Description
This classic Sausage Stuffing recipe combines hearty pork sausages with toasted white bread cubes, aromatic herbs, sautéed vegetables, and a touch of cream for a rich and flavorful holiday side dish. Perfect for Christmas or Thanksgiving, it delivers a crispy top and moist inside, accented with pecans and fresh sage for a delightful texture and taste.
Ingredients
Scale
Base
- 8 heaped cups plain white bread, crust on, cut into 2.5cm / 1” cubes (~600g/1.2lb)
Meat and Fat
- 500g/1 lb pork sausages, good quality
- 50g/3 tbsp butter, unsalted
Vegetables and Fruit
- 1/2 onion, finely diced
- 1 large celery stalk, sliced 3mm / 1/8” thick
- 1 granny smith apple, skin left on, diced 0.5 cm / 1/5” cubes
Nuts and Liquids
- 1/3 cup pecans, roughly chopped
- 1 cup (250 ml) chicken stock/broth, low sodium
- 1/3 cup (85 ml) cream, heavy / thickened (low fat ok)
Herbs and Seasonings
- 1 tbsp fresh sage, finely chopped
- 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
- 1/4 tsp cooking/kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
Optional Garnishes
- 30g / 2 tbsp butter, melted (extra for brushing)
- Thyme leaves, small sage leaves, chopped parsley, optional garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven: Preheat your oven to 180°C/350°F (160°C fan-forced) to prepare for toasting the bread and later baking the stuffing.
- Toast bread: Spread the bread cubes evenly on a tray (they can be close together). Bake for 8 minutes until lightly toasted to a pale golden color, soft inside but crispy outside. Transfer to a large bowl.
- Cook sausage: Place about 1 tsp butter in a large skillet over high heat. Once melted, add the pork sausages, breaking them up with a spoon as they cook. Continue cooking until fully cooked with some golden brown bits. Pour the cooked sausage with all its fat over the toasted bread cubes.
- Sauté vegetables and fruit: Return the skillet to medium heat and add the remaining butter. Once melted, stir in diced onion and cook for 2 minutes. Add sliced celery and diced apple, cooking for an additional 3 minutes until vegetables are softened.
- Simmer mixture: Stir in pecans, chicken stock, cream, chopped sage, thyme leaves, salt, and pepper. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook gently for 2 minutes to meld the flavors.
- Combine stuffing: Pour the simmered mixture into the bowl with the bread and sausage. Mix thoroughly with hands or a spoon to ensure all bread cubes are evenly coated and moist. Taste and adjust salt if needed, depending on sausage saltiness.
- Bake stuffing: Transfer the stuffing mixture into a 2 litre / 2 quart baking dish. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 40 minutes until heated through.
- Brown topping: Remove the foil, optionally brush the top with extra melted butter for richness. Broil or grill on high for 2 to 4 minutes, watching carefully, until the top is nicely browned and crisp for added flavor and texture.
- Serve: Serve the stuffing warm garnished with chopped parsley, fresh thyme, or small sage leaves if desired for a vibrant presentation.
Notes
- Use plain white sandwich bread that is slightly stale if possible; artisan breads like sourdough are too tough for this recipe.
- Heaped cups refer to bread cubes piled high rather than measured by weight due to density variations in bread.
- Choose high-quality pork sausages with visible meat and fat pieces; flavored sausages like Italian or herb & garlic also work well.
- Pecans can be substituted with walnuts for a similar crunch.
- To make ahead: keep bread separate, combine sausage mixture and liquids, cool, and refrigerate. Warm the mixture when ready to assemble and bake.
- Leftovers store covered in the fridge for 3 to 4 days; also great for making stuffing muffins by mixing stuffing with egg and milk, then baking in muffin tins.
- This recipe serves 10 to 14 people depending on portion sizes and side dishes.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 12 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg
