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Cheesy Sausage and Sage Stuffing

Baked sausage and sage stuffing topped with melty cheese in a baking dish.
Cheesy Sausage and Sage Stuffing Photo by Alex Lau

This holiday-worthy recipe was inspired by bread pudding and ended up somewhere between a strata, a gratin, and a traditional Thanksgiving stuffing.

Ingredients

Serves 12

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more
1 medium boule sourdough, cut into 1-inch pieces (9–10 cups), dried out overnight
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound sweet or spicy Italian sausage, casings removed
2 large onions, finely chopped
3 celery stalks, chopped
1/4 cup finely chopped sage
Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
1 cup dry white wine
2 large eggs, beaten to blend
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
2 cups half-and-half
1 pound aged cheddar, grated (about 5 cups), divided
  1. Step 1

    Preheat oven to 300°F. Butter a shallow 13x9" baking dish and a large piece of foil. Place 9 cups bread in a large bowl.

    Step 2

    Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Cook sausage, stirring occasionally and breaking into small pieces with a wooden spoon, until browned and cooked through, 7–10 minutes. Transfer to bowl with bread.

    Step 3

    Place onions, celery, sage, and 2 Tbsp. butter in same skillet; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until onions are golden brown and soft, 10–12 minutes. Add wine and cook, stirring occasionally, until almost completely evaporated, about 5 minutes; scrape into bowl with bread and sausage.

    Step 4

    Whisk eggs and broth in a medium bowl until smooth, then pour over bread mixture. Pour in half-and-half and add 3 cups cheese; toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to prepared baking dish and cover with foil, buttered side down. Bake until a paring knife inserted into the center comes out hot, 40–50 minutes .

    Step 5

    Heat broiler. Uncover stuffing and top with remaining cheese. Broil until top is golden and bubbling, about 4 minutes. Let sit at least 10 minutes and up to 30 before serving.

  2. Do Ahead

    Step 6

    Stuffing can be assembled 1 day ahead; cover with foil and chill. Stuffing can be baked (but not broiled) 3 hours ahead. Store tightly wrapped at room temperature until ready to broil.

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  • I just won a Thanksgiving-themed competitive potluck at work with this dish, so I do highly recommend! I subbed mild italian sausage for spicy or sweet, and used a country white bread other than sourdough; otherwise, made totally as written, and it was delicious.

    • jgamgee899212

    • Washington, D.C.

    • 11/21/2019

  • This was delicious. It is the best stuffing I have ever made. Our guests raved about it.

    • psfitz

    • Colorado Springs, Co

    • 11/25/2016

  • This was a big hit at Thanksgiving. Nothing like traditional stuffing, but delicious. It's very rich, so small portions will suffice. Next time I'd probably add mushrooms and maybe upgrade the cheese to gruyere. Still, as is, delicious!

    • ajaxusa

    • Pleasant Hill, CA

    • 11/25/2016

  • OMG.. . I have been making thanksgiving dinner the entire 27 years I have been married and this is by far the best dressing recipe I have ever made. It is fantastic! I thought cheese on dressing sounded odd but it was delicious!

    • ellenharrell2

    • Ponte Vedra Beach, Fl

    • 11/25/2016

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