Butternut Stuffing
Inside: How to make homemade butternut squash stuffing, plus make ahead options.
Butternut stuffing is slightly off the beaten path. A delicious, easy-to-make side dish for fall and the holiday table with familiar ingredients that aren’t typically combined in this dish. This stuffing recipe is packed with diced butternut squash, apples, sausages, leeks, and dried cranberries; it brings together sweet, savory, and tangy flavors that make every bite irresistible.
When you think of fall vegetables, butternut squash probably comes to mind. With its golden harvest-colored hue and a hint of sweetness, it’s the one squash variety I use repeatedly throughout the season.
You’ll love it in my Butternut Squash Lasagna, or this lush Apple Butternut Squash Bisque and this Warm Apple Butternut Pilaf is the quintessential fall side dish.
It’s adds depth and flavor to so many dishes, that adding this seasonal squash to stuffing is a no-brainer, and the results are phenomenal. This easy butternut stuffing recipe delivers traditional fall flavors in a sumptuous side dish.
Why you’ll love this recipe:
- It’s easy to assemble.
- This recipe can be made ahead–even a day or two–and cooked off at the last minute.
- Uses everyday ingredients, nothing fancy.
- Unlike most stuffing recipes that go overboard on butter and fat, this one uses them sparingly, so you taste the flavors of the vegetables.
- The flavors span from savory to slightly sweet and have a definite fall flavor.
- The colors reflect an autumn palette.
Ingredients:
- Bulk Sausage–I use Jimmy Dean, but if you have a favorite, feel free to use it.
- Onions–I recommend yellow onions, but white, red or sweet onions work well too.
- Leeks have a mildly oniony flavor and multiple layers. As they grow, dirt and grit can get sandwiched between the layers, so cleaning and rinsing them well before using them is essential. You’ll use the pale white and green parts (because they’re the most tender).
- Celery–to add a vegetal aromatic flavor to the stuffing.
- Butternut Squash–You only need 2 cups of diced butternut squash, so you could use the pre-chopped squash in the produce aisle or even diced, frozen squash. That will save you a step.
- Granny Smith Apples–or other firm-fleshed apples that hold up to cooking. Avoid McIntosh, as they turn soft quickly when heated.
- Dried Cranberries–I used lightly sweetened Ocean Spray Craisins.
- Fresh Sage–to me, this herb makes it feel, smell and taste like the holidays.
- Fresh Rosemary–you can also use dried rosemary, but you’ll want to scale back to about ½ teaspoon because dried herbs are more concentrated.
- Chicken Broth–You can use my Easy Leftover Rotisserie Chicken Stock or a store-bought low-sodium broth.
- Unsalted Butter–To assist in browning the casserole, dot the top of the butternut stuffing before baking.
Step-by-step instructions:
- Remove the crusts from a loaf of Italian or sourdough bread and dice the bread into 1″ cubes. Transfer to a large bowl to sit out overnight and up to 1-2 days to become stale. Don’t cover the bowl, you want the bread to get dry and crusty. Mix the bread at least once or twice during this period for more equal contact with air.
2. Prep the veggies.
- Cut off the furry root and discard it. Slice the leeks in half vertically and then chop them into ½” moons using only the white and pale green parts. Transfer leeks to a large bowl of water and swish with your fingers. The dirt will fall to the bottom of the bowl, and the leeks will float. Transfer leeks to a salad spinner and dry thoroughly.
- Peel and dice the butternut squash into ½” dice. Pre-chopped squash is usually larger than this, so cut it into smaller, more uniform pieces.
- Dice the onions and celery into ½” pieces.
- Peel, seed and dice the apple into ½” pieces.
3. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the olive oil. Add the sausage and cook, breaking it up with a fork or wooden spoon until it’s browned.
4. Stir in the onion, celery, leeks, butternut squash and ½ teaspoon of salt. Cover the skillet with a lid and cook for 6-7 minutes, occasionally stirring until the vegetables are tender.
5. Add the apples, cranberries, sage, rosemary and remaining kosher salt and pepper. Stir to combine and cook for 3-5 minutes until the apples are tender and the cranberries have softened.
