Pretzel and Sausage Stuffing with Beer

Sweet and salty, spongy and crispy, buttery with a touch of beer flavors, this Pretzel Sausage Stuffing is the only stuffing recipe you’ll ever need! It’s a fantastic combination of flavors that pairs with all your favorite holiday dishes.

Why I love this Pretzel Sausage Stuffing recipe:

Oi Gente!!

Stuffing is definitely not a Brazilian thing, but this bread dish has always been one of my favorite American holiday dishes. It’s like a savory bread pudding of sorts! And, if you haven’t tried it, this is your invitation.

This particular concoction was inspired by on one of my trips to Germany. I had a Bavarian beer soup at Oktoberfest that was served with pretzel balls – like soft dumplings, but, made of pretzels! I swear to you—it was so incredibly delicious.

This is very obviously not a soup (should I do that, too??), but when I got home, I went straight into Thanksgiving mode and grabbed all the flavors from the soup and turned it into this stuffing recipe.

I never actually planned on putting this recipe on the site, but I’ve been making this beer stuffing recipe for years, and every year, people ask me for the recipe, so here we are.

I love the texture the pretzel buns bring—they absorb enough liquid and fat to be moist but not soggy. The sausage gives us a delicious salty sweetness, and the fresh thyme makes it beautifully floral. The beer just packs it with delicious malty sweetness and enough hoppiness to make this dish oh-so-interesting.

It’s so fun and delicious!!

This recipe reigns supreme in my heart, and it is one of my favorite side dishes for the holidays.

I hope you like it as much as I do!

Beijinhos xx

Ingredients

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• Breakfast sausage—I like that it’s not typically spicy, and that it also, has some sweetness to it. That said, use whatever sausage you like.
• Pretzel Buns—you can easily find this in stores like Whole Foods, and even regular grocery stores. Sometimes, they are in the bakery, sometimes in the refrigerator sections, and sometimes they are frozen – check everywhere!
• Beer—I like to use a light Lager like Spaten, or a Pilsner like Stella.
• Chicken Stock—or your favorite chicken broth.
• Onion—yellow or white work in this stuffing recipe.
• Celery—it adds awesome flavor and texture. Please don’t skip it.
• Fresh thyme sprigs—these add herbal notes and bring the flavors together. While you could probably use dried thyme, I really suggest finding fresh because it adds a lovely pop of flavor.
• Unsalted butter—this is to cook the veggies in, as well as on top of the stuffing before we bake it. I like to use unsalted butter because I can then add in the salt I need to the dish.

A note on the pretzels:

I love to use pretzel buns or rolls in this recipe. I have not tried this recipe with traditional soft pretzels, though I imagine that they could also be delicious.

Equipment:

• Serrated knife
• Sheet pan
• 5 quart pan
• Liquid measuring cup
• 9″x13″ casserole dish

How to make Pretzel Stuffing with Beer and Sausage

Start with dicing the pretzel buns.

Spread the pretzel cubes onto a baking sheet so we can dry them in the oven, similar to my Homemade Bread Crumbs. We do this to make sure the pretzel holds its shape and retains the proper texture throughout the cook.

When the pretzels are dry and crisp, let them cool a few minutes. We don’t want to use them hot from the oven because they’ll absorb more moisture than we want them to.

So, while the pretzels cool, melt some butter and sautee the onions and celery in a pan. Then, add the sausage to brown.

Then, use the beer to deglaze the pan and simmer a few minutes to let the alcohol evaporate. To that we add the stock and the thyme.

And then season with salt and pepper to your taste.

At this point you just need to gently stir in the dried pretzels to incorporate the liquid.

Let that sit, while you butter a baking dish, then just arrange the pretzel stuffing inside it.

I like to also plop some bits of butter on top of the stuffing before getting it to the preheated oven. This helps the pretzels crisp up even more and it’s so good!

After the pretzel stuffing is all buttered up, it’s time to bake! About 30-45 minutes should be plenty to get the top golden brown and crispy delicious.

Serve warm with your favorite holiday dishes and enjoy any leftovers for breakfast!

How to store:

Store leftover Pretzel Beer Stuffing in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.

Holiday Proteins you’ll love:

• Ham with Pineapple Glaze
• Dry Brine Spatchcock Turkey
• Grilled Turkey Breast

More favorite holiday side dishes:

• Walnut Rice
• Cachaça Cranberry Sauce
• Instant Pot Garlic Mashed Potatoes
• Mashed Yuca
• Air Fryer Butternut Squash

Don’t forget dessert!

• Apple Cake Recipe
• Easy Spice Cake Recipe
• Arroz Doce Cremoso – Brazilian Rice Pudding with Condensed Milk
• Passion Fruit Mousse
• Beijinho de coco – Brazilian Coconut Balls with Condensed milk
• Brazilian Flan Recipe

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