This is the best sausage and sourdough stuffing recipe ever! Full of flavor with a crispy top and creamy center, this sourdough stuffing is the perfect side dish for your roasted turkey, pork, or lamb.
Having grown up in the South, southern cornbread dressing is my go-to to serve with turkey, chicken, and pork. But this year, I wanted to try something a bit different.
Whether you call it stuffing or dressing, it's always my favorite side dish during the holidays when it has a crispy exterior and creamy center that can stand up to a delicious gravy.
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Sausage and Sourdough Dressing Ingredients
- 11 cups sourdough bread - I used a country rustic sourdough loaf from Panera
- 1 pound sausage - you can use breakfast, Italian, turkey sausage or whatever your favorite sausage is with the casing removed. I used mild Italian sausage
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 cup diced celery
- 1 ½ cups diced onion
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon ground sage - if you use fresh herbs use 3 tablespoons
- 1 tablespoon dried thyme - if you use fresh herbs use 3 tablespoons
- 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning - optional but adds extra flavor
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Salt to taste - this will depend on how salty your bread and broth is
- 3 cups chicken broth or turkey broth
- 3 large eggs
Recommended Equipment
- Serrated knife - helpful for cutting the bread
- Half sheet pan - perfect size for toasting the bread
- Large mixing bowl - a large bowl is definitely needed for mixing the sourdough sausage stuffing together
- Large mixing spoon - a wooden spoon is my favorite
- Chef's knife - for chopping up the veggies
- Liquid measuring cup - I use a 4 cup so I can mix the eggs right in
- Measuring spoons
- 9 x 13 baking dish - USA Pan's are my favorite baking pans
- Skillet - I love my blue carbon steel frying pan from Made In Cookware
How to Make Sausage and Sourdough Stuffing
1. Preheat your oven. Cut your bread into half-inch cubes. If your bread isn't stale, toast it in the oven at 350°F for about 10 - 15 minutes until slightly golden brown. You want the cubes to be dry but not super hard.
2. Place the bread cubes into a large mixing bowl and set aside. Start browning the sausage in a medium to large skillet over medium heat. Be sure to remove the casings first if not using ground sausage.
3. When the sausage is mostly cooked through, add the diced celery and onions and continue to cook until the veggies are softened, about 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for one more minute. Turn off the heat and add the herbs, seasonings, salt, and pepper.
4. Pour the sausage and vegetable mixture over the bread, including any fat and juices in the pan. Toss together.
5. Whisk the eggs into the broth and then pour the broth mixture over the bread mixture. Mix until evenly moistened. Pour into a prepared baking or casserole dish.
6. Melt butter and drizzle over the stuffing. Bake in the preheated oven for about 30 minutes until the stuffing is golden brown and the center is hot. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.
How to Make Stuffing Ahead of Time
A lot of times stuffing is made during the holiday season, so you may want to get as much prep done ahead of time. Here are some ideas.
Prep as much as you can the day before:
- Have the bread cut and toasted the day before. Store in an air-tight container. You may even be able to find store-bought sourdough bread cubes but be sure if they are pre-seasoned or not.
- Dice veggies the day before and store in the refrigerator. If you're willing to pay the price, many grocery stores now even sell pre-chopped veggies.
- Cook sausage and the veggies the day before, add seasonings, and store in the refrigerator. Microwave to warm up before mixing with the bread.
For the best stuffing, I don't recommend putting it together the night before as it can potentially get too mushy.
If you want to complete it ahead of time, I'd bake it off and store in the refrigerator overnight. Then cover with foil and reheat before serving.
How to Freeze Stuffing
Prepared stuffing or dressing can also be frozen. You can freeze the whole pan (make sure it's freezer-safe) as long as it's well wrapped.
I'd wrap with plastic wrap and then foil. Be sure to use within one month.
You can also freeze leftover stuffing in small portions in small containers or freezer-duty bags. Make sure there is no air or space left in the container to discourage freezer burn. Use within 1 to 3 months.
Thaw wrapped stuffing in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
How to Reheat Dressing
Leftover bread dressing or stuffing can be store in the refrigerator in an air-tight container for 3 to 4 days.
It can be reheated in the microwave or oven. I find the texture turns out better when reheated in the oven.
I cover the stuffing in an oven-safe container and bake at 325F until warmed through and crispy.
What to Serve with Stuffing
While this is the perfect Thanksgiving stuffing recipe, here are some other recipes to serve it with year round.
- Main Dish: Roasted Pork with Apple Butter Glaze
- Side Dishes: Sautéed Bacon Green Beans and Irish Mashed Potatoes
- Bread: Buttery Yeast Rolls
- Dessert: Cookie Butter Cheesecake
The Best Sausage and Sourdough Stuffing Recipe
Ingredients
- 11 cups stale sourdough bread (I used country rustic sourdough from Panera)
- 1 pound sausage
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 1 cup diced celery
- 1 ½ cups diced onion
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon ground sage
- 1 tablespoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning (optional)
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Salt to taste
- 3 cups chicken or turkey broth
- 3 large eggs
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Cut bread into ½ inch cubes. If your bread is still fresh, toast the cubes at 350°F in the oven for 10 - 15 minutes until slightly golden brown but not super hard.
- Pour 11 cups of cubed sourdough into a large mixing bowl and set aside. Brown 1 pound of sausage, removing casings if needed, in a medium to large skillet over medium heat, breaking it apart into small pieces as it cooks.
- When the sausage is mostly cooked, add one tablespoon of butter and sauté the 1 cup of diced celery and 1 ½ cups of diced onion until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the 3 minced garlic cloves and cook for 1 more minute. Turn off the heat and stir in 1 tablespoon ground sage, 1 tablespoon dried thyme, 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper, and salt to taste. Pour meat mixture over the bread cubes, including any fat and juices, and mix.
- Whisk 3 eggs into 3 cups* of chicken or turkey broth. Pour over the sourdough and sausage and mix until evenly moistened. Spread evenly into a buttered or greased 9 x 13 baking dish.
- Melt remaining 4 tablespoons of butter and drizzle over the stuffing. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until the top of the stuffing is golden brown and crisp and the center is hot. Let sit about 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
*If stuffing looks too dry, add more broth until moistened but not soggy.
See the full article for tips and substitution ideas at https://smartsavvyliving.com
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