Homemade Stovetop Stuffing with Sausage

This simple and delicious stovetop stuffing is made completely from scratch, no boxed mixes here! But it’s still super easy to make in just 30 minutes. This delicious homemade stuffing recipe is filled with veggies, fresh herbs and sausage for maximum flavor.

And this homemade stovetop stuffing with sausage checks all of the boxes! It takes just 30 minutes to make on the stovetop (freeing up the oven for other things), and it tastes so cozy and satisfying. This is a fairly basic stuffing recipe, but it packs so much great flavor thanks to the sausage, lots of butter, and fresh herbs.

So skip the more complicated baked stuffing or dressing if you want, and don’t even think about making a boxed stuffing mix. Serve this homemade stovetop stuffing instead!

Table of Contents

• Ingredients you’ll need
• How to this homemade stovetop stuffing recipe
• Recipe tips and FAQs
• Flavor variations
• Can this recipe be made ahead?
• More side dishes
• Get this recipe

Ingredients you’ll need

• Bulk ground sausage, but you can leave it out if you want.
• Onion, celery and garlic 
• Unseasoned dried stuffing bread cubes, key to the ease of this recipe! You can find them in most grocery stores.
• Fresh sage, rosemary and thyme, fresh herbs are highly recommended for the best flavor.
• Chicken broth, turkey broth or vegetable broth
• Salted butter
• Salt and pepper

How to this homemade stovetop stuffing recipe

1. Cook sausage. Brown sausage in skillet over medium high heat until cooked all the way through, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.
2. Cook vegetables. Melt butter and add onions, celery, garlic, and herbs to skillet and cook till veggies are tender, about 5 minutes.
3. Warm the broth. The broth needs to be how when you add it to the pan so that the dish will still be warm and cozy when you serve it. Heat it over the stove or in the microwave.
4. Add bread cubes and broth. Return sausage to pan along with bread cubes and gently toss. Pour broth over the whole skillet, trying to moisten as many bread cubes as possible. Stir very gently.
5. Cover and sit. Cover skillet, turn off the heat, and let it sit for 15-20 minutes to let the bread cubes soak up the broth.
6. Broil for a toasted golden topping (optional). Place skillet under the broiler for 2-4 minutes to brown the top of the stuffing.
7. Serve. Enjoy this stuffing right away, transferring it to a serving bowl if you like.

Recipe tips and FAQs

• A large skillet (with a lid) is preferred. You can make this stovetop stuffing in almost any covered skillet or pot, but I chose to use a wide cast iron skillet as there’s more surface area to brown the sausage, which enhances the flavor in this recipe.
• Where do I find dried unseasoned bread cubes? Your grocery store may have them in the aisle next to boxes of Stove Top Stuffing mix, and the bakery section often will have big bags of it around Thanksgiving time.
• You can make your own dried bread cubes if you want. Cut bread (any kind you like) into very small cubes (1/4-1/2 inch) 5-6 cups total and let dry overnight on a sheet pan left uncovered.
• How to make this dish vegetarian? Simply leave out the sausage and use vegetable broth.
• Use fresh herbs if you can. They’ll provide the best flavor, but in a pinch you can use 1 1/2 teaspoons dried poultry seasoning.
• Be sure the broth is warm or hot when you add it, to make sure that the finished stove top stuffing is still warm when you serve it.
• Toasting the stuffing under the broiler makes a difference! It’s an optional step, but if you have a few minutes before serving I highly recommend it.

Can this recipe be made ahead?

More side dishes

Get this recipe

This recipe was originally published in November 2020, and created in partnership with Go Bold With Butter. Thank you for supporting partnerships with brands I love and believe in, which make Completely Delicious possible. All opinions are always 100% my own.