This classic stuffing recipe belongs on every holiday table and in any collection of cooking, easy recipes. It balances crusty torn bread, savory sausage, bright herbs, and a silky egg-and-stock binding to create a souffle-like interior with a golden, buttery top. Home cooks will love how straightforward the method is and how reliably delicious the result turns out.
Why this stuffing works for busy kitchens
Great stuffing starts with great bread. Using a sturdy sourdough or rustic Italian loaf that has been torn into pieces and left to dry overnight gives the recipe the right texture and absorption. The dried bread soaks up the savory juices from sausage, wine, and chicken stock without turning mushy. A combo of hot and sweet sausage delivers deep, layered flavor, while lots of finely chopped herbs keep the dish bright and fresh.
Ingredients
- Crusty bread: Sourdough or rustic Italian, torn and dried overnight.
- Sausage: A mix of hot and sweet, cooked and crumbled.
- Onions or leeks: Finely diced (wash leeks thoroughly if using).
- Celery: Plenty, finely diced.
- Fresh herbs: Rosemary, thyme, parsley — chopped very fine.
- White wine: For deglazing and extra flavor.
- Chicken stock: Warm, used to moisten the bread.
- Eggs: Whisked into stock to create a light, souffle-like interior.
- Butter and olive oil: For sautéing and dotting the top.
- Salt and pepper: To taste.
Method
- Prepare the bread: Tear the loaf into bite-sized pieces and leave them on a baking sheet uncovered to dry out overnight.
- Cook the sausage: Brown the sausage in a skillet, breaking it up as it cooks. Remove the sausage, leaving the flavorful browned bits behind.
- Sauté the vegetables: Add butter and olive oil to the skillet, then sauté the onions (or leeks) and celery with salt and pepper until soft and just beginning to color.
- Build the flavor: Return the sausage to the skillet, deglaze with a splash of white wine, then stir in the chopped herbs. Let the mixture cool slightly.
- Mix the binder: Whisk eggs into warm chicken stock in a bowl. This egg-stock mix gives the stuffing a light, souffle-like interior.
- Toss and combine: In a large bowl, gently toss the dried bread with the sausage-vegetable-herb mixture and the egg-stock until the bread soaks up the liquid.
- Bake: Transfer to a buttered casserole dish, dot the top with butter, cover, and bake in a hot oven. Remove the cover for the last portion of baking time so the top turns golden and slightly crisp.
Serving, timing, and make-ahead notes
- Timing: Bake covered until heated through, then uncover to brown the top for the last 10–15 minutes.
- Make ahead: Assemble the stuffing a day ahead and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before baking. If the bread seems dry, add a splash more stock when mixing.
- Reheating: Heat in a covered dish at moderate oven temperature until warmed through, then uncover briefly to refresh the crust.
Tips and tasty variations
- Don’t skimp on fat. Butter and a little olive oil help the flavors soak into the bread and produce a rich top.
- Mix sausages for depth. Combining hot and sweet sausage creates a complex, crowd-pleasing flavor profile.
- Herbs matter. Finely chopped rosemary, thyme, and parsley brighten the dish and balance the richness.
- Wine for lift. A quick deglaze with white wine adds a subtle acidity that elevates the overall taste.
- Eggs for texture. Whisking eggs into the stock produces that desirable light, souffle-like interior.
"This is the one time of the year where not skimping really pays off."
Final notes
This stuffing is a perfect example of cooking, easy recipes that deliver maximum comfort with minimal fuss. It pairs beautifully with roasted turkey, simple roasted vegetables, or a crisp salad. Whether made for the holidays or any special meal, it consistently earns praise and seconds.
This article was created from the video The BEST Stuffing You Will Ever Make with the help of AI.
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