Good stuffing starts with good sausage meat. Get that right, and the rest is just onion, sage and breadcrumbs.
This is a traditional sausage meat stuffing recipe, the kind that sits next to the turkey on Christmas Day and disappears first. It takes 15 minutes to put together, bakes in under an hour, and can be made weeks ahead and frozen.
We use our own pork sausage meat, made from quality cuts from trusted Yorkshire farms and lightly seasoned, so you can add your own flavours. One 500g pack makes enough stuffing for 6 to 8 people.
Serves: 6 to 8 · Prep: 15 minutes · Cook: 35 to 40 minutes
Ingredients
- 500g pork sausage meat
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 25g butter, plus extra for the dish
- 100g fresh white breadcrumbs (about 3 slices of day-old bread)
- A small bunch of fresh sage, finely chopped (or 1 tbsp dried sage)
- A small handful of fresh parsley, chopped
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1 medium egg, beaten
- Salt and black pepper
Our sausage meat is already lightly seasoned, so go easy on the salt. Fry a teaspoon of the mix and taste it before you bake the whole batch.
How to make sausage meat stuffing
- Heat your oven to 190°C (170°C fan, gas 5). Butter a medium ovenproof dish, roughly 20cm square.
- Melt the butter in a frying pan over a low heat. Add the onion and cook gently for 8 to 10 minutes until soft and golden. Leave to cool for a few minutes.
- Put the sausage meat in a large bowl. Add the cooled onion, breadcrumbs, sage, parsley, lemon zest and a good grind of black pepper.
- Pour in the beaten egg and mix everything with your hands until evenly combined.
- Press the mixture into the buttered dish and smooth the top. Dot with a little extra butter.
- Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until golden and crisp on top and cooked all the way through with no pink in the middle.
- Rest for 5 minutes, then cut into squares to serve.
Sausage meat stuffing balls
Prefer stuffing balls? Roll the mixture into balls about the size of a golf ball. You’ll get around 16 to 20. Place on a lined baking tray and bake at the same temperature for 25 to 30 minutes, turning halfway, until browned and cooked through.
For something extra special, wrap each ball in half a rasher of back bacon before baking.
Top tip: We’d always cook stuffing in its own dish rather than inside the bird. It cooks more evenly, gives you those crisp edges, and helps your turkey cook faster and more reliably.
Change up your sausage meat stuffing
Pork, leek and cranberry stuffing
The easiest festive twist is to swap the plain sausage meat for our pork, leek and cranberry sausage meat. The leek and cranberry are already mixed in, so you get a sweet and savoury stuffing with no extra chopping. Follow the recipe above and leave out the lemon zest.
Sausage meat and chestnut stuffing
Add 100g of cooked, vacuum-packed chestnuts, roughly chopped, at step 3. They bring a nutty sweetness and a bit of texture. A good one if you’re serving a turkey breast or a roast chicken.
Apple and sage
Peel and grate one eating apple, squeeze out the excess juice, and stir it in with the onion. Apple and pork are an old pairing for a reason.
The shortcut: sausage meat stuffing with Paxo
Short on time? Packet stuffing mix and sausage meat go together well. Make up one standard packet of sage and onion stuffing mix (such as Paxo) with boiling water as the packet says, and leave it to cool. Mix it into 500g of sausage meat, press into a buttered dish and bake at 190°C (170°C fan) for 35 to 40 minutes. You’ll get a much meatier, juicier stuffing than the packet alone, for about five minutes’ work.
Making sausage meat stuffing ahead and freezing
Christmas morning is busy enough. Stuffing is one of the easiest things to get done early.
In the fridge: Make the mixture, press it into the dish or roll into balls, cover and chill for up to 24 hours. Bake straight from the fridge, adding 5 minutes to the cooking time.
In the freezer: Freeze it uncooked, in the dish or as balls on a tray, then wrap well once firm. It keeps for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge before baking.
Already cooked? Leftover stuffing keeps in the fridge for 2 days. Reheat until piping hot all the way through, or enjoy it cold in a Boxing Day sandwich with a slice of gammon.
If you’re ordering your Christmas meat, take a look at our Christmas Holiday Hamper, and add a pack or two of sausage meat to your order for stuffing and sausage rolls. Delivery is free on orders over £60, or collect from our farm shop at Mill Close Farm, Hackforth.
Sausage meat stuffing FAQs
How much sausage meat do I need for stuffing?
500g of sausage meat makes enough stuffing for 6 to 8 people as a side. For 10 to 12, double the recipe and use a larger dish, adding 10 minutes to the cooking time.
Can I use sausages instead of sausage meat?
Yes. Slit the skins of good pork sausages and squeeze out the meat. About eight standard sausages gives you roughly the same amount as a 500g pack. Sausage meat is easier, though, and you’ll know exactly what’s in it. Try this with our Farmhouse Sausages, made with no fuss and great quality pork.
Why is my stuffing dry?
Usually it’s too many breadcrumbs or too long in the oven. Stick to 100g of breadcrumbs per 500g of sausage meat, and check it at 35 minutes. A splash of stock or the turkey juices brushed over the top before serving also helps.
How do I know when sausage meat stuffing is cooked?
It should be golden on top, firm to the touch, and piping hot all the way through with no pink meat in the centre. If you have a meat thermometer, the middle should reach at least 75°C.
Can I make stuffing the day before?
Yes. Make it, cover it and keep it in the fridge overnight, then bake it on the day. See our make-ahead tips above.
Get your sausage meat for Christmas
Homemade sausage meat stuffing is one of the simplest ways to make Christmas dinner feel special, and with good sausage meat it’s almost impossible to get wrong. Make a batch now, pop it in the freezer, and that’s one less job on the big day.
Order our Pork Sausage Meat for a classic sage and onion stuffing, or our Pork, Leek and Cranberry Sausage Meat for a festive twist. Pick your delivery date at checkout, with free delivery on orders over £60, or collect from our farm shop at Mill Close Farm, Hackforth.
