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When it comes to Thanksgiving sides, dressing just might be my favorite. Not to be confused with stuffing which is actually stuffed into the bird. There are so many different variations of dressing, but sausage and mushroom is usually my go to. They both contribute to the dressing with great flavor and great texture. I could honestly eat this sausage and mushroom challah dressing as its own meal.

The key to any good dressing is making sure you use the right kind of bread. You ideally want to use a bread with a neutral flavor and tight crumb. I’ve used other types of bread in the past, but wanted to give challah a try this year. Challah is an egg enriched bread that fits the criteria of having a tight crumb. It is also slightly sweet and pillowy which makes it great for this side dish.

Before you make the dressing, you want to dry out your bread. Dry bread will do a better job of absorbing the flavor and moisture from the stock and seasonings. Removing the moisture from the challah is as simple as popping it into the oven. Cut the challah loaf into 1 inch cubes and spread in a single layer on two large sheet pans prior to baking. This can be done 1-2 days prior to actually making the dressing.

You will need a very large mixing bowl when combining the ingredients for the dressing. You want to give the ingredients plenty of room as you mix them together. To the dried challah cubes, you’ll add your cooked ground turkey Italian sausage (I used turkey but you can use pork), sautéed sliced cremini mushrooms, and roasted pumpkin seeds. Next you will add diced onions and celery that have been cooked with fresh herbs and white wine. The white wine help remove all the yummy bits stuck to the pan and also adds another pop of flavor.

The final step is adding in moisture with chicken stock. Start with 1/2 cups and gradually as more as needed. You want to hydrate the dried challah but not to the point where it is soggy. But you also don’t want to have dry dressing. Once the ingredients are well combined, transfer to a greased baking dish and cover with foil. Bake for 30 minutes, remove the foil and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes.

Serve warm with your favorite entrée and additional sides. It is wonderful as is, but a little gravy won’t hurt. It is Thanksgiving after all.

If you make this recipe, leave a comment below and post on Instagram. Make sure to tag @blasianbonvivant and use hashtag #bbvrecipe.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Sausage and Mushroom Challah Dressing

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time1 hour hr 5 minutes mins

Total Time1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keywords: dressing, stuffing, thanksgiving

Servings: 12

Ingredients

• 1 loaf of challah cut into 1 inch cubes
• 1 lb turkey Italian sausage ground
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter divided
• 8 oz cremini mushrooms sliced
• 1 medium yellow onion diced
• 2 celery stalks diced
• 4 garlic cloves minced
• 1/4 raw pumpkin seeds
• 1 tbsp fresh rosemary chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh thyme chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh sage chopped
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 2 large eggs
• salt to taste
• pepper to taste

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Arrange challah bread cubes on a single layer on 2 large baking sheets. Bake for approximately 15 minutes until golden brown and dry. Place is a large mixing bowl and set aside.
• Remove any crumbs from one sheet pan. Spread raw pumpkin seeds in a single layer and toast in the over for approximately 10 minutes. Add to bowl with dried challah bread cubes.
• Drizzle extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add turkey Italian sausage and cook until browned. Add to the bread mixture.
• In the same skillet, add 2 tbsp of unsalted butter. Sauté sliced mushrooms until golden brown. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add to the bread mixture.
• Reduce heat to medium. Add another 2 tbsp of butter to the pan and sauté onions and celery until soft and translucent. Add garlic, rosemary, thyme and sage and sauté for 2-3 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• To the pan add the white wine and scrape up the bits from the bottom of the pan. Let simmer on medium heat until the white wine reduces by half. Pour over the bread mixture.
• To the bowl, add chicken stock. Start with 1 1/2 cups and add more in 1/2 cup increments as needed. Gently mix with a wooden spoon until bread crumbs are hydrated but not soft and soggy.
• Crack 2 eggs into the bowl. Mix in until well combined.
• Grease the bottom and sides of a 4 quart baking dish. Evenly spread your dressing into the dish and cover with foil.
• Bake for approximately 30 minutes.
• Remove foil and bake for 5-10 more minutes. Serve warm.

Notes

• Bread can be baked 1-2 days in advance and stored in a sealed container.
• Dressing can be prepared 1 day in advance and stored in the fridge (covered) until ready to bake.