Italian Sausage Stuffing

This post may contain affiliate links. See our Privacy Policy for details.

Italian Sausage Stuffing is a classic Thanksgiving recipe but it is so delicious you’ll be craving it year round! Bread cubes bake up with Italian sausage, onion, celery, bell pepper, and a perfect combinations of herbs to make this tasty recipe.

This stuffing turns out perfectly every time, with a crispy crunchy top and soft and buttery middle.

I grew up a Stovetop girl, stuffing straight out of the box, and I loved it. It was probably my favorite of all the Thanksgiving side dishes.

Then this unbelievable Italian Sausage Stuffing entered my life. Oh what I had been missing! This is literally the Best. Stuffing. Ever.

Full stop.

No beating it.

Why I love this recipe

This is the star of the show, you may not even want turkey breast, turkey gravy, brussels sprouts, or mashed potatoes after trying this stuffing! There is so much flavor in every single bite and it’s super savory and filling.

I do admit it takes a little work up front to prep this dish but you can easily make it ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator until you are ready to bake it. I promise it’s worth it!

Ingredients

• Stale Bread – you can use packaged stuffing cubes or make your own from bakery sourdough or homemade bread
• Veggies – celery, onion, and bell pepper add flavor and moisture to the mix
• Sausage – ground sweet Italian sausage is packed with flavor and takes this stuffing over the top, buy it ground or remove the meat from the casings if purchased in links
• Fresh Herbs – rosemary, sage, parsley, garlic, and salt and pepper, there is no shortage of flavor in this stuffing recipe!
• Butter, eggs, and chicken broth round out the recipe and bring all the flavors together

Prefer to leave the meat out? Try our herb vegetable stuffing recipe instead.

Step by step

1. Preheat the oven and prep your baking dish.
2. Place stuffing/bread in a large bowl and set aside.
3. Melt butter in a large skillet and sauté vegetables until tender.
4. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds. Remove pan from heat and add veggies to the stuffing bowl.
5. Return the pan to the stove and add the sausage. Brown over medium heat, breaking it up as it cooks.

6. Add sausage and any drippings to the stuffing bowl.
7. In a separate bowl combine the broth, egg, herbs and spices. Stir to mix.
8. Add broth mixture to the large bowl of stuffing and stir to mix everything together and ensure all the bread cubes are moistened.
9. Transfer the stuffing to the prepared baking dish and bake for 1 hour 10 minutes or until golden brown and crispy on top.

Serving suggestions

This is obviously primarily a holiday dish so serve it at Thanksgiving with all of your favorite Thanksgiving dishes but you can also serve it with bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin or as a savory balance with pineapple ham at Easter or Christmas.

Storage

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave (or eat cold, try it on a Thanksgiving leftover sandwich with stuffing, turkey, and cranberry sauce!) You can also use leftover stuffing to make stuffing stuffed mushrooms or stuffing muffins as well!

This recipe freezes well. Allow it to cool completely, then wrap it tightly in foil and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Add some extra broth to the top (optional but it keeps it from drying out) and reheat at 350 degrees in the oven for 30 minutes.

If you try this recipe please comment and give it a 5-star rating below, I love hearing from you!