Butternut Squash Stuffing

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

1. 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!
2. Once squash is softened and cooled, cut off the stem and slice it lengthwise down the center.
3. Peel each half using a vegetable peeler or knife, then scoop out seeds and pulp.
4. Cut into cubes, place on a rimmed baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil.
5. Roast at 400° for 20-30 minutes or until fork tender.

More Essential Holiday Side Dish Recipes

We all know that the more holiday side dishes… the better! These are some more of our favorites!

• Candied Yams
• Garlic Herb Hasselback Potatoes
• Cranberry Relish
• Twice Baked Potatoes
• Roasted Butternut Squash
• Maple Bacon Roasted Brussels Sprouts
• Sweet Potato Casserole

Butternut Squash Stuffing

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!

5 from 1 vote

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour

Servings: 16

Calories: 354kcal

Author: Cathy Trochelman

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

1. Poke several holes in squash; heat in microwave 5 minutes OR in 400° oven for 15 minutes to soften. Set aside to cool.
2. 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.
3. Once squash is cool enough to handle, remove skin and seeds and cut into cubes.
4. Spread squash on a large rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle lightly with olive oil and toss to coat.
5. Spread bread cubes on a separate large rimmed baking sheet.
6. 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.
7. Remove from oven; reduce oven heat to 350°.
8. Transfer bread cubes and butternut squash to a large mixing bowl.
9. Add sausage & onion mixture, chopped pecans, beaten eggs, melted butter, salt, pepper, and fresh sage.
10. 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.)
11. Transfer stuffing mixture to a greased 9×13 inch pan.
12. Bake at 350° degrees for 30-45 minutes, until heated through.
13. 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

Nutrition

Calories: 354kcal | Carbohydrates: 51g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 36mg | Sodium: 396mg | Potassium: 347mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 5215IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 89mg | Iron: 2mg