Butternut Squash Stuffing with Sausage and Fresh Herbs
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My mom’s treasured stuffing recipe is finally here! A savory stuffing packed with butternut squash, fresh herbs, and so much flavor it is downright delicious? This Butternut Squash Stuffing checks every box and just might be your new favorite holiday side dish.
If this Butternut Squash Stuffing has you feeling festive, why not keep the party going with a few more holiday-inspired dishes? Try this recipe for Herb Sourdough Stuffing with Wild Mushrooms and this festive squash recipe Maple Butter Roasted Butterkin Squash with Hot Chili Oil
This recipe combines tender roasted butternut squash, savory sausage, and a medley of fresh herbs for a stuffing that’s both hearty and elegant. Soft bread soaks up rich chicken stock, creating a perfectly moist interior, while the top bakes into a crispy, golden layer. It’s easy to make, packed with flavor, and sure to impress everyone at your table—whether it’s Thanksgiving or a cozy family dinner.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- All the Fall Flavors: Sweet butternut squash, savory sausage, and aromatic herbs bring serious seasonal vibes.
- Crowd-Pleasing Comfort: It’s cozy, hearty, and guaranteed to have guests asking for seconds.
- Customizable for Every Table: With a few tweaks, it can be gluten-free, vegetarian, or tailored to your favorite flavors.
- Perfectly Prep-Friendly: Roast the squash and prep the sausage mixture ahead of time, then assemble and bake when you’re ready.
- Looks as Good as It Tastes: Vibrant squash and flecks of fresh herbs make this dish a showstopper on any table.
Because nothing says “holiday magic” like a pan of this irresistible stuffing!
Let’s Get Cooking!
Ingredients and Substitution
Detailed measurements and ingredients can be found within the recipe card at the end of this post.
- Produce– butternut squash, onion, celery, fennel bulb, garlic, fresh sage and fresh rosemary
- Meat – 1lb pork sausage
- Dairy – butter
- Bread – 2 baguettes or equivalent amount of stale bread
- Pantry Items – chicken stock, olive oil, ground paprika, ground sage, sea salt and ground black pepper
Subs + Additions
- Subs: Use your bread of choice (gluten-free if needed) and swap the butternut squash for your favorite variety if you’d like!
Tools
- A good knife
- Cutting board
- Food processor
- Large skillet
- Wooden spoon or spatula
- Small saucepan
- Casserole dish
Tips and Instructions
STEP ONE: Roast the Butternut Squash: Roasting brings out the natural sweetness of butternut squash, caramelizing its sugars for a deeper, richer flavor. Adding fresh rosemary and thyme while roasting is a pro move, highly recommend!
Pro tip: If peeling feels like arm day at the gym, microwave the squash for 1-2 minutes to soften the skin slightly, just be sure to poke it with a fork a few times first. This inexpensive Y-peeler is my favorite squash peeling tool.
STEP TWO: Chop the Veggies – Grab your food processor fitted with a blade attachment and pulse the onion, celery, and fennel until finely chopped. You can certainly do this by hand by I find the food processor is truly the a life saver for a large batch of stuffing.
STEP THREE: Saute the sausage and veggies
- Brown the sausage and veggies together in a large skillet. My mom always did this using butter and thus we will also use butter. Once the sausage is browned and the veggies are tender add in the roasted butternut squash and stir to combine.
- This is when your house will officially start smelling like Thanksgiving morning – the best smell in the whole world.
STEP FOUR: Assemble the Stuffing
- Transfer the sausage and veggie mixture to an ovenproof casserole dish.
- Tear the stale baguette or bread into bite-sized pieces and mix them into the casserole dish.
- In a small saucepan, warm 2 cups of chicken stock over medium heat until hot (but not boiling).
- Slowly ladle the warm stock into the casserole dish – 1 ladle full at a time, stirring the bread and veggies after each ladle to evenly distribute the moisture. Continue adding the sock and stirring until everything is well coated.
Pro Tip: My mom always makes turkey stock on Thanksgiving morning, a huge pot, she uses the turkey stock for stuffing and gravy.
STEP FIVE: Bake to Perfection
- Pop the casserole dish into a 350°F oven and bake, uncovered, for 20-30 minutes.
- Check for a golden, crisp top and a warm, fragrant center.
Congratulations, you’ve just created a show-stopping Butternut Squash Stuffing that’s perfect for any holiday table—or just a Tuesday when you’re feeling fancy. Dig in and enjoy the cozy!
