Sausage and Sage Stuffing

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If your Thanksgiving stuffing usually comes out of a box, this is the upgrade. My sausage and sage stuffing starts with cubes of Italian bread that dry out overnight and get toasted in the oven until golden, then get tossed with browned Italian sausage, onion, celery, garlic and fresh sage, rosemary and thyme. A little chicken broth brings it all together, and it bakes until the top is crispy and the middle stays soft. It’s the side that makes the whole Thanksgiving plate better.

Why you’ll love this sausage and sage stuffing

It takes the classic stuffing everybody knows and makes it better in every way. Drying and toasting the bread is the secret. You get crispy edges on top and a soft, savory middle instead of a soggy pan of bread. The Italian sausage brings a ton of flavor, and fresh sage is what makes it taste like Thanksgiving. It’s still just a few simple ingredients, and you can put it together the day before.

What you need for sausage and sage stuffing

A loaf of Italian bread, olive oil and salt for toasting it, a pound of Italian sausage, half a stick of butter, an onion, a cup of diced celery, a tablespoon of minced garlic, fresh sage, rosemary and thyme, and 2 cups of chicken broth. I used Italian bread, but any sturdy loaf works, including sourdough.

How to make sausage and sage stuffing, step by step

1. Cube the bread and let it dry

Cut the loaf of Italian bread into small cubes and spread them out on a sheet pan or in a big bowl. Let them sit out at room temperature for 24 hours to dry. Don’t skip this. Dry bread soaks up the broth and still holds its shape, so your stuffing doesn’t turn to mush.

2. Toast the bread

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Toss the dried cubes with olive oil and a good pinch of salt, spread them on a sheet pan and bake for 40 minutes, until they’re golden brown and crunchy. Dump them into a big bowl and leave the oven on.

3. Brown the sausage

Pinch the Italian sausage into chunks and add it to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Break it up as it cooks and let it get some real color, about 8 to 10 minutes. Pull the sausage out with a slotted spoon and leave all that fat in the pan. That’s flavor for the vegetables.

4. Cook the onion and celery

Turn the heat down to medium and melt the butter into the sausage fat. Add the diced onion and celery and cook them for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring now and then, until they’re soft and the onion starts to turn translucent.

5. Add the garlic and fresh herbs

Strip the leaves off the sage, rosemary and thyme and chop them up. Add them to the pan with the garlic and give it about a minute, just until it smells amazing. Then stir the sausage back in.

6. Add the broth

Add the sausage and vegetables to the big bowl of toasted bread. Pour the 2 cups of chicken broth in a little at a time, tossing as you go, until all the bread is moist but not soggy. Taste it and season with salt and pepper.

7. Bake it

Spread everything into a 9×13 baking dish and bake at 350°F for 30 to 35 minutes, until the top is golden and crispy. Let it sit for a few minutes before you dig in.

Pro tips

Give the bread the full 24 hours to dry. It makes a huge difference. Cut the cubes small so they get crispier and soak up the broth more evenly. Add the broth slowly, because you can always add more but you can’t take it back. And if you like it extra crispy, leave it in the oven a few more minutes at the end.

Make ahead and storage

Cube the bread 2 days before Thanksgiving so it can dry, and you can toast it the day before. You can also put the whole stuffing together the day before, cover it and keep it in the fridge, then bake it when you’re ready. Add 5 to 10 minutes to the bake time if it’s going in cold. Leftovers keep in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.

What you’ll need

• A sheet pan
• A large skillet
• A slotted spoon
• A large mixing bowl
• A 9×13 baking dish

See the gear I cook with on my Shop page.

Sausage and sage stuffing FAQ

What kind of bread is best for stuffing?

I use Italian bread, but any sturdy loaf works. Sourdough and French bread are both great. Just skip soft sandwich bread.

Do I have to dry the bread for 24 hours?

It’s worth it. Fresh bread gets soggy when the broth goes in. If you’re short on time, bake the cubes a little longer until they’re completely dry and crunchy.

Can I stuff this inside the turkey?

I bake it in a dish. You get a crispy top, and you don’t have to worry about getting the inside of the turkey to a safe temperature.

Making a full Thanksgiving spread? Pair it with my Smoked Spatchcock Turkey and my Homemade Cranberry Sauce.