Try my sausage stuffing flavoured with sage, pear and many more fragrant herbs. I make it every single year and my family never gets tired of it!
For another delicious side dish, take a look at my Fresh Green Bean Casserole made from scratch. Or better yet check out my Thanksgiving Recipe Collection for all recipes you can possibly need for your holiday table!
I am not entirely sure how this happened but it appears this stuffing is the most favourite side dish in my family. I never seem to make enough of it and it’s the first thing we run out of.
Classic autumn flavours of sage, parsley and a touch of pear make this sausage and bread stuffing into a delicious and comforting side dish to a roast turkey. Once in a while I find a more exotic stuffing to make just to keep things interesting but we always come back to this tried and true recipe.
This is precisely why I am confident you are going to love this recipe as well!
What goes into stuffing?
Sausage, sourdough bread, parsley and sage create a wonderful medley but the real winner in this stuffing is slightly sweet and fragrant pear!
The pear shines in this meat heavy recipe adding a much needed sweetness and a touch of tartness. It brings a balance!
Sausage Stuffing Tips
- Use crusty bread for more texture. Sourdough is my favourite for its sour notes and interesting character.
- I wouldn’t recommend using bulk sausage, not nearly enough of flavour. Use good quality sausages with herbs and spices already added. I love Italian-style sausages here.
- Take the time to brown everything first. Those little steps add up to a Big Flavour
- Toss out dried herbs that have been sitting in your cupboard for ages and use fresh herbs! Sage and parsley are delicious in this sausage stuffing but rosemary and thyme will also work.
- Don’t stuff your turkey with it. Cook this sausage and pear stuffing in a baking dish for 30 minutes for a delicious crusty top.
Do you bake it covered?
I prefer baking my stuffing uncovered for a crusty topping, which everyone fights over!
No, this doesn’t make my stuffing dry. Shorter cooking time and the addition of chicken stock and a beaten egg to the mixture ensures moist stuffing with a delicious golden crust.
Favourite Thanksgiving Side Dishes:
- Port Cranberry Sauce
- Maple Butter Cornbread Muffins
- Sweet Potato and Rutabaga Mash
- Apple Salad with Bacon, Walnuts and Blue Cheese
- Brie and Bacon Macaroni and Cheese
Recipe originally published in 10/2013, updated and republished in 11/2020
Sausage, Pear and Sage Stuffing
Ingredients
- 4 cups sourdough bread or any other crusty bread
- 6-8 Italian-style sausages or your favourite sausage
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 2 stalks celery diced
- 1 onion chopped
- 1 pear diced
- 1 tbsp fresh sage chopped
- ¼ cup fresh parsley chopped
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 tsp olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F/180C. Cut the bread into cubes and put them in a large bowl. Remove the sausage from casing and cook in a frying pan (no extra oil needed) breaking it up with a wooden spoon. Cook the sausage over medium heat until lightly browned for 3 minutes.
- Then push the sausage to one side of the pan and add chopped onion and diced celery, cook for 5 minutes until softened. (Give the sausauce a stir once in a while to avoid burning.) Then mix everything together and add diced pear, sage and parsley and cook for 2 minutes longer.
- Add the sausage mixture to the bowl with bread cubes, pour in chicken broth and mix to combine, then add beaten egg, salt and pepper and quickly stir everything together.
- Empty the stuffing into a buttered baking dish and brush the top with a teaspoon of olive oil for a beautiful and golden crusty top. Bake at 350F/180C for 30 minutes.