The Thanksgiving Stuffing That Turned Me From Skeptic to Believer
I spent most of my life as a stuffing hater – that is, until I tried THIS sourdough stuffing recipe. The first time I had my Aunt Kari’s Thanksgiving stuffing, I was blown away by its crispy top, creamy center, and rich flavor.
It’s totally the opposite of the bland, soggy bread stuffings made straight out of the bag!
Since I first shared this recipe in 2021, it’s converted many other stuffing skeptics and become a holiday tradition for thousands of readers. So many of you come back to it year after year that this recipe has become the hero stuffing in my list of best-ever classic Thanksgiving dishes.
But it’s Aunt Kari’s two secret ingredients, eggs and shredded cheddar, that really make every bite special. The eggs bind the stuffing perfectly, preventing it from crumbling when served, and adding a creamy, custard-like texture that melts in your mouth. The white cheddar adds a sharpness that cuts through all the richness, without being overly cheesy. Then as it bakes, the top turns perfectly golden and crispy.
Your Thanksgiving table will never be the same after this sourdough stuffing, I promise you!
This from-scratch stuffing is more time-intensive than your typical store-bought version, but I’ve included lots of meal prep tips to save you time on Thanksgiving. Toast the sourdough breadcrumbs and brown the sausage, chop the veggies and grate the cheese, or assemble it all so you can simply pop the stuffing in the oven. See the Recipe Notes, below, for full instructions.


Your Calm and Cozy Thanksgiving
Let PWWB guide you to the easiest (but tastiest) Turkey Day! From foolproof turkeys and creative sides to make-ahead dishes, I’ll show you how to have a calm and deliciously cozy holiday.

Sourdough Bread is the Secret to a Better Stuffing
Sourdough might sound bold for stuffing, but there’s a reason we’re using it instead of French bread (too plain) or cornbread (too sweet). The subtle tang and chew of sourdough is just right for this stuffing: it helps balance the richness of the sage pork sausage, earthy mushrooms, and fresh herbs. The flavor mellows as it bakes, so if you’re not typically a fan of sourdough, you don’t have to worry about it overpowering the dish.
Since you can’t typically find sourdough bread cubes at the store, you’ll want start with a fresh loaf of sourdough bread, torn and toasted into homemade croutons:
- Hand-tear the sourdough bread into chunks. A mix of large, irregular pieces creates lots of nooks and crannies, which trap all the flavorful bits of sausage and mushrooms. 🤤
- Drizzle the sourdough chunks with garlicky herb butter to start building the flavor of the stuffing. I use sage and thyme, but any hardy herbs work.
- Toast the sourdough bread cubes in the oven to speed up the drying process (no need to wait for the bread to get stale!). Toast on a sheet pan for 10 minutes until lightly golden.

Sourdough Stuffing Essentials
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Buy Now → How to Make a Showstopping Crispy-Topped Sourdough Stuffing
Technically, baking things separately makes this recipe a “dressing” 🤓 – but trust me, it’s not worth stuffing your bird. Turkey and stuffing cook at completely different rates, so stuffed birds often end up with dry meat or undercooked stuffing—blech! Keeping them separate ensures the meat is juicy and the stuffing gets that craveable crispy top. Plus, you can’t stuff a roast lemon-herb butter spatchcock turkey (the only way to cook turkey at my house).

Thinly slice your mushrooms so you don’t have to pre-cook them! There’s already plenty of dishes on Thanksgiving—no need to dirty another pan when the thin pieces will just soften up as the stuffing bakes. Mushroom haters, trust me here. You won’t get any big chunky bites, and the earthy mushroom flavor helps balance out the sourdough tang.



Serve your sourdough stuffing piping hot, and don’t forget to smother it in gravy! My classic creamy turkey gravy gets its rich, savory flavor from turkey drippings, making it a perfect match for this hearty stuffing. A splash of white wine in the gravy keeps the combination from feeling too heavy.
If you’re looking to save time, you can prep my make ahead turkey gravy up to 5 days ahead with or without drippings.

