This very flavorful sausage stuffing proves once and for all that your Thanksgiving meal does not need bread to taste amazing!
Made with pork sausage and lots of vegetables and flavored with garlic, sage, and thyme, it's just as good as starchy recipes.
I used to LOVE my Thanksgiving bread stuffing. It's delicious! When I transitioned to a low-carb diet, I was saddened to realize that the traditional recipe had to go.
As it turns out, there was no reason to be sad. This sausage stuffing is amazing! The idea is to replace the bulk traditionally achieved with bread with tasty vegetables, yet keep the traditional flavor profile by using seasonings such as sage and thyme.
Cauliflower stuffing is another good option, although this one is certainly heartier.
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Ingredients
You'll only need a few simple ingredients to make this recipe. The exact measurements are included in the recipe card below. Here's an overview of what you'll need:
Olive oil: This is my favorite oil to cook with. But if you'd rather use an oil with a higher smoke point, you can use avocado oil instead. Butter is another tasty option.
Vegetables: I use chopped onions, celery, bell pepper, mushrooms, and minced fresh garlic.
Seasonings: Kosher salt and black pepper, ground thyme, and ground sage. It's important to make sure that those spices are fresh.
Pork sausage: Try to use high-quality sausage meat with no added sugar, such as the one sold by Whole Foods under their 365 brand.
Instructions
Making this sausage stuffing is easy! Scroll down to the recipe card for detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps:
Your very first step is to prep the vegetables - wash, peel, and chop. Then cook them in olive oil in a large, deep skillet.
Next, you add the minced garlic, the spices, and the pork sausage, and cook until the meat is no longer raw. Be sure to break up the sausage meat as you cook it.
Your final step is to transfer the skillet contents, undrained, to a greased baking dish. Bake the stuffing until golden, about 30 minutes at 350°F.
Expert tip
Instead of using store-bought sausage, you can mix your own sausage using ground pork and lots of spices. Here's a recipe for homemade sausage that will give you an idea of what spices to use.
Frequently asked questions
Yes! It's VERY tasty. I think it's just as good as bread stuffing. But it's good in a different way - it's more flavorful, and I think it's also more satiating.
The most exciting part was when I discovered that my family members love this recipe just as much as I do - even The Picky Eater.
Yes. In fact, this stuffing tastes better the next day. So you can make it in advance, then reheat it on Thanksgiving Day in a 350°F oven.
There's no need to add eggs to this stuffing. Eggs are used as a binder in bread stuffing. In sausage stuffing, they're not needed.
Variations
Here are a few ideas for making variations on the basic recipe:
- As mentioned above, you can either use pre-packaged sausage meat or make your own. You don't have to use pork - beef, chicken, or even turkey sausage meat all work.
- I like Cremini mushrooms, but white mushrooms work too, as do portobello mushrooms.
- You can use any color of bell pepper. Red adds a nice splash of color to the dish.
- You can make this dish a bit spicy by adding a pinch of cayenne when you add the other spices. A pinch of cumin is not a traditional stuffing seasoning, but it's very good!
Serving suggestions
I typically serve this dish as part of my Thanksgiving spread. When I have leftovers, I like to serve them as a main dish on top of a bed of mashed cauliflower or cauliflower rice. It makes for a well-rounded, excellent meal.
Storing leftovers
Leftovers keep well in the fridge for 3-4 days in an airtight container. You can reheat them in the microwave or in a 350°F oven.
In fact, this is one of those recipes where the leftovers taste just as good as the freshly made dish.
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Recipe card
Sausage Stuffing
INGREDIENTS
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion chopped (6 oz)
- 1 cup celery chopped (4 oz)
- 1 red bell pepper chopped (4 oz)
- 8 oz Cremini mushrooms chopped
- 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt (less if using fine salt)
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic
- ½ teaspoon ground thyme
- ½ teaspoon ground sage
- 1 lb. pork sausage
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 2-quart baking dish.
- Heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat, about 2 minutes.
- Add the onion, celery, bell pepper, mushrooms, kosher salt, and black pepper. Cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are tender-crisp, about 5 minutes.
- Add the minced garlic, thyme, sage, and pork sausage to the skillet. Cook, stirring and breaking up the meat as you cook, until the meat is no longer pink, about 5 more minutes.
- Transfer the skillet contents, undrained, to the prepared baking dish. Bake, uncovered, until browned, about 30 minutes.
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NOTES
- As mentioned above, you can either use pre-packaged sausage meat, or make your own. You don't have to use pork - beef, chicken, or even turkey sausage meat all work.
- I like Cremini mushrooms, but white mushrooms work too, as do portobello mushrooms.
- You can use any color of bell pepper. Red adds a nice splash of color to the dish.
- You can make it a bit spicy by adding a pinch of cayenne when you add the other spices. A pinch of cumin is not a traditional stuffing seasoning, but it's very good!
ADD YOUR OWN NOTES
NUTRITION PER SERVING
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Vered DeLeeuw, LL.M., CNC, has been following a low-carb real-food diet and blogging about it since 2011. She's a Certified Nutrition Coach (NASM-CNC), has taken courses at the Harvard School of Public Health, and has earned a Nutrition and Healthy Living Certificate from Cornell University. Her work has appeared in several major media outlets, including Healthline, HuffPost, Today, Women's Health, Shape, and Country Living. 