Switch up your holiday menu with this delicious Butternut Squash Stuffing! Loaded with toasted bread, Italian sausage, chopped pecans, fresh sage, and roasted butternut squash, this stuffing is flavor-packed and perfect for your holiday celebrations!
There’s nothing I love more in fall than walking into the grocery store and seeing all the fall produce displays. Especially the squash! My favorite by far, though, is butternut.
I love the flavor and the texture and even the color….and I love its versatility! You can put it in any type of food – from Roasted Butternut Squash Salad to Butternut Squash Risotto to my personal favorite: Butternut Squash Crostini. To be honest, I’ve never met a butternut squash recipe I didn’t love.
And this stuffing is NO exception. Stuffed with sausage and pecans and fresh sage… it truly takes stuffing to a whole new level. A level where it 100% doubles as a main dish, because it’s just that satisfying (and delicious!)
what you’ll need for this recipe
- Butternut squash – 1 whole butternut squash, about 4 cups cubed
- Sausage – 20 ounces Italian sausage, regular or turkey sausage
- Onion – 1 cup chopped onion
- Bread – 10 cups dried bread cubes (see instructions below)
- Pecans – 3/4 cup chopped pecans, unsalted
- Eggs – 2 eggs, beaten
- Butter – 1/2 cup melted butter
- Broth – 2 1/2 cups chicken broth
- Seasonings – 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh sage, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, 1 Tablespoon fresh thyme for garnish
how to make butternut squash stuffing
Prep the squash. Poke several holes in squash; place in a 400° oven for 15 minutes to soften. Set aside to cool. (See full instructions for “how to roast squash” below.)
Sauté the onions & brown the sausage. While squash is cooling, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions, then the sausage, breaking the sausage apart as it cooks. Cook until sausage is no longer pink.
Roast the squash & toast the bread. Once squash is cool enough to handle, remove skin and seeds and cut into cubes. Spread on a large rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle lightly with olive oil and toss to coat. Spread bread cubes on a separate large rimmed baking sheet. Place both baking sheets in the oven; bake bread cubes at 400° for 10 minutes and squash 20-30 minutes or until fork tender. Stir both halfway through for even cooking. Remove from oven; reduce oven heat to 350°.
Assemble the stuffing. Transfer bread cubes and butternut squash to a large mixing bowl. Add sausage & onion mixture, chopped pecans, beaten eggs, melted butter, salt, pepper, and fresh sage. Slowly add in chicken broth until bread is completely moistened but not soggy. (You may not use more or less chicken broth depending on desired consistency.) Transfer stuffing mixture to a greased 9×13 inch pan.
Bake & garnish. Bake at 350° degrees for 30-45 minutes, until heated through. Sprinkle with fresh thyme before serving.
how to roast butternut squash
- Soften your squash before cutting into it. This can be done in a 400° oven for 10-15 minutes or a microwave for 5 minutes. Just be sure to poke some holes in it beforehand to let the heat escape!
- Once squash is softened and cooled, cut off the stem and slice it lengthwise down the center.
- Peel each half using a vegetable peeler or knife, then scoop out seeds and pulp.
- Cut into cubes, place on a rimmed baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil.
- Roast at 400° for 20-30 minutes or until fork tender.
Recipe Variations
- Use whole wheat, rye, focaccia, or any type of bread
- Substitute chorizo, bacon, or turkey for the sausage
- Add chopped apples or fresh cranberries
- Substitute any of your favorite types of squash for butternut
- Use walnuts, pine nuts, or macadamia nuts in place of pecans
- Add a touch of nutmeg for that warm fall flavor
- Add additional seasonings, such as garlic powder, onion powder, or Italian seasoning
More Essential Holiday Side Dish Recipes
We all know that the more holiday side dishes… the better! These are some more of our favorites!
