Italian Sausage Stuffing - Herbed and Seasoned Turkey Dressing
This is a savory and delicious Italian sausage stuffing recipe that's a perfect accompaniment to the Thanksgiving turkey. It also works well with pork and chicken throughout the year. It is full of Italian flavor.
Servings: 12
Calories: 439kcal
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lbs. country sausage or Italian Sausage
- ⅔ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 cups chopped onion
- 1 cup chopped celery
- 1 Tablespoon finely chopped garlic
- 1 Tablespoons dried Italian seasoning or Tuscany seasoning
- 8 cups hearty bread cut in 1-inch cubes also may use corn bread cubes
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ cup marinated sun-dried tomatoes drained and diced - save the oil and use as part of the olive oil in the recipe
- ½ cup chopped fresh Italian parsley the flat leaf parsley.
- 4 to 5 cups warm chicken stock or chicken broth
- 2 eggs beaten
- Paprika to sprinkle over dressing
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Lay the bread 1-inch bread cubes on a large cookie sheet and mist with olive oil. Sprinkle lightly with Italian seasoning. Bake in a preheated 325 F oven for about 30 - 45 minutes. You want the bread to dry out so it will absorb all of the delicious flavors. Once the croutons cool put in a large mixing bowl
- Cook the ground sausage in a large heavy skillet, breaking into small pieces with a spatula. Cook sausage until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a strainer to drain off fat. Wipe the skillet clean. Add the olive oil, onion and celery to the skillet. Cook, stirring, over medium low heat until the vegetables are tender, but not browned, about 15 minutes. Add the garlic and dried herbs; cook 1 minute.
- Remove the skillet from the heat. Add the browned sausage, contents from the skillet, sun-dried tomatoes, cheese, fresh parsley and a generous grinding of black pepper to the croutons in the bowl. Combine the ingredients.
- Add 3 cups of the broth to the ingredients; stir to combine.When that is absorbed, add another ½ cup. Check the croutons to see if they are moist -- if not add another ½ cup of broth. Depending on the density of the bread I will let the dressing rest for 15 to 30 minutes and then go back and check. The dressing should be moist but not mushy. Since everything is cooked it's okay for you to taste to ensure the seasoning is to your liking and there is enough salt, pepper and broth.
- Once the seasoning is just right, lightly beat the eggs in a small bowl then pour over the dressing and mix well.
- Spoon the stuffing into large casserole pan that's been sprayed with vegetable oil. Lightly spread the mixture out. You don't want to pack it down. Sprinkle regular paprika over the top and cover with foil. Bake in a preheated 350 F oven for 1 hour removing the foil for the last 15 minutes.
Notes
- This can be made the day before. To warm be sure to cover with foil.
- Different breads require different amounts of broth -- don't be afraid to use more or less. I started with a low amount and increased by increments.
- For a delicious change, use cornbread to make a sausage cornbread stuffing.
Nutrition
Calories: 439kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 71mg | Sodium: 1007mg | Potassium: 539mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 415IU | Vitamin C: 14.9mg | Calcium: 139mg | Iron: 3.2mg