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This Croissant Stuffing is savory, herbaceous, slightly rich and completely delicious!! Featuring cubes of buttery croissants, crunchy pecans, salty sausage, and sweet caramelized onions, this Thanksgiving stuffing recipe is guaranteed to please!!

Featured comment: I have been informed that this is now THE stuffing. This was absolutely amazing. I didn’t think sausage stuffing could be improved upon until I made this for Christmas!” – Damara

Overhead shot of Caramelized Onion, Sausage, Pecan & Croissant Stuffing in a baking dish with fresh thyme, a serving spoon, plates and glass of wine surrounding the dish.

Update: This post was originally published in November 2015. I’ve made updates below to include more information about Thanksgiving stuffing. Plus, I added a recipe video to show you how quick and easy sausage stuffing (or dressing) is to make!

Hi, friends! T minus 10 days until Thanksgiving!

How was everyone’s weekend? Were you finalizing the menu for the big day, or are you like me – totally unprepared? To be fair, I have cooked SO many holiday dishes for this blog I feel like I have already eaten Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner twice.

In case you are still in the midst of planning, I am coming in hot with a seriously epic stuffing recipe today!

But, before we get to that, I have a confession to make. Well, technically it’s not my confession, it’s a confession on behalf of my better half. And, his confession also happens to be a testimonial to how absolutely delicious this stuffing recipe is!

So, the Mister’s confession? He loathes stuffing. Jaw dropping, right?! And, if you are thinking he is certifiably crazy, I can’t say I blame you. After 9 years together, I still can’t accept his hatred of one of my favorite Thanksgiving side dishes.

But, this year I struck stuffing gold. I mean, you just know this stuffing is of epic proportions when even my other half can’t deny the pure deliciousness that is croissant stuffing.

Overhead photo of all the ingredients necessary to make Croissant Stuffing neatly organized by individual ingredient on a gray wood surface.

Table of Contents

About this Croissant Stuffing

When I swung the idea past Boy and told him the title, even his stuffing-scroog’ed-self smiled. I knew I was onto something good then, but it wasn’t until he took a bite and gave off an audible, “mmmmmm…” that I KNEW I hit gold. This stuff is like culinary crack ya’ll.

It is savory, herbaceous, rich and buttery with bits of crunchy, nutty pecans; thick crumbles of slightly salty, pork sausage and loads of slightly sweet caramelized onions.

This is the stuffing jam, my friends. And it needs to be on your Thanksgiving table.

Or, you can just make this stuffing and hoard it all to yourself when no one is looking. Not that I did that. 😉

If you’re looking for more swoon-worthy holiday sides, try these fan-favorite recipes next:Parker House Rolls, Cranberry Relish, Sweet Potato Mash, and/or Creamy Butternut Squash Mash.

Tips for the best croissant stuffing (dressing)

  • Croissants: Make sure the croissants are completely dry. The recipe below calls for toasting the croissants, which ensures the stuffing will retain structure and texture, as opposed to becoming a soggy mess. Do not skip toasting the bread!
  • Cook the sausage, onions and aromatics. The sausage, onions and aromatics will not cook all the way through when you are baking the stuffing, so it is imperative you follow the recipe and cook them prior to assembling and baking the stuffing!
  • Refrain from actually stuffing the stuffing in the bird. While the turkey will flavor the stuffing if cooked inside the cavity, more often than not either the turkey ends up overcooked or the stuffing ends up undercooked. You do not want to consume undercooked stuffing as it is a food and health hazard.

FAQs: sausage stuffing with croissants

Are dressing and stuffing the same?

Technically this Croissant Stuffing is a dressing.

By definition, a stuffing is ‘a mixture used to stuff another food’ before cooking. While dressing is defined as being a mixture cooked in a pan, outside of the turkey cavity.

To me the whole debate of stuffing versus dressing is like the debate of to-may-toe and to-mah-toe. I grew up eating both ‘dressing’ and ‘stuffing’, but we always referred to both dishes as stuffing. Hence the name of this non-stuffing Croissant Stuffing.

How much croissant stuffing per person?

On average you will need about 4 ounces of stuffing per person for Thanksgiving. If you are feeding a hungry crowd or not serving a lot of sides, you should plan on more stuffing per person. However, if you need a rough estimate, ¾ cup (or 4 ounces) per person is a safe approximation.

If you like to make extra stuffing for leftovers, simply increase the amount of stuffing to 1 cup per person.

Wondering what to make with those holiday leftovers? I highly recommend this egg muffin recipe with leftover stuffing!

