Easy Michael Symon Sausage Stuffing Recipe That’s Holiday-Perfect

Michael Symon’s sausage stuffing transforms ordinary holiday meals into extraordinary culinary experiences.

Bold and hearty, this recipe captures the essence of comfort food with its rich, savory profile.

Each carefully selected ingredient contributes layers of depth and warmth to the dish.

Rustic bread cubes soak up the robust flavors of seasoned sausage and aromatic vegetables.

Homemade stuffing represents more than just a side dish – it’s a celebration of family traditions and culinary craftsmanship.

The combination of herbs and spices creates a harmonious blend that elevates your dining experience.

Prepare to impress your guests with this mouthwatering creation that brings people together around the table: savor every delicious bite.

Sausage Stuffing Showstopper: Why You’ll Love It

• Savor Meaty Richness: The sausage adds incredible depth and robust flavor, creating a hearty stuffing that elevates any holiday meal with its delicious, savory profile.
• Master Quick Cooking: This recipe takes only one hour to prepare, making it perfect for busy home cooks who want a delectable side dish without spending all day in the kitchen.
• Customize Your Comfort: The flexible method allows you to stuff directly into the turkey or serve separately, giving you total control over how you want to enjoy this classic holiday favorite.
• Texture Triumph: The combination of crispy bread cubes, tender sausage, and soft vegetables creates a mouthwatering blend of textures that makes every bite interesting and satisfying.

Hearty Ingredients for a Tasty Stuffing

• Sausage: Hearty protein base that brings rich, savory flavor to the stuffing, preferably a high-quality ground pork sausage with good seasoning.

• Chicken Seasoning, Black Pepper: Essential flavor enhancers that add depth and warmth to the stuffing, choose freshly ground pepper for best taste.

• Bread Cubes: Foundational ingredient that provides texture and absorbs other flavors, day-old bread works best for better absorption.
• Celery, Onions: Classic aromatic vegetables that contribute subtle sweetness and depth, choose fresh, firm vegetables for maximum flavor.

• Butter, Sausage Grease: Create rich, moist texture and enhance overall flavor, use a combination for maximum taste complexity.

Foolproof Steps to Sausage Stuffing

Step 1: Gather Cooking Supplies

Collect all ingredients and kitchen tools needed for creating delicious sausage stuffing.

• Sausage
• Bread cubes
• Celery
• Onions
• Butter
• Chicken seasoning
• Pepper

Step 2: Brown Sausage

Heat a large pan on medium-high heat. Cook sausage for 5-7 minutes, stirring continuously until meat turns golden brown and crumbles. Transfer cooked sausage to a spacious mixing bowl using a slotted spoon.

Step 3: Prepare Cooking Fat

Measure sausage grease in a cup. Add melted butter to reach total volume. Return pan to medium-low heat and add the combined fat.

Step 4: Sauté Vegetables

Cook chopped celery and onions in the butter mixture. Sauté until onions become soft and translucent, avoiding browning.

Step 5: Combine Bread Cubes

Gently fold some bread cubes into the vegetable mixture. This helps absorb flavors and create texture.

Step 6: Mix Stuffing Components

Transfer vegetable and bread mixture to the bowl with browned sausage. Add remaining bread cubes, chicken seasoning, and pepper. Stir thoroughly to distribute ingredients evenly.

Step 7: Stuff and Roast Turkey

Carefully fill turkey’s body and neck cavity with the prepared sausage stuffing. Roast turkey using your preferred cooking method.

Top Tips for Savory Success

• Boost Flavor Depth: Mix sausage drippings with butter to create a rich, layered taste profile that elevates the entire stuffing.
• Texture Control Technique: Break sausage into smaller crumbles during cooking to ensure even distribution and consistent browning throughout the dish.
• Moisture Management: Reserve a bit of sausage fat to prevent dry stuffing, allowing the mixture to stay juicy and tender when baking.
• Seasoning Strategy: Use the rendered sausage fat as a secret weapon for adding extra depth and complexity to the stuffing's overall flavor.
• Heat Precision Trick: Maintain a steady medium-high temperature while cooking sausage to achieve perfect caramelization without burning.

Keep It Delicious: Stuffing Storage

• Vacuum Seal Method: Extract all air from a heavy-duty freezer bag using a vacuum sealer before storing stuffing. Protect each portion by removing oxygen that causes freezer burn and prevents flavor degradation.
• Portion Separation Method: Divide leftover stuffing into individual serving sizes using small plastic containers or freezer bags. Enables quick reheating without thawing entire batch and reduces potential food waste.
• Flavor Preservation Method: Wrap stuffing tightly in multiple layers of plastic wrap before placing in freezer container. Creates additional moisture barrier that locks in original herbs and sausage seasonings, maintaining taste quality during extended storage periods.

