This Keto Sausage and Bread Stuffing is going to be the star of your Thanksgiving table! Made with my famous low carb cheesy skillet bread and plenty of sausage, it’s full of traditional stuffing flavor without all the carbs.
It’s about time I finally gave this popular keto stuffing an update! Except I didn’t actually change anything. My Spicy Sausage Stuffing has always been one of my most popular low carb holiday recipes and you just don’t mess with that. So I simply made it again and took some pretty new pictures.
This is by far my family’s favorite stuffing recipe. I’ve made a few others and they were pretty great too. But this is the one my family requests year after year. This is the keto stuffing we serve to guests and everyone raves about it. I would even go so far as to say that this may just be the best keto stuffing recipe out there.
Yeah, I am bold like that. And pretty darn confident that you will love it as much as we do.
Traditional Sausage Stuffing
When you ask someone what Thanksgiving dish they miss most on their low carb or keto diet, the overwhelming majority say stuffing. And can you blame them? That delectably moist, savory bread pudding that soaks up the turkey juices and gravy so well. I totally get that. My first few years on low carb, I simply skipped the stuffing altogether and its absence was sorely felt.
But last year, I came up with a truly low carb, gluten-free stuffing that instantly became a family favourite. It was such a hit with my kids, they seem to like eating it more than the turkey. And it’s been our standard recipe for 5 years running now.
While it might seem like an oxymoron to call this a traditional sausage stuffing, that’s what the end result is like. Yes, you have to use keto bread but that’s really the only difference. Beyond that, it uses almost all of the same ingredients you would find in conventional sausage stuffing, and you make it much the same way.
The end result is virtually indistinguishable from the high carb stuff. It’s everything you want in a stuffing recipe: the bread is soft and soaks up all the other flavours, but the top has crispy bits from baking in the oven.
How To Make Keto Stuffing
- Start with some really good keto bread. The whole recipe is based on my Cheesy Skillet Bread, which is perhaps one of my best savoury creations of all time. Not exaggerating – that stuff is heavenly. Soft and tender in the middle, crispy around the edges, and it dries out well, allowing it to soak in all the other flavors.
- Cut the bread into small cubes and dry it out in a warm oven. This is an important step for any sausage stuffing recipe, as you want the bread to absorb the eggs and cream.
- Brown your sausage. We like spicy Italian and we buy bulk sausage so we can easily cook it in a pan without having to remove the casings. Try to find sausage that doesn’t have a lot of additives or any sugars.
- Saute the celery, onions, garlic, and herbs in the fat left behind from browning the sausage. All the flavors combine so well that way and the fats make the stuffing all the more luscious.
- Add some chicken broth, eggs, and cream to help bind the stuffing ingredients together.
- Bake uncovered so that the top gets a bit crispy while the middle stays soft and tender. Like any good Thanksgiving stuffing.
- Serve with turkey and all the trimmings, and enjoy all the goodness the holiday has to offer!
Make Ahead Keto Stuffing
Are you one of those planner types who likes to get half of your holiday feast cooked in advance? Good news! This low carb stuffing recipe freezes really well. I’ve made it several weeks in advance and just thawed it on Thanksgiving day and it’s just as good.
Simply prep and bake the stuffing in whatever dish you plan to serve it in. Then let it cool and wrap it up tightly with foil or plastic wrap. It’s good in the freezer for several weeks. Thaw it at room temperature and then place it in a low temp oven until warmed through.
You can also freeze any leftovers wrapped up tightly as well.
So that’s it, my friends! It’s really not hard to make and this keto stuffing recipe has all the traditional flavor and texture of classic sausage stuffing. I daresay that your guests will have no idea they are enjoying a healthy version of their favorite Thanksgiving side dish.
Happy Thanksgiving! I hope you have a wonderful keto feast.
More keto thanksgiving recipes you might like:
Keto Spicy Sausage and Cheddar Stuffing
Ingredients
- 1 recipe Cheesy Skillet Bread
- 12 ounces spicy Italian sausage
- 1 cup diced celery
- ½ cup diced onion
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 teaspoon dried sage
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup low sodium chicken broth
- 2 large eggs
- ¼ cup heavy cream
Instructions
- A day or two in advance, make the skillet bread and cube into ½ inch pieces. Preheat oven to 200F.
- Spread bread cubes on a large baking sheet and bake 2 to 3 hours, until well dried and crisp. Let sit out overnight to continue to dry.
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add sausage; sauté until just cooked through, about 6 minutes, breaking up large chunks with a wooden spoon.
- Using a slotted spoon, transfer sausage to a large bowl. Add celery, onion, garlic, sage, salt and pepper to skillet and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Add to sausage.