Butternut Squash Stuffing
Ingredients
- 1 butternut squash approximately 4 cups cubed
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup red onion chopped
- 10 cups bread cubes dried
- 3/4 cup pecans chopped
- 2 eggs beaten
- 1/2 cup butter melted
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 cup fresh sage finely chopped
- 2 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1 Tablespoon fresh thyme for garnish
Instructions
- Poke several holes in squash; heat in microwave 5 minutes OR in 400° oven for 15 minutes to soften. Set aside to cool.
- While squash is cooling, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Remove sausages from their casing and place in skillet with chopped onions, breaking the sausage apart as it cooks. Cook until sausage is no longer pink.
- Once squash is cool enough to handle, remove skin and seeds and cut into cubes.
- Spread squash on a large rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle lightly with olive oil and toss to coat.
- Spread bread cubes on a separate large rimmed baking sheet.
- Place both baking sheets in the oven; bake bread cubes 10 minutes and squash 20-30 minutes or until fork tender. Stir both halfway through for even cooking.
- Remove from oven; reduce oven heat to 350°.
- Transfer bread cubes and butternut squash to a large mixing bowl.
- Add sausage & onion mixture, chopped pecans, beaten eggs, melted butter, salt, pepper, and fresh sage.
- Slowly add in chicken broth until bread is completely moistened but not soggy. (You may not use more or less chicken broth depending on desired consistency.)
- Transfer stuffing mixture to a greased 9×13 inch pan.
- Bake at 350° degrees for 30-45 minutes, until heated through.
- Sprinkle with fresh thyme before serving.
Notes
Recipe Variations
- Use whole wheat, rye, focaccia, or any type of bread
- Substitute chorizo, bacon, or turkey for the sausage
- Add chopped apples or fresh cranberries
- Substitute any of your favorite types of squash for butternut
- Use walnuts, pine nuts, or macadamia nuts in place of pecans
- Add a touch of nutmeg for that warm fall flavor
- Add additional seasonings, such as garlic powder, onion powder, or Italian seasoning
Averie @ Averie Cooks says
This would be how I want my stuffing!
Congrats on being famous 🙂
Diane Newell says
Are there any special instructions for making the dressing?
Cathy Trochelman says
Sorry, it looks like the whole recipe didn’t show up. I re-published and the instructions are there now!
Mary Jo Carey says
Could you please add the complete directions for the recipe. Thank you
Cathy Trochelman says
Yes, my apologies! They didn’t show up the first time but are there now 🙂
Amanda says
I absolutely love butternut squash, so this is a great stuffing for me!
Amy @ Little Dairy on the Prairie says
I love a good stuffing! I love the butternut squash addition in there!
carrie @ frugal foodie mama says
I am loving the addition of the butternut squash! What a great side dish for Thanksgiving. 🙂
Allyson Zea says
I DEFINITELY want to try this out next week! YUM!
Jessica | Novice Chef says
I know exactly what I’m going to do with my butternut squash! YES!
Krista says
I love your squash addition in there! Looks delish!
Patricia @ Grab a Plate says
I love the butternut squash in this! Stuffing is my absolute favorite thing for Thanksgiving! I may have to give this dish a try – it looks wonderful!
healthy dinner deas says
so this is a great stuffing for me!
Melissa says
Can this be prepared the day before, and cooked on thanksgiving,?
Cathy Trochelman says
YES, absolutely!
Katie says
This stuffing was DELICIOUS and a hit with my Christmas guests! I made a few alterations (out of convenience)
1.) I used frozen, pre-cut, butternut squash and followed the “soften” part of the recipe to get the squash to the right firmness before cooking with the rest of the recipe
2.) I used hot pork sausage instead of turkey sausage (and I loved it!) only because I didn’t want to take the turkey sausage out of the links from my grocery store…and I love a little kick in my food
3) I added a half cup of craisins
Usually I try to take short-cuts in my recipes but the fresh sage and fresh thyme you should NOT take a short cut!! Definitely makes a difference!
Hen says
Can I use frozen cubed butternut squash?
Cathy Trochelman says
Yes! Easy substitution!