This is the Thanksgiving dressing recipe I look forward to all year, the kind that tastes like home. It’s a sausage dressing that bakes up tender (not mushy) and moist with just the right amount of buttery crispness. Loaded with real-food ingredients, it comes together surprisingly fast!
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I’m a dressing girl, not a stuffing girl. Because you know the difference, right? You “stuff” the stuffing inside a turkey, bake it, and a “dressing” is baked in a casserole dish! This dressing will become your new Thanksgiving dinner family tradition!
I like it tender, not soggy, and this recipe gets it right every time. It’s packed with butter, onions, celery, rosemary, thyme, and sage, with a little crunch from apples and walnuts. Three types of real cubed bread give it the texture, with pumpernickel adding a deeper flavor if you want it (more on the breads below). If you’re planning your Thanksgiving menu, take a peek at my Holiday Sides for more ideas.
This dressing is especially good stuffing in my Thanksgiving turkey, with Giblet Gravy and our must-make Cranberry Relish. It’s simple, reliable, and tastes like the Thanksgiving I look forward to every year. If you want a dressing that truly earns its place on the table, this one does.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Tested at countless family holidays: This dressing has shown up, held its own, and been requested every single year. It has earned its place on the table.
- Made with real, whole food ingredients: Butter, fresh herbs, real bread, and good produce. Nothing strange, nothing from a packet, just honest ingredients that taste like they should.
- A smart way to use up stale bread
- Perfect balance of tender and textured: Never mushy, never dry, with pops of flavor from apples, walnuts, and herbs.
- Prep parts ahead: While I don’t recommend making this ahead of time, you can prepare some parts in advance to save time before assembly.
Simple Ingredients
- Breakfast sausage: I use a mild, all-natural bulk pork sausage. It adds richness, flavor, and a savory base that seasons the whole dish.
- Sweet onion, celery, garlic: These three build the classic Thanksgiving flavor. The onion brings sweetness, the celery adds that familiar holiday aroma, and the garlic rounds everything out.
- Granny Smith apples: Tart, firm, and perfect for adding a little brightness. They hold their shape well and balance the richness of the sausage and butter.
- Walnuts, toasted: Toasting brings out their warmth and crunch. They add great texture without overpowering the dressing.
- Fresh herbs: parsley, rosemary, thyme, and sage: Italian flat-leaf parsley brings freshness. Rosemary and thyme give that unmistakable Thanksgiving depth. Fresh sage is optional but lovely if you enjoy its earthy flavor. Fresh herbs make a big difference here.
- Kosher salt and black pepper: Simple seasonings that let the herbs and aromatics shine. Salt brings everything together, and pepper adds a little warmth.
- Assorted dried bread: Use real cubed bread, not the packaged kind. A mix of rustic loaves adds great texture, and a little pumpernickel makes the flavor deeper. The key is that the bread is dried completely so it can soak up the broth without turning soggy.
- Turkey or chicken broth: This moistens the dressing and carries the flavors through the bread. Either one works. Use a good-quality broth for the best result.
- Butter: Adds richness and helps the veggies soften and caramelize. It also gives the dressing that classic holiday taste everyone expects.
Get the full recipe in the recipe card below.
How to Make Thanksgiving Dressing Recipe
- Cube or tear bread into smaller pieces, set aside on a cookie sheet to dry out a bit while you assemble the rest of the stuffing, and if desired, toast the walnuts (325°F (165° C) F for 10 minutes)
- Saute onion and brown in a large skillet (my favorite pan!) over medium heat, until sausage is no longer pink, about 5-6 minutes.
- Toss in apples, celery, and garlic, sauté another 5 minutes until apples are tender.
- Stir in walnuts, fresh parsley, fresh rosemary, fresh thyme leaves, salt and pepper. Transfer to a bowl and allow to cool 10 minutes.
- Place bread cubes in a large mixing bowl (I have this gigantic one) or do in batches and add sausage and veggie mixture, folding together. Pour chicken stock and continue to fold until well blended.
- Spoon into a well-buttered large baking dish; 3-quart or 9×13-inch baking dish (these clean up so easily!). Or spoon loosley into turkey cavity if you are going to roast turkey.
- Melt butter and brush or drizzle the top of this old-fashioned bread stuffing.
