Easy Sausage & Herb Stuffing by Jenn Segal

A family favorite for the holidays, this easy sausage and herb stuffing uses store-bought stuffing cubes, eliminating the step of slicing and drying out the bread.

SERVES: 8-10
PREP TIME: 10 minutes
COOK TIME: 1 hour 30 minutes

Ingredients:

8 cups (400g) store-bought unseasoned stuffing cubes
1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter
1½ cups diced yellow onion (from 1 large or 2 small onions)
1 cup diced celery (from 3 large celery stalks)
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 pound bulk sweet Italian sausage (i.e., sausage with the casings removed) -- see note below*
2¾ cups low sodium chicken broth
1 large egg, beaten
1 tablespoon fresh chopped rosemary
1 tablespoon fresh chopped sage
¼ cup fresh chopped parsley
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with butter.

Place the stuffing cubes in a large mixing bowl. In a large sauté pan, melt the butter. Add the onions and celery and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for about 8 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft. Add the garlic and cook 2 minutes more. Add the vegetables to the stuffing cubes. (Don't wash the pan but scrape out every last bit of vegetables, otherwise they will burn in the next step.)

In the same pan, cook the sausage over medium heat for 8-10 minutes, until browned and cooked through, breaking up the sausage with a metal spatula while cooking (the largest pieces should be no greater than ¼-inch). Add the browned sausage and fat to the bread cubes and vegetables.

Add the chicken broth, egg, rosemary, sage, parsley, salt and pepper to the bread cube mixture and mix until the bread is soft and moistened. Transfer the stuffing to the prepared baking dish and bake for 65-75 minutes, uncovered, until deeply golden and crisp on top.

Note: If you can't find bulk sausage, simply buy regular sausage and remove the casings.

Make-Ahead/Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The stuffing can be assembled up to a day ahead and refrigerated until ready to bake; follow the baking instructions in the recipe. It can also can be frozen after baking, tightly covered, for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to serve it, defrost in the refrigerator for 24 hours. Reheat it, covered with foil, in a 325°F oven until hot.

Nutrition Information:

Per serving (10 servings)

Calories: 467
Fat: 28 grams
Saturated fat: 10 grams
Carbohydrates: 40 grams
Sugar: 5 grams
Fiber: 6 grams
Protein: 15 grams
Sodium: 1,063 mg
Cholesterol: 57 mg