SOURDOUGH STUFFING WITH SAUSAGE (DAIRY-FREE)
on Nov 25, 2024, Updated Jul 21, 2025
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
All of the classic Thanksgiving flavors, but none of the dairy. This sourdough stuffing recipe with sautéed onions, celery, and sweet Italian sausage is a dairy-free version of the beloved side dish.
Dairy-free anything isn’t common for the Thanksgiving meal. Many of the beloved dishes, including stuffing, rely on copious amounts of butter. That’s why I wanted to create a Dairy-Free Sourdough Stuffing with Sausage.
The beauty of my take on stuffing is that nobody will be able to tell that you opted for dairy-free butter as opposed to the real stuff.
And if you’re familiar with most of my recipes, you also won’t be surprised that this dish includes protein!
The addition of sweet Italian pork sausage amps up the flavor, adds extra texture to the stuffing, and is a good source of protein too!
Pairing a protein with a carbohydrate-heavy meal can help regulate blood sugar levels.
But in all honesty, I think it makes stuffing even more spectacular!
So no matter if you’re serving a large crowd for the holiday or hosting a Friendsgiving for a few close friends, you’ll want this to be on your table!
Give it a try and let me know what everyone thinks. Enjoy!
Get the Protein-Empowered digital cookbook!
Ingredients for Dairy-Free Sourdough Stuffing
Whether this is your first time hosting Thanksgiving or you’re in charge of bringing a side dish to a family member’s house, be sure to make this! It only requires six ingredients AND it will be the talk of the holiday meal.
- Bread: Sourdough is the queen of this recipe! You’ll need a large 2-pound loaf for this recipe. Buy the loaf a few days before Thanksgiving so it is stale before you make it.
- Sausage: Sweet Italian pork sausage is my favorite for this side dish. It pairs well with the savory flavors of the poultry seasoning. Use your favorite sausage.
- Dairy-Free Butter: Most stuffing recipes call for butter, so I swapped this for dairy-free butter. There are different options available, but @miyokoscreamery is one of my favs.
- Veggies: Onion and celery are classically used in stuffing. Why play with something already good, right?
Pin this recipe for later!
Pin It- Poultry Seasoning: The quintessential savory flavoring of stuffing is thanks to poultry seasoning. It typically includes a variety of dried spices such as sage, thyme, rosemary, and nutmeg.
- Turkey Stock: This is a key ingredient that is used to add moisture and flavor to the dish. It helps prevent the bread from drying out in the oven. When it comes to cooking Thanksgiving, it’s always a good idea to keep extra stock on hand.
How to Make Sourdough Stuffing with Sausage
Let’s get going on this stuffing! First, you’ll want to prepare the sourdough.
I like to use stale sourdough bread since this just helps absorb more of the moisture and flavor.
To do this, allow the bread cubes to dry out overnight on a large cookie sheet. Alternatively, you can bake the cubes in a 350°F oven for 15 minutes, tossing halfway.
Next, preheat the oven to 350°F.
To a large non-stick pan, add the sausage and cook over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes, breaking it up as you go, until browned and cooked through. Use a slotted spoon to remove it from the skillet.
Add the dairy-free butter and allow it to melt down before adding the onions and celery. Season with about 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Stir to coat.
Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, allowing the onions to become translucent but not brown. You may need to adjust the temperature down a bit.
Add the poultry seasoning, stirring to combine, and cook for another minute to allow the seasoning to bloom. Blooming simply means heating spices in oil to bring out their smell and flavor.
Add the turkey stock and cook for another 2 minutes to warm the stock through.
Pour the onion and celery mixture over the bread cubes. Add the sausage.
Thoroughly mix with a spatula to evenly distribute. You want to make sure the bread has absorbed enough stock to look and feel quite moist but not soggy. Add more stock if necessary.
Taste and season with salt and pepper, if needed.
Transfer to a 9×13 baking pan. Cover with a lid or foil. Bake covered for 30 minutes then remove foil and bake another 15 to 20 minutes until golden brown on top.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly before serving.
Personally, I think it’s better after it’s had some time to sit so feel free to make it early and reheat. Enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions for Sourdough Stuffing
No, while sourdough bread has less gluten than regular white or wheat bread there is still gluten in it. While I avoid gluten regularly, I’m ok with eating sourdough every once in a while. If you are gluten-free, you can swap to gluten-free bread. The flavor may change slightly, but the recipe will still be delicious. I have not tried with cornbread, but if you do let me know how it is!
I used stale sourdough bread and then let it dry out overnight on a baking sheet. Stale, dried-out bread absorbs more liquid and flavor than fresh bread. You may find that the stuffing is moister and soggier if you use fresh bread. At the very least, pop the bread cubes in the oven for a few minutes to dry them out.
Instead of using butter, I opted for dairy-free butter! @miyokoscreamery makes great dairy-free butter.
Other Dairy-Free Classic Thanksgiving Sides:
- Dairy-Free Mashed Potatoes
- Dairy-Free Mashed Sweet Potatoes
- Honey Glazed Carrots
- Maple Glazed Bacon-Wrapped Carrots
SOURDOUGH STUFFING WITH SAUSAGE (DAIRY-FREE)
Ingredients
- 1 loaf (about 2 pounds) sourdough bread, sliced into small cubes
- 1 pound ground sweet Italian pork sausage
- 3 tablespoons dairy-free butter
- 1 onion, small diced
- 3 celery stalks, small diced
- 3 tablespoons poultry seasoning
- 2 cups turkey stock + more as needed
- Salt and pepper, to season
Instructions
- To prepare the sourdough, allow the bread cubes to dry out overnight on a large cookie sheet. I like to use an older loaf of sourdough for this. (Alternatively, you can bake the cubes in a 350°F oven for 15 minutes, tossing halfway).
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- To a large non-stick pan, add the sausage and cook over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes, breaking it up as you go, until browned and cooked through. Use a slotted spoon to remove it from the skillet.
- Add the dairy-free butter and allow it to melt down before adding the onions and celery. Season with about 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Stir to coat.
- Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, allowing the onions to become translucent but not brown (adjust the temperature down if needed).
- Add the poultry seasoning, stirring to combine, and cook for another minute to allow the seasoning to bloom. Add the turkey stock and cook for another 2 minutes to warm the stock through.
- Pour the onion and celery mixture over the bread cubes. Add the sausage. Thoroughly mix with a spatula to distribute evenly. You want to make sure the bread has absorbed enough stock to look and feel quite moist but not soggy. Add more stock if necessary. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if needed.
- Transfer to a 9×13 baking pan. Cover with a lid or foil. Bake covered for 30 minutes then remove foil and bake another 15 to 20 minutes until golden brown on top.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly before serving. Personally, I think it’s better after it’s had some time to sit so feel free to make it early and reheat. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This was a total hit at our thanksgiving this year!! Perfect texture and taste. going in the rolodex for must have side dishes!