I can’t wait for you to try this Crispy-Topped Sourdough Stuffing! If you do give it a try, be sure to let me know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. You can also snap a photo and tag @playswellwithbutter on Instagram. I LOVE hearing about and seeing your PWWB creations! Happy cooking! ♡
Crispy-Topped Sourdough Stuffing with Sausage and Mushrooms
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
- Yield: serves 12–14 1x
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Baked, Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Description
This Crispy-Topped Sourdough Stuffing with Sausage and Mushrooms is the last Thanksgiving stuffing you’ll ever need!
Loved by thousands of readers who’ve never looked back, this from-scratch recipe is a holiday staple made with herbed sourdough bread cubes, sage pork sausage, and mushrooms, combined with eggs and shredded cheese.
Baked to golden-brown perfection, the top turns wonderfully craggy-crisp, while the center stays so creamy it nearly melts in your mouth. Absolutely worthy of a spot on your holiday dinner menu!
Ingredients
- for the homemade bread cubes:
- 24 ounces sourdough bread, sliced 1-inch thick and torn into ½-inch pieces
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh herbs (e.g. sage, thyme)
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- for the sausage stuffing:
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 3 ribs celery, finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
- 1 and ½ pounds sage pork sausage, casings removed if needed
- 12 ounces cremini (baby bella) mushrooms, thinly sliced
- 8 ounces sharp white cheddar, freshly grated (about 2 cups packed)
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh sage leaves
- 3 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
- 3 large eggs, whisked
- 2–3 cups chicken stock or broth, divided
- kosher salt and ground black pepper, to season
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper or foil for easy cleanup. Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish. Set aside.
- Toast the bread: Divide the torn sourdough bread pieces across the 2 baking sheets. In a small bowl, whisk together the butter, garlic, herbs and kosher salt. Drizzle the garlic herb butter over the bread and use your hands to toss to coat. Arrange the bread in an even layer on the baking sheets. Bake 10-12 minutes, until the bread dries out slightly. Do not let the bread get too, too browned at this point – a nice, light golden brown is perfect. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool. Once cooled, you may transfer to an airtight container and store at room temperature for up to 5 days.
- Brown the sausage: Meanwhile, as the bread toasts, brown the sausage. Add the butter to a large pan over medium heat. Once melted, add the onion and celery. Season with ½ teaspoon kosher salt and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5-7 minutes, until softened. Add in the garlic and cook 1-2 minutes more, until fragrant. Add in the sausage. Continue to cook, using a wooden spoon to break the sausage into bite-sized pieces as it cooks, until cooked through, 5-6 minutes. Remove from the heat.
- Assemble the sausage stuffing: Decrease the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Place the toasted sourdough and the browned sausage mixture in a large mixing bowl. Add in the sliced mushrooms, grated cheddar, chopped sage, thyme and rosemary, and season with ½ teaspoon kosher salt. Pour the eggs over top. Toss well to combine. Pour in 1 cup of stock and toss well to combine. If the stuffing seems too dry, add in 1 more cup of stock and toss well to combine. Repeat once more if needed.
- Bake the sausage stuffing: Transfer the stuffing mixture to the prepared baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees, uncovered, for 45-55 minutes, until the top of the stuffing is crispy and browned.
- Serve immediately. Enjoy!
Notes
Jess’ Tips and Tricks:
- Portions: As written, this sausage stuffing recipe yields a large batch, serving 12-14 generously as a side dish. To serve a smaller crowd of up to 6, simply reduce the recipe by ⅓. Assemble in an 8×8 baking dish or 9-inch pie plate bake as directed in Step 5, for 45-50 minutes or until the top of the stuffing is crispy and browned. To serve a smaller crowd of up to 4 halve the recipe. Assemble in an 8×8 baking dish or a 9-inch pie plate (pictured) and bake as directed in Step 5, for 35-40 minutes or until the top of the stuffing is crispy and browned.
- Make Ahead Suggestions: A little meal prep goes a long way in pulling this homemade stuffing together on Thanksgiving day! Between prepping the bread cubes, chopping the veggies and herbs, shredding the cheese, and browning up the sausage, there are many components of this sourdough stuffing that can be prepared 3-5 days in advance. Pick and choose from the below list, or do it all ahead of time and all you have to do on Thanksgiving is toss it all together – easy!
- Herbed sourdough bread cubes: Prep according to Steps 1-2 of Recipe Directions, above. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. (10 minutes active prep)
- Chop veggies and herbs: Finely dice 1 large onion, 3 ribs of celery, and 3 cloves of garlic. Finely chop 3 tablespoons each fresh sage and thyme, and 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary. Clean and finely slice 12 ounces mushrooms. Grate 8 ounces cheese. Store in individual airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. (15 minutes active prep)
- Brown the sausage: Prep the sausage mixture according to Step 3 of Recipe Directions, above. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. (10 minutes active prep)
Storage and Freezing:
