Stuffing is everyone’s favorite at Thanksgiving! The addition of mild Italian sausage, pear and dried cranberries adds richness, subtle sweetness and color to this dish. It’s not as hard as you may think to make fresh stuffing from scratch. Give up the box! No preservatives!
Make this Thanksgiving stuffing and you’ll be the star of the show (well, next to the turkey that is). Whenever I make this stuffing, friends who swear by the “box stuffing” always comment on how delicious it is. They are pleasantly surprised.
How do you like to make stuffing? Do you bake it separately in a casserole dish or stuff it in the turkey? With this stuffing recipe you can do either. I started making stuffing in a casserole dish several years ago and have never looked back. This recipe will fill an 18-20 lb turkey or a 13 x 9 x 2 inch Pyrex casserole dish.
Your whole kitchen will smell amazing.
Ingredients for best ever Thanksgiving stuffing
For this stuffing you’ll need the following ingredients. You can buy unseasoned bread cubes or I show you how to make your own below. Mild Italian sausage adds a rich savory flavor to the stuffing. Pears are delicious this time of year. It adds a subtle sweetness. I usually choose an Anjou pear, however, you can choose another type you prefer. You'll need dried cranberries or (Craisins). Craisins are a brand of dried cranberries that are easy to find and will work well. They add color, texture and a slight tartness to the stuffing.
½ lb (5 oz box) golden oak shiitake mushrooms, sliced 1 tablespoon butter 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil 3 celery stalks, diced 1 medium sized sweet onion, diced 2-3 garlic cloves, crushed and minced ¼ cup Italian parsley, diced ½ tsp poultry seasoning Pinch of salt and pepper ½ lb mild Italian sausage (about 4 links Isernio’s sausage, meat removed from casings) 1 large Anjou pear, diced (skin on) 1 cup dried cranberries (Craisins) 1 bag bread cubes (about 6 cups, see notes below for making your own) 2 ½ – 3 ½ cups low-sodium chicken broth
How to make Thanksgiving stuffing
In a deep frying pan on medium-high heat, melt the butter and fry mushrooms until they begin to turn golden brown. Set aside in a small bowl. Add olive oil to the pan and sauté celery, onion and garlic for about 10 minutes. Mix in parsley, poultry seasoning and a pinch of salt and pepper. Push the veggies to the side of the pan and add the sausage. Break up the sausage into smaller pieces as it is cooking. When the meat is almost cooked, add the mushrooms, pear and Craisins. Reduce the heat to low and continue to cook for another 5-10 minutes.
In a large pot, add the bread cubes and the cooked stuffing mixture. Slowly stir in half of the chicken broth. Mix and add more to moisten as needed. It should not be too wet.
It is ready to stuff in the turkey or transfer into a casserole dish greased with Pam cooking spray. If using a casserole dish, the stuffing can be a little moister. Cover loosely with aluminum foil and bake for one hour in a pre-heated oven at 350 F. After the first 30 minutes, remove the foil and bake uncovered so it becomes golden brown.
How to make stuffing bread cubes
Making your own bread cubes for stuffing begins with selecting the right loaf of bread. Buy a Parisian or Italian peasant loaf bread. Cut the bread into about 1 inch cubes and lay them out on a baking sheet.
Toast the cubes in a preheated oven to 300 F for about 15 – 25 minutes. Turn the cubes part way through the toasting process. Keep an eye on them as you want them to be lightly toasted and golden, not burnt. That’s it! No seasonings are necessary as you’ll be adding those into the stuffing mixture.
More great Thanksgiving side dishes
For many people the joy of the Thanksgiving feast comes from all the amazing side dishes that accompany the turkey. Give these ideas a try!
Thyme roasted pears ~ not your ordinary vegetables. These are a sweet surprise.
Roasted carrots with rosemary and prosciutto ~ fragrant, sweet and savory.
Root vegetable saute ~ creamy mix of root vegetables.
Homemade cranberry sauce ~ an easy classic.
I hope you enjoy this recipe for best ever Thanksgiving stuffing. It’s one of our family’s favorite dishes at Thanksgiving. Leave me a comment below about your thoughts and experiences with this recipe. I wish you a very happy Thanksgiving.
Happy cooking! Michelle
Best ever Thanksgiving stuffing
The addition of mild Italian sausage, pear and dried cranberries adds richness, subtle sweetness and color to this delicious Thanksgiving stuffing.
1/2 lb golden oak shiitake mushrooms (sliced, (one 5 oz box))
1 tbsp butter
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
3 celery stalks (diced)
1 medium sized sweet onion (diced)
2 to 3 garlic cloves (crushed and minced)
1/4 cup Italian parsley (diced)
1/2 tsp poultry seasoning
1 pinch salt and pepper
1/2 lb mild Italian sausage ((about 4 links Isernio’s sausage, meat removed from casings))
1 large Anjou pear (diced, (skin on))
1 cup dried cranberries (Craisins)
1 bag bread cubes ((about 6 cups))
2 1/2 to 3 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth
In a deep frying pan on medium-high heat, melt the butter and fry mushrooms until they begin to turn golden brown. Set aside in a small bowl.
Add olive oil to the pan and sauté celery, onion and garlic for about 10 minutes. Mix in parsley, poultry seasoning and a pinch of salt and pepper.
Push the veggies to the side of the pan and add the sausage. Break up the sausage into smaller pieces as it is cooking. When the meat is almost cooked, add the mushrooms, pear and Craisins. Reduce the heat to low and continue to cook for another 5-10 minutes.
In a large pot, add the bread cubes and the cooked stuffing mixture. Slowly stir in half of the chicken broth. Mix and add more to moisten as needed. It should not be too wet.
It is ready to stuff in the turkey or transfer into a casserole dish greased with Pam cooking spray. If using a casserole dish, the stuffing can be a little moister. Cover loosely with aluminum foil and bake for one hour in a pre-heated oven at 350 F. After the first 30 minutes, remove the foil and bake uncovered so it becomes golden brown.
Source: northwestspoon.com
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