Sage and onion stuffing recipe

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(2976 ratings)

Our sage and onion stuffing takes under an hour to make and is only 158 calories per portion.

Sage and onion stuffing, Image ID BX7Y6X (RM)
(Image credit: Alamy)
  • Vegetarian
  • healthy
Serves6
SkillEasy
Preparation Time15 mins
Cooking Time40 mins
Total Time55 mins
Cost RangeCheap
Nutrition Per PortionRDA
Calories158 Kcal8%
Sugar3 g3%
Fat9.6 g14%
Saturated Fat4.8 g24%
Salt0.32 gRow 4 - Cell 2
Protein2.5 g5%
Carbohydrates16.6 g6%
Salt0.32 gRow 7 - Cell 2
Jessica Ransom
By Jessica Ransom
last updated

This sage and onion stuffing is made with five ingredients and it’s very easy to scale up if you’re catering for more. 

A classic accompaniment to a roast chicken dinner, stuffing can also be crumbled into sandwiches or pie fillings. You can cook the stuffing ahead of time and then reheat for 10-15 minutes while you’re waiting for your roast potatoes to finish cooking. 

Ingredients

  • 50g butter
  • 1tbsp oil
  • 1 large chopped onion
  • 100g breadcrumbs
  • 1tbsp chopped fresh sage

WEIGHT CONVERTER

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Method

  1. Heat the oven to 180C (160C fan, Gas 4). Heat the butter and oil, and cook the onion until softened. Stir in the breadcrumbs and sage, and season with salt and pepper.
  2. Press into a baking dish or, if preferred, roll sage and onion stuffing mix into balls about the size of a walnut and place on a greased oven tray. Press each ball to flatten slightly. Cook for 40 minutes until crisp on the outside and piping hot inside.
  3. Remove from the oven and serve with your favourite roast turkey or chicken and lashings of gravy. 

Watch how to make our sage and onion stuffing

Top tips for making sage and onion stuffing

To make this stuffing in advance you either need to freeze it, or cook it immediately - don’t keep it uncooked in the fridge. If you've opted to freeze your raw stuffing you can cook it straight from frozen when ready. If you don’t want to freeze it raw, prepare all your ingredients to keep in the fridge, but don't mix the wet and dry ingredients until you’re ready to cook.

What does egg do for stuffing?

If you like, add an egg yolk or a small whole egg to the mixture and it will give a richer flavour. Egg also acts as a useful binding ingredient to help the rest of the stuffing ingredients stick together.

Is sage and onion stuffing vegetarian?

Yes, this recipe is vegetarian and can be made vegan by using a plant-based alternative to butter. If you’re a meat eater, you can elevate the stuffing by mixing in some quality sausage meat with the rest of the ingredients. 

Should I cook my stuffing inside the chicken or turkey?

For some people, cooking stuffing means putting it inside the bird, which means it cooks in the poultry juices giving the meat and the stuffing an amazing flavour.

However, this does make roasting a bird more complex, because you need to be sure the internal temperature of the meat and the stuffing is high enough: 70C or 160F when you take it out of the oven, rising to 72C or 165F as it rests.

This can lead to longer cooking times, and you risk overcooking the breast meat. We wouldn’t recommend cooking stuffing inside the turkey if you don’t have a meat thermometer to accurately check temperatures. 

Can you reheat the stuffing?

Yes, stuffing can be reheated for you to enjoy warm but should be done only once, so if you're not going to eat it all make sure to divide it into portions first.

For best results you can reheat it in the oven: place the sage and onion stuffing into a baking dish and cover with aluminium foil to avoid burning. Preheat the oven to 180C (160C fan, Gas 4) and bake for 30 minutes

If you always tear up when cutting onions, save time and some tears by using a food processor! Read our Ninja 3-in-1 food processor review to find out our full verdict. 

Ninja 3 in 1 Food Processor - View at Amazon

Ninja 3 in 1 Food Processor - <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ninja-Processor-Auto-iQ-BN800UK-Silver/dp/B088TT3QW2?tag=georiot-trd-21&ascsubtag=hawk-custom-tracking-21&geniuslink=true&th=1" data-link-merchant="amazon.co.uk"" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View at Amazon

Not only are there attachments to help you dice and slice vegetables, there’s also a knead function for dough. You could also use this food processor to blitz some stale bread and make your own fresh breadcrumbs. 

For something very festive, try our chestnut stuffing. If you like a fruity twist you might like our apple stuffing or this vegetarian stuffing is another crowd pleaser. 

Jessica Ransom
Jessica Ransom
Senior Food Writer

Jessica is a freelance food writer, stylist and recipe tester. She previously worked as Senior Food Writer at Future. While at Future Jessica wrote food and drink-related news stories and features, curated product pages, reviewed equipment, and developed recipes that she then styled on food shoots. She is an enthusiastic, self-taught cook who adores eating out and sharing great food and drink with friends and family. She has completed the Level 1 Associate course at the Academy of Cheese and is continually building on her knowledge of beers, wines, and spirits. 

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