Flavorful Sausage Stuffing

This flavorful sausage stuffing proves once and for all that your Thanksgiving meal does not need bread to taste amazing!

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Diet Gluten Free

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 40

Total Time 1

Servings servings

Calories 240kcal

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion chopped; 6 ounces
1 cup celery chopped; 4 ounces
1 red bell pepper chopped; 4 ounces
8 ounces Cremini mushrooms chopped
1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt or ½ teaspoon of any other salt, incluidng Morton kosher salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon fresh garlic minced
½ teaspoon ground thyme
½ teaspoon ground sage
1 pound pork sausage

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 2-quart baking dish. Heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat.
2 tablespoons olive oil
Add the onion, celery, bell pepper, mushrooms, kosher salt, and black pepper. Cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are tender-crisp, for about 5 minutes.
1 medium onion, 1 cup celery, 1 red bell pepper, 8 ounces Cremini mushrooms, 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Add the minced garlic, thyme, sage, and pork sausage. Cook, stirring and breaking up the meat as you cook, until the meat is no longer pink, for about 5 more minutes.
1 tablespoon fresh garlic, ½ teaspoon ground thyme, ½ teaspoon ground sage, 1 pound pork sausage
Transfer the skillet contents, undrained, to the prepared baking dish.
Bake the stuffing uncovered until browned, for about 30 minutes.
Allow the stuffing to rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.

Seasonings, especially salt, are guidelines. Adjust to taste.
You can use pre-packaged sausage meat or make your own. You don't have to use pork. Beef, chicken, or even turkey sausage will work. Here's a recipe for sausage patties that will give you an idea of what spices to use and their measurements.
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 adds warmth and is delicious.
There's no need to add eggs. Eggs are used as a binder in bread stuffing. They're not needed in this recipe.
You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat them in the microwave or in a 350°F oven. This is one of those recipes where the leftovers taste just as good as the freshly made dish.