Level up the sides on your Thanksgiving table this year with an unbeatable sausage and bacon stuffing recipe.
This family favorite is full of savory meat, sautéd fresh vegetables, parmesan cheese, parsley, and-of course-herb stuffing.
It's so good that you'll want to keep stuffing yourself with more! Yum.
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Why you'll love this recipe
✔️ Sausage and bacon stuffing is one of the best side dishes to serve with Thanksgiving turkey, Christmas dinner, or any special occasion.
✔️ It's a great make-ahead recipe that's even better the next day. This way, you can get prep out of the way and maybe even relax a little!
✔️ Double this simple recipe to feed a large crowd. It's super easy to scale, no matter how many guests you expect.
Ingredients
Please refer to the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for the exact measurements.
- pork sausage
- bacon
- celery, onion, garlic
- olive oil
- herb-seasoned stuffing
- large egg
- parmesan cheese
- fresh parsley
- black pepper
- chicken broth
Instructions
This is an overview of the instructions. For complete directions, scroll down to the bottom.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a 9x13 baking dish by spraying it with non-stick cooking spray, and set aside.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon until crispy, remove from the pan, drain on a paper towel, and crumble.
- Remove excess oil from the pan. Then in the same skillet, brown the sausage, breaking up as it browns.
- Add the diced onions and chopped celery, season with salt and pepper. Saute for about 5 minutes, until the vegetables are soft.
- Pour the stuffing into a large bowl. Add the bacon, vegetable sausage mixture, beaten egg, herbs, and parmesan cheese. Mix lightly to combine.
- Slowly add the chicken broth. Mix until the bread is softened (not soggy) and coated.
- Transfer to the prepared casserole dish. Bake uncovered for 60-75 minutes or until the the top of the casserole is golden brown and crispy.
Equipment
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FAQ's
I love Pepperidge Farm's herb-seasoned stuffing! However, if you like making homemade stuffing from scratch, use crusty white bread like French baguette or sourdough bread.
Cut the bread into cubes, mix it with poultry seasoning, and toast it in the oven. You can skip the toasting step if you're using dry, stale bread.
Unless you want raw bacon in your stuffing, you must cook it before mixing it in with the rest of the ingredients. It won't crisp up or cook through if you don't!
Yep, but this method won't produce a crispy top. Dump your prepared stuffing mixture into a greased slow cooker, cover, and cook on low for 4-5 hours. Then, remove the lid and let it sit for about 15 minutes.
Absolutely! Store the unbaked stuffing in the fridge covered with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Refrigerate it overnight and bake it the next day.
You may need a few extra minutes of baking time since the stuffing will be cold. Add a splash of chicken broth or turkey broth to moisten the stuffing a bit if it seems to have gotten dry.
Test kitchen tips
- Don't forget to drain the bacon grease from the skillet before cooking the sausage for best results. Otherwise, your sausage meat will be oily.
- This sausage stuffing recipe uses ground sausage. If you can only find sausage links at the grocery store, make sure you remove the casings before cooking the sausage.
- Sausage bacon stuffing is ready when the top is golden brown and crispy.
- Allow the cooked sausage, bacon, and vegetables to cool to room temperature before you mix them in with the beaten egg. A hot sausage mixture will scramble the egg!
- You can store parsley in the fridge in a small mason jar with a bit of water (stem-side down like flowers in a vase) to keep it fresher longer!
- If your stuffing is browning too quickly, cover the casserole dish with a loose layer of aluminum foil to prevent it from burning.
- Prepped ahead? That's great, but don't wrap the hot dish tightly with foil and let it sit for too long. The steam will soften your crisp top and make it mushy.
Variations
- Use your favorite high-quality sausage in this pork sausage stuffing recipe, like a mild Italian sausage or breakfast sausage.
- Instead of using Pepperidge Farm store-bought stuffing, make your own with stale white bread cubes or bread crumbs and poultry seasoning!
- Add one chopped red bell pepper when you sauté the onion mixture for a lovely pop of zingy flavor and color.
- Add other chopped fresh herbs to your stuffing, such as fresh thyme, fresh sage, or fresh rosemary.
- Make your own homemade chicken stock with the carcass of a leftover rotisserie chicken.
- Substitute turkey broth for chicken broth to match the flavor of your Thanksgiving dinner.
Storage
Refrigerate-Refrigerate cooled leftover sausage bacon stuffing in an airtight container for up to four days.
Freezer-Freeze baked stuffing in an airtight container or tightly wrapped casserole dish for up to three months. (Enjoy it again at Christmas!)
Reheat-Reheat cooked stuffing in an oven-safe baking dish covered with aluminum foil. Bake at 325 degrees F for 15-20 minutes or until warm.
Related recipes
- Perfect for smaller gatherings, Crockpot Turkey and Stuffing is an easy slow cooker recipe that features the best stuffing and savory sausage.
- Turkey Corn Chowder is a spectacular way to transform Thanksgiving leftovers into a rich, delicious, hearty chowder!
- Creamy, cheesy, and made with fresh broccoli, Easy Chicken Casserole with Stuffing is a great way to use up leftover turkey or chicken in a filling, comforting meal.
Serve with
- This Turkey Recipe makes a moist and tender bird that's always a huge hit at holiday meals-don't forget the cranberry sauce!
- Learn How to Make Candied Sweet Potatoes, another classic Thanksgiving Day side dish. They only require four simple ingredients!
- Finish off your Thanksgiving meal with a slice of Easy, No-Bake Pumpkin Pie and Graham Cracker Crust. It's an extra creamy pumpkin pie that won't take up valuable space in your oven!
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Bacon and Sausage Stuffing
Ingredients
- 1 pound pork sausage
- 4 slices bacon cooked and crumbled
- 3 stalks of celery chopped (about 1 cup)
- 1 onion diced (about 1 cup)
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 12 ounce bag of herb-seasoned stuffing (I used the Pepperidge Farm brand)
- 1 egg beaten
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
- ¼ cup minced parsley
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 3 cups chicken broth
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a 9x13 baking dish by spraying with. non-stick cooking spray, set aside.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon until crispy, remove from the pan, drain on a paper towel and crumble.
- Remove excess oil from the pan. Then in the same skillet, brown the sausage, breaking up as it browns.
- Add the diced onions and chopped celery, season with salt and pepper. Saute for about 5 minutes, until the vegetables are soft.
- Pour the stuffing into a large bowl. Add the bacon, vegetable sausage mixture, beaten egg, herbs and parmesan cheese. Mix lightly to combine.
- Slowly add the chicken broth. Mix until the bread is softened (not soggy) and coated.
- Transfer to the prepared casserole dish. Bake uncovered 60-75 minutes or until the the top of the casserole is golden brown and crispy.
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