Skip to Content
Recipes

Focaccia Stuffing with Sausage and Fennel

A Thanksgiving recipe for focaccia stuffing with sausage and fennel will add a flavorful note to your turkey-led spread.

7:34 AM EDT on November 1, 2023

focaccia stuffing

Focaccia stuffing with sausage and fennel.

Focaccia stuffing adds an Italian flourish to your Thanksgiving table, especially with addition of sausage and fennel. The combination of textures and flavors complements the turkey and fixins,

Focaccia Stuffing with Sausage and Fennel

Focaccia Stuffing with Sausage and Fennel

Recipe by Andrew Cotto
0.0 from 0 votes
Servings

8

servings
Prep time

20

minutes
Cooking time

50

minutes

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup 1/4 extra virgin olive oil

  • 2 lb 2 sweet sausage, removed from casing

  • 1 small 1 onion, diced

  • 1 1 fennel bulb, separated from stalks, cored, and julienned as this as possible (save and chop fronds from the stalks)

  • 2 cups 2 chicken stock

  • 1 cup 1 chopped sage

  • 1 large 1 loaf pan of plain focaccia, cut into 1" pieces and lightly toasted

  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions

  • Heat oven to 375°F.
  • Add olive oil to a saute pan over medium heat.
  • Add sausage, stirring often, breaking into pieces, until the meat is browned.
  • Remove sausage, with a slotted spoon, to a large mixing bowl and set aside.
  • Saute fennel and onion in pan juices until soft (5–7 minutes).
  • Transfer with a slotted spoon to bowl with sausage.
  • Add sage, bread, salt, and pepper to bowl with saute pan; toss to combine with the drippings.
  • Season to taste with salt and pepper.
  • Add to bowl and mix evenly with the other ingredients.
  • Spread evenly in a large baking dish coated with a sheen of olive oil.
  • Dab with stock until slightly moist (save the remaining stock).
  • Bake until golden brown and bread is slightly crisp on top, 30–35 minutes (dab with remaining stock as needed to keep moist).
  • Garnish with chopped fennel fronds.

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @appetitomagazine on Instagram and hashtag it with #italianfoodanddrink

Like this recipe?

Follow @Appetitomagazine on Pinterest

Follow us on Facebook!

Follow us on Facebook

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More Stories

Oven-Roasted Chicken with Fresh Figs

One of Italy's favorite fruits adds surprising depth and richness to this rustic late summer dinner.

August 6, 2026

ORIUNDI’s Anthony Castelvecchi on Preserving Italian Heritage

The story of Italian heritage reaches far beyond Italy's borders.

August 6, 2026

Autumn in Monferrato: A 3-Day Culinary Escape to Northern Italy

The most memorable taste of autumn in Italy isn't found in a city.

August 6, 2026

Why Italians Say “Ci Sta Come il Cacio sui Maccheroni”

Not every combination becomes a figure of speech. In Italy, pasta and cheese did.

August 5, 2026

No Italian Blood Required: What Italy Taught Me About Italian Cooking

Chef Jennifer Bajsel discusses what Tuscany and Sicily taught her about cooking Italian food with humility.

August 5, 2026

Villa Sparina: A Deep-Immersion Escape in Piedmont Wine Country

Wine is only the beginning of the story.

August 5, 2026