Italian Sausage Stuffing
This Italian sausage stuffing is a tasty, yet simple way to take your Thanksgiving dinner to the next level! Made with Italian sausage, white bread, cornbread, celery, onion, and plenty of spices, this flavorful side dish is sure to be a big hit.
One of my greatest guilty pleasures is a boxed stuffing mix! I just love how moist, salty, and chewy it is. I eat it year-round, but during the holidays I doctor it up to make this gourmet sausage stuffing. By just adding a few simple ingredients like fresh onion, celery, chicken broth, melted butter, and Italian sausage you can turn that boring boxed stuffing mix into a savory, herbaceous side dish that might even outshine the turkey. If you’re looking for meatless stuffing, try our Cranberry Apple Baked Stuffing or have both together.
Ingredients:
- 1 pound mild Italian sausage (ground)
- 1 cup celery, chopped
- 1 cup onion, chopped
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 ½ cups (3 sticks) butter, divided
- 1 teaspoon rubbed sage seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 (10-ounce) box of cubed seasoned stuffing mix
- 1 (6-ounce) box cornbread stuffing mix
We Love This Recipe Because It’s…
- A fun way to upgrade your standard premade stuffing mixes
- Only a 10-minute prep time
- A flavorful twist on a classic holiday side dish
- A great complement to turkey, ham, chicken, or beef dishes.
How to Make Easy Italian Sausage Stuffing
- In a large pan, brown the sausage. Remove from the pan and set aside.
- In that same pan, melt some butter. Add the celery and onion and sauté until soft.
- Add the chicken broth and remaining butter. Heat until the butter is completely melted.
- Remove the butter mixture from the heat and mix in the rubbed sage seasoning, salt, and pepper.
- Add the cubed and cornbread stuffing mixes and stir until fully moistened.
- Add the cooked sausage back to the pan and mix well to combine.
- Transfer the stuffing to a greased casserole dish, cover it with tin foil, and bake until the top is a bit crispy.
- Serve hot and enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you put eggs in Italian sausage stuffing?
If you want a chewier stuffing, feel free to add a beaten egg to this sausage stuffing! Just be sure to add it after you’ve taken the mixture off the heat; you don’t want to accidentally scramble your egg.
How do you keep stuffing moist when cooking?
You’ll want to make sure that you add plenty of liquid to your sausage stuffing. You also should cover the stuffing with tin foil for part of the cooking time.
Can I cook Italian sausage stuffing inside of a turkey?
Absolutely! Just make sure that the internal temperature reaches at least 165°F since it will be mixed with the turkey juices.
How to Store Leftover Italian Sausage Stuffing
Transfer any leftover stuffing to an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. To serve, cover any chilled stuffing with some tin foil and reheat in a 325°F oven until warmed through. If you find that your leftover sausage stuffing becomes too dry, add a splash or two of extra chicken broth.
What to Serve with Italian Sausage Stuffing
I love serving this Italian sausage stuffing with all the regular Thanksgiving favorites! Think turkey, ham, mashed potatoes, green beans, sweet potato casserole, and homemade dinner rolls. You can also enjoy this rich and buttery side dish year-round! Pair it with almost any beef, chicken, ham, or turkey main dish.
Recipe Variations
- Try using different types of sausage! A maple sausage will add a slightly sweeter and smokier taste to your stuffing, while a hot sausage will add some extra spice.
- Don’t have access to premade stuffing mixes? Try using breadcrumbs, day-old French bread, or even crushed-up cornflakes!
- Looking for more fun mix-in ideas? I recommend adding Craisins for a tart fruity flavor, sautéed garlic for a more robust flavor, or carrots and zucchini for a fresher “salad-like” stuffing.
Expert Tips and Tricks
- If you can’t get ground Italian sausage in bulk, you can always buy regular sausages and remove the casings.
- If you don’t want to use boxed stuffing mix, you can often find pre-cubed, dried bread sold in the bakery section of your local grocery store during the holidays.
- This sausage stuffing is meant to be moist! Don’t be tempted to overbake it; you want this dish to have a nice chew to it.
More Recipes:
Italian Sausage Stuffing
This Italian sausage stuffing is a tasty, yet simple way to take your Thanksgiving dinner to the next level! Made with Italian sausage, white bread, cornbread, celery, onion, and plenty of spices, this flavorful side dish is sure to be a big hit.
Ingredients
- 1 pound mild Italian sausage (ground)
- 1 cup celery, chopped
- 1 cup onion, chopped
- 2 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1 ½ cups (3 sticks) butter, divided
- 1 teaspoon rubbed sage seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 (10-ounce) box cubed seasoned stuffing mix
- 1 (6-ounce) box cornbread stuffing mix
- Italian Sausage—Mild, ground.
- Cubed Stuffing Mix—Your favorite brand of preseasoned boxed stuffing mix will work perfectly.
- Cornbread Stuffing Mix—Adds a subtle sweetness and a nice chew.
- Celery—Chopped into bite-sized pieces.
- Onion—Gives this stuffing a ton of fresh flavor.
- Chicken Broth—Low sodium.
- Butter—Olive oil or dairy-free soy margarine are great dairy-free alternatives.
- Spices—Salt, pepper, and rubbed sage seasoning.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13-inch casserole dish.
- In a large pan, add sausage and cook over medium heat until no longer pink; breaking it into small pieces as it cooks. Drain sausage on paper towels. Set aside.
- In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt 1 stick of butter. Add celery and onion, then sauté in the butter until vegetables soften (about 1-2 minutes).
- Add chicken broth and other two sticks of butter. Heat until butter is completely melted, stirring frequently (if mixture starts to foam up while butter is melting, lower heat).
- Remove from heat and add in rubbed sage seasoning, salt, and pepper; mix well. Pour in both packages of stuffing mix and stir until fully moistened. Add in the cooked sausage and mix until well combined.
- Pour mixture into the greased casserole dish and spread evenly. Cover with tinfoil. Bake covered for 30 minutes. Take out of the oven and stir stuffing to make sure it’s not too moist on the bottom of the dish. Return to the oven and bake uncovered for an additional 15 minutes or until the top is a bit crispy, then serve hot!
Notes
- Box sizes of stuffing mix can be changed according to your liking.
- Stir the stuffing really well before putting it back in the oven for the last 15 minutes of cooking. This will ensure that the stuffing won’t end up soggy.
- For the best flavor, use rubbed sage seasoning, not ground or dried.
Nutrition Information
Yield
8Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 374Total Fat 26gSaturated Fat 8gTrans Fat 1gUnsaturated Fat 20gCholesterol 42mgSodium 1109mgCarbohydrates 18gFiber 2gSugar 3gProtein 17g
