Description
This Easy Sausage & Herb Stuffing is a flavorful and comforting side dish perfect for holiday meals or any occasion. Made with savory bulk sweet Italian sausage, fresh herbs like rosemary, sage, and parsley, and tender onions and celery, it combines classic stuffing cubes with a rich broth and egg mixture for a moist yet crispy baked finish.
Ingredients
Scale
Stuffing Base
- 8 cups (400g) store-bought unseasoned stuffing cubes
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 1½ cups diced yellow onion (from 1 large onion)
- 1 cup diced celery (from 3 celery stalks)
- 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
Protein and Fats
- 1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter
- 1 pound bulk sweet Italian sausage (casings removed)
- 1 large egg, beaten
Liquids and Seasonings
- 2¾ cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 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 and Prepare: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish thoroughly with butter to prevent sticking and add richness.
- Mix Stuffing Cubes: Place the unseasoned stuffing cubes into a large mixing bowl, providing a base for the stuffing.
- Sauté Vegetables: In a large sauté pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the diced onions and celery, cooking and stirring occasionally for about 8 minutes until softened. Add the finely chopped garlic and cook for an additional 2 minutes. Transfer all these cooked vegetables to the bowl with stuffing cubes, scraping the pan thoroughly to capture every flavorful bit.
- Cook Sausage: Using the same pan, cook the bulk sweet Italian sausage over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes. Break up the sausage into pieces no larger than ¼-inch using a metal spatula and continue cooking until browned and fully cooked. Add the cooked sausage along with all rendered fat to the stuffing mixture.
- Combine Ingredients: Add the low-sodium chicken broth, beaten egg, fresh chopped rosemary, sage, parsley, salt, and freshly ground black pepper to the bread cube, vegetable, and sausage mixture. Mix thoroughly until the bread cubes are softened and evenly moistened with the broth and egg.
- Bake the Stuffing: Transfer the entire mixture to your prepared baking dish. Bake uncovered in the preheated oven for 65 to 75 minutes, or until the top is deeply golden and crisp, while the interior remains moist.
Notes
- If bulk sausage is unavailable, purchase regular sausage and remove the casings before cooking.
- This stuffing can be made up to a day in advance; refrigerate after assembly and bake when ready, adding a few extra minutes to cook time.
- For freezing, bake the stuffing first, cool completely, then cover tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator 24 hours before reheating covered with foil at 325°F until heated through.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/10th of recipe (approx. 1 cup)
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 480mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11g
- Trans Fat: 0.2g
- Carbohydrates: 18g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 14g
- Cholesterol: 75mg
