If It Ain't Broke, Don't Fix It Stuffing

A classic Thanksgiving stuffing made with sourdough bread, breakfast sausage, and aromatic vegetables. This rich and savory dish features a perfect blend of herbs, wine, and homemade stock for a traditional holiday side dish.

8 servings

2 hr 21 min

Published October 4, 2025

Ingredients

•1 cup unsalted butter
•1½ pound sourdough bread
•1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
•1 pound breakfast sausage
•1 large onion
•1 bulb fennel
•4 stalks celery
•2 teaspoon kosher salt
•1 teaspoon black pepper
•½ cup dry white wine
•¼ cup parsley
•1 tablespoon sage
•1 tablespoon thyme
•3 large eggs
•4 cups chicken broth
•divided

Cooking Instructions

1.
Place racks in middle and top of oven; preheat to 300°F. Butter a 3-qt. baking dish. Divide bread between 2 rimmed baking sheets and bake on middle rack, tossing occasionally, until dried out (do not let brown more than just a bit around the edges), 25-35 minutes. Let cool.
35 min
2.
Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Arrange sausage in a single layer and cook, undisturbed, until browned underneath, about 3 minutes. Break up into bite-size pieces with 2 spatulas or spoons and continue to cook, tossing occasionally, until cooked through, about 5 minutes longer. Transfer sausage to a plate.
8 min
3.
Reduce heat to medium and melt 1 cup butter in same skillet. Add onion, fennel, and celery; season lightly with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are very tender but not browned, 12-15 minutes. Add wine and scrape bottom of skillet to release any browned bits. Bring to a boil and cook until wine is evaporated, about 3 minutes. Toss in parsley, sage, and thyme and let mixture cool in skillet.
18 min
4.
Increase oven temperature to 350°F. Whisk eggs and 2 cups stock in a very large bowl. Add bread, sausage, and onion mixture and toss well to combine. Add 2 tsp. or 1 1/4 tsp. salt and 1 tsp. pepper. Drizzle remaining 2 cups stock over and toss again to combine. Let sit, tossing occasionally, until bread absorbs all of the liquid, about 10 minutes.
10 min
5.
Transfer stuffing to prepared dish; butter a sheet of foil and cover dish, butter side down. Bake on middle rack until very hot throughout (it should feel too hot to comfortably touch in the center; an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should register 160°F), 35-40 minutes.
40 min
6.
Increase oven temperature to 425°F. Remove foil and transfer baking dish to top rack. Continue to bake stuffing until golden brown, 25-30 minutes longer.
30 min
7.
Stuffing can be assembled 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.

Ingredients

•1 cup unsalted butter

•1½ pound sourdough bread

•1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

•1 pound breakfast sausage

•1 large onion

•1 bulb fennel

•4 stalks celery

•2 teaspoon kosher salt

•1 teaspoon black pepper

•½ cup dry white wine

•¼ cup parsley

•1 tablespoon sage

•1 tablespoon thyme

•3 large eggs

•4 cups chicken broth

•divided

Cooking Instructions

Place racks in middle and top of oven; preheat to 300°F. Butter a 3-qt. baking dish. Divide bread between 2 rimmed baking sheets and bake on middle rack, tossing occasionally, until dried out (do not let brown more than just a bit around the edges), 25-35 minutes. Let cool.

35 min

Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Arrange sausage in a single layer and cook, undisturbed, until browned underneath, about 3 minutes. Break up into bite-size pieces with 2 spatulas or spoons and continue to cook, tossing occasionally, until cooked through, about 5 minutes longer. Transfer sausage to a plate.

8 min

Reduce heat to medium and melt 1 cup butter in same skillet. Add onion, fennel, and celery; season lightly with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are very tender but not browned, 12-15 minutes. Add wine and scrape bottom of skillet to release any browned bits. Bring to a boil and cook until wine is evaporated, about 3 minutes. Toss in parsley, sage, and thyme and let mixture cool in skillet.

18 min

Increase oven temperature to 350°F. Whisk eggs and 2 cups stock in a very large bowl. Add bread, sausage, and onion mixture and toss well to combine. Add 2 tsp. or 1 1/4 tsp. salt and 1 tsp. pepper. Drizzle remaining 2 cups stock over and toss again to combine. Let sit, tossing occasionally, until bread absorbs all of the liquid, about 10 minutes.

10 min

Transfer stuffing to prepared dish; butter a sheet of foil and cover dish, butter side down. Bake on middle rack until very hot throughout (it should feel too hot to comfortably touch in the center; an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should register 160°F), 35-40 minutes.

40 min

Increase oven temperature to 425°F. Remove foil and transfer baking dish to top rack. Continue to bake stuffing until golden brown, 25-30 minutes longer.

30 min

Stuffing can be assembled 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.