Herbed Sausage Dressing
This herbed sausage dressing is a classic, savory side dish that we return to year after year.
Herbed Sausage Dressing
Photo Credit : Adam Detour with styling by Catrine KeltyThis sausage dressing can easily be prepped a day ahead of time. Just cover the uncooked dressing tightly with foil and refrigerate overnight. When ready to bake, take the dish out of the refrigerator 45 minutes before baking and then follow the baking directions.
Note: Do not skip the step of toasting/drying out the bread cubes, or you will end up with soggy/mushy dressing. The bread cubes may be dried several days in advance and stored in a sealed container.
Yield:
8 servingsIngredients
1 loaf (about 1 pound) soft French or Italian bread, cut into 1-inch cubes (roughly 8 cups)
1 stick (½ cup) salted butter, plus more for the baking dish
2 cups finely chopped yellow onions (about 2 large onions)
1 cup finely chopped celery (about 4 stalks)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
3 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1 pound sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
2 large eggs
2½ cups reduced-sodium chicken stock
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 275°F. Arrange the bread cubes in a single layer on two baking sheets and bake until they are completely crisp and dried, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and place the bread cubes into a large mixing bowl. Increase the oven temperature to 350°F and butter a 9-by-13-inch (or 3-quart) baking dish.
In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the onions, celery, garlic, salt, and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in the herbs, then transfer to the bowl with the bread cubes.
In the same skillet, cook the sausage over medium-high heat, breaking it up into small pieces using two forks, until just cooked through and starting to brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Add this to the bread cubes. In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs and chicken stock. Pour over the bread cubes and mix until the ingredients are thoroughly combined and the bread is soft.
Transfer the dressing to the prepared baking dish, cover tightly with foil, and bake for 40 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking until the top has browned and the internal temperature has reached 165°F, about 30 minutes more.
