Italian Sausage Stuffing with Leeks
This Italian sausage stuffing with leeks is destined to be a hit at your Thanksgiving or Christmas gathering. Made with cremini mushrooms, Pecorino Romano cheese, and, of course, sweet sausage and leeks, its moist interior and crispy exterior make it hard to resist seconds.
Recipe Mood: Crowd-Pleasing Side Dish
Indulgence Level: High
Effort Level: Moderate
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I think many people agree that the star of any holiday table (especially at Thanksgiving) is stuffing. And when that stuffing is filled with Italian flavors, then look out!
This Italian sausage stuffing with leeks features staples like celery and mushrooms, but it’s loaded with sweet Italian sausage, plenty of delicious leeks, and sharp Pecorino Romano cheese.
Not only is it delicious, but you can also make it entirely in advance, or make part of it beforehand and prepare the bread portion on the day you plan to serve it.
Despite the several steps required (as with many stuffing recipes), they’re easy and well worth it for this flavorful dish!
And don’t forget to use some of the leftovers (if there are any) to make this Thanksgiving turkey melt sandwich the next day!
Key Ingredients
- Sweet Italian Sausage: This imparts a salty, but relatively mild, pork flavor.
- Leeks: Sweet and mild, the amount of leeks in this recipe won’t overwhelm the other ingredients.
- Cremini Mushrooms: Cremini are more flavorful than white button mushrooms.
- Pecorino Romano Cheese: The king of cheeses, this gives the stuffing a nice salty bite and unmistakable Italian flavor.
See the recipe card below for more information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make This Italian Sausage Stuffing with Leeks
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Pro Tips
Use stale bread: Fresh bread won’t hold up to the liquid ingredients as well as stale (1-2 days old).
Rinse those leeks: Leeks are delicious but dirty little veggies. Slice them first, then rinse them thoroughly in a colander to remove all embedded dirt.
Mix the bread cubes gently: Don’t press the bread into the liquid, or it could turn mushy.
Variations & Substitutions
-Any rustic bread will work for the stuffing: a loaf of Ciabatta, Italian bread, pane, etc. Just ensure it’s not infused with additional flavors like olive oil, garlic, or rosemary.
-Replace the cremini mushrooms with portobello, cutting them to the same size as the cremini. You can also use a mix of both.
-Replace some of the sausage with portobello mushrooms if you want a lighter version.
-For a vegetarian version, substitute the sausage for another 16 ounces of mushrooms (the meatier, the better) and replace the chicken broth with vegetable broth.
-Swap the chicken broth for chicken stock. You can also use turkey broth/stock.
-Use turkey sausage if you don’t want to use pork.
-Use Parmigiano Reggiano in place of the Pecorino Romano, which will impart a milder but nuttier flavor. You may want to increase it to 1 cup.
-Use yellow onions (1 cup) if you can’t find leeks.
-Cook the mushrooms first, then add the leeks if you want the leeks to reduce less.
-Add additional minced herbs to the stuffing mixture. Rosemary and sage are great options; use them sparingly (about 1 tablespoon) as they’re both strong. However, if you want to make this more of a sage stuffing, then use 8-10 minced sage leaves.
Recipe FAQs
Absolutely. Cook it fully up to 2 days before, then reheat it in the oven (you may want to add a bit more chicken broth to remoisten it). You can also prepare the recipe up to Step #3 in the recipe card, and assemble the rest on the day you plan to serve it. This is what I typically do.
This stuffing takes only 45-50 minutes in the oven, so put it in when there’s about that much time left on the turkey. This stuffing can sit for a bit, covered, as the turkey sits out.
Just add some more broth to the stuffing and continue cooking for a few additional minutes.
Just continue cooking it, uncovered, until any excess liquid evaporates. If the top looks like it might get too dark, cover it loosely with aluminum foil.
Dry it out in a sheet pan in the oven at 250°F for about 30 minutes, flipping the bread halfway through.
Storage
Refrigerator: Store in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Freezer: Freeze in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months.
Reheat: Reheat in the oven in a covered, oven-safe tray, until warmed through. Remove the cover and continue cooking until the top crisps a bit. If frozen, reheat straight from the freezer. Defrosting first could make the stuffing mushy.
More Holiday-Worthy Recipes
- Juicy roasted boneless turkey breast recipe
- Potato-tomato casserole with Gruyère
- Shrimp and chorizo paella
If you love this recipe, please take a moment to review it below. You could also tag me on Instagram (@forcarbssake) with a picture of your finished dish!
Italian Sausage Stuffing with Leeks
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 16 ounces sweet Italian sausage ground
- 1 cup celery diced (about 2 ribs)
- 4 cups leeks white and light green parts, sliced thinly (about 2 large leeks)
- 24 ounces cremini mushrooms stems trimmed and sliced thinly
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt (Note 1)
- Ground black pepper to taste
- ½ cup Italian flat-leaf parsley minced
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- ¾ cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese divided (½ cup + ¼ cup)
- 4 large eggs whisked
- 8 cups stale rustic bread loaf cut into 1" cubes (Note 2)
Instructions
- In a large pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Cook the sausage, breaking it up with a spoon, until cooked through, 8-10 minutes. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon, and set aside.
- Add the celery, leeks, and mushrooms to the same pan, and cook for 20-25 minutes until the mushrooms acquire some color. Water will release from the mushrooms and leeks before evaporating, so be patient.
- Stir in the salt, some ground black pepper, the parsley, and the cooked sausage, and heat everything for another 2 minutes. Turn off the heat and set the pan aside.
- Stir the chicken broth and ½ cup of the Pecorino into the whisked eggs until well-incorporated. Place the bread cubes in a large casserole dish, and pour the egg mixture over them. Toss gently to ensure even coverage, and let sit for 5 minutes.
- Add the sausage mixture to the bread cubes, tossing everything gently until well-combined. Don't press the bread cubes; they'll hold their shape. Top the stuffing with the remaining ¼ cup Pecorino.
- Bake in the oven, covered, for 20 minutes, then for another 25-30 minutes, uncovered, until golden on top.