- Bake at 350 degrees F for 45-50 minutes or until top is golden brown and crusty. Garnish with a little fresh parsley if desired. If it starts browning too much, cover with aluminum foil to help keep in moisture.
How to Store, Make Ahead, Freeze, and Rewarm
Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Freeze: Freeze baked dressing once it has fully cooled. Reheat as described below.
Make Ahead:
- Dry the bread up to two days ahead.
- Sauté the veggies and mix the broth one day ahead, then refrigerate.
- Assemble everything just before baking for the best texture.
Rewarm:
- Warm in the oven at 325°F (165° C) until heated through.
- Add a splash of broth if it looks dry.
- Microwave small portions with a damp paper towel to keep them from drying out.
Kathleen’s Expert Tips
- Butter, the real thing, no blends or margarine! Use salted or unsalted butter, just taste a little bit before baking, adding a bit more if needed.
- Simple bulk breakfast sausage is an extreme flavor enhancer!
- Fresh herbs rock the best stuffing; you can use dried, but for this, the flavors will shine through with fresh.
- The only veggies you need are onions and celery (and maybe a touch of garlic).
- A combination of bread is best! I used pumpernickel, sourdough, and sweet brown bread. But you can also use stale cornbread, Italian bread, or French bread.
- Make sure your bread is stale! You can even start it up to 2 days ahead of time! Cube it and set it out on a baking sheet; it will get nice and dry for you!
FAQs
What kind of bread is best for dressing?
I love using a variety of breads; sturdier, porous breads will work the best.
Breads like Pumpernickel, Sourdough, Challah, Italian, French, Country White, and Sweet Brown Breads are all delicious!
Can I make gluten-free sausage stuffing?
YES! Swap out equal amounts of your favorite cubed gluten-free bread.
Can I make this vegetarian?
Yes! Skip the sausage and use vegetable stock instead of chicken or turkey stock.
Variations and Substitutions
- Change the sausage: Swap the breakfast sausage for chorizo, Italian sausage, turkey sausage, or chicken sausage.
- Switch up the nuts: Skip the walnuts or replace them with pecans, hazelnuts, or chestnuts.
- Adjust the herbs: Use any mix of fresh parsley, rosemary, thyme, or sage. I usually leave out the sage, but add 1 to 2 tablespoons if you love it.
- Add a touch of sweetness: Stir about 2 tablespoons of maple syrup into the sausage mixture before combining everything.
- Try different breads: Use pumpernickel, sourdough, rustic white, crumbled cornbread, brioche, or a mix for deeper flavor and texture.
Pair this fabulous stuffing with this simple Cheesy Asparagus Bake and Wild Rice Bake.
Like this recipe?
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Recipe Card
The best Thanksgiving dressing recipe with savory sausage, sauted onions, apple, walnut stuffing made with pumpernickel, sourdough and brown bread, a new holiday traditi
Ingredients
- 1 pound breakfast sausage bulk
- 1 medium sweet onion diced
- 2 medium Granny Smith apples diced
- 1 cup celery about 2-3 stalks, diced
- 2 – 3 cloves garlic
- 1 cup walnuts toasted if desired (325° for 10 minutes)
- ¼ cup parsley fresh, I used Italian flat leaf, chopped
- 2 tablespoons rosemary fresh, chopped
- 1 tablespoon thyme leaves fresh, chopped
- 1 tablespoon sage fresh (optional)
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- pepper fresh ground
- 12 cups bread cubes assorted breads, dried, I used pumpernickel, sourdough and sweet brown bread
- 2 ½ cups turkey broth or chicken broth
- ¼ cup butter melted
Instructions
- Cube or tear bread into smaller pieces, set aside on a cookie sheet to dry out a bit while you assemble the rest of the stuffing. And if desired, toast walnuts; 325°F (165° C) for 10 minutes.12 cups bread cubes
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175° C) and butter a 3 quart baking dish or 9×13 inch casserole dish.