Angled shot of Caramelized Onion, Sausage, Pecan & Croissant Stuffing in a baking dish with a serving spoon inserted into the dish and a plate of stuffing and wine glass blurred behind the dish.

Can I make this croissant stuffing recipe in advance?

Yes – kind of! Technically, the stuffing can be partially made in advance.

The sausage and the vegetable mixture can both be made a day in advance. Prep, cook and store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

As well, you can toast the croissant cubes and store them in a zip-closure bag at room temperature.

How long will homemade stuffing keep in the refrigerator?

Allow leftover stuffing to cool to room temperature. Once cool, store the leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Properly stored, it will keep for 3-4 days.

Alternatively, to extend shelf life the stuffing can be frozen for up to 3 months.

Angled, up-close shot of Caramelized Onion, Sausage, Pecan & Croissant Stuffing in a baking dish with a serving spoon inserted into the dish.

So, if you love stuffing, I urge you to switch things up this year!! Put down the cornbread and opt for croissants with this deliciously decadent Croissant Stuffing instead. And, if you are like my other half, a complete stuffing snob, I demand you try this!! I know you will change your ways and become a stuffing lover for life!

XOXO

Cheyanne

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More holiday side dishes!

If you love this croissant stuffing with sausage, try one of these easy and flavorful holiday recipes next:

Recipe testimonials!

Here’s what readers are saying about this sausage croissant stuffing recipe:

  • “Amazing recipe, was a hit at Thanksgiving dinner (could totally be used for a breakfast dish served with eggs)!” – Larissa
  • “So much flavor. I may double everything but the meat next time. I also used dry herbs.” – Shelly
  • “My new favorite!!” – Babs

How to make stuffing with croissants, sausage and pecans! Plus step-by-step recipe video👇

Overhead shot of Caramelized Onion, Sausage, Pecan & Croissant Stuffing in a baking dish with fresh thyme and a stack of plates surrounding the dish.

Pecan Sausage Croissant Stuffing

5 from 14 votes
Author: Cheyanne Holzworth
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 8
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
This stuffing is savory, herbaceous, slightly rich and completely delicious. With cubes of buttery croissants, crunchy, nutty pecans, salty sausage, and sweet caramelized onions this stuffing is guaranteed to please!!

Ingredients 

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degree F. Spray a 2 ½ quart (or 8x11’’) baking dish with nonstick spray and set aside.
  • Toast Croissants: Line 2 baking sheets with aluminum foil for easy clean up. Place croissant halves (cut side down) on prepared baking sheets and bake until slightly crisp, about 4-6 minutes. Remove from oven, set aside and let cool. Once cooled, roughly cut or tear croissants and place in a large mixing bowl. Set aside.
  • Cook the Sausage:  Place a large skillet over medium heat and add the sausage.  Season generously with salt and pepper.  Cook until browned, about 6-8 minutes, breaking up into crumbles as you cook. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the sausage to a paper towel lined plate and allow to drain and cool slightly. Transfer to mixing bowl with croissants.
  • Caramelize the Onions: Pour off all but 1 tablespoon sausage fat, if necessary, and add butter. Once butter is melted, add the onions, ½ tsp salt and ¼ tsp pepper to the skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, over medium low heat until onions are soft and caramelized, about 20 minutes. 
  • Add in the celery and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Add in the garlic and cook until aromatic, about 1 minute. Add in the wine and bring to a simmer over medium high heat. Cook until liquid is almost completely absorbed, about 3 minutes. Stir in the sage, thyme and rosemary. Cook for 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat.
  • Mix & Assemble: Transfer onion mixture to the mixing bowl with sausage and croissants. Add the stock, eggs, pecans, ¼ tsp salt and 1/8 tsp pepper. Stir gently until combined. Transfer stuffing to prepared baking dish.
  • Bake for 30-40 minutes or until heated throughout.  (If the top of the stuffing browns before the stuffing is cooked through, gently tent the dish with foil while baking).
  • Serve: Let the stuffing sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving.  Enjoy!

Video

Notes

  1. Make ahead: Sausage and Caramelized Onion Mixture Can Be Made a Day in Advance.
Nutritional information is an approximation based upon 8 servings.  Exact information will depend upon the brands of ingredients and precise measurements used.

Nutrition

Calories: 529kcal    Carbohydrates: 27g    Protein: 15g    Fat: 39g    Saturated Fat: 13g    Cholesterol: 101mg    Sodium: 851mg    Potassium: 389mg    Fiber: 3g    Sugar: 7g    Vitamin A: 595IU    Vitamin C: 4.7mg    Calcium: 57mg    Iron: 2.4mg
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American

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Croissant, Caramelized Onion, Sausage & Pecan Stuffing 2 long