This potato bread sausage cranberry stuffing is the perfect addition to your Thanksgiving table. Made with soft potato bread, Italian sausage, tons of fresh herbs, and dried cranberries.
Stuffing is one of my favorite side dishes for Thanksgiving!
Made in one cast iron pan, this potato bread sausage cranberry stuffing is the perfect combination of sweet, spicy, and savory.
The toasted, crispy bits of potato bread, mixed with the spicy Italian sausage, fresh aromatic herbs, and sweet and tangy dried cranberries hit all the right spots.
You’ll have a hard time not picking little nibbles straight out of the cast iron!
And prepared the day before, it makes your day of Thanksgiving cooking go smoother and easier.
Trust me, everyone will want to take home some leftovers of this potato bread sausage cranberry stuffing!
Table of Contents
Ingredients for potato bread sausage cranberry stuffing
- Potato bread – Pillowy, soft, and slightly sweet, potato bread is my favorite to use in this stuffing.
- Italian sausage, both sweet and spicy – The balance of sweet Italian sausage and spicy Italian sausage gives just the right amount of heat to our stuffing.
- Veggies – Onion, celery, and garlic are all classic additions to stuffing that will bring an earthiness to the dish.
- Fresh herbs – Fresh is best! Fresh parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme are the perfect combo of herbs that will fill the air with the familiar smells of Thanksgiving.
- Dried cranberries – Dried cranberries are sweet, bright, and slightly tangy.
- Chicken/turkey stock – This will provide moisture in our stuffing. Feel free to use your favorite homemade or store-bought varieties.
Why use cast iron?
I’ve used cast iron in this recipe to not only keep it a one-pan dish, but because cast iron distributes heat evenly, and once it’s hot, it stays hot!
Also, cast iron is almost indestructible! It’s a super dense and durable material that is both affordable and will last you a lifetime.
If you don’t have a cast iron, no worries, you can easily cook the veggies in a pan on the stove and transfer it into a 9×13 size baking dish.
Why potato bread?
Potato bread is so tasty!
It’s both fluffy and airy, and dense and sweet.
When it’s toasted, it gets perfectly crispy and crunchy.
Make ahead
No need to stress yourself out on Thanksgiving day!
You can make your day easier by preparing this potato bread sausage cranberry stuffing the night before.
Toast the bread, cook the veggies, combine all of the ingredients in the baking dish, cover with aluminum foil, and keep in the refrigerator until the next morning.
Then, just set your oven and pop it in!
Storage and leftovers
This potato bread sausage cranberry stuffing can easily be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Reheating is as easy as putting it in a microwave-safe bowl, covered loosely with a wet paper towel, and heated for 2-3 minutes or until heated thoroughly.
More stuffing recipes
- Looking for stuffing with an Italian flare? Try my Pancetta Apple Fennel Brioche Stuffing
- Craving some bacon? Try my Bacon Corn Sourdough Stuffing
- Want a little Southern flavor? Try my Sage and Cornbread Stuffing
- Love all things kale? Try my Sourdough Kale Sausage Bacon Stuffing
Potato Bread Sausage Cranberry Stuffing
Ingredients
- 6 cups cubed potato bread
- 1/2 pound sweet Italian sausage casing removed
- 1/2 pound spicy Italian sausage casing removed
- 1 cup small diced onion
- 1 cup small diced celery
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/3 cup minced fresh parsley
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh sage
- 2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary
- 2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme leaves
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- 1-1/2 cups chicken stock
- 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Add your cubed bread to a large baking sheet and toast for about 6 minutes just until the bread is starting to lightly toast.
- Remove from the oven and set aside.
- Set a 12-inch cast-iron skillet, or a 12-inch non-stick skillet, over medium heat and add in your sausage.
- Break down the sausage with a spatula so it's bite-size and will incorporate all throughout the stuffing.
- When the sausage is mostly browned add in the onion and celery.
- Cook for about 3 minutes or just until the vegetables start to soften.
- Stir in the garlic, parsley, sage, rosemary, thyme, and dried cranberries.
- Stir to combine and remove from the heat.
- Add the toasted bread to the skillet and toss to combine.
- Drizzle on the chicken or turkey stock and stir to combine.
- Taste and season with kosher salt and pepper.
- Cover the cast-iron skillet with foil and bake for 30, remove the foil and bake for another 10 minutes to help crisp the top. If you used a normal non-stick skillet add the stuffing mixture to a 9×13 pan and follow the recipe.
- Serve warm.
Notes
- If you don't have a large cast-iron skillet you can add the completed stuffing to a 9×13 pan to bake instead.