Homemade Stovetop Stuffing with Sausage
This homemade stovetop stuffing with sausage is an easy way to make delicious Thanksgiving stuffing without taking up any oven space! It’s made with unseasoned dried bread cubes, browned sausage, buttery vegetables, and plenty of fresh herbs, all in one skillet.
Recipe overview: Homemade Stovetop Stuffing
- Homemade without a boxed mix. Unseasoned dried bread cubes make this stuffing easy to prepare, while butter, vegetables, and fresh herbs provide homemade flavor.
- Made entirely on the stovetop. Everything comes together in one skillet, so you can save your oven for a dry-brined roasted turkey and other holiday dishes. (If you want a more traditional stuffing recipe, try my baked classic herb stuffing.)
- Moist, but not mushy. The bread cubes absorb the hot broth while the skillet is covered, becoming tender while still holding their shape. Pop the finished stuffing under the broiler for a few minutes if you like a lightly toasted top.
- Sausage is optional. Adds flavor and substance, but you can leave it out for an equally delicious stuffing.
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When it comes to Thanksgiving side dishes, there are three factors I look at— How easy is it to make? Does it require the oven? And will everyone love it? And this homemade stovetop stuffing with sausage checks all of the boxes!
I’ve made this stuffing many times over the years, and I love how moist and flavorful it is while the bread cubes still hold their shape. The sausage adds lots of savory flavor, but I’ve also made it without sausage and it’s just as delicious! It’s a great way to make Thanksgiving dinner a little easier.
You’ll also find more ideas for your Thanksgiving menu in my collection of favorite holiday recipes.
Ingredients you’ll need
- Sausage: I use bulk ground pork sausage. It adds lots of savory flavor, but you can leave it out if you prefer a stuffing without meat. Earlier versions of this recipe used 1 full pound of sausage, but I now recommend 1/2 pound.
- Unseasoned dried stuffing bread cubes: These are the key to making this recipe so easy! Look for plain dried stuffing bread cubes near the boxed stuffing mixes or in the bakery section of your grocery store, especially around Thanksgiving.
- Fresh herbs: I like a combination of fresh sage, thyme, and rosemary for that classic Thanksgiving stuffing flavor. You’ll need 1 tablespoon total of chopped herbs.
- Broth: Chicken or turkey broth works well, or use vegetable broth if you’re making the stuffing without sausage.
- Salted butter
- Salt and pepper
Flavor variations
- Leave out sausage or substitute for chorizo, spicy Italian sausage, turkey sausage, bacon etc.
- Add other vegetables like mushrooms or cubed roasted butternut squash, cooking them alongside the onion mixture if needed.
- Add nuts like pecans or hazelnuts, adding them along with the bread cubes.
How to make homemade stovetop stuffing
Tips for the best stovetop stuffing
- Choose a large skillet with a lid. I like using a wide cast iron skillet because there’s plenty of room to brown the sausage and cook the vegetables. Any large skillet or pot with a tight-fitting lid will work.
- Use dried bread cubes. Dried bread absorbs the broth without immediately falling apart, helping the stuffing stay moist while the cubes hold their shape. Unseasoned stuffing cubes from the grocery store make this recipe especially easy.
- Leave out the sausage if you want. Simply leave out the sausage and use vegetable broth.
- Use fresh herbs if you can. They’ll provide the best flavor, but in a pinch you can use 1 1/2 teaspoons dried poultry seasoning.
- Heat the broth before adding it. Since the stuffing finishes absorbing the broth with the heat turned off, starting with steaming-hot broth helps ensure the stuffing is warm when it’s ready to serve.
- Toss the bread cubes gently. You want the broth distributed throughout the stuffing without breaking up the bread. Once everything is combined, cover the skillet and let it rest.
- Broil for a golden top if you have the oven space. If you’d like a little toasted texture on top, place the finished stuffing under the broiler for a few minutes. It’s completely optional, and the stuffing is delicious without it.
How to make stovetop stuffing ahead of time
This stuffing is easy to make the day of, but you can also get a head start with these make-ahead options:
- Prep ahead: Cook the sausage and vegetables up to 2 days in advance and refrigerate. When ready to serve, warm them in a skillet and finish the recipe as directed.
- Make ahead: Prepare the stuffing completely, cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Reheat in the microwave or a 350°F oven until heated through to 165°F.
- Keep warm: Transfer freshly cooked stuffing to a preheated slow cooker on the warm setting for up to 4 hours, keeping it at 140°F or hotter until serving.
Recipe FAQs
Can you make homemade stovetop stuffing without sausage?
Yes! I’ve made this recipe without sausage and it works really well. Just skip the sausage and start by cooking the vegetables in butter. Use vegetable broth if you’d like to make it vegetarian. You don’t need to change any of the other ingredient amounts.
Can you use fresh bread instead of dried bread cubes?
