Name: Cranberry, Sage & Garlic Texas Toast Stuffing
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 55 min
Ingredients: 16 slices New York Bakery Garlic Texas Toast; 1 lb bulk pork sausage (mild or sage-flavored; Italian sausage works great too); 1 medium yellow onion (finely diced); 3 stalks celery (diced); 4 cloves loves garlic (minced (optional, since the Texas toast is already garlicky, but great if you love extra depth)); 1 cup fresh cranberries (coarsely chopped (cut them in half or quarters so they distribute evenly and soften while baking)); 1 tablespoon fresh sage (finely chopped (or 1 tsp dried rubbed sage)); 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves (or 1 tsp dried thyme); ¼ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley (chopped); 1 to 1.5 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth; 2 large eggs (lightly beaten (helps bind everything together into a nice casserole texture))

A hearty and flavorful stuffing that features buttery garlic toast as its secret weapon, soaking up rich pork sausage, aromatic sage, and a bright, tart pop of fresh cranberries for the ultimate balance of cozy and vibrant flavors. This post was originally sponsored on Instagram by New York Bakery. To see the recipe video in action, please feel free to check it out!

Golden-Brown stuffing in a white baker near a box of New York Bakery.

If you want to completely upgrade your holiday table this year, it’s time to move past dry, bland stuffing cubes. Enter the Cranberry, Sage & Garlic Texas Toast Stuffing—a crowd-pleasing, flavor-packed casserole that brings together rich, buttery garlic bread, savory pork sausage, earthy herbs, and tart bursts of fresh cranberries. My family loved this stuffing recipe because it featured their favorite frozen bread- New York Bakery Texas Toast with real garlic!

Why We Love This Recipe

The Ultimate Shortcut: Starting with frozen or store-bought garlic Texas toast gives you a massive head start on flavor. The bread is already heavily buttered and seasoned with garlic, meaning you skip hours of seasoning adjustments.
The Sweet & Savory Balance: The richness of the sausage and butter is brilliantly cut by bright, tart pops of fresh cranberries, ensuring every bite is dynamic and interesting.
Textural Perfection: Because Texas toast is thick and dense, toasting it first ensures it holds its shape. You get crispy, golden edges on top and a tender, moist interior without any risk of mushiness.

Unbaked slices of New York Bakery Texas Toast near a burnt orange napkin and product box.

Recipe Ingredient Highlights

New York Bakery Garlic Texas Toast: The star of the show. Its thick cut and pre-applied garlic butter blend save time while building an incredible savory foundation.
Bulk Pork Sausage: Whether you use a mild breakfast sausage, sage sausage, or Italian sausage, the rendered fat acts as a gorgeous cooking medium for your fresh herbs.
Fresh Cranberries: Chopping them up distributes them evenly. As they bake, they soften and release a tart juiciness that punches through the heavy savory notes.
Fresh Herbs (Sage, Thyme & Parsley): Fresh herbs elevate this from a quick weeknight side to a holiday masterpiece, providing aromatic pine, pepper, and citrus notes.

A wooden spoon in a glass bowl with a green sage plant in the background.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Find the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Bake the New York Bakery Texas toast according to box instructions until golden and crispy (5–8 minutes). Let cool slightly, then cut or tear into 3/4-inch cubes.
Place a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, and cook for about 3 minutes until it starts to brown and release its fat.
Turn the heat down to medium, add the diced onion and celery directly into the pan with the sausage, and sauté for another 5 to 7 minutes until the vegetables are softened and translucent and the sausage is fully cooked through. Toss in the minced garlic, chopped sage, thyme, and a pinch of salt and pepper, cooking for about 1 minute until fragrant before removing from the heat.
In your very large bowl with the sausage, add the toasted garlic bread cubes, the cooked veggie-herb mixture, and the chopped fresh cranberries. Gently toss to mix.
Whisk 1 cup of broth and the 2 beaten eggs in a small bowl. Drizzle evenly over the stuffing and toss gently. (Add up to 1/2 cup more broth if the dense bread feels too dry).
Transfer into a greased 9×13-inch baking dish. Cover with foil and bake at 375°F for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 15–20 minutes until golden, crispy, and the cranberries have burst.

Unbaked sausage stuffing in a white casserole dish with a burnt ornage napkin.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Can I make this stuffing ahead of time?

Yes! You can assemble the entire unbaked casserole dish up to 24 hours in advance, cover it tightly, and store it in the refrigerator. When you’re ready to bake, add an extra 10–15 minutes to the covered baking time since it will be chilled.

Can I use regular bread if I can’t find New York Bakery Texas Toast?