- Preheat oven to 350F and butter a large 13x9 inch glass baking dish. Add cubed bread to sausage mixture. Add chicken broth and toss to combine.
- In a medium bowl, whisk eggs with cream and pour over mixture in bowl. Toss until well combined and transfer to prepared baking dish. Bake 35 minutes, uncovered, until top is crusty and browned.
Jaime says
Do the eggs give it an ‘eggy’ taste? Tried to look through the comments but couldn’t tell. Thanks!
Carolyn says
No, not at all.
Rachael Yerkes says
Stuffing is my favorite part of thanksgiving! Thanks for this recipe
Rachael Yerkes says
This was super good!
Alli says
This looks wonderful. One of my favorite dishes ever. Love that this is keto as well!
Aimee Shugarman says
This stuffing is our new holiday favorite. Everyone loves the flavors all mingled together!
Connie says
This stuffing looks great! Will have to save this one for the holiday. I know my family is going to LOVE this!
Jessica Burgess says
Mmmmm! I can’t believe how tasty this looks! It’s perfect for our family right now! Thank you!
Kate says
Carolyn, you almost gave this old lady a heart attack, lol!
When I saw this in my email, I was seriously worried that you’d messed with perfection! I’ve been making this stuffing every year for Thanksgiving, (and additional random meals), since you posted it, and I couldn’t imagine how or why it needed to be changed/updated! After reading the article, I literally laughed out loud, (at 3:00am), because you’d only updated images. My shock and horror 😉 was for nothing! The only substitute I make is that I use Jimmy Dean Sage Sausage, and it’s amazing.
We actually love the Cheesy Skillet Bread all year with soups, stews and chili. I sometimes add fresh, diced hot peppers of one kind or another to it, and a couple times I’ve made it with the peppers and then into stuffing. SO good!
Thank you for preserving one of the best holiday sides ever created for the Keto world. The holidays are hard on people trying to eat healthy food. This little number makes it easy!
Carolyn says
So glad you love it so much!
Cici says
Do you think the bread would be just as good if I baked it in a sheet pan? It’s easier to cube that way.
Mary says
I’ve made a version of this for the past couple of years using your keto breads, toasted, and then adding my usual stuffing ingredients – onion, garlic, mushrooms, sausage, and a liberal amount of fresh and dried herbs moistened with chicken broth. I make 2 batches–one with “real” bread for hubby and the keto version for me. I never feel deprived bc your keto version tastes super and has the texture of corn bread dressing, which I love. Bless your heart!
Carolyn says
Glad to hear it!
Nina Peters says
I made this tonight and it was amazing! Thank you for creating a tasty Keto/gluten free stuffing. The stuffing has always been the best part of the meal, and now it still can be!
Carolyn says
So glad to hear it!
Erin | Dinners,Dishes and Dessert says
Looks so perfect! Definitely a must try!
Krissy Allori says
Stuffing is my favorite, especially during fall! I love this recipe because I can finally have something to offer my GF friends.
Anna says
I could eat stuffing every day! Love this version with sausage and cheddar!
Rachael Yerkes says
Well this is going to go on our Thanksgiving table for sure!
Tara Kuczykowski says
Wow, this is fantastic! So happy to see that it can be made ahead.
Laura Powers says
I made the bread and a version of the stuffing recipe, and OMG! So so yummy! Thank you for sharing this delicious stuffing recipe.
Nichole Woodard says
This was delicious!!!!
Richard Wilson says
Great dressing! My wife Jessica and I loved it! I added some waterchesnuts and sliced crimini mushrooms. We will definately be making this again. Thanks Carolyn.
Margaret Owens says
Carolyn I love dressing n I am on the Low Carb diet n doing real well on it, my question ison the cheesy bread recipe what would happen if I omit the FLAX SEED MEAL n baking powder n use 4 large eggs instead of 3 n omit the 3/4 cup Almond milk. I really wanna try ur Low Carb Spicy Sausage & Cheddar Dressing here
Carolyn says
I honestly cannot tell you as I did not try baking it this way. I don’t think it will work. You can replace the flax seed with more almond flour.
Donna B says
Love, love, love your recipes and new cookbook. I’m a big make it in advance person when it comes to Thanksgiving. It’s the only way I avoid getting too stress out the day of. Can this be made ahead of time and frozen or at least the bread portio? Thanks you!
Carolyn says
The bread indeed can be made ahead. I had to make two batches so I could do that video and I so I have some in my freezer right now! I am sure the whole thing could probably be made ahead too but I haven’t tried it.