Description

Here is an incredibly delicious Sausage and Herb Stuffing recipe with pockets of soft and crispy bread cubes, moist Italian sausage, a medley of fresh herbs and sweet cranberries. Make this one a part of your holiday dinner spread for Thanksgiving and Christmas with plenty of company nearby.

Ingredients

Scale

1 lb French bread or Italian bread, cubed (about 8 cups)

6 tbsp unsalted butter

1 yellow onion, diced

5 celery stalks, diced

5 garlic cloves, diced

¼ cup chopped parsley

3 tbsp finely chopped herbs (I used rosemary, thyme and sage)

1 tbsp kosher salt

1 tsp cracked black pepper

1 lb spicy Italian sausage, casings removed if needed, see notes

1–2 cups chicken stock

1 cup dried cranberries, optional

Instructions

Dry out bread cubes: Preheat the oven to 300 F. Place bread cubes on a large sheet pan and bake for 7-10 minutes, or until the bread has dried out and is slightly crunchy. Remove from the sheet pan and set aside in a large mixing bowl. Increase oven temperature to 350 F.
Saute aromatics: Meanwhile, in a large saute pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add onion, celery, garlic, parsley, herbs, salt and pepper. Cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion and celery has softened. Transfer mixture to the bread cubes.
Cook sausage: In the same empty saute pan, add spicy Italian sausage and cook over medium heat, breaking up into smaller pieces with a wooden spoon, until browned and cooked through, about 8-10 minutes.
Mix in stock and cranberries: Add 1 cup chicken stock and dried cranberries (if using) to the bowl with bread, vegetables and sausage and mix well. If the mixture looks dry, add up to another cup of stock.
Bake: Pour into a greased 9×13-inch casserole or baking dish. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the top is golden brown.

Notes

Sausage: I used bulk Italian sausage. If all you can find is regular sausage, just remove the casings when you get home – slice through each sausage link with a sharp knife or kitchen shears, then peel the casing away with your hands.

Make Ahead: Stuffing can be assembled one day ahead. Wrap tightly in plastic and store in the fridge until ready to bake. Remove from the fridge at least 30 minutes before baking. If you are baking the stuffing straight from the fridge, it may need an additional 10-15 minutes in the oven to warm through.

Freeze after baking: Cool completely, then tightly wrap in a double-layer of plastic wrap. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge. Remove the plastic wrap, cover with foil and bake in a 325 F oven until the center is warmed through.

Keywords: Thanksgiving, dressing, bread cubes