Pull-Apart Stuffing Rolls Recipe (2024)

Why It Works

Building a concentrated flavor base adds plenty of flavor to the exterior of the bread, while knotting the dough allows that flavor to seep deeper into nooks and crannies.
Letting the rolls rise until they're pressed together in a baking dish makes for extra-moist bread that's fun to pull apart when eating.

It's no question that stuffing is the best thing on the Thanksgiving table. It's also no question that these easy pull-apart pepperoni garlic knots are the most stupidly delicious easy recipe I've come up with so far this year.

So what happens when you take the idea of a pull-apart garlic knot and mix it up with the flavors of stuffing?

A little bit of Thanksgiving magic. Tender, buttery, stuffing-flavor-packed magic. That's what.

Step 1: Make the Flavor Base

Start by melting butter in a heavy skillet. Got an aversion to butter? This is not the recipe for you.

Next, add your sausage. If you're in a market that sells sage sausages (they come out around this time of year on the East Coast), go with that. Otherwise, bulk breakfast sausage is the way to go, though you can easily get away with diced bacon, salami, or even no meat at all if you'd prefer.

I like to use the potato masher to break up my sausage. It makes short work of creating an even-textured crumble.

Then add your basic aromatics. I use the same flavors that I do in my classic sage and sausage stuffing: celery, onions, and plenty of chopped sage and garlic.

Cook those down until the vegetables are softened but not browned, then finish with some fresh parsley. Remove the mixture and let it cool completely.

Step 2: Prepare Your Dough

This recipe is based on my pepperoni garlic knot recipe, and if knotted pizza dough worked there, why not here?

I use a basic, lightly enriched dough, like my own New York–style pizza dough, though store-bought pizza dough actually works quite well. (I tested this with dough from Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, and Safeway.) While store-bought dough is generally under-seasoned and a little bland, in this case, the other flavorings are so damn strong that it really doesn't matter.

After letting a pound of dough proof for the first time, divide it in half, then roll it out on a lightly floured surface into a roughly four-inch-wide strip.

Step 3: Toss and Proof

Transfer the knots to a large bowl, and add your cooled flavor base. Using your whole hand, toss and flip the knots until they're evenly coated on all surfaces. You want to be gentle here, letting the knots cascade over your palms so that you don't end up sticking them together.

Next, butter up a 9- by 13-inch baking dish (I told you we're not butter-shy here, right?) to help the bottoms and sides brown, and lay the knots inside the dish, keeping them evenly spaced. It's okay if they don't sit against each other snugly right now; that'll come with time.

Cover up the dish tightly with plastic wrap, then set it aside and let the rolls rest until they've roughly doubled in volume. At room temperature, this should take three to four hours. In the fridge, it should take about 12 to 16 hours, which makes this a great make-ahead option.

Alternatively, you can freeze the casserole as is, with a layer of aluminum foil wrapped over it, for up to a week. Let it thaw completely in the fridge overnight, and allow it to rise at room temperature for an hour before baking.

When the rolls are ready to bake, they should look something like this:

Step 4: Grease and Bake

What's that? Too much butter, you say? Well, okay then. This time, I'll drizzle them with a little olive oil and brush it on nicely before placing them gently, so as not to deflate them, in a hot, hot oven to bake.

After 25 to 30 minutes, they should emerge, ready for one final brushing of butter to give them the glossy sheen of a Parker House roll.

You'll notice that the sausage and other flavorings on the top will have browned quite a bit, delivering some really intense, concentrated flavor when you bite in. On the other hand, the sausage on the bottom will remain nice and juicy, giving you that pleasantly meaty texture.

Soft, tender, buttery, packed with real Thanksgiving-stuffing flavor, and oh-so-fun to pull apart, these rolls make the ideal vehicle for dipping into all that extra gravy you've made (you do make extra gravy, right?), perhaps with a little spoonful of cranberry sauce to tie it all together.

If you wanna get really creative, just split one open at the table and make yourself a little Thanksgiving sandwich on the spot. Your mouth, and whomever you pay handsomely to wash your silk napkins, will thank you.

Next task: Use these pull-apart stuffing rolls to make stuffing. IT'S STUFFINCEPTION TIME.

November 2014

Recipe Details

Pull-Apart Stuffing Rolls Recipe

Active30 mins

Total5 hrs

Serves8to 10 servings

Ingredients

4 tablespoons (57g) butter, divided
8 ounces (225g) sage sausage or breakfast sausage, removed from casings (see notes)
1 small onion, finely chopped (about 3/4 cup)
1 rib celery, finely chopped (about 1/2 cup)
4 medium cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/4 cup (7g) minced fresh sage leaves
1/4 cup (7g) minced fresh parsley leaves
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
All-purpose flour, for dusting
1 pound (450g)homemadeor store-bought pizza dough (see notes)
2 tablespoons (30ml) extra-virgin olive oil