6. Remove the pan from the heat and add the stale bread cubes a handful at a time until mixed. (If your skillet isn’t large enough, you can transfer the butternut squash mixture to a large bowl with the breadcrumbs and toss until the ingredients are evenly combined.
7. Add the broth ½ cup at a time, until the bread is moistened but not soaked. Taste for seasoning and adjust as you like.
8. Transfer the butternut squash stuffing to a casserole dish and dot with butter.
9. Bake uncovered at 375°F for 25 minutes or until the crust is golden.
Pro-Tips:
- Avoid using a fresh bakery loaf of bread. It’s too soft and will fall apart and become mushy in the stuffing. Placing the bread cubes in a large and wide bowl and spreading them out so they get as much air contact as possible will promote drying out the bread.
- Prepping the veggies is probably the most time-consuming part of making this butternut squash stuffing, but to save time, I do the same day as the bread and store the diced veg in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 2 days in advance.
- When you’re chopping the vegetables and apples, make sure they’re chopped to an equal size to ensure even cooking.
- Handle butternut squash carefully when chopping; one slip, and you could cut your finger. To start the cutting, use a sharp chef’s knife and start at the bulbous end, which is hollow and makes it easier to get through.
Swaps and variations:
- Use leftover roasted butternut squash instead of fresh.
- Try a different type of sausage, such as mild Italian Sausage, bulk chicken sausage or maybe chorizo.
- If you’re short on time, you can use store-bought stuffing bread. I don’t like it as much, but it is convenient.
- Use other apple varieties such as Honeycrisp, Braeburn, Jonagold, Crispin, Winesap, or Pink Lady. Just be sure it’s an apple that holds up to cooking without falling apart.
- Use other types of squash for this stuffing, such as Acorn, Buttercup, Honeynut, Carnival, Delicata, Kabucha or even sugar pumpkins.
- Swap the dried cranberries for ¾-1 cup of fresh cranberries for tart pops of flavor.
- Add fresh chopped thyme or other fresh herbs.
- Make gluten-free butternut stuffing by using gluten-free bread.
FAQs
Yes, you can use butternut stuffing to fill your turkey, as the ingredients are fully cooked. However, there are always food safety concerns that the turkey may not reach a food-safe temperature of 165°F, so there is a risk.
Besides, everyone likes a stuffing casserole because it has irresistible crispy, browned edges and crusty sides.
It has a mildly sweet flavor like a sweet potato, but its flesh is less starchy than a spud. When cooked, its soft flesh practically melts on your tongue.
This homemade butternut stuffing has it all: sweet and savory fruits and vegetables, meaty pork sausage, tender chunks of moist bread and an irresistible golden brown crust. This is the perfect holiday side dish to a Baked Ham Shank, Smoked Turkey Breasts, Eye of Round Roast or traditional Bourbon Maple Brined Roast Turkey.
More stuffing recipes and casseroles you’ll love:
- Green Chile Cornbread Stuffing
- Apple Sausage Stuffing
- Louisiana Rice Dressing (a holiday favorite)
- Sweet Potato and Apple Breakfast Strata
- Simple Scalloped Potatoes
- Tangy Glazed Stovetop Brussels Sprouts
- Savory Sweet Potato Casserole
Butternut Stuffing
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
- 1 large casserole dish
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 teaspoon olive oil
- ½ pound bulk sausage I used Jimmy Dean “Sage”
- 1 cup onion
- 1 stalk celery
- 2 leeks pale green parts only
- 2 cups butternut squash
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt divided
- 1 large granny smith apple
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- 2 teaspoons dried sage crumbled
- 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary chopped
- ½ teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
- 1 loaf bakery bread Italian or Sourdough loaf are good.
- 1½ – 2 cups low sodium chicken or vegetable broth
- 2 tablespoons butter cut into small cubes
DIRECTIONS:
FOR THE STALE BREAD:
- Remove the crusts from 1 loaf bakery bread and dice into ½" cubes. Transfer the bread cubes to a large bowl and leave out overnight or up to 2 days to become stale. Don't cover the bread.
