bowl. Mix everything together until well combined.
- Slowly pour the chicken broth over the mixture. The amount of broth you need may vary depending on how dry your bread cubes are. Start with 2 cups and gradually add more until the mixture is moist but not overly wet. You want the stuffing to hold its shape. Allow time for the mixture to absorb the broth before adding more.
Baking the Stuffing
- Transfer the stuffing mixture to the greased 9×13-inch baking dish. Cover the dish with aluminum foil.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, covered.
- Remove the foil and continue baking for an additional 20-25 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the stuffing is heated through.
- Once done, remove from the oven and let it rest for a few minutes before serving. Enjoy your delicious Italian Sausage Stuffing as a side dish for your holiday feast or any special occasion!