You can substitute a thick-cut artisan loaf (like French bread, brioche, or sourdough), but because regular bread lacks pre-applied garlic butter, you will want to melt an extra 4 tablespoons of butter with a teaspoon of garlic powder and toss the cubes in it before toasting them.

Is the garlic overpowering since the bread is already garlicky?

Not at all! The extra garlic minced into the vegetables mellows out as it sautéeing and balances nicely against the sweet-tart cranberries and rich sausage. However, you can easily drop the extra minced garlic down to 1 clove if you prefer a milder flavor.

Sausage cranberry stuffing in a white casserole dish with a wooden spoon.

Delicious Variations

Nuttier Texture: Toss in 1/2 cup of toasted, chopped pecans or walnuts right before adding the broth for a wonderful holiday crunch.
Apple & Cranberry: Swap half of the cranberries for a tart diced Granny Smith apple to lean even further into autumn flavor profiles.
Vegetarian Twist: Omit the pork sausage, sauté your veggies in olive oil or unsalted butter, and use a rich vegetable or mushroom broth for an equally delicious meat-free alternative.

Hands holding a plate of sausage stuffing with sage, and cranberry.

Storing & Reheating

Refrigerator: Store leftover baked stuffing in an airtight container for up to 3 to 4 days.
Freezer: You can freeze baked stuffing for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Reheating: Reheat individual portions in the microwave, or warm a larger batch in a 350°F oven covered with foil for about 15–20 minutes until heated through. Splash a tiny bit of chicken broth over the top before reheating to keep it moist.

More Tasty Holiday Side Dishes

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Cranberry, Sage & Garlic Texas Toast Stuffing

Ditch the boring, dry stuffing this holiday season and serve up a casserole everyone will be talking about. This Cranberry, Sage & Garlic Texas Toast Stuffing uses thick, buttery garlic toast as its secret weapon, soaking up rich pork sausage, aromatic sage, and a bright, tart pop of fresh cranberries for the ultimate balance of cozy and vibrant flavors.

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 40

Total Time 55

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Servings people

Calories 494cal

Author Amy Desrosiers

Cost $14

Equipment

9×13 casserole dish
large skillet
large mixing bowl
oven adjusted to center rack position
Stovetop
cutting board & knife
spatula
Measuring cups and spoons

Ingredients

16 slices New York Bakery Garlic Texas Toast
1 lb bulk pork sausage mild or sage-flavored; Italian sausage works great too
1 medium yellow onion finely diced
3 stalks celery diced
4 cloves loves garlic minced (optional, since the Texas toast is already garlicky, but great if you love extra depth)
1 cup fresh cranberries coarsely chopped (cut them in half or quarters so they distribute evenly and soften while baking)
1 tablespoon fresh sage finely chopped (or 1 tsp dried rubbed sage)
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves or 1 tsp dried thyme
¼ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley chopped
1 to 1.5 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth start with 1 cup; Texas toast is already dense and buttery,so you may not need as much liquid as traditional bread
2 large eggs lightly beaten (helps bind everything together into a nice casserole texture)

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
Bake the slices of garlic Texas toast according to the box instructions until golden brown and crispy (usually about 5–8 minutes).
Let them cool slightly, then cut or tear them into 3/4-inch cubes. Because Texas toast is thick and already buttered/garlicked, toasting it first ensures it holds its structure and doesn’t turn to mush when you add the broth.
Place a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, and cook for about 3 minutes until it starts to brown and release its fat.
Turn the heat down to medium, add the diced onion and celery directly into the pan with the sausage, and sauté for another 5 to 7 minutes until the vegetables are softened and translucent and the sausage is fully cooked through. Toss in the minced garlic, chopped sage, thyme, and a pinch of salt and pepper, cooking for about 1 minute until fragrant before removing from the heat
In your very large mixing bowl (with the cooked sausage), add the toasted garlic bread cubes, the sautéed veggie-and-herb mixture, and the fresh cranberries. Gently toss everything together to combine.
In a small bowl, whisk together 1 cup of broth and the 2 beaten eggs.
Drizzle this mixture evenly over the stuffing bowl and gently toss. (If the bread still feels a bit dry and hasn’t absorbed the liquid well, drizzle in up to another 1/2 cup of broth. You want the bread moistened throughout, but not soaking wet or soggy).
Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with butter. Transfer the stuffing mixture into the dish, spreading it out evenly without pressing down too hard.
Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake at 375°F for 25 minutes.
Remove the foil and bake for an additional 15 to 20 minutes uncovered, until the top is golden brown, crispy around the edges, and the cranberries have burst slightly.

Notes

Nutritional values may vary and are meant to be a guide.

Nutrition