This hearty and delicious Sausage and Mushroom Thanksgiving Stuffing is filled with cozy Fall flavors and warm spices perfect to please a crowd. This Thanksgiving side dish will be one recipe you will keep for years!
Thanksgiving has always been my favorite holiday I am assuming because of my love for food. It really isn't Thanksgiving without traditional stuffing. No fruit, no nuts, just a ton of dried bread cubes, butter, sausage, mushrooms, celery, onions, herbs and spices. This dish is rich, hearty and will make enough to certainly feed a crowd. This is truly the best Sausage and Mushroom Thanksgiving Stuffing.
Homemade Bread Cubes
I enjoy making my own dried bread cubes out of two loaves of bread but you can of course use prepackaged bread crumbs from the store. If you are making your own, the process is extremely simple. Slice two loaves of bread into ½ to 1 inch cubes and spread them out in a single layer on a large baking sheet. I use one large baking sheet for each loaf of bread. If too many bread cubes are piled on top of each other, the bread will not toast evenly.
Bake the bread cubes in a 300 degree oven for 30 minutes, tossing the bread cubes after each 10 ten minute increments. After about 30 minutes the bread cubes will be toasted and crispy. Once the cubes cool down completely, they can be stored in a ziplock bag until you are ready to use them. It is important to make sure the bread cubes are completely cooled down. If they are even the slightest bit warm, their texture will change in the ziplock bag. As a result, they will begin to steam and turn from crispy to tough and chewy.
I like to make the bread cubes, sausage, and veggie mixture ahead of time. The sausage and veggie mixture can be kept in the refrigerator ahead of time and then combine them with the bread, spices, eggs and broth right before you bake them. Thanksgiving is much less stressful if you make what you can in advance.
Tips For This Recipe
- Broth - The amount of chicken broth you use in this recipe depends on a few factors. The type of bread and the amount of cubes you use will determine how much broth to use. Start with 3 cups of broth and if it feels dry still add more ¼ cup at a time. Keep in mind the bread will continue to absorb the broth and the tops will get crispy as it cooks in the oven.
- Sausage - I have used sage flavored sausage and hot Italian sausage as well and both were wonderful. Switch it up and feel free to use different types of flavored sausage to your taste.
- Mushrooms - When you first add the mushrooms to the pan with the other veggies, it will seem like an absurd amount. As mushrooms cook, they release their moisture and will reduce significantly in size.
- Combining Ingredients - When you mix all the ingredients together before you put it in a casserole dish it needs to be a VERY large mixing bowl. I ended up having to use the largest pot I had to mix it all instead of a bowl.
- Bread Cubes - If you decide to make your own bread cubes, make sure they are in a single layer on your sheet pan. This will ensure they toast evenly and get crispy so they can absorb as much flavor as possible. I use these extra large sheet pans to toast my bread crumbs and they come out perfect every time.
For more great sides, check out the recipes below!
Easy Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes
Crispy Balsamic Brussels and Pancetta
Sausage and Mushroom Thanksgiving Stuffing
Ingredients
- 10-12 cups dried bread cubes (about 2 large loaves)
- 1 ½ lb mild Italian sausage
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 12 tablespoon butter
- 2 onions diced
- 2 cups diced celery
- 16 oz sliced bella crimini mushrooms
- 2 large eggs lightly beaten
- 2 teaspoon poultry seasoning
- 1 tsp dried sage
- ½ tsp dried marjoram
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary (optional)
- ¼ cup fresh parsley
Instructions
Making the Bread Cubes
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit
- Slice two loaves of bread into ½ to 1 inch cubes and place in a single layer on to 2 large baking sheets.
- Transfer baking sheets to the oven and bake for about 30 minutes. After each ten minute increment remove from oven and toss bread carefully and return to the oven.
- After 30 minutes the volume will have decreased slightly and the bread cubes should be dried but not browned. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
Making the Stuffing
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
- Add one tablespoon of olive oil to a large skillet and brown the sausage, breaking it apart until there is no more pink and it is cooked through.
- Transfer sausage to a paper towel lined bowl and set aside.
- In the same skillet in which the sausage was cooked, melt 12 tablespoons of butter and add the diced onions, celery and mushrooms. Stir frequently until onions are translucent and mushrooms have reduced and are cooked through.
- In a very large mixing bowl, combine breadcrumbs, sausage, the onion/celery/mushroom mixture, poultry seasoning, sage, marjoram, rosemary, salt, pepper and eggs and mix together until just combined.
- Gently pour chicken broth over the mixture and mix again.
- Transfer to a 9 X 13 baking dish and cover lightly with foil.
- After 15 minutes, remove the foil and continue baking for 30 more minutes
- Remove from the oven and garnish with chopped fresh parsley
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