Celery, onions, and Italian sausage are tossed with dried bread cubes and butter and then topped with broth and baked to perfection. This Quick & Easy Stuffing Recipe can complete just about any meal, and it’s absolutely perfect for Thanksgiving dinner.
One of my favorite sides to make for Thanksgiving and Christmas is stuffing. It’s a classic, and just about everyone I know loves stuffing. (And everyone that has tried this stuffing loves it – my mom has been making it for as long as I can remember.)
It pairs perfectly with baked ham, turkey, and chicken. Whether you are preparing the meal or just need something to contribute, this quick and easy stuffing is just what you need!
My mom’s secret ingredient is Italian sausage. With this recipe, you can get away with using a stuffing mix by adding extra savory goodness and flavors (sausage and butter.) This basically gives you homemade stuffing without all the work, which is why I call this recipe quick and easy!
Table of Contents
🥘 Ingredients Needed
- Stuffing Mix – I use Pepperidge Farm Stuffing Mix, but you can use any brand you like.
- Italian Sausage – This is the secret ingredient that makes this stuffing so delicious.
- Butter – I use salted butter, but you can use unsalted as well.
- Onion – The best onions to use for stuffing are sweet onions. They caramelize perfectly.
- Chicken Broth – You can use chicken stock, chicken broth, or bone broth.
🍽 Equipment Needed
- Frying pan or skillet
- A 13 x 9 baking dish
- Rubber spatula or spoon for stirring
- Aluminum foil
🥣 How to Make Homemade Stuffing
The great thing about this recipe is that you can get everything prepped the night before and pop it in the oven the next day. It’s so easy to make:
- First, you want to preheat your oven to 350°F. Then spray your 13×9 inch casserole pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- Then, heat a skillet over medium heat and brown the sausage. Drain the grease and set the sausage to the side. (Pictures 1 – 3)
- Next, saute the onions and celery in butter until the celery is soft and the onions are translucent. This will take about 5 minutes. (Pictures 4 – 5)
- Combine the sausage, stuffing mix, and cooked veggies in a large bowl. (Pictures 6 – 8)
- Pour the broth in the bowl and toss your ingredients gently to combine everything. (Pictures 9 – 10)
- Then, pour your stuffing mixture into the greased baking dish. Cover it with foil and bake for 25 minutes. (Pictures 11 – 13)
- Pull the stuffing out of the oven, remove the foil and then bake it for another 25 minutes. (Pictures 14 – 15)
- Remove the stuffing from the oven, and enjoy!
🍱 Recipe Yield
One serving of stuffing is equal to half a cup. Since you are making this easy stuffing in a 13×9 inch pan, you will get 8 – 12 servings.
🙋♀️ Frequently Asked Questions
There really isn’t much difference between stuffing and dressing. According to most dictionaries in the U.S., stuffing is the term used to describe a mixture that is stuffed into another food such as turkey. Dressing, on the other hand, is cooked in a pan outside of the turkey cavity. Most people call it stuffing either way.
For this recipe, we used a 13×9 inch casserole dish. You could also use two 9” round pans, one 9” round pan and one 8” round pan, or two 8” round pans.
You can use breadcrumbs instead of stuffing mix. If you want to make breadcrumbs/croutons from bread to make stuffing, you will need to use dry, stale bread.
🍳 Serving Suggestions & Uses
I love making stuffing for Thanksgiving and Christmas. It pairs perfectly with traditional holiday foods like:
And for a fun Southern twist, you can pair this stuffing with Southern Collard Greens!
🥫 Storage/Shelf Life/Reheating
If you have leftover stuffing, you can save it for the next 3 – 5 days. Simply place it in a covered airtight container and put it in the refrigerator. Additionally, you can freeze it in an airtight container or Ziploc freezer bag for 3 months.
To reheat your leftover stuffing, put it in an oven-safe dish, covered in aluminum foil, and cook it for 15 minutes at 325℉.
✏️ Helpful Tips
- Choose your favorite stuffing mix. There are two varieties of stuffing mix that make this recipe delicious: Classic, Herb Seasoned with White and Wheat Bread, and Herb Seasoned with Just White Bread. We usually use the white/wheat mix, but both are delicious!
- Make it vegetarian. If you have some vegetarians in the family, you can use vegan sausage or no sausage with vegetable broth to make it vegetarian-friendly.
- Check that your stuffing is done before serving. You want your stuffing’s internal temperature to be 165℉.
Other Delicious Thanksgiving Side Dishes
- Southern Cornbread Dressing
- Instant Pot Garlic Mashed Potatoes
- Bourbon Spiced Pumpkin Butter
- Classic Green Bean Casserole
- Buttermilk Muffins
- Sour Cream Biscuits
- Sweet Potato Casserole
Have You Tried This Recipe?
Please rate it and leave a comment below. I would love to hear what you think!
Quick and Easy Stuffing
Ingredients
- 1 12 oz bag Pepperidge Farm Stuffing Mix
- 1 pound Italian sausage
- 4 tablespoons butter I use salted, but you can use unsalted as well
- 1 cup celery, diced
- 1 cup onion, diced
- 2 cups chicken stock, chicken broth, or bone broth
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and grease or spray a 13 x 9 pan with non-stick spray.
- Cook sausage until browned, then strain off grease. Set aside.1 pound Italian sausage
- Saute onions and celery in butter until celery is soft and onions are translucent – about 5 minutes.4 tablespoons butter, 1 cup celery, diced, 1 cup onion, diced
- In a large bowl, combine sausage, stuffing mix, and cooked vegetables.1 12 oz bag Pepperidge Farm Stuffing Mix, 1 pound Italian sausage
- Pour broth in the bowl and toss gently to combine.2 cups chicken stock, chicken broth, or bone broth
- Pour this mixture into the greased baking dish.
- Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes.
- Remove the foil and continue baking for another 25 minutes. (50 minutes total)
- Remove from oven and serve immediately.
Notes
One serving of stuffing is equal to half a cup. Since you are making this easy stuffing in a 13×9 inch pan, you will get 8 – 12 servings. 🥫 Storage/Shelf Life/Reheating
If you have leftover stuffing, you can save it for the next 3 – 5 days. Simply place it in a covered airtight container and put it in the refrigerator. Additionally, you can freeze it in an airtight container or Ziploc freezer bag for 3 months. To reheat your leftover stuffing, put it in an oven-safe dish, covered in aluminum foil, and cook it for 15 minutes at 325℉. 📋 Tips
- Choose your favorite stuffing mix. There are two varieties of stuffing that are both good – Classic, Herb Seasoned with White and Wheat Bread, and Herb Seasoned with Just White Bread. We usually use the white/wheat mix, but both are delicious!
- Make it vegetarian. If you have some vegetarians in the family, you can use vegan sausage or no sausage with vegetable broth to make it vegetarian-friendly.
- Check that your stuffing is done before serving. You want your stuffing’s internal temperature to be 165℉.
Special Equipment Needeed
- a frying pan or skillet
- a 13 x 9 baking dish
- aluminum foil
Nutrition
Nutrition information is approximate and is automatically calculated, so should only be used as a guide.
I hate stuffing but love this recipe!