Best Homemade Stuffing Recipe (Tips, Make Ahead)

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Our best ever homemade stuffing with Italian sausage and savory seasonings is the perfect make-ahead side dish for holiday meals.

Stuffing with sausage and herbs in a white casserole dish, topped with fresh herb garnish..

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You will love this Best Ever Stuffing Recipe!

The best stuffing recipe ever is easy to make in 30 minutes and can be made ahead of time if you’re making it for a holiday meal. Your family and friends will be so impressed!

This stuffing is absolute perfection with Italian sausage and seasoned stuffing cubes.

Stuffing vs. Dressing

The only difference between Thanksgiving stuffing and dressing is how they're cooked.

Stuffing is a mixture used to stuff another food, like a Turkey, before cooking. Dressing is cooked in a pan outside of the turkey cavity.

So, technically this recipe is dressing, because it is cooked in its own 9x13 baking pan, separate from the Thanksgiving Turkey. For all intents and purposes, we call this stuffing, and it is delicious.

Close up spoon full of stuffing with sausage, celery, herbs in it.

This recipe is made with herb seasoned stuffing cubes, so it's also super fast and easy. Mrs. Cubbisons is our favorite brand. I love that you don't have to sacrifice taste, but still have time to make all your other favorite Thanksgiving dishes.

Check out what else we do to save time and all of our tips for Thanksgiving prep here.

Close up Thanksgiving stuffing in a white casserole dish with a wooden spoon.

Best Homemade Stuffing Recipe Ingredients

Butter
Italian Sausage
Onion
Celery
Herb seasoned stuffing cubes
Poultry seasoning
Chicken Broth

How to make the Best Sausage Stuffing Recipe Ever

Brown Italian sausage in large stock pot and break up into crumbles. Set aside on a plate.
Into the same pot add butter, onions and celery on medium high heat and sauté until tender, about 8-10 minutes.
Turn heat to medium low. Add chicken broth and seasoning, then stir until well mixed.
Remove from heat. Add sausage back to pan and stir until mixed.
Add stuffing cubes and GENTLY fold into broth mixture. Add more cubes, 1 cup at a time, until your desired consistency is achieved. (After mixing the stuffing cubes in, add extra broth slowly. You can always add more if you need to, but if you add too much liquid your dressing will be mushy.)
Be careful to not over mix as that could also make stuffing mushy. If stuffing seems dry, add a small amount of broth a little at a time.
Put stuffing into a buttered casserole dish and bake at 350 degrees uncovered unti dressing is heated through and top begins to look crispy.

Make Ahead Stuffing

You can make this stuffing recipe a day ahead and keep it covered in the fridge until ready to bake.

Just prepare the stuffing as directed in the recipe, and do not bake it until about an hour before your big meal!

Plan on cooking for 40-50 minutes if putting the dish into the oven straight from the fridge.

Thanksgiving Make Ahead Stuffing with sausage and herbs in a white casserole dish, a wooden spoon full of stuffing on the counter next to it.

How to store the Best Homemade Stuffing Recipe

‌Store stuffing in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Along with this, consider trying some of our other favorite Thanksgiving side dishes - Pomegranate Apple Salad, Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes, and this EASY Green Bean Casserole!

Best Stuffing Ever FAQs

How far ahead can you make dressing for thanksgiving?

You can prepare dressing up to one to two days in advance.

Cook the Italian sausage, prepare the bread or other ingredients, and mix them together as per your recipe.

Store the prepared dressing in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

On the day you plan to serve the dressing, bake it until it is heated through completely and a little brown on top.

Add an extra 30 minutes to cook time if putting dressing into the oven straight from the fridge.

Can you freeze make ahead stuffing?

If you want to prepare the dressing further in advance, consider freezing it before baking.

Wrap the unbaked dressing tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil and store it in the freezer.

Thaw it in the refrigerator for a day or two before you plan to bake it.

If you try this stuffing I'd love if you would leave us a good rating and review in the comments!

Thanksgiving stuffing in a white casserole dish with a wooden spoon full of stuffing being picked up from out of the pan.

Best Ever Stuffing Recipe

Literally the best stuffing recipe ever! This stuffing with sausage and classic herbs is so easy, hearty, and delicious! One of our favorite make ahead Thanksgiving side dishes.

5 from 7 votes

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 10

Bake Time: 20

Total Time: 35

Servings:

Calories: 579kcal

Author: Pretty Providence

Video

Ingredients

1 cup butter
1 lb Italian sausage
2 cups chopped onion
2 cups chopped celery
1 ½ teaspoon poultry seasoning
32 oz chicken broth
10 cups Herb Seasoned Stuffing Cubes see notes

Instructions

Butter a 9x13 casserole dish. Brown sausage in large stock pot and break up into crumbles and set aside on a plate.
In the same pot add butter, onions and celery on medium high heat and sauce until tender, about 8-10 minutes.
Turn heat to medium low and add chicken broth, seasoning, and stir until well mixed.
Remove from heat and add sausage back to pan and stir until mixed. Add stuffing and GENTLY fold into broth mixture. Add more stuffing 1 cup at a time until your desired consistency is achieved.
You don't want too much liquid or it will be mushy. You basically want just enough liquid to moisten stuffing crumbs. Be careful to not over mix as that could also make stuffing mushy. If stuffing seems dry, add a small amount of broth a little at a time.
Put stuffing into your buttered casserole dish and bake at 350 degrees uncovered until heated through and top is just becoming crunchy (about 20 minutes depending on your oven).

Notes

I like to use Mrs. Cubbisons Herb Seasoned Stuffing Cubes for this recipe. Each box has 10 oz. or about 6 cups of stuffing cubes, so you will need two boxes in order to make this recipe. (We use 10 cups total.)

Make Ahead Thanksgiving Stuffing

This stuffing recipe can be made a day ahead and kept covered in the fridge until ready to bake. Plan on cooking an extra 25-30 minutes if putting into the oven straight from the fridge.