We love this Sausage Stuffing Recipe SO much! It might be our ideal stuffing. It’s very savory and delicious, but the dried figs add a hint of tart and sweet, which balances the flavors out very well!
I have been making this stuffing almost every thanksgiving for the last 8 years and don’t plan on stopping any time soon! It’s the truly the best sausage stuffing ever!
How to Make Our Sausage Stuffing Recipe
Ingredients
Process
- Preheat oven to 375˚F. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add sausage, brown and crumble for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Drain with a slotted spoon and pour sausage over the bread cubes.
- Melt remaining butter into the skillet and add onion and celery. Sauté for 4 to 5 minutes or until onion and celery becomes translucent. Season with salt and pepper.
- Add figs and continue to sauté for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Stir in thyme and chives.
- Remove mixture from heat and pour over bread cube mixture.
- Toss mixture together. Then pour warm stock over the top. Fold mixture together until no dry spots remain and everything is well mixed. Allow mixture to sit for about 6 to 8 minutes so any excess liquid can absorb into the mixture. Adjust seasonings. Pour mixture into a 9”x13” baking dish.
- Cover tightly with foil. Bake for 20 minutes, uncover and continue to bake for an additional 10 minutes. Remove stuffing from the oven and allow mixture to cool slightly before serving.
Why this is the BEST Sausage Stuffing
- Our recipes uses a fresh baguette unlike most recipes which call for stale/dried out bread. We lessen the amount of liquids to balance out the finished texture. This saves time on having to allow the torn baguette pieces to sit out for a couple days.
- Our recipe has savory and (just ever so slightly) sweet elements to it, which creates a truly delicious stuffing, that pairs perfectly with any thanksgiving meal!
- It’s a very simple and flavorful homemade recipe that does not require the use of bouillon cubes, which a lot of recipes use.
Tips and Tricks for Sausage Stuffing Success
- Allow the stuffing to sit with the stock for several minutes to allow the moisture to soak into the bread. This will help to prevent a dry stuffing.
- Don’t shy away on the amount of herbs used – the aromatics really help to flavor the stuffing!
- We don’t add an egg to our recipe because we find that we don’t really need it, but if you’re worried your stuffing won’t hold together you can stir two beaten eggs into the stuffing mixture right before pouring it into the baking dish.
- Keeping the stuffing covered in foil for some of the baking time will help keep the stuffing moist, while uncovering it for the last third of the baking time will allow for a crisp, buttery top to form on the dish.
Make Ahead Instructions
Our sausage stuffing recipe can be assembled up to 2 days ahead of time. Just assemble everything into the baking dish, tightly cover with foil (pre-bake) and refrigerate until ready to bake.
If the stuffing seems a little dry upon removing it from the refrigerator, just drizzle about 1/2 cup stock/broth over the baking dish and allow the stuffing to sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes (so some of the excess liquid can be absorbed).
Variations
- Swap the pork sausage out for chicken sausage or even your favorite brand of vegan sausage.
- Mix up the herbs you use to suit your personal taste. We’ve added sage in the past with really delicious results!
- Don’t like dried figs or can’t find them? No problem, try using dried and chopped dates or dried cranberries (for a tart kick)!
More Delicious Stuffing Recipes You Will Love
Sausage Stuffing Recipe (with Figs)
INGREDIENTS
- 12 ounce baguette torn into even pieces
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
- 8 ounces Italian sausage casings removed
- 1 medium onion diced
- 2 ribs celery diced
- 14 dried mission figs, quartered
- 2 tablespoons minced thyme
- 1 tablespoon thinly sliced chives
- 2 ½ cups warm chicken stock (or vegetable stock)
- salt and pepper to taste
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat oven to 375˚F.
- Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add sausage, brown and crumble for 2 to 3 minutes. Drain with a slotted spoon and pour sausage over the bread cubes.
- Melt remaining butter into the skillet and add onion and celery. Saute for 4 to 5 minutes or until onion and celery becomes translucent. Season with salt and pepper. Add figs and continue to sauté for 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in thyme and chives.
- Remove mixture from heat and pour over bread cube mixture. Toss mixture together. Then pour warm stock over the top. Fold mixture together until no dry spots remain and everything is well mixed.
- Allow mixture to sit for about 6 to 8 minutes so any excess liquid can absorb into the mixture. Adjust seasonings.
- Pour mixture into a 9”x13” baking dish and cover with foil.
- Bake for 20 minutes, uncover and continue to bake for an additional 10 minutes.
- Remove stuffing from the oven and allow mixture to cool slightly before serving.
NOTES
- Allow the stuffing to sit with the stock for several minutes to allow the moisture to soak into the bread. This will help to prevent a dry stuffing.
- Don’t shy away on the amount of herbs used – the aromatics really help to flavor the stuffing!
- We don’t add an egg to our recipe because we find that we don’t really need it, but if you’re worried your stuffing won’t hold together you can stir two beaten eggs into the stuffing mixture right before pouring it into the baking dish.
- Keeping the stuffing covered in foil for some of the baking time will help keep the stuffing moist, while uncovering it for the last third of the baking time will allow for a crisp, buttery top to form on the dish.
Did you make this recipe? We want to see!
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Lori
Looking forward to making this to change things up a bit! Is this sweet italian sausage that the recipe calls for?
Jenny Park
Yes, but you can use spicy if you prefer a kick!
Holly
Can you make this a day ahead?
Jenny Park
Yes, instructions in the post under “make ahead instructions”!
Dennett
I am not a fan of stuffing but I love figs so I thought why not! I have made this now for the past 3 Thanksgivings due to request. This is the only stuffing I will personally eat and everyone that tries it loves it.
Jenny Park
So happy to hear that! This is a personal favorite of mine as well!
Susan Umar
Can you tell me approximately how many cups of bread cubes you should have? Looking forward to trying this! Thanks!
Jenny Park
I usually have about 5-6 heaping cups :)
Gail
WOW, now I’ve got to make 2 stuffings this year–and that’s not a complaint. Will make the Pumpkin Cornbread and this Fig Herb and Sausage. Who knows, I may even combine the two. Thanks for such wonderful recipes.
stacey snacks
I posted Suzanne Goin’s date and sausage stuffing today….very similar to your stuffing. SO GOOD!
Tran Nguyen
This looks amazing, and I may try this year as an change up from my usual dressing (or perhaps make two dressings this year).. Was wondering if this would hold up if I prepped everything the day before, up to step 6 before stock.. and then added the stock just before baking the next day? Or would I be able to prep everything to step 8 and just toss in the oven the next day?
Bella B
This looks amazing I’m so use to the normal stuffing I would love to change it up this is a great twist!
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