This Thanksgiving Italian Sausage Stuffing is a holiday favorite in our house. Savory sweet Italian sausage combines with celery, onion, mushrooms and cubed stuffing to create a creamy center with crisp edges — the perfect side for your turkey.
What Stuffing Is Best?
In our family we debate rice dressing versus this Italian Sausage Stuffing every year. I prefer the Italian version because it delivers a combination of textures and flavors that feel quintessentially Thanksgiving:
- Creamy and crispy: the bread soaks up the broth for a custard-like interior while the top bakes to golden crispness.
- Traditional holiday pairing: it complements turkey and gravy beautifully.
- Stuffing or side: it works for stuffing a turkey or serving as a standalone side.
When we make this stuffing, we often reserve some filling to make Italian Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms for an easy appetizer.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Sweet Italian sausage: gives the dish its classic flavor. You can substitute ground pork or ground beef and season to taste if needed.
- Cubed stuffing: store-bought cubed stuffing works well; you can also use cornbread or seasoned croutons.
- Mushrooms: chop the stems and add them to the stuffing mixture; if making stuffed mushrooms too, save the caps for that appetizer.
- Broth: chicken broth is convenient. For deeper turkey flavor use simmered turkey neck and water instead of broth.
- Giblets: optional — chop and brown with the vegetables for extra richness if you like.
See the recipe card below for full ingredient quantities.
How to Make Thanksgiving Italian Sausage Stuffing
Start by warming the broth in a pot. If using a turkey neck, simmer it in 6 cups of water for about 30 minutes and use that in place of broth.
Step 1: Heat a large saucepan over medium. Add butter or olive oil, then saute chopped celery and onion until soft, about 8 minutes.
Step 2: Add mushrooms and cook until they release their liquid, about 5 minutes.
Step 3: Stir in garlic, poultry seasoning, and salt; cook another minute until fragrant.
Step 4: Remove sausage from casings and add to the pan.
Step 5: Break the sausage into small pieces and brown thoroughly.
Step 6: Preheat oven to 375 ℉. Add 1 cup of stuffing cubes and 1 cup of warm broth to the pan.
Step 7: Stir until the broth is absorbed, then repeat—adding a cup of stuffing and a cup of broth at a time—until all the stuffing and broth are used. This should take about 10 minutes.
Top tip: Only add more stuffing and broth once the previous addition is fully absorbed.
Step 8: Stir constantly while adding broth and stuffing to prevent sticking. The mixture is ready when about half of the cubes mash easily and the mixture becomes creamy while some cubes still hold their shape.
Step 9: Remove the pan from heat and transfer the stuffing to a 9×13 baking dish, spreading it evenly.
Step 10: Bake for 30 minutes until the top is golden and crisp. Serve alongside turkey and your favorite sides.
Pro Tips
- If you have ground pork, season it to make your own sausage blend.
- Chopped giblets can be added for a traditional, richer flavor.
- When adding broth and stuffing, proceed slowly and make sure each addition is fully absorbed before adding more.
- Stir frequently once you start adding the cubes to prevent sticking.
What to Serve with Italian Sausage Stuffing
- Main course: pairs well with roasted turkey, porchetta, pork tenderloin or pork chops.
- Other sides: serve it with roasted vegetables, garlic parmesan potatoes, or a Brussels sprout dish for a full holiday spread.
- Salads: a Caesar or a hearty bean-and-greens salad complements the richness of the stuffing.
Recipe FAQs
This stuffing combines sweet Italian sausage, celery, onion, mushrooms and cubed bread or croutons, moistened with broth.
Stir constantly while adding broth. If liquid pools, wait until it’s absorbed before adding more bread.
Baking is optional but recommended to develop a crisp exterior while keeping a creamy center.
More Delicious Holiday Sides
-
Creamy Potato and Onion Soup -
Sauteed Rapini with Garlic
-
The Creamiest Mushroom Truffle Risotto
-
Italian Cabbage Recipe
Please leave a comment and rating in the recipe card — feedback is appreciated.
Thanksgiving Italian Sausage Stuffing
Vincent DelGiudice
15 mins
1 hr
1 hr 15 mins
Equipment
- 1 large saucepan
- 1 medium pot
- 1 9×13 baking dish
Ingredients
- 1 lb sweet Italian sausage
- 1 (12 oz) bag cubed stuffing
- 3 stalks celery, chopped
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 4 oz mushrooms, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 4–5 cups chicken broth or turkey neck broth
- 3 tbsp olive oil or butter
- 1 tbsp poultry seasoning
- 1 tsp salt
Instructions
- Warm the chicken broth in a pot and keep it at a simmer. If using a turkey neck, simmer it in 6 cups of water for 30 minutes and use that liquid in place of broth.
- Heat a large saucepan over medium and add the olive oil or butter. Sauté the chopped celery and onion until softened, about 8 minutes. Add garlic, poultry seasoning and salt, cooking another minute. Stir in the mushrooms and cook until they release their liquid.
- Remove the sausage from its casings and add it to the pan. Break it up with a spoon and brown thoroughly.
- Preheat the oven to 375 ℉. Add 1 cup of the stuffing cubes and 1 cup of warm broth to the sausage mixture, stirring until the liquid is absorbed. Repeat, adding a cup of stuffing and a cup of broth at a time, until all the stuffing and broth are incorporated (about 10 minutes).
- When roughly half of the cubes have softened and the mixture is creamy but still has some structure, remove from heat. Transfer the stuffing to a 9×13 baking dish, spread evenly and bake for 30 minutes until the top is golden. Remove and serve.
Notes
- You can season ground pork to make a homemade sausage blend.
- Chopped giblets may be added for more traditional flavor.
- Work slowly when adding broth and stuffing so everything absorbs evenly.
- Stir often while adding the cubes to prevent sticking.