Herb Stuffing with Sausage Recipe - Brown Sugar Food Blog (2024)

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Today is Day 2 of “Thanksgiving Week” and I made Herb Stuffing with Sausage! This Herb Stuffing with Sausage is deliciously savory with a touch of sweetness from dried Cranberries.

When I was younger and I would go over my grandmother’s for Thanksgiving, and the one side that I couldn’t stand was stuffing. I think it was a texture thing for me. Also, the seasoning tasted like something from a package (now that I think about it, it probably was Stove Top). However, something magical happened around the age of 13 for me. Something so wonderful, so fantastic, so amazing, that it changed my life forever! I had homemade cornbread stuffing for the first time.

My Aunt Valerie made it and I think I ate about 3 plates of it by itself. Now, anytime I know I am going to my Aunt Valerie’s house for the holidays I ask for it. Now, my Aunt Valerie lives in Atlanta and I am not as fortunate as I once was to enjoy her stuffing for the holiday. Therefore, I made my own! To be honest, I think my Herb Stuffing with Sausage recipe can compete with my dear ole Aunt Valerie.

The first time I made this stuffing, I kid you not, the entire pan was gone by the end of the meal. Now, my family asks me to make this Herb Stuffing with Sausage recipe each year. I think it has something to do with the seasonings, the sausage, and the dried cranberries that I put in for some sweetness.

This stuffing is not only delicious and tasty but it is “stupid easy”! If you decide to make this Herb Stuffing for your family this year you can get as creative as you want. Instead of using Italian Sausage you can use Andouille or another Pork Sausage; Instead of using dried cranberries, you can use diced apples or another comparable dried fruit; and instead of using chicken stock you can use beef broth or a different kind of stock. That is the great thing about cooking, you can take a recipe and recreate it to be your own. Make this stuffing for your family and they will love you just as much as I love my Aunt Valerie!

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Herb Stuffing with Sausage Recipe - Brown Sugar Food Blog (4)

Herb Stuffing with Sausage

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5 from 2 reviews

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Description

Don’t make the same and boring stuffing, make this Herb Stuffing with Italian Sausage and dried cranberries.

Ingredients

Scale

  • 14 oz. Bag of Herb Stuffing Bread Cubes
  • 32 oz. chicken stock
  • 2 tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 lb. Italian Sausage
  • 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
  • 3 stalks celery, chopped
  • 1 c. dried cranberries
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tsp. dried sage
  • 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
  • 1 tsp. paprika
  • 3 tbsp. butter, softened
  • 1 c. water
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 Degrees
  2. In a large pan, add the olive oil to the pan over medium-high heat. Add the onions and celery to the pan and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another 5 minutes and reduce heat so the garlic doesn’t burn. In a separate skillet, add the Italian sausage and cook over medium-high heat until thoroughly cooked.
  3. In a large bowl, pour in the stuffing bread cubes and pour the chicken stock over the stuffing and allow to sit for 10 minutes to allow the bread cubes to absorb the chicken stock. Add the sauteed vegetables, Italian sausage, and dried cranberries and mix until all ingredients are evenly incorporated. Add the butter and spices (dried sage, cayenne pepper, paprika, and salt and pepper) and stir once more.
  4. Pour the stuffing mixture into a casserole dish and pour the cup of water (or chicken stock if you have more) around the edges of the stuffing. Sprinkle the top with pepper and more paprika (if you would like). Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden on the top.
  • Prep Time: 10 mins
  • Cook Time: 40 mins
  • Category: Side Dish

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Comments

  1. Herb Stuffing with Sausage Recipe - Brown Sugar Food Blog (6)Lisa Broussard Januska says

    I made this a couple of weeks ago, following your recipe nearly to a T. The only exception, was I used JD sage flavored sausage. My hubby was over the moon, saying he thought it was as good, if not better than his dear Mom’s, now that is a real compliment! I have never had bread dressing as we have always been cornbread people down here in Texas, my hubs is an Ohioan. He’s been a saint for the last 16 yrs., putting up with our version of dressing, so as a treat, I am bring your dressing with our tweak, to “my” family Thanksgiving, these Texans aren’t gonna know what hit them! They’ll either love it, or love it…Ha, Ha, Ha!! But, I’m pretty sure they will love it…it’s that good!!! Thank you for sharing these ingredients, and not making us feel like we can’t make it our own!!!

    Reply

    • Herb Stuffing with Sausage Recipe - Brown Sugar Food Blog (7)Nicole Nared-Washington says

      OH my goodness Lisa. Im grinning from ear to ear! I hope your family did indeed enjoy it!

      Reply

  2. Herb Stuffing with Sausage Recipe - Brown Sugar Food Blog (8)Johanne Cardinal says

    Hi. I am making this stuffing recipe today. I live in Montreal and there is no bags of herb stuffing bread. What can I use instead. Should I dry a loaf of bread and cube it.

