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4.58 from 7 votes

Overnight Sausage and Sage Stuffing

To achieve bread cubes that hold their shape but are tender and moist all the way through, stir everything together in a large bowl and then let the stuffing rest in the fridge overnight. This will give the cubes plenty of time to absorb all of the liquids and for the flavors to come together.
Prep Time40 minutes
Cook Time1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time2 hours 10 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Christmas, classic stuffing, fall, Holiday recipe, Thanksgiving
Servings: 12
Author: Jess Smith via Inquiring Chef
Cost: $9.00

Equipment

  • 9 x 13 Baking Dish
  • Skillet
  • Mixing Bowls

Ingredients

  • 8 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
  • 1 cup Chopped Celery
  • 1 cup diced Yellow Onion
  • 2 Leeks, split in half, cleaned and finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
  • 1 Granny Smith Apple, peeled and diced
  • 1/4 cup chopped Fresh Sage
  • 1/4 cup chopped Fresh Flat-Leaf Parsley
  • 8 ounces Mild Italian Sausage
  • 2 large Eggs
  • 3 cups Low-Sodium Turkey or Chicken Stock
  • 12 cups cubed Bread (see note)

Instructions

  • Spray a 9x13 baking dish (or any 3 quart casserole dish) with nonstick cooking spray.
  • Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add butter and when butter is melted, add celery, onion, leeks, apple, sage, parsley, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until celery and onion are soft, 8 to 10 minutes.
  • Add sausage and cook, breaking it apart, until cooked all the way through, 8 to 10 minutes more.
  • Transfer sausage and vegetables to a large mixing bowl. Let cool slightly.
  • In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together eggs and 1/2 teaspoon salt until smooth. Slowly add in stock while whisking so that everything is evenly combined.
  • Pour stock mixture over sausage and vegetables. Add bread cubes on top.
  • Gently fold everything together until most of the stock mixture has been absorbed by the bread cubes (this may take a few minutes of stirring / folding).
  • Transfer stuffing to prepared baking dish. Cover tightly with foil.
  • Refrigerate overnight (or for about 8 hours).
  • When ready to bake, let stuffing come to room temperature.
  • Preheat oven to 350°F / 177°C.
  • Bake stuffing, covered, for 40 minutes. (Note: If the stuffing is cold when you transfer it to the oven, add 30 minutes to this initial bake time to insure it is cooked through.)
  • Remove foil and continue baking until stuffing is golden brown on top, about 30 minutes more.

Notes

Bread - Use any type; I like a combination of white and whole wheat. The bread needs to be very dry. You can dry it out by either cubing it and leaving it out at room temperature, uncovered, overnight or by baking the cubes in a 350°F / 177°C oven until golden and toasted, about 15 minutes.
Kosher Salt - I use Morton’s Kosher Salt to test recipes. If using table salt, reduce by about half. If using Diamond Kosher Salt, increase by about 25%. Everyone has their own preferences when it comes to salt, so be sure to taste and adjust as you go. 

Nutrition

Calories: 329kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 65mg | Sodium: 664mg | Potassium: 307mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 678IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 110mg | Iron: 3mg