Italian Sausage Stuffing for Thanksgiving

Italian sausage stuffing is the Thanksgiving stuffing my mom and grandmother made every year with mild Italian sausage, celery, onions, mushrooms, and plenty of chicken or turkey broth. Unlike a dry, loose stuffing where every bread cube stays intact, ours is intentionally creamy in the center.

The broth is slowly worked into the bread, almost like making risotto, until some of the cubes begin to break down while others still hold their shape. Then it's baked until the top and edges are crisp.

On Thanksgiving, I usually make the broth with the turkey neck instead of using boxed chicken broth, and the chopped mushroom stems often come from the Italian Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms we're already making for the appetizer. It's the kind of Thanksgiving recipe where one dish naturally turns into another.

A Quick Look at the Recipe

• ✅Recipe Name: Italian Sausage Stuffing
• ⏲️Ready in: 1 hour 15 minutes
• 👪Makes: 8 servings
• 📋Main ingredients: Mild Italian Sausage, bread cubes, celery, and onion
• ⭐Why You'll Love This Recipe: Creamy in the center, crisp on top, and easy to prepare the night before Thanksgiving.

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Why You'll Love This Italian Sausage Stuffing

In our family, we always argue about what's better: Italian Sausage Stuffing or Rice Dressing with Sausage. This Italian Sausage Stuffing is my favorite for Thanksgiving, and here's why:

• Creamy center, crispy top. Some bread cubes intentionally break down as they absorb the broth, creating a rich, soft center, while baking gives you crisp edges.
• Made for Thanksgiving gravy. This is the stuffing we serve directly alongside turkey and gravy every year.
• Uses the turkey, too. On Thanksgiving, my mom always used to simmer the turkey neck to make the broth instead of using boxed chicken broth. She learned that from my grandma, and they both always said it was best to use fresh broth!
• One prep makes two recipes. I often chop the mushroom stems from my stuffed mushrooms and use them here, which lets me prep both Thanksgiving recipes together. See below!

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

• Mild Italian Sausage. I always use mild Italian sausage. You could also use our Homemade Italian Sausage Seasoning combined with ground pork to make your own sausage.
• Cube Stuffing. My family has always used Pepperidge Farm packaged cubed stuffing for this recipe. The small, very dry cubes absorb a lot of broth, which is important for getting the creamy texture I want. You can use homemade dried bread cubes, but you'll need to judge the broth by texture because different breads absorb liquid differently.
  • To be transparent, the reason we always used this brand of cube stuffing is that my dad owned a Pepperidge Farm route when I was growing up, so this is the stuffing mix we always used. The flavor is pure Thanksgiving nostalgia for me.
• Mushrooms. If you're making this recipe and not also making Italian Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms, you can chop up 4 oz of mushrooms. I usually make this recipe with stuffed mushrooms as well, so I pull the stems out, chop them up, and use that instead of whole mushrooms in the actual stuffing.
• Chicken Broth. To make the recipe a bit simpler, I used chicken broth. If I'm making this on Thanksgiving, I'll take the neck out of the turkey and simmer that in water for 30 minutes to use in place of the chicken broth in this recipe.
• Turkey giblets. The base recipe doesn't require giblets, but my mom adds them when making the Thanksgiving version, and you can cook them in when you're browning the sausage.

*Please see the recipe card below for more information on ingredients.

How to Make Thanksgiving Italian Sausage Stuffing

Pour the chicken broth into a pot and bring it to a simmer. Or, if you are using the turkey neck, place 6 cups of water and the neck of the turkey in a pot and simmer for 30 minutes. You can use this in place of broth.

Step 1: Bring a large saucepan to medium heat. Add the butter or olive oil. Once hot, stir in the chopped celery and onion. Sauté until soft, about 8 minutes.

Step 2: Stir in the mushrooms. Sauté for about 5 minutes or until they release all of their water.

Step 3: Then add in the garlic, poultry seasoning, and salt, and sauté for 1 more minute until the garlic is fragrant.

Step 4: Remove the sausage from the casing and add it to the pan.

*Pro-Tip:Using turkey giblets is optional, but this is the step at which you would add them in!

Step 5: Break apart the sausage with a wooden spoon into the smallest pieces possible. Brown it all the way through.