    Reply

    • Herb Stuffing with Sausage Recipe - Brown Sugar Food Blog (9)Nicole Nared-Washington says

      Yes. I think that would be good if you get stale bread and cut it into cubes. You may have to add additional herbal seasonings for flavoring, but you should be fine.

      Reply

  3. Herb Stuffing with Sausage Recipe - Brown Sugar Food Blog (10)Dana Pope says

    I just wanted to say that I have used this recipe for our large family Thanksgiving dinner every year for 5 years. It has always been and remains a family favorite. It had everything I wanted in a stuffing that reminded me of growing up. So when I came across this recipe I tried it and it became a hit every year since. I follow the recipe almost exactly as it states except I add a little more sausage, cut out the cranberries, and double the recipe of course!!! Trust me, it goes quickly! Your recipe has become a family tradition and I thank you!

    Reply

Herb Stuffing with Sausage Recipe - Brown Sugar Food Blog (2024)

FAQs

What does adding egg to stuffing do? ›

Eggs: Two lightly beaten eggs help hold the dressing together and add moisture.

What is sausage stuffing made of? ›

A mixture of sage, sausage, onion, garlic, and celery lends this stuffing classic flavor.

How do you spice up a bland stuffing? ›

Dried Spices

Keep things easy with a dash of paprika or a sprinkle of cayenne. Or, totally change your stuffing mix with a spice blend like Cajun seasoning, Old Bay, poultry seasoning, adobo or Lawry's.

Why can't you make stuffing ahead of time? ›

You haven't said whether you are going to cook the stuffing inside the bird or out, but it's fine to make almost any stuffing a few hours before you'll need it. The important thing is to keep it properly chilled so that bacteria won't have a chance to grow in it.

How much water do you put in sausage before stuffing? ›

Add at least 1 oz. of water per pound of meat to aid in the stuffing process. This aid in mixing the meat with the seasoning and will ease the stress put on the gears of your meat mixer and sausage stuffer. Try experimenting with liquids other than water when mixing your next batch of sausage.

How do you keep sausage casings from breaking when stuffing? ›

Soak the casing in water for at least 5 minutes to make them more pliable and easier to work with.

What can I add to stuffing for more flavor? ›

Changing the amount and type of herbs you add to the stuffing can really change the flavor profile. Fresh herbs like sage, thyme, rosemary, and parsley are some of my favorites to pair with seasonal flavors.

Are you supposed to cook the stuffing before putting it in? ›

Fully cook raw meat, poultry, or seafood ingredients before adding to stuffing. Combine the ingredients and place them in your bird immediately before cooking. Don't stuff whole poultry with cooked stuffing. In addition to the turkey, the stuffing's center needs to reach 165 F.

Why does my stuffing come out mushy? ›

If the stuffing came out too wet and soggy (aka bread soup!) try not to over mix it, otherwise it'll turn into mush. Curtis Stone says to pour it on a large sheet tray and spread it out. Bake it on high heat to crisp it up, but make sure it doesn't burn.

Why is stuffing not healthy? ›

Typically high in fat, carbs and salt, stuffing can be made fresh or purchased chilled, frozen or dehydrated. Traditionally, a stuffing would use the giblets of the bird with the addition of sausage meat, a source of starch, such as bread, with some aromatics such as onion, herbs and spices.

Is it better to make stuffing the day before? ›

Absolutely. Most Thanksgiving stuffing recipes can be made at least partially in advance since: A) They're easily assembled a day or two ahead of Thanksgiving Day; and B) They're often baked using a two-step process (once covered with foil to cook through, then uncovered to achieve a crispy top).

Can you mess up stuffing? ›

Your Bread Is Too Fresh

There's nothing better than soft, fresh bread—except for when it comes to stuffing. If you want your stuffing to hold up and not end up a soupy, soggy mess, make sure your bread is dried out or staled for a few days.

Is stuffing made from sausage meat? ›

This recipe for classic sausage stuffing is nicely flexible, so you can adapt it to what you like. Some sausage meat packets already have added spices and you can even use flavoured sausages, squeezed from their casings, to make stuffing.

Are sausages stuffed in intestines? ›

Sausage casing, also known as sausage skin or simply casing, is the material that encloses the filling of a sausage. Natural casings are made from animal intestines or skin; artificial casings, introduced in the early 20th century, are made of collagen and cellulose.

What is sausage filled in? ›

Most sausages are made by forcing chopped or ground meat, fat, and seasonings into a skin of sorts (called the casing), which then gets tied or twisted to create individual links.

What is the white stuff in sausage package? ›

The purpose of the thin white absorbent pad that comes in your packaging, as the name would suggest, is to soak up the liquids that naturally ooze out of meat, poultry, and seafood over time, preventing them from pooling in the package.

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