Sausage Stuffing (Moist Inside, Crispy Top)
Make sausage stuffing with confidence! Learn which bread works best, how to prevent soggy stuffing, and the secret to a golden, crispy top.
Servings: 8
Calories: 464kcal
Ingredients
- 2 baguettes or 1 French loaf cut into small cubes, about 10 cups (day old is best)
- 1 pound mild Italian sausage
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
- 1 cup finely diced yellow onion
- 1/2 cup sliced celery
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 medium sweet apple peeled and diced
- 1 1/2 teaspoons rubbed sage
- 2 teaspoons dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 2 large eggs
- Fresh parsley garnish
Instructions
- Heat your oven to 375°F. Spread the cubed bread out on a baking sheet in an even layer. Toast for about 8-10 minutes until the bread is golden and crunchy but not burnt and not quite as hard as a crouton. 2 baguettes or 1 French loaf
- While the bread is toasting, brown the sausage in a large skillet. Break it up and cook it fully. Then transfer the sausage to a large mixing bowl leaving the fat in the skillet. 1 pound mild Italian sausage
- Melt 3 tablespoons of butter in the skillet. Add the onion and celery and cook until beginning to soften. Add the garlic and the diced apple and continue to cook for 2-3 more minutes. 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, 1 cup finely diced yellow onion, 1/2 cup sliced celery, 2 cloves garlic, 1 medium sweet apple
- Stir in the sage, dried parsley, thyme, chicken bouillon, salt, pepper and nutmeg and cook for an additional minute. 1 1/2 teaspoons rubbed sage, 2 teaspoons dried parsley, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Add the toasted bread to the bowl with the sausage and then add the onion mixture and dried cranberries. Stir well until all the ingredients are combined. 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- Crack the eggs into the chicken broth and whisk until combined. Pour the broth over the bread and mix, allowing it to absorb. Wait 2-3 minutes and mix again. 2 cups chicken stock, 2 large eggs
- Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish with the remaining butter. Spread the stuffing mixture evenly in the dish. Cover with aluminum foil tightly and bake for 25 minutes.
- Remove the foil and continue to bake for 20-25 more minutes until the top is crispy and golden. The center of the stuffing should reach 165°F. Allow the stuffing to set for about 5 minutes. Garnish with some chopped fresh parsley and serve. Fresh parsley
Notes
- I personally like to use day-old baguettes because it has a good crust to crumb ratio. You can use a sourdough or French loaf too. It can be fresh but day old will give it more crunch. If you cube it in advance and leave it to sit out, that will help with prep and also be good for the texture.
- Try to keep the cubes as even as possible because it will make the dish more visually pleasing but also uniform in texture.
- I used mild Italian sausage. You can use hot but I find the mild is seasoned well and doesn’t overpower the other flavors. You can use any type of sausage you prefer, like chicken or turkey.
- Feel free to add nuts like chopped pecans or walnuts and whatever else you like in your stuffing.
- If you like a really crispy top, you can broil for 2-3 minutes at the end.
- Assemble the stuffing up to 24 hours in advance. Just cover tightly and refrigerate. Let it sit at room temperature for about 20–30 minutes before baking.
Nutrition
Calories: 464kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 106mg | Sodium: 1192mg | Potassium: 307mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 280IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 100mg | Iron: 3mg