You’ll need to dry the bread first so it can absorb the broth without becoming too soft. Cut the bread into small cubes and let them dry overnight on a sheet pan. Bread cubes shrink in volume as they loose moisture, so you’ll need roughly 7.5 cups fresh bread for this recipe. Most bread varieties will work, and I recommend white bread over wheat or multigrain.
More Thanksgiving side dishes
- The Best Mashed Potatoes
- Homemade Turkey Gravy
- Buttery Garlic Green Beans
- Fall Apple Salad with Cheddar and Candied Pecans
Have you tried this recipe? I’d love to hear about it! Leave a rating and review below, or take a photo and tag it on Instagram @completelydelicious.
Homemade Stovetop Stuffing with Sausage
This simple and delicious skillet stovetop sausage stuffing is made completely from scratch in about 30 minutes!
Ingredients
- ½ lb bulk ground sausage
- 6 tablespoons salted butter
- 1 small onion , chopped
- 4 ribs celery , chopped
- 2 cloves garlic , minced
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- â…› teaspoon pepper
- 1 tablespoon fresh herbs (I prefer a combination of thyme, sage and rosemary)
- 5 cups dried unseasoned stuffing bread cubes
- 1 ½ cups chicken, turkey or vegetable broth , heated until steaming
Equipment
Instructions
- Brown sausage in skillet over medium high heat until cooked all the way through, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.½ lb bulk ground sausage
- Add butter, onions, celery, garlic, seasonings and herbs to skillet and cook till veggies are softened, about 5 minutes.6 tablespoons salted butter, 1 small onion, 4 ribs celery, 2 cloves garlic, ¼ teaspoon salt, ⅛ teaspoon pepper, 1 tablespoon fresh herbs
- Return sausage to pan along with bread cubes and gently toss. Pour hot broth over the whole skillet, trying to moisten as many bread cubes as possible as you pour. Toss very gently.5 cups dried unseasoned stuffing bread cubes, 1 ½ cups chicken, turkey or vegetable broth
- Cover skillet with a tight-fitting lid or aluminum foil, turn off the heat, and let sit for 15-20 minutes to let the bread cubes soak up the broth.
- (Optional) Place skillet under the broiler for 2-4 minutes to lightly brown the top of the stuffing. Watch carefully so it doesn't burn!
- Serve stuffing immediately, or see Notes sections for how to keep it warm if not serving right away. Store any leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Video
Notes
- Sausage: You can use any kind of bulk/ground sausage you like for this recipe. You can also leave out the sausage completely for a vegetarian option, skipping Step 1 and following all other instructions and amounts as written. Previous versions of this recipe called for 1 full pound of sausage, but I have updated it to just a ½ pound. If you want a very meat-forward stuffing, you can stick to 1 lb.
- Herbs: You can substitute 1 1/2 teaspoons dried poultry seasoning for the fresh herbs.
- Dried bread cubes: You may find them in the grocery aisle with Stove Top Stuffing mix, and the bakery section often will have big bags of it around Thanksgiving time. If you can’t find them, you can make your own by slicing any kind of bread into small 1/4-1/2 inch sized cubes and leaving them to dry on a sheet pan under a towel overnight. You’ll need roughly 7.5 cups of fresh bread to make 5 cups dried bread cubes.
- Why hot broth matters: Starting with hot broth ensures that the finished stuffing is still warm when you’re ready to serve it. Heat in microwave or on the stove until steaming.
- Make ahead options:
- Prep ahead: Cook the sausage and vegetables up to 2 days in advance and refrigerate. When ready to serve, warm them in a skillet and finish the recipe as directed.
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- Keep warm: Transfer freshly cooked stuffing to a preheated slow cooker on the warm setting for up to 4 hours, keeping it at 140°F or hotter until serving.
Calories: 268kcal, Carbohydrates: 19g, Protein: 9g, Fat: 18g, Saturated Fat: 8g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 6g, Trans Fat: 0.4g, Cholesterol: 44mg, Sodium: 666mg, Potassium: 198mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 375IU, Vitamin C: 2mg, Calcium: 62mg, Iron: 2mg
Have you tried this recipe?I’d love to hear about it! Leave a rating and review below, or take a photo and tag it on Instagram @completelydelicious with #completelydelicious.
This recipe was originally published in November 2020, and created in partnership with Go Bold With Butter. Thank you for supporting partnerships with brands I love and believe in, which make Completely Delicious possible. All opinions are always 100% my own.
This is my preferred way to make stuffing for Thanksgiving! I had putting another dish in the oven, and this one is easy to make and delcious, and SO MUCH better than Stovetop Stuffing Mix!
Hi Annalise, For years , my recipe is exactly like your’s. To make a nice presentation, I stuff the recipe in any size dish, like loaf pan, square pan,even cake pans, for shaped. Let it cool one or two days ahead. When ready heat it to warm then dump it out on a plate or platter. I get a lot comments of the shape of the pan’s of stuffing. I still do it. Hope you like my idea.  Gail
Love that idea, Gail! Thanks for sharing!
I have been looking for a new idea for making our stuffing this year! I absolutely love this recipe! The presentation is gorgeous and looks so delicious!