PREP THE VEGGIES:
- You can chop the veggies a day or two ahead and store them in an airtight container in the fridge until you're ready to assemble the casserole. This is a considerable time saver the day you're cooking.
- Slice 2 leeks in half vertically, then chop them into ¼" moons. Fill a large bowl with water and add the leeks. Swish the leeks in the water with you hand, dislodging any grit or dirt that may be between the layers. Lift the leeks (do not pour them out) with your hands into a salad spinner. Spin to dry and set aside.
- If you're using a fresh butternut squash, peel, seed and dice 2 cups butternut squash into ½" cubes. If you have pre-cut squash, assess the size of the cubes and cut any large ones into smaller ½" dice. If using frozen squash, do your best to cut them into bite-sized chunks.
- Chop 1 cup onion and 1 stalk celery into ¼" dice.
- Peel, seed and chop 1 large granny smith apple into ½" dice.
TO ASSEMBLE THE BUTTERNUT STUFFING:
- Preheat the oven to 375°. Spray a large casserole dish with vegetable spray and set aside.
- In a large skillet, heat 2 teaspoon olive oil over medium high heat. Add ½ pound bulk sausage and cook, breaking it up with the back of a spoon or fork until crumbled and browned.
- Add the onion, celery, leeks, squash and ½ teaspoon of salt. Stir to combine, cover with a lid and cook for 6-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender.
- Add apples, ½ cup dried cranberries, 2 teaspoons dried sage, 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, and remaining ½ teaspoon kosher salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper to the vegetables. Stir to combine and cook for 3-5 minutes or until apples are tender and cranberries are softened.
- Remove from heat and add bread cubes a handful at a time, tossing to combine after each addition. Add 1½ – 2 cups low sodium chicken or vegetable broth ½ cup at a time until the bread is moistened but not falling apart. (I used about 1 ¾ cups of broth for this step). Taste for seasoning and adjust to your tastes.
- Transfer the stuffing mixture to the prepared casserole dish and dot it with 2 tablespoons butter. Bake for 25 minutes or until the top is crusty and browned.
NOTES:
NUTRITION:
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I like this a lot, but actually think it would be better without the bread, which I guess would make it a traditional casserole rather than a stuffing. I wanted to double the recipe, but didn’t want to use 16 cups of bread so used 8 cups (about one loaf) instead. It was very good, but even with only half the bread, I thought there was a a bit too much. I tasted the stuffing before I added the bread and it was just delicious. I plan to serve this minus the bread as a side dish in the future.
I removed the sausage before sauteeing the onions, celery, and leeks; removed those to a bowl before cooking the squash and then the apples and cranberries. This was necessary because I couldn’t fit a double recipe in the frying pan, but I suspect also produced a better more uniform texture for the various components. I never covered the pan because I did not want to steam the vegetables. They came out browned in places, which I love. I deglazed the pan with some chicken stock that I poured over the dressing.
Better to tear the bread–visually more interesting (cut looks store-bought) and more nooks and crannies for crispy/soft contrast.
I like the way you think with the extra nooks and crannies!
I feel like cooking stuffing inside a bird is probably not a good way to get crisp edges and the best color… but it might be a good way to get a little sick by accident! Your way looks so much better!
thank you, Sarah!
This stuffing looks absolutely perfect, Lisa! I love those crispy bits. They’re always the first part I go for in a pan of stuffing. I’m also a complete leek fiend, so this recipe especially speaks to my heart. I think I could make a meal just out of this!
I love everything about this stuffing, and I honestly woudln’t need the ‘big bird’ at all, just load up my plate with the stuffing!
I’ve been eating a lot of this stuffing, Sue. It’s good!
I love that you included leeks! Perfect for the holidays
This is the perfect side dish for the upcoming holidays. Looks so delicious!
Thanks, Brandi – Glad you like it!
Oooo love the addition of the butternut squash in here! And leeks are my faveeee!
What a great twist on traditional stuffing. I love how you have added so many veggies in to it.
This actually has more veg than sausage to make it “slightly healthier” {of course you could add a whole pound of sausage if you wanted} LOL!