This butternut squash stuffing is a must-have side dish for Thanksgiving, with its herby flavors and meaty texture. Made with Italian sausage this recipe packs a punch of flavor and the roasted butternut squash makes it extra festive!
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What’s in Squash Stuffing?
The flavors and textures are out of this world! With crispy bread cubes, soft butternut squash, and lots of herbs, this is one tasty side!
- Squash: Butternut squash forms the base of this stuffing recipe. If you’re not a fan of butternut, you can use pumpkin, acorn, or delicata squash.
- Oil: Olive oil helps the butternut squash roast in the oven without burning. If you prefer, you can use vegetable, canola, avocado, or coconut oil instead.
- Italian Sausage: I love Italian sausage for the rich, meaty flavor it adds to this dish. I used mild sausage to make this kid-friendly, but you can use hot Italian sausage to make this dish spicier.
- Onion: Yellow onion adds a sweet and savory flavor to this stuffing.
- Celery: Celery adds a salty, vegetal flavor to the stuffing, plus a bit of crunch!
- Butter: Unsalted butter adds moisture to the stuffing.
- Eggs: Beaten eggs help bind the stuffing together so it doesn’t end up crumbly and dry.
- Herbs and Spices: Allspice, nutmeg, thyme, sage, salt, and pepper are classic nutty and herbaceous stuffing flavors.
- Bread: I like to use Italian bread for my stuffing, but any hearty bread will do! You can even use sandwich bread for a softer stuffing.
- Chicken Broth: Low-sodium chicken broth adds moisture to the stuffing to keep it from drying out in the oven. You can use vegetable broth if you prefer.
- Walnuts: Chopped walnuts add a nice crunch and a nutty flavor to this stuffing, but they are optional if you have an allergy!
Pro Tip: For mapley stuffing, use breakfast sausage and add a tablespoon of maple syrup to the butter mixture!
Gluten Free Butternut Squash Stuffing
This stuffing is not naturally gluten-free, but it is super easy to adapt! Simply grab your favorite hearty loaf of gluten-free bread and you’re ready to make this stuffing! Serve it alongside some other gluten-free sides, like sautéed vegetables, mashed sweet potatoes, creamed corn, potato casserole, or gluten-free biscuits!
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Yes, this recipe can be made with frozen butternut squash cubes, and it’s often more convenient than fresh. Thaw them fully before roasting them.
The stuffing can be made right up to the point of baking a day ahead of time. Cover and refrigerate it and then just bake it in the oven when you are ready to serve.
Yes! This is perfect for the freezer and will keep well for up to 3 months. Wrap it tightly to protect from freezer burn. Thaw it in the fridge overnight before reheating it at 325°F, covered with foil, for around 20 minutes til hot.
Butternut squash is great to use in this recipe, but other fall squashes like acorn, pumpkin or delicata will all work well.
How to Store and Reheat Squash Stuffing Casserole
Store leftover butternut squash stuffing tightly covered with aluminum foil or plastic wrap in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat covered with foil in a 325°F oven for 20-25 minutes, until warmed through. You may wish to pour over a bit of chicken broth to help re-moisten the stuffing before reheating.
How to Freeze Butternut Squash Dressing
Freeze butternut squash stuffing tightly covered with 2 layers of plastic wrap and 1 layer of aluminum foil or portioned into airtight containers for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
What to Serve with this Butternut Squash Stuffing Recipe
This butternut squash stuffing recipe is the perfect accompaniment to all of your holiday meals. Try it with whole roast turkey, prime rib roast, pork crown roast, whole roast chicken, bacon wrapped turkey breast, or smoked turkey breast.
We all know that the sides are the best part of Thanksgiving dinner, so serve this stuffing alongside some dinner rolls and green bean casserole, loaded mac and cheese, crockpot sweet potato casserole, mashed potatoes, creamed corn, or air fryer roasted vegetables.
Butternut Squash Stuffing Recipe
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Ingredients
- 1 butternut squash (about 2 pounds)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ pound Italian sausage hot or mild
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 3 ribs celery diced
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted (1 stick)
- 2 large eggs beaten
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 12 sprigs fresh sage chopped
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 pound Italian bread cubed and dried (1 loaf) – see notes
- 2½ cup low-sodium chicken broth
- ½ cup chopped walnuts
Recommended Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan and set aside.
- Peel the butternut squash with a peeler and place the whole peeled squash on a microwave-safe plate. Place in the microwave for 5 minutes until the squash is softened. Allow to cool.1 butternut squash
- With a large knife cut the squash in half. Remove the seeds with a spoon, then cut the squash into small 1-inch cubes.
- Coat the butternut squash with the olive oil and place on a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake until softened, approximately 10-15 minutes. Poke with a fork to check for tenderness and continue baking (if needed) until tender.1 tablespoon olive oil
- In a large skillet, cook the sausage until it is no longer pink. Drain any grease.½ pound Italian sausage
- Add the onion and celery to the sausage and cook until softened, about 4-5 minutes.1 yellow onion, 3 ribs celery
- In a separate bowl, combine the melted butter, beaten eggs, allspice, nutmeg, thyme, sage, salt, and pepper.½ cup unsalted butter, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg, ¼ teaspoon ground allspice, 2 large eggs, 12 sprigs fresh sage, 4 sprigs fresh thyme, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Remove the squash from the oven, and place it in a large bowl. Add the meat and stir to combine.
- Add the dried bread cubes and gently stir to combine.1 pound Italian bread
- Pour the butter mixture over the squash and stir. Pour broth over the bread just enough to completely moisten it without soaking (you might not use all of the broth).2½ cup low-sodium chicken broth
- Pour the mixture into the prepared baking pan and spread it oit evenly.
- Top with nuts and bake for 30-35 minutes, until browned on top.½ cup chopped walnuts
Last step! Don’t forget to show me a pic of what you made! Upload an image or tag me @thecookierookie on Instagram!
Becky’s tips
- Drying Bread
- Oven Method: Cut the bread into 1-inch cubes and place it on a large baking sheet. Bake at 400°F for 10 minutes. Carefully turn and bake for an additional 5 -10 minutes, until dried but not overly browned.
- Air Fryer Method: Place cubed-up bread in the air fryer basket in a single layer. Set the temperature to 400°F and set the timer for 5-10 minutes, checking every 2 minutes to stir and toss so that they dry evenly.
- This recipe can also be made with frozen butternut squash cubes. Just be sure to thaw them completely.
- If you’re not a fan of butternut, you can use pumpkin, acorn, or delicata squash.
- For a vegetarian stuffing, leave out the sausage or swap it for vegan sausage crumbles.
- Feel free to swap out the bread for your favorite.
- You can use vegetable stock instead of chicken stock.
Nutrition Information
