This classic sausage and herb stuffing has graced our Thanksgiving table for decades. It is the perfect dressing side dish that has full flavor and the perfect texture.
This recipe combines bread, sausage, and herbs for a delicious savory comfort food.
Budget-Friendly Side Dish Recipe
To get the best stuffing with those irresistible crispy golden edges, it is best to use dry bread. Bread that has been dried out in an oven works well for this recipe. This recipe is a great way to use any stale bread.
If you have bread that has gone stale during the week, just cube up and freeze. When you have enough, make this stuffing recipe.
You can use fresh bread. Just dry it out in the oven 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 15 minutes, just until it is beginning to toast. Just cube and place on sheet pans in a single layer.
An easier option is to use purchased cubed bread in a bag that is already dried and ready for the dressing.
It is perfect for a Sunday dinner and your Holiday table.
Pork Sausage and Herbs
Brown the sausage, breaking it up into small pieces while cooking.
Add the onion, celery, garlic, and sage. Continue to cook, stirring frequently until the vegetables are soft and tender.
Preparing the Chicken Stock Mixture
In a large bowl, mix the chicken stock, eggs, salt, pepper, and parsley.
Assembling the Classic Sausage and Herb Stuffing
The liquids should already be in a large mixing bowl. Add the bread cubes and cooked sausage mixture. Make sure to add all the pan drippings as this will add a depth to the flavor of this recipe. If the drippings are a bit stuck, add some of the chicken broth, heat the pan and scrape the pan to get all of the small, tasty bits. Add this to the stuffing mixture.
Use a wooden spoon or your hands to incorporate the ingredients.
A Few Ingredient Options to the Sausage and Herb Dressing
If you like dried fruit in your dressing, go ahead and add a cup to your mixture. I like to soak for an hour in warm water as it will help soften the fruit and seems to make it a bit sweeter. Then just drain off the water and mix with the rest of the ingredients.
Today, I used fresh sage and parsley. You can use dried seasonings. Additionally, you might find that you like oregano, basil, and rosemary in this recipe.
Bake as a Side Dish or Use as a Turkey Stuffing
Once mixed, this can be used to stuff a turkey or chicken and baked. Or serve as a separate side dish and pour into a 9 X 13 pan that has been sprayed with oil, or lightly rubbed with butter. Bake and enjoy.
What to Serve with Sausage and Herb Dressing?
This delicious side dish does not have to be reserved for the holidays. Try this pairing for a complete meal.
Sausage and Herb Stuffing
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Kitchen Essentials
Ingredients
- 1 Loaf Bread Stale and cut into cubes
- 1 Pound Pork Sausage
- 1 Medium Onion Diced
- 2 Ribs Celery Diced
- 2 Cloves Garlic Diced
- 1/4 Cup Fresh Sage Diced, can use 2 Tablespoons of dried Sage
- 1/4 Cup Fresh Parsley Diced, can use 2 Tablespoons of dried Parsley
- 1 Tablespoon Fresh Thyme Diced, can use 1 Teaspoon of dried Thyme
- 16 Ounces Chicken Stock
- 3 Large Eggs
- 1 Teaspoon Salt
- 1/2 Teaspoon Pepper
- 4 Tablespoons Butter to top the dressing before baking
- 3/4 Cup Raisins Optional
Instructions
- Cube the stale bread. If you do not have any stale and dried out bread, use fresh bread and bake in the oven to dry out before using. Place on a half sheet pan to bake for about 15 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Using a skillet brown the sausage, breaking it up into small pieces while cooking. Add the onion, celery, garlic, and sage. Cook, stirring frequently until the vegetables are soft and tender.
- Mix the chicken stock, eggs, salt, pepper, and parsley in a large bowl. Add the bread and sausage mixture. Add the dried fruit if desired. Combine using a spoon or your hand.
- Transfer mixture to a 9 X 13 baking pan that has been sprayed lightly with oil or lightly buttered. if you are putting dried fruit in part of the bread mixture, then use two baking dishes. Dot the top with the thin sliced butter.
- Bake uncovered for 60 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
