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Grandma’s Old Fashioned Sage Stuffing

There is something about the aroma of sage stuffing that makes Thanksgiving feel like Thanksgiving. My Grandma’s Old Fashioned Sage Stuffing has the familiar Thanksgiving flavors of toasted bread, sage, apples, celery and sausage, with a few practical changes to the way it is prepared. I skip the butter for sautéing, choose lean poultry sausage when I use it, and bake the stuffing separately from the turkey.

The key is keeping the natural moisture from the fruits and vegetables in the stuffing, then adding hot, degreased turkey drippings after baking. You get that baked-in-the-bird taste while controlling how much fat and liquid go into the dish.

Let the Fruits and Vegetables Add Moisture

I do not sauté the celery, apples or mushrooms in butter or oil before adding them to the bread. They cook with the other ingredients in the covered casserole, releasing their juices into the stuffing. Those natural juices help moisten and flavor the bread without the added sautéing fat.

Start with Fresh Toasted Bread

I prefer to toast and cube my own sourdough, French or whole-wheat bread, or use a combination. It lets me choose bread made without added fats and control the herbs and seasonings myself. When shopping, I compare labels for sodium and any preservatives or other ingredients I prefer to leave out. Fresh bread can contain these ingredients too, so the label matters. Unseasoned packaged bread cubes are an option when time is short.

Choose Lean Turkey or Chicken Sausage

For the sausage version, I use 93% to 97% lean turkey or chicken breakfast or Italian sausage in place of higher-fat pork sausage. The goal is to keep the savory flavor and protein while reducing the fat added to the stuffing. Compare fat, saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium on the labels; poultry sausage is not automatically lower in all four. You can also leave the sausage out.

Use Low Sodium Broth

I use low-sodium turkey or chicken broth, or make an easy broth with low-sodium chicken or turkey soup base. Bread and sausage can already supply a fair amount of sodium, so this is a useful place to cut back. Follow the soup-base label for dilution, and adjust the recipe’s added salt to suit the ingredients you choose.

Keep the Flavor and Control the Moisture

Bake the Stuffing Separately From the Turkey

Stuffing inside a bird acts like a sponge, absorbing turkey juices and some of the fat in those juices. It can become wetter than you want, and waiting for the center of the stuffing to cook safely can mean leaving the turkey in the oven longer than the meat needs.

I bake mine in a covered Dutch oven or casserole. This lets me check the turkey and stuffing independently and decide how much of the turkey’s collected drippings to use for stuffing and gravy. The center of the stuffing must reach 165°F, even though it is baked separately.

Add Degreased Drippings After Baking

Once the stuffing comes out of the oven, I gently mix in hot, degreased turkey drippings until it reaches the moisture I like. This is how I give it that baked-in-the-bird taste. The remaining degreased drippings can go into the gravy.

A fat-separating cup makes this easy. Let the fat rise to the top, then pour the juices from underneath, following your separator’s directions. Bring the separated juices to a rolling boil before adding them to the cooked stuffing. Add them a little at a time so the bread stays moist without becoming soggy.

Leave the Giblets Out of the Stuffing

I do not add chopped giblets to this stuffing. They would add cholesterol and, depending on the giblets and amount used, additional fat. The sausage, sage, fruits and vegetables already provide the flavor I want. Giblets are optional ingredients in other recipes; they are simply not needed in this one.

Use Eggs to Enrich and Bind

Two whole eggs help bind the bread mixture and add richness and moisture before baking. Eggs also provide complete protein, although two eggs spread across a large batch contribute only a small amount per serving.

Eggs can fit into a healthy eating pattern, but their cholesterol can affect blood cholesterol, and individual responses vary. Anyone managing high LDL cholesterol should follow their clinician’s advice about dietary cholesterol and saturated fat.

How this Side Dish Supports Strength Training

Bread, apples and raisins provide carbohydrates to help fuel activity. Whole-wheat bread and the fruits and vegetables contribute fiber. Lean sausage adds protein, with a smaller contribution from the eggs, to support muscle maintenance and repair. Serve the stuffing with roast turkey and vegetables for a meal that supports nourishment as well as holiday tradition.

Cook’s Note: A fat separator makes it easy to pour the flavorful juices out from underneath the fat layer. Removing the visible fat reduces the amount of fat added but does not make the drippings sodium-free or completely fat-free. Add the finishing liquid gradually so the stuffing stays moist without becoming soggy.

A fat separator makes it easy to pour the flavorful juices out from underneath the fat layer. Removing the visible fat reduces the amount of fat added, but does not make the drippings sodium-free or completely fat-free. Add the finishing liquid gradually so the stuffing stays moist without becoming soggy.

Nutrition Notes

Nutrition varies with the type and amount of bread, the sausage brand, broth, drippings and finished serving size. The sausage-free version still contains eggs. Choose ingredients and portions that fit your needs.

Here is the nutrition information based on the ingredient brands I used to create this recipe.

Nutrition Information: 1-cup serving at 165 calories; 3g fat; 7g protein; 27g carbohydrate; 2g fiber; 27mg cholesterol; 541mg sodium

Nutrition Information w/o sausage: 1-cup serving at 117 calories; 1g fat; 3g protein; 25g carbohydrate; 2g fiber; 13mg cholesterol; 365mg sodium

Cooking and Serving Tips

Prep Ahead and Store Safely

Toast the bread and prepare the other ingredients ahead, keeping perishable ingredients refrigerated separately. Combine the wet and dry ingredients just before baking. Do not refrigerate assembled, uncooked stuffing for baking the next day.

Refrigerate cooked stuffing in shallow containers within 2 hours of serving, or within 1 hour if the temperature is above 90°F. Use refrigerated leftovers within 3 to 4 days or freeze for longer storage. Reheat to 165°F, adding a little broth if needed.

Can The Stuffing be Made Without Sausage?

Yes. Omit the sausage and keep the remaining ingredients. For a meat-free version, use vegetable broth and omit turkey drippings as well. The recipe still contains eggs, so it is not vegan.

Can Packaged Bread Cubes or Crumbs be Used?

Yes. Choose unseasoned cubes and measure 15 cups. Compare sodium and ingredient labels. Packaged bread is a practical option; the ingredient list matters more than whether it comes in a box.

Should Drippings or Gravy be Used?

Use hot, degreased drippings or broth to moisten the stuffing directly. Use the remaining drippings to make gravy, which can be served over the stuffing at the table.

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