Make Ahead + Storage + Reheating Tips
- MAKE AHEAD – Prepare the butternut squash, sausage and veggies and store in the fridge. Tear the bread into bite sized bits and let is sit out overnight (or use stale bread). Day of, proceed with bread, stock, and baking.
- STORAGE – Store stuffing in the casserole dish you baked it in, simply cover it tightly (I am obsessed with beeswax wraps rather than using plastic wrap or aluminum foil).
- Make sure the stuffing is cooled down 100% prior to placing it in the refrigerator
- REHEATING – Reheat in a 350° oven for 20 minutes or warmed through.
Ideas for leftover stuffing:
Leftover stuffing might just be the unsung hero of Thanksgiving—it’s practically begging to be turned into something amazing! Here are a few fun ways to reinvent it:
- Stuffing Sandwiches: Yes, bread on bread is a thing, and it’s glorious. Pile on turkey, stuffing, and cranberry sauce between slices of your favorite bread for the ultimate post-holiday treat.
- Stuffing Nachos: This idea has “genius” written all over it. Scatter tortilla chips on a baking sheet, top with stuffing, shredded turkey, melted cheese, and a drizzle of spicy salsa. Nacho night just leveled up.
- Stuffing + Eggs = Magic: Leftover stuffing makes the perfect base for baked eggs. Crack a few eggs over it, bake, and you’ve got yourself a cozy brunch in no time.
- Turkey and Stuffing Dumpling Soup: Turn that stuffing into flavorful dumplings for a soul-warming turkey soup. It’s hearty, creative, and absolutely delicious.
Who knew leftovers could be the highlight of your week? ??
For similar tasty dishes, check out my Thanksgiving recipes, healthy Christmas recipes and healthy fall recipes roundups!
If you’ve tried this recipe, don’t forget to rate and comment!
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Butternut Squash Stuffing
Ingredients
- 1 small butternut squash 3 cups diced
- 1 lb. pork sausage removed from casing, or loose sausage
- 1 medium onion 1 cup chopped
- 2-3 stalks celery 1 cup chopped
- 1 small fennel bulb 1 cup chopped
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 3 cloves garlic finely chopped
- 3 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tsp ground paprika
- 1 tsp ground sage
- 1 tsp fresh sage finely chopped
- 2 tsp fresh rosemary finely chopped, divided
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
- 6 cups stale baguette/ bread torn into pieces, about 2 baguette
Instructions
- Prepare the Butternut Squash: Peel the butternut squash, cut it in half lengthwise, and remove the seeds. Dice into 1-inch pieces and place them in a baking dish. Drizzle with 1 tablespoons of olive oil, then sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of finely chopped fresh rosemary, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper. Toss until the squash is evenly coated. Roast at 425°F for about 30 minutes, or until a knife slides easily into the squash. Remove from oven and set aside.
- Prepare Vegetables: For stuffing I prefer to chop the onion, celery, and fennel in a food processor fitted with a blade attachment. Pulse until finely chopped.
- In a high sided skillet over medium high heat melt butter, add sausage, onion, fennel, and celery. Saute until tender about 8-10 minutes, stirring frequently. Add garlic in the last few minutes of cooking. Add dried and fresh sage, 1 tsp fresh rosemary, 2 tsp ground paprika, and 1/4 tsp salt and pepper. Stir well.
- Add butternut squash to skillet, stir well to combine.
- Transfer sausage veggie mixture to an oven proof casserole dish
- In a small saucepan over medium high heat, warm chicken stock until hot.
- Add torn bread to casserole dish, slowly add stock 1 ladle full at a time, stirring bread into veggies until everything is evenly distributed. Continue adding stock and stirring until well coated.
- Add to 350° oven and cook uncovered for 20-30 minutes until warmed through and the top of the stuffing is browned and toasty.
Nutrition
FAQ
Yes, I recommend a country loaf of bread, or baguette. Sourdough is also a great fit. Gluten free bread does work as well, but use less stock as GF bread gets much mushier.
Yes, you can use kabocha squash, pumpkin, butterkin squash, or honeynut squash. Make sure you do not over cook the squash so it retains a bit of structure and texture in the stuffing.
Yes. Absolutely. My recommendation is to prep the squash, sausage and veggies. Tear the bread and allow it to get a bit stale and then day of assemble together the bread, veggies, and stock and bake fresh.
Meet Abra Pappa, MS, CNS, LDN
Abra is a licensed nutritionist, seasoned home cook, and forever flavor-chaser. She’s spent more than two decades exploring the connection between food and health—and just as long obsessing over what makes something truly delicious. Abra’s Kitchen is where those two loves meet, with recipes that celebrate vegetables, follow the seasons, and make you excited to cook.