Stuffing Variations: Fun Ways to Mix It Up

• Herb-Infused Comfort: Replace chicken seasoning with fresh rosemary, thyme, and sage for an aromatic herb-packed stuffing that brings garden-fresh flavors to your holiday meal.
• Spicy Chorizo Kick: Swap Italian sausage with spicy chorizo to introduce a bold, zesty profile that adds unexpected warmth and complexity to the traditional stuffing recipe.
• Mediterranean Magic: Incorporate crumbled feta cheese, chopped kalamata olives, and sun-dried tomatoes to transform the classic stuffing into a Mediterranean-inspired side dish with tangy, robust notes.
• Mushroom Umami Boost: Mix in sautéed wild mushrooms like shiitake and cremini to create a rich, earthy stuffing that delivers deep umami flavors and extra texture to complement the sausage.

Final Bite: Stuffing Conclusion

Sausage stuffing reveals Michael Symon’s culinary magic, transforming classic holiday dishes with rustic charm and bold flavors.

Classic comfort meets professional technique in this hearty recipe that connects generations around festive tables.

Savory sausage crumbles weave through seasoned bread cubes, creating complex layers of taste and texture.

Homemade stuffing signals warmth, tradition, and culinary passion beyond simple side dishes.

Michael Symon Sausage Stuffing Recipe

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4.8 from 13 reviews

• Total Time: 55 minutes
• Yield: 8 1x

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Description

Michael Symon’s sausage stuffing elevates holiday tables with robust Italian sausage, fragrant herbs, and crusty bread. Hearty and rich, this classic side dish brings warmth and comfort to gatherings you’ll savor with family and friends.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Main Protein:

• 1 pound (454 grams) breakfast sausage

Vegetables:

• 1 ½ cups (225 grams) finely diced celery
• ¾ cup (115 grams) chopped onion

Seasonings and Other Ingredients:

• 8 cups (512 grams) white bread cubes
• ¾ cup (170 grams) melted butter
• 3 teaspoons (15 milliliters) poultry seasoning
• ¼ teaspoon (1.25 milliliters) ground black pepper

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Instructions

1. Gather all necessary ingredients and tools for preparing the stuffing, ensuring everything is clean and ready for use.
2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high temperature (375°F/190°C). Sauté the ground sausage for 5-7 minutes, breaking it into small crumbles until it turns golden brown and fully cooked. Transfer the browned sausage to a spacious mixing bowl using a slotted spoon, allowing excess grease to drain.
3. Measure the sausage drippings and supplement with melted butter to create a full cup of fat. Return the skillet to medium-low heat and add the combined fat mixture.
4. Sauté diced celery and chopped onions in the fat until the onions become translucent and soft, being careful not to brown them, which would create a bitter flavor.
5. Gradually fold in half of the bread cubes, allowing them to absorb the aromatic vegetable and fat mixture.
6. Combine the sautéed vegetables and partially moistened bread cubes with the cooked sausage in the mixing bowl. Gently fold in the remaining bread cubes, chicken seasoning, and ground black pepper, ensuring even distribution of ingredients.
7. Carefully stuff the seasoned mixture into the turkey’s cavity and neck area, taking care not to pack too tightly to allow proper heat circulation during roasting. Proceed with roasting the turkey according to your preferred method.

Notes

• Crumble sausage meticulously in a hot skillet, breaking into small pieces while cooking to achieve golden-brown perfection and maximize flavor development.
• Drain excess fat using a slotted spoon, capturing the rich sausage drippings for an extra layer of savory depth in your dish.
• Blend rendered sausage grease with melted butter carefully, creating a flavor-packed base that elevates the entire recipe’s taste profile.
• Maintain consistent medium-high heat to guarantee even browning and prevent burning, transforming plain sausage into a crispy, delectable ingredient.
• Allow sausage bits to develop a deep golden color, which intensifies the overall taste and provides a satisfying textural contrast.
• Control cooking temperature to ensure moisture retention while achieving a crisp exterior that adds remarkable complexity to your culinary creation.

• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 45 minutes
• Category: Dinner, Appetizer
• Method: Sautéing
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 8
• Calories: 570
• Sugar: 2 g
• Sodium: 900 mg
• Fat: 42 g
• Saturated Fat: 18 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 20 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 32 g
• Fiber: 1 g
• Protein: 12 g
• Cholesterol: 100 mg