- Sauté sausage and onion in a large skillet over medium heat, until sausage is no longer pink, about 5-6 minutes.1 pound breakfast sausage, 1 medium sweet onion
- Toss in apples, celery and garlic, sauté another 5 minutes until apples are tender.2 medium Granny Smith apples, 1 cup celery, 2 – 3 cloves garlic
- Stir in walnuts, fresh parsley, fresh rosemary, fresh thyme leaves, salt and pepper. Transfer to a bowl and allow to cool 10 minutes. If stuffing cavity of turkey, stuff now, but loosely.1 cup walnuts, ¼ cup parsley, 2 tablespoons rosemary, 1 tablespoon thyme leaves, 1 tablespoon sage, 1 teaspoon Kosher salt, pepper
- Place bread cubes in a large bowl and add sausage and veggie mixture, folding together. Pour chicken stock and continue to fold until well blended.2 ½ cups turkey broth
- Spoon into well buttered 3 quart or 9×13 inch baking dishBrush the top with melted butter, generously. Bake at 350°F (175° C) for 45-50 minutes or until top is brown and crusty. Garnish with a little fresh parsley if desired.¼ cup butter
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Notes
How to Store, Make Ahead, Freeze, and Rewarm
- Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Freeze: Freeze baked dressing once fully cooled. Thaw in the refrigerator, then reheat as directed.
- Make Ahead: Dry the bread up to 2 days ahead of time. Saute the veggies and mix the broth in, then refrigerate. Assemble just before baking for best texture.
- Rewarm: Warm in the oven at 325°F (165° C) until heated through, add a splash of broth if it looks dry. Or Microwave small portions covered with a damp paper towel.
- Change the sausage: Swap the breakfast sausage for chorizo, Italian, turkey, or chicken sausage.
- Switch up the nuts: Replace walnuts with pecans, hazelnuts, or chestnuts.
- Adjust the herbs: Use parsley, rosemary, thyme, or sage. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of sage if desired.
- Make it gluten-free: Use an equal amount of dried gluten-free bread cubes.
- Add sweetness: Stir 2 tablespoons of maple syrup into the sausage mixture.
- Try different breads: Pumpernickel, sourdough, rustic white, brioche, or a blend.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 478kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 46mg | Sodium: 1106mg | Potassium: 397mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 418IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 131mg | Iron: 4mg
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Monday Holiday Side Dish Recipes:
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- Best Thanksgiving Stuffing Recipe by The Fresh Cooky
- Brussels Sprouts and Bacon Stuffing by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
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- Cheese Herb Potato Gratin by Shockingly Delicious
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- Easy Chorizo Cornbread Dressing by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
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- Holiday Side Salad by Our Good Life
- Honey Roasted Carrots by Devour Dinner
- No Knead Cloverleaf Dinner Rolls by Karen’s Kitchen Stories
- Roasted Buttercup Squash by Palatable Pastime
- Roasted fingerling potatoes with Parmesan by The Foodie Affair
- Sauteed Spinach with Bacon by Kate’s Recipe Box
- Slow Cooker Cheesy Vegetables by Cheese Curd in Paradise
- Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecans by West Via Midwest
- Sweet Potato Salad by A Day in the Life on the Farm
- Traditional Cranberry Sauce by Family Around the Table
- Twiced Baked Sweet Potatoes by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
Lynn Spencer
We have made the same stuffing every year for my entire life. While I”m not sure I go do a wholesale switch on the fam, I will be making 2 stuffings this year so that I can enjoy this Pumpernickel stuffing! Thanks for the recipe!
I understand completely the traditions that we all hold dear!!
Michele
I couldn’t wait until thanksgiving and made this last night with our Roast Chicken dinner… The stuffing paired beautifully and we simply loved the pumpernickel flavor! Making this again on our Family Thanksgiving! Thank you!
MICHAELA KENKEL
Stuffing is my MOST favorite part of the meal! I always add stuffing to mine, but I am loving the apples you have in here, too!
Thanks Michaela, it’s my most favorite part too!!
Debi
The stuffing is my favorite part of the meal. Before I made this for Thanksgiving, I wanted to make sure it was great, and it totally is. I’ll be making it again on the big day.
Christie
I’m digging the hearty breads in this stuffing! And that it’s maintains is texture. It looks perfectly delicious and packed with flavors I love.
Thanks Christie, the variety is what makes this stuffing so great!
Julie Menghini
I’m always looking for side dish recipes for Thanksgiving and there are some amazing ones here. That stuffing looks amazing!
Kathryn Donangelo
I wanted to try this recipe before.I serve it on Thanksgiving and it was delicious! Loved all of the traditional flavors plus the breakfast sausage links that make it extra hearty! Will be making soon again for the holidays!
Wendy Klik
That is one hearty looking stuffing. Love the add ins.
Thank you so much Wendy! It’s a keeper for sure!