Savory Sausage & Cranberry Texas Toast Stuffing

This brilliant shortcut holiday stuffing combines buttery New York Bakery Garlic Texas Toast with savory sausage, aromatic veggies, and tart fresh cranberries for maximum flavor with minimal effort.

This recipe was originally created for a paid Instagram partnership with New York Bakery. We aren’t getting paid to host it here on the blog, but it was just too good not to share!

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Let’s be honest for a second: when the holiday season rolls around, the kitchen can quickly turn into a high-stress zone. Between roasting the main event, whipping up velvety mashed potatoes, and managing sides, the last thing you want to do is spend hours cubing stale loaves of artisan bread, letting them dry out, and measuring out a dozen different herb blends from scratch.

What if I told you that you could make the absolute best, most flavorful, comforting holiday stuffing of your life with a clever grocery store shortcut? Enter our family’s secret weapon: New York Bakery Garlic Texas Toast.

By swapping traditional dry bread cubes for buttery, garlic-infused Texas toast, you skip the tedious drying process entirely while packing in an incredible depth of flavor right from the base. Tossed with savory pork sausage, aromatic veggies, tart fresh cranberries, and plenty of fresh herbs, this dish hits every single note—savory, buttery, herbaceous, and just a hint of bright tartness.

Let’s dive into why this recipe is about to become your new holiday staple!

Why You’ll Love This Holiday Stuffing Recipe

• Massive Time Saver: No need to pre-dry bread cubes overnight or buy expensive specialty bakery loaves. The garlic bread is ready in minutes.
• Built-In Flavor: Because the Texas toast already has real butter, garlic, and parsley baked into it, your stuffing starts with a massive head start on flavor.
• Budget-Friendly: Utilizing pantry and freezer staples keeps your holiday grocery bill low without sacrificing an ounce of gourmet taste.
• The Perfect Texture: You get crispy, golden edges on top and a tender, custardy center below. It’s the ultimate comfort food balance!

Ingredients You’ll Need

To pull this show-stopping side dish together, you only need a handful of accessible, budget-conscious ingredients:

• The Bread: 2 boxes of New York Bakery Garlic Texas Toast.
• The Meat: 1 lb of your favorite pork sausage (mild, sweet, or spicy depending on your family’s preference).
• The Aromatics: 1 medium yellow onion and 2 stalks of celery, finely diced.
• The Flavor Makers: Fresh sage, fresh thyme, and fresh garlic cloves, minced.
• The Fruit: 1 cup of chopped fresh cranberries (they add a gorgeous pop of red and a wonderful tart contrast to the rich sausage and garlic).
• The Binder: 1 ½ cups of chicken or vegetable broth and 2 large eggs.
• The Fresh Finish: A generous handful of chopped fresh Italian parsley.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Ready to make some kitchen magic? Follow these simple steps for a fool-proof holiday side dish that will have everyone asking for seconds.

Step 1: Crisp and Cube the Bread

Preheat your oven according to the box instructions for the garlic bread. Lay out the slices of New York Bakery Garlic Texas Toast on a baking sheet and bake them until they are thoroughly crispy and golden. Once they are cool enough to handle, cut the toast into bite-sized cubes.

Step 2: Brown the Sausage and Veggies

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown the 1 lb of pork sausage, breaking it up with a wooden spoon as it cooks. Once the sausage is cooked through, leave the flavorful rendered fat in the pan! Toss in your diced onions and celery, cooking them directly in that savory sausage fat until they are soft and translucent. Stir in your fresh minced garlic, chopped fresh sage, and fresh thyme, letting them sauté for about 1 minute until fragrant.

Step 3: Combine Everything

In a massive mixing bowl, combine your crispy garlic bread cubes, the cooked sausage and vegetable mixture, the chopped fresh cranberries, extra fresh sage, and fresh parsley. Toss everything together gently so the garlic bread cubes don’t break down too much, making sure the colorful cranberries and herbs are evenly distributed throughout.

Step 4: The Custard Pour and Bake

In a small bowl, whisk together 1 ½ cups of broth and 2 eggs until smooth. Drizzle this mixture evenly over the bread and sausage blend, tossing gently to moisten the bread without turning it to mush. Transfer the mixture into a greased 9×13-inch baking dish. Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake at 375°F for 25 minutes.

Finally, remove the foil and bake uncovered for another 15 to 20 minutes, until the top is deeply golden, beautifully crisp, and smells completely irresistible!

Pro-Tips for Success

• Don’t skip the fresh cranberries: While dried cranberries work in a pinch, fresh cranberries bake down into little pockets of tart juiciness that cut through the richness of the sausage and butter.
• Broth temperature: Use warm broth when whisking with the eggs so it helps jump-start the baking process and distributes evenly across the bread cubes.
• Make Ahead Option: You can assemble the entire dish up to the baking step the day before, cover it, and keep it in the refrigerator. Just add 5–10 extra minutes to the covered baking time if baking straight from the fridge!

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make this vegetarian?

Absolutely! You can easily swap the pork sausage for a plant-based sausage crumble and use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth. The New York Bakery Garlic Texas Toast is naturally vegetarian-friendly.

What kind of sausage works best?

A classic Italian pork sausage (either mild or hot) works wonders here. If you prefer a traditional holiday flavor profile, a good breakfast sausage or sage-infused pork sausage is also an incredible pairing with the fresh herbs.

Can I freeze leftovers?

Yes, baked leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or frozen for up to a month. Reheat in the oven covered with foil at 350°F until warmed through!

Give this recipe a try for your next family gathering or holiday feast, and watch how quickly it disappears from the table. Happy cooking, and happy saving!

Storing & Reheating

• Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container or cover the baking dish tightly for 3 to 4 days.
• Freezer: Freeze baked or unbaked for up to 2 months (wrap tightly in plastic and foil). Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
• Oven (Recommended): Reheat covered at 350°F for 20–25 minutes, uncovering for the last 5 minutes to restore the crispy top.
• Microwave (Quick): Heat individual portions on high for 1–2 minutes under a damp paper towel.

More Holiday Recipes to Try Today

• Frozen Green Bean Casserole
• Swiss Chicken Stuffing Casserole
• Corn Pudding
• Oven Roasted Acorn Squash
• Mashed Butternut Squash