This easy sausage and herb stuffing is a holiday favorite. It uses store-bought stuffing cubes instead of slicing and drying out the bread, which saves time.
I used to throw big Thanksgiving parties where I cooked for days on end. By the time my guests arrived on Thanksgiving day, I was totally worn out. 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. Because store-bought stuffing cubes are used in this rich sausage and herb stuffing, there is no need to slice and dry out the bread. It doesn’t matter what kind of bread you use when you’re cooking with a pound of sausage, a whole stick of butter, turkey gravy, and cranberry sauce.
The holidays are supposed to be a time of joy and togetherness However, many find themselves overwhelmed trying to pull off the perfect meals for gatherings with family and friends. Between shopping, prepping, cooking, and cleaning, it can quickly become more stress than cheer. Fortunately, there are easy ways to get ahead on holiday dishes so you can actually relax and enjoy the festivities One such dish perfect for make-ahead prep is sausage meat stuffing. With some simple planning, you can have this tasty stuffing ready to bake the day before and make the holidays hassle-free.
Benefits of Make-Ahead Sausage Stuffing
There are several excellent reasons to prepare your sausage stuffing in advance
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Free up oven space – Stuffing requires valuable real estate in the oven while you’re also cooking a turkey, side dishes, and more. Make it ahead to open up space.
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Allow flavors to meld – The spices, herbs, vegetables, and meat all blend together beautifully when made in advance.
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One less thing to do – Cross stuffing off your to-do list early so you can relax and enjoy the holidays.
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Customize to your schedule – Make stuffing 1-2 days before depending on what works for your timeline.
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Easy reheating – Simply bake to crisp up when you’re ready to serve.
Choosing the Right Stuffing Bread
For stuffing that holds up to make-ahead prep, start with a sturdy artisan loaf. Hearty sourdough or ciabatta work well. The dense structure and crust help retain moisture and prevent sogginess. Tear the bread into bite-size pieces and spread out on baking sheets. Toast at 250°F for 30-60 minutes until dried out but not browned. The low gentle heat removes excess moisture from the cubes.
Building Deep Flavor
With the bread prepped, it’s time to build big holiday flavor. This sausage stuffing is packed with fresh herbs, spicy sausage, caramelized onions, and more:
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Onions – Slow cook sliced onions until caramelized for a sweet jammy flavor.
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Celery – Diced celery adds crunch and freshness.
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Garlic – Minced garlic provides a aromatic backbone.
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Fresh sage – Chopped sage brings a woodsy note.
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Thyme – Earthy thyme enhances the sausage.
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Parsley – Bright chopped parsley balances the other flavors.
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Sausage – Browning spicy Italian sausage in the aromatics amps up the meatiness.
Take time to brown the sausage and truly caramelize the onions for maximum depth of flavor. The rich sausage fat infuses the mixture as it cooks. Deglaze with white wine to get all the browned bits off the bottom of the pan.
Assembling and Baking
Once your flavorful base of onions, celery, herbs and sausage is ready, combine it with the dried bread in a large bowl. Add chicken or turkey stock and eggs and mix thoroughly. Transfer to a baking dish, cover tightly with foil, and bake at 350°F for 30-60 minutes until heated through.
Let the stuffing cool completely, then refrigerate. When ready to serve, uncover and bake at 350°F for 10-15 minutes more until hot and crispy on top. The two-step baking process allows you to prep the stuffing early but still achieve the crispy top everyone loves.
Serving Suggestions
Your homemade sausage stuffing will be the star side at any holiday feast. Here are some tasty ways to serve it:
- On its own as a side dish
- Stuffed into turkey or chicken
- In breakfast tacos or sandwiches
- As a topper for chicken pot pie
- Mixed into casseroles or pot pies
- Alongside pork chops or ham
- Served over lettuce for a lighter meal
- Added to soups or stews for hearty flavor
Get creative with leftovers too. Stuffing makes great fried croquettes or waffles. The options are endless!
Safely Storing and Reheating
When storing and reheating any cooked stuffing, proper food safety is key:
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Refrigerate within 2 hours of initial baking.
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Store leftovers in shallow containers for quicker cooling.
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Refrigerate for 3-4 days or freeze for 2-3 months.
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When reheating, heat to 165°F.
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Bring stuffing to room temp before freezing for optimal quality.
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Thaw frozen stuffing in the fridge before reheating.
With the right prep, sausage meat stuffing can be made 1-2 days ahead of time for holidays that are merry and bright instead of stressful. The flavorful stuffing cooks low and slow while you enjoy time with loved ones.
Benefits of Homemade vs Store-bought
While stovetop boxed stuffing mixes may be tempting for their convenience, homemade sausage stuffing is worth the effort:
More control – Craft your own signature flavors with fresh ingredients.
Know what’s in it – Avoid preservatives, sugars and artificial flavors.
Fresher taste – Homemade has a less processed, breadier texture.
Versatility – Change it up by using different breads, herbs or meat.
Cost savings – Ingredients bought in bulk often cost less than boxed mixes.
Satisfaction – Making it yourself is rewarding and shows love.
This year, simplify with make-ahead sausage stuffing. The preparation may take a little extra time, but the payoff of less holiday hassle is priceless.
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What you’ll need to make Sausage Stuffing
This recipe works well with both store-bought stuffing cubes (usually made by Arnold or Pepperidge Farm) and “fresh” dried stuffing cubes from Whole Foods. If you can find the ones from Whole Foods, they add a little more texture and come in a plastic bag labeled “stuffing cubes.”
As for the sausage, try to find bulk Italian sausage, which is simply sausage without the casings. You can buy regular Italian sausage and take off the casings if you can’t find it. The best way to do this is to cut the sausages in half with kitchen shears and then peel the casings off; this works much better than trying to squeeze the meat out.
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.
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!
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FAQ
Should you make stuffing the day before or the day of?
How long does uncooked sausage meat stuffing last in the fridge?
Can you refrigerate uncooked stuffing overnight?
Can you reheat sausage meat stuffing?
Can you make sausage stuffing a day ahead?
Cool, refrigerate and reheat before Thanksgiving dinner. Packed with fresh herbs, sausage & vegetables, this make ahead stuffing can be made a day ahead so you have an easy Thanksgiving side dish. Pre-heat oven to 350F & butter a 9×12 baking dish. In a large pot heat 1 tbsp oil over medium heat & add sausage (removed from the casing).
How do you make sausage stuffing?
Break the sausages into small pieces using a spatula. Combine. In a large mixing bowl, add stuffing cubes, veggie mixture, and cooked sausage. Add thyme, rosemary, sage, chicken broth, egg, salt, and pepper to the bowl and toss well until evenly combined. Bake.
Can I add more stuffing If I eat more sausage?
If you’re catering for people like Mr Curly who are stuffing fanatics, you can easily add another pack of stuffing mix to help stretch the sausage meat further. This helps bulk out the stuffing without needed to add more sausage meat. I would also add another egg to help bind the stuffing.
Can you freeze sausage meat stuffing?
Freeze – The sausage meat stuffing is also freezer friendly. You can either freeze the stuffing baked or unbaked. If freezing unbaked, defrost in the fridge overnight, add the butter on top, and then cook as directed. Can I reheat sausage meat stuffing? Should you put egg in stuffing? Do you cover stuffing when baking?