This post contains affiliate links, please read our disclosure policy.
Hawaiian sweet roll stuffing is a fun twist on traditional stuffing. A side dish for your Thanksgiving dinner that your guests won’t forget! A sweet yet savory stuffing with Hawaiian sweet rolls, sausage, fresh veggies and herbs.
One of my new favorite fall and holiday recipes is Hawaiian sweet roll stuffing. The flavor combination of sweet Hawaiian bread and herbs found in traditional stuffing will leave you with a new holiday favorite that will be the star of the show. One of my favorite parts about Thanksgiving dinner is not the thanksgiving turkey, but the stuffing that is served alongside it.
My family has always cooked their stuffing separately (not stuffing the actual bird) because we like the beautiful golden brown crispy top that maintains its texture when smothered with turkey gravy.
I decided one year to try a different take on our traditional stuffing and substituted Hawaiian sweet rolls instead of the usual white and wheat breads and was blown away by the results. This tropical take on a conventional dish was the perfect balance of subtle sweetness and savory flavors. I hope it will become one of your favorite recipes to have at your thanksgiving table!
Looking for a main dish to pair it with? Try this Air fryer Turkey, How to cook a turkey in a roaster , air fryer turkey tenderloin or Crockpot Turkey Breast.
Table of Contents
How do you dry out bread for stuffing?
If you’ve never made homemade breadcrumbs for stuffing before, it’s very simple! In order to toast your bread, cube the bread into 1/2 inch pieces and place on a baking sheet. Then, bake the bread at 300ºF for 10-15 minutes.
What I also love about this recipe is how versatile it is. I use the most common vegetables and herbs for my recipe – celery, onion, sage, thyme, rosemary and parsley, but you can also try different combinations based on personal preference. I’ve added dried or fresh cranberries and even a cut up apple for extra flavor. One of the best things about this dish is that it can be prepped and assembled the day before and baked the next day, making your holiday prep that much easier.
Hawaiian Sweet Roll Stuffing Ingredients
- Hawaiian Sweet Rolls- King’s Hawaiian Sweet Rolls work great. I got the store brand hawaiian rolls from Aldi they are just as good.
- Sausage- If you can find Jimmy Dean sage stuffing it is the best sausage for stuffing. The sage seasoning is perfection. If you can’t find it a mild Italian sausage works well.
- Fresh Herbs- Parsley, Sage, Thyme and Rosemary. I will usually grab a parsley and the poultry fresh herb package in the produce section, but in a pinch premixed poultry seasoning works well.
- Vegetables– Celery, diced onions and garlic.
- Broth- Chicken stock or Turkey stock work. Buy the broth in the 32oz carton.
- Butter- I like to use unsalted but either would work.
How to Make Stuffing with Hawaiian Sweet Rolls
- Preheat your oven to 300ºF and place your bread cubes on a cookie sheet and bake for 10 to 14 minutes until lightly browned. Once finished, turn the oven up to 350ºF.
- Over medium heat, add your olive oil to a large skillet and add your sausage. When your sausage is browned drain the grease add in your vegetables and cook for 5-6 minutes until they are soft. Add in your fresh herbs or seasoning and cook for another 3-4 minutes.
- While the mixture is cooking, spray a 9×13 casserole dish with non stick spray. Add in the cubed bread.
- Add the sausage mixture, and parsley and stir with a wooden spoon. If it’s easier, you can mix all three together in a large mixing bowl and then add to the casserole dish.
- Melt butter and pour it over your stuffing mixture and repeat with your broth, then mix lightly. Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 20 minutes.
- To make sure the stuffing comes out nice and crispy, remove the foil, stir lightly – adding more stock if needed, and bake uncovered for an additional 20 minutes. The stuffing should be moist, golden brown and have a beautiful crispy top.
Recipe Tip
Adding dried or fresh cranberries is also a great addition to this recipe. I usually make two trays one with cranberries and one without.
Want more stuffing? Add another 6-12 Hawaiian sweet rolls when you are cubing and toasting the bread.
How to Store and Reheat Hawaiian Sweet Roll Stuffing
- Let the stuffing cool to room temperature and store leftovers in an airtight container
- Leftover stuffing will last 4-5 days in the refrigerator
- The best way to reheat stuffing is to warm in the oven until heated through so that the top gets crisp again.
Hawaiian Sweet Roll Stuffing
Ingredients
- 4 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- 12 oz. Hawaiian Sweet Rolls , (12 Rolls)
- 1 lb Sausage
- 1 Cup Celery, Chopped
- 1 Cup Onion, Chopped
- 2 Tablespoon Rosemary, Chopped
- 2 Tablespoon Thyme, Chopped
- 2 Tablespoon Sage, Chopped
- 2 Cloves Garlic, Minced
- ¼ Teaspoon Pepper
- ¼ Teaspoon Salt
- 2 Tablespoon Butter, Melted
- 2 Cups Chicken or Turkey Stock
- 1/3 Cup Parsley, Chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300º F. Place ½ inch cubed Hawaiian sweet rolls on a cookie sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes until lightly browned.
- Preheat oven to 350º F
- Add olive oil to large frying pan, over medium heat, brown sausage (drain grease).
- Add onions and celery cook until soft about 5-6 minutes. Then add garlic, rosemary, thyme, salt and pepper and cook for another 3-4 minutes to incorporate the flavor.
- Spray a 9×13 inch pan with non stick spray. Add in cubed stuffing, the sausage mixture and parsley.
- Pour 1 cup of broth and melted butter over the stuffing mixture. Mix lightly.
- Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 20 minutes.
- Remove the foil, stir and add turkey stock if needed. Continue baking uncovered for 20 additional minutes. The stuffing should be moist, golden and have a nice crispy top.