Step 6: Preheat the oven to 375°F. Add about 1 cup of stuffing cubes to the sausage and vegetable mixture, followed by about 1 cup of the warm broth.

Step 7: Stir until the bread absorbs the broth before adding more. Continue adding the stuffing and broth gradually, about 1 cup at a time, allowing each addition of broth to absorb before adding the next.

*Pro TIP: Don't rush the broth. Let each addition absorb before adding more. You're looking for a creamy mixture with some bread cubes broken down and others still intact-not loose broth sitting in the bottom of the pan.

Step 8: Continue stirring frequently as you add the remaining stuffing and broth. Stop adding broth when all of the bread is moistened, and roughly half of the cubes have begun to break down into a creamy mixture while the rest still hold their shape. The stuffing should look very moist and creamy, but there should be no broth pooling in the bottom of the pan. You may not need all of the broth.

Step 9: Remove the saucepan from the heat. Place the stuffing into a 9x13 baking dish. Spread it out evenly.

Step 10: Bake for about 30 minutes, until the center is soft and creamy and the top and edges are golden brown and crisp. Remove from the oven and serve warm.

Pro-Tips

1. Make your own Italian sausage. If you only have ground pork, season it with my Homemade Italian Sausage Seasoning before adding it to the stuffing.
2. Add the turkey giblets for extra flavor. Finely chop the giblets and cook them with the sausage. This is how my mom has always made our stuffing, and it's how I make it when I'm preparing it for Thanksgiving.
3. Add the broth slowly. Let each addition of broth absorb before adding more stuffing and broth. Stop when all of the bread is moistened, some of the cubes have begun to break down, and there is no broth pooling in the bottom of the pan. You may not need all of the broth.
4. Stir frequently once you add the bread. As the stuffing absorbs the broth and becomes creamier, it can start sticking to the bottom of the pan. Stir frequently and scrape along the bottom as needed.

What to Serve with Italian Sausage Stuffing

This Italian sausage stuffing is made for a Thanksgiving dinner. Serve it alongside Rolled Stuffed Turkey Breast or your favorite roasted turkey, then round out the meal with a few simple Thanksgiving sides.

• Vegetable sides:Garlic Parmesan Green Beans or Roasted Carrots and Fennel both work well alongside the rich stuffing.
• Thanksgiving classics: Serve it with turkey gravy, cranberry sauce, Garlic Parmesan Mashed Potatoes, or Parmesan Roasted Sweet Potato Halves.
• For a smaller Thanksgiving: Pair it with Rolled Stuffed Turkey Breast and two vegetable sides, like Steakhouse Creamed Spinach and Maple Bacon Brussels Sprouts for a complete Thanksgiving dinner without cooking a whole turkey.

How to Make Thanksgiving Stuffing in Advance

My grandma would always come over the night before Thanksgiving and make the stuffing with my mom. They would make the stuffing through the point where it is transferred to the baking dish, then cover it and refrigerate it until the next day.

When you're ready to cook it, remove the stuffing from the refrigerator while the oven preheats so the baking dish can lose some of its chill. Bake at 375°F until heated through and the top and edges are golden brown and crisp. Since the stuffing is starting cold, it may need a little longer than the original 30-minute bake time.

If the stuffing looks a little dry before baking, stir in a small splash of warm chicken or turkey broth before placing it in the oven.

Recipe FAQs

Can I use bread instead of packaged stuffing cubes?

Yes. You can use dried or stale bread cubes instead of packaged stuffing, but different breads absorb broth at different rates. Add the broth gradually and use the texture of the stuffing as your guide rather than assuming you'll need the full amount.

How wet should Italian sausage stuffing be before baking?

The stuffing should be very moist and creamy, but there should not be broth pooling in the bottom of the pan. Some of the bread cubes should begin to break down while others still hold their shape. If all of the cubes are completely intact, it probably needs a little more broth and stirring.

How do I reheat sausage stuffing without drying it out?

For a larger portion, add a small splash of chicken or turkey broth, cover, and reheat until warmed through. For individual portions, I love reheating the stuffing in a skillet with a little olive oil until the bottom gets crispy. Serve it with warm gravy if you want to add even more moisture.

More Delicious Holiday Sides

• Fennel and Potato Au Gratin
• Sauteed Rapini with Garlic
• The Creamiest Mushroom Truffle Risotto
• Italian Cabbage Recipe