Directions

Melt 2 tablespoons (28g) butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add sausage and mash with a stiff whisk or potato masher to break up into fine pieces (the largest pieces should be no bigger than 1/4 inch). Cook, stirring frequently, until only a few bits of pink remain, about 8 minutes. Add onion, celery, garlic, and sage and cook, stirring frequently, until vegetables are softened, about 10 minutes. Add parsley and season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer contents to a large bowl and set aside until completely cool.
While filling cools, make knots. On a lightly floured surface, divide dough into 2 even pieces. Working with one piece at a time, roll or stretch into an oblong strip about 8 inches long and 4 inches wide. With a bench scraper or knife, cut crosswise into 12 strips. Repeat with other half of dough.
Tie each strip into a knot and transfer to bowl with sausage mixture. Toss and fold with your hands, very gently, until every knot is thoroughly coated in sausage mixture. Grease a 9- by 13-inch baking dish with 1 tablespoon (14g) butter. Transfer knots to baking dish in a single layer. Drizzle with olive oil, cover tightly with plastic, and set aside until doubled in size, about 4 hours. Alternatively, refrigerate until doubled in size, 12 to 16 hours. Or cover in aluminum foil and freeze for up to a week, thaw completely in the refrigerator, and bring the rolls up to room temperature for an hour before baking.
When ready to bake, adjust oven rack to center position and preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Unwrap rolls. Transfer to oven and bake until golden brown and crisp, 25 to 30 minutes.
When rolls are almost ready, melt remaining tablespoon butter in the microwave or on the stovetop. Remove rolls from oven and immediately brush on butter. Serve with gravy and cranberry sauce on the side.

Special Equipment

9- by 13-inch baking dish, large cast iron skillet

Notes

Other cured meats cut into fine dice, like bacon, pancetta, or chorizo, can be used in place of the sausage. Because of how intensely flavored these rolls are, this is a case in which store-bought dough (which is often under-seasoned) works just as well as homemade. So feel free to take the easy road here and use premade pizza dough—you won't be sacrificing any flavor.

Sides
Thanksgiving Stuffings
Sausages
Thanksgiving Side Dishes

FAQs

What is the best bread to use for stuffing? ›

Breads such as sour dough, French bread or Italian loaves are for the best bread for stuffing. Their soft-but-sturdy interiors are the perfect texture for stuffing. The pieces retain their shape without crumbling.

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Should you use eggs in stuffing? ›

The most important ingredient of stuffing may be the binder, which keeps all the other elements in place. For a fluffy texture, use eggs. Stock is the most-used binder. Less conventional possibilities include fruit juice (such as apple or orange) and alcohol (wine or liqueur).

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How do you keep stuffing from falling apart? ›

The stuffing should be moist but not wet. If there is a puddle of broth at the bottom of the bowl, you've added too much. Add more bread to soak up the excess moisture. If the mix is still dry and crumbly, add more liquid and toss gently until it starts to clump together.

Learn More Now ›

How stale should bread be for stuffing? ›

Follow this tip: Stale, dried-out bread makes the best stuffing. Either dry out your bread starting a few days before you plan to make the stuffing by letting it sit out or, if you don't have the extra time, cut the bread into cubes, and then toast over a low heat in the oven until dry.

Get More Info Here ›

Should you toast bread before making stuffing? ›

We start by cubing our bread—for traditional recipes, we favor a simple white sandwich-style loaf—then toast it in the oven at a low 275°F for about 45 minutes, tossing it every now and then to help it dry evenly.

Why does my stuffing come out mushy? ›

If the stuffing came out too wet and soggy (aka bread soup!) try not to over mix it, otherwise it'll turn into mush. Curtis Stone says to pour it on a large sheet tray and spread it out. Bake it on high heat to crisp it up, but make sure it doesn't burn.

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Why can't you refrigerate uncooked stuffing? ›

USDA recommends that you never refrigerate uncooked stuffing. Why? Remember, stuffing can harbor bacteria, and though bacteria grow slower in the refrigerator they can cause problems because stuffing is a good medium for bacteria growth, therefore a higher risk food in terms of cooking safely.

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Should I leave bread out overnight for stuffing? ›

If you use soft, fresh bread, you'll ultimately wind up with a soggy, mushy stuffing. So, how do you dry bread for stuffing? There are two ways to go about it. If you've planned your Thanksgiving dinner ahead of time, you can cut your bread into cubes and leave them out to become stale overnight.

Get More Info ›

Can you use week old bread for stuffing? ›

In fact, using stale bread and fresh bread will both leave you with equal amounts of mush. The longstanding tip to use old, stale bread for the perfect stuffing is actually a myth. Letting bread go stale doesn't actually dry it out. After sitting out on your counter, bread goes through the process of retrogradation.

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How far in advance can you buy bread for stuffing? ›

Here's some good news: You can totally dry your bread for stuffing in the oven a few days ahead—just store the cubed bread in an airtight container at room temperature until ready to use. Once you've dried your bread, stuffing can go any way you like.

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What flat bread has a pocket that is perfect for stuffing? ›

Pita, also Pitta, breads, also called Arabic bread, balady, shamy, Syrian bread, and pocket bread, are circular, leavened double-layered flat breads that originated in the Middle East. It is prepared with flour, water, baker's yeast, and salt.

Is it OK to make stuffing a day ahead of time? ›

No matter where you fall, getting a head start on what can be prepared before the big day is essential. One question that always crops up: Can you make stuffing ahead of time? The short answer to whether you can making stuffing ahead of time is yes.

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What is bread stuffing made of? ›

Classic stuffing made with bread cubes, seasonings, and held together with chicken stock and eggs. A holiday staple!

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Is bread stuffing unhealthy? ›

Stuffing is essentially bread, salt, and butter, so it probably comes as no surprise that it isn't the healthiest food served on Thanksgiving. But you can cut its sodium and saturated fat, and pump up its nutritional profile.