- Storage and Reheating: Leftover stuffing will keep, stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, for 3-4 days. Reheat in the microwave or oven, until warmed through.
- Freezer Instructions: You can also freeze leftover stuffing. Transfer leftover stuffing to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat in the microwave or oven, until warmed through.
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This looks delicious and it’s on the menu!
About how much is the serving size for 14 people?
Hi Theresa, we’ve never measured out the serving sizes, but it’s made in a deep 9×13 dish and serves 14 generously! Hope that helps, and happy Thanksgiving! 🙂
I have tried over 200+ recipes for stuffing and this is by far the BEST ever. Delicious, moist, perfect texture. Guests went nuts over it!!Well done and thank you for sharing this recipe.
Wow Stacey, that’s such high praise and so happy to hear you love this stuffing as much as we do! It really is the best!
Favorite side at Thanksgiving— it was delicious!! Let my sourdough cubes get stale for a couple of days, and made the sausage/sliced the mushrooms ahead of time for the easiest day-of prep (thanks for the tips!). The combination of textures and flavors were perfect.
So glad to hear you loved this stuffing as much as we do, Amy! 🙂
Made this for Thanksgiving and it was absolutely perfect! Everyone loved it! Will be keeping this one in the recipe box!
So happy to hear you and your guests loved the stuffing, Robin!! We’re honored to be added to the recipe box! 🙂
THE.BEST.STUFFING! Second year making this and it was a hit once again! I use my own sourdough bread but I’ve not seen sage sausage so I just use regular.
We love to hear that, Dru! I bet your homemade sourdough is incredible, too! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review 🙂
This sounds amazing and hoping to make it for the holidays but we have vegetarians present. Do you think I could leave the sausage out? Do you recommend any subs to enhance the flavour without the meat?
First time trying this recipe … and it was a wonderfully tasting dish.
Sour Dough is the only way to make a fantastic addition to your holiday menu.
Thanks Kirk, we are so glad you loved it and included it in your Thanksgiving menu! It truly means so much!!
Hi! I’m really excited to try this recipe. Can I ask why you don’t sauté the mushrooms before you put them in?
Hi Joia! Pre-cooking the mushrooms in this recipe makes them a little too soggy for my liking – I like having identifiable bits of mushroom in the final stuffing. Hope that helps – let me know if you have any questions. Really hope you love the recipe!
We have a guest who can’t eat eggs. Do you have another suggestion for a binder?
Hi Stephanie! I haven’t tested the recipe using another binder, but I’ve seen a number of vegan stuffing recipes that use flax eggs as a binder. Again, I haven’t personally tried this substitution, but seems like a popular choice for those who are egg-free.
Hope this helps, please let me know if you end up trying!
Jess
What size baking dish do yoi recommend?
Hi Joia! We usually use a 9×13 casserole dish!
how many cups of cubed sourdough for half recipe please ? looks fantastic
Hi Denise! It will be roughly 6-8 cups of cubed sourdough for a 24 ounce loaf (as written). We’ve used up to a 32 ounce loaf to yield about 8-10 cups have still had great results! 🙂
So if you will be halving the recipe we’d aim for 3-4 cups of cubed sourdough!
I am not a mushroom girl. Any substitute or just leave them out?
We love the savory umami flavor they add but if they aren’t your favorite, feel free to omit!
I hosted Thanksgiving in 2021 for the very first time, even though it was just immediate family I was nervous. And although I had never made this recipe before, because Jess is who published it I KNEW it would be a hit. THIS IS THE LITERAL BEST EVER STUFFING RECIPE!!!! It honestly stole the show out of all of the sides. Will absolutely be making it again, and again, and again!
This was probably the best stuffing I have made. My husband and daughters loved it. Making your own bread cubes is for sure the best idea. They were amazing. Thanks for always having detailed instructions and pictures.
We put some of the stuffing in the turkey while it was on the smoker and some in a casserole dish in the oven. Both were fantastic. Next time I’ll put a lid on the casserole dish the last 10 minutes because it got a tad too crunchy. This recipe is a keeper, thank you.
Thank you Kay! We are so glad you & your family loved this stuffing & thank you for including PWWB in your Thanksgiving dinner! 💜
great stuffing recipe, I always love seeing new ones (to me) and love these ingredients, so thank you
This recipe is absolutely amazing! I made it this year for our quarantine Thanksgiving and it was easily the best thing we made. This is going to become a staple at our Thanksgivings from here on out! Highly recommend!
Hi Anna! Yes, stuffing is definitely a must even for a smaller Thanksgiving – thanks for choosing PWWB! We are SO glad you enjoyed!
This was everything a stuffing should be! I followed the recipe exactly, and it turned out absolutely perfect! I underestimated how much this made, which was an awesome surprise. I also really loved the tips on prepping components ahead of time and decreasing the recipe. This is 100% on my thanksgiving rotation for years to come! Thank you, Jesse!
Gotta love Thanksgiving stuffing leftovers! So glad you enjoyed Alison!
Made this stuffing this year for my family and it was so delicious! I personally loved both the additions of cheese and mushrooms. I will definitely be making this again in the future!
Hi Brianne! Thank you so much for sharing – we are SO glad to hear that you loved this recipe – the cheese & mushrooms make it so savory & creamy!