Sausage cranberry stuffing is a savory and sweet holiday side dish that combines the richness of sausage with the tartness of dried cranberries and the warmth of herbs, often featuring additional ingredients like apples or bread for texture and depth of flavor. It can be baked in a casserole dish or prepared as stuffing balls, making it a versatile addition to Thanksgiving or Christmas meals.
This easy sausage stuffing recipe is full of autumn flavor from fresh herbs, tart dried cranberries, and Italian sausage. We start with a bag of store bought bread stuffing and doctor it up until it ends up even better-than-homemade!
Why You Will Love This Easy Sausage Stuffing Recipe
Bagged stuffing mix is the shortcut to this super-simple holiday side dish. Thanks to a few tasty extras, this easy sausage stuffing boasts big flavor and tastes 100% homemade.
- Fast and Easy: No need to bake bread from scratch only to turn it into stale bread cubes. Skip the time-consuming steps and add tons of flavor using bagged stuffing!
- Flavorful: Each bite of sausage stuffing is bursting with crispy, browned sausage, tart dried cranberries, and fresh, fragrant herbs.
- Foolproof: We bake the dish separate from poultry. This ensures that both cook thoroughly at the perfect time and temperature.
If you are looking for a traditional meatless stuffing, check out my recipe for the best homemade stuffing made with Texas toast sandwich bread!
Sausage Cranberry Stuffing
Equipment
- 1 3-Qt Shallow Baking Dish
Ingredients
- 4 TB unsalted butter 1/2 stick
- 3/4 lb pork breakfast sausage
- 1 cup sweet onion coarsely chopped
- 1 cup celery coarsely chopped
- 2 cloves fresh garlic minced
- 1 tsp thyme
- 1 tsp sage
- 1 tsp rosemary
- 1/2 cup Ocean Spray Craisins
- 1/2 cup pecans chopped
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp fresh ground black pepper
- 1 large egg
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 6 oz Pepperidge Farm Country Stuffing Mix
- 7 oz Pepperidge Farm Cornbread Stuffing Mix
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Add butter to a saucepan over medium heat until melted. Begin to cook sausage, celery and onion. Sauté for 5 to 7 minutes.
- Add minced garlic spices, sauté for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add spices and sauté for a minute to bloom.
- Add craisins, pecans to the vegetable & sausage mixture and stir to combine.
- Beat 1 egg, stir in chicken broth and add to vegetable mix.
- Add all the wet ingredients to the bread cubes and cornbread, stir gently to combine.
- Spoon the stuffing mixture into a greased 3-quart shallow baking dish. Dot with pieces of butter on the top. Cover the baking dish with foil.
- Bake at 350°F. for 30 minutes or until the stuffing mixture is hot.
- Remove foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes
Notes
Safety Notes:
- Ensure sausage is cooked to an internal temperature of 160°F (71°C).
- Use a food thermometer to check doneness.
- Avoid cross-contamination by washing hands and utensils after handling raw meat.
Substitutions:
- Use turkey sausage for a lighter option.
- Substitute vegetable stock for chicken or turkey stock for a vegetarian version.
- Replace dried cranberries with fresh cranberries (add during last 10 minutes of cooking to prevent burning).
- Use gluten-free bread for a gluten-free version.
- Replace white wine with apple cider or broth.
Storage:
- Cool completely and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Freeze for up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
- Reheat in the oven at 350°F (177°C) until hot, covered with foil.
Pro Tips:
- Use day-old bread for better texture and to absorb liquid without becoming mushy.
- Toast the bread cubes in the oven before mixing to enhance crispness.
- Make the stuffing a day ahead and refrigerate; bring to room temperature before baking to ensure even cooking.
- For a crispier top, broil for 2–3 minutes after uncovering, watching closely to prevent burning.
- If the stuffing is too wet, spread it on a baking sheet and toast briefly to dry out excess moisture.
