Hawaiian Roll Stuffing

This Hawaiian roll stuffing tosses toasted sweet dinner rolls with browned Italian sausage, slow caramelized onions, and chopped Medjool dates for a sweet and savory side that steals the show at Thanksgiving. The soft, slightly sweet rolls crisp up beautifully in the oven, then soak up chicken stock without turning to mush, and the dates add little pockets of caramel against the salty sausage. You need about 15 minutes of hands-on prep, and you can toast the bread and cook the filling days ahead so assembly on the big day takes almost no time.

Sweet bread runs deep in my family. My Portuguese grandmother baked her own for as long as I can remember, and the smell of these rolls toasting in my oven is so close that my son once walked in the door asking if I was finally making her recipe. If you love the savory side of my Portuguese roots, my Alcatra (Portuguese Pot Roast) is another family favorite. When you want a more traditional bread base, try my Sausage and Caramelized Onion Stuffing made with French bread, or go grain based with my Spicy Sausage, Prune and Grande Grain Stuffing. Planning the whole menu? My list of 50+ Thanksgiving Recipes has you covered from appetizers to pie.

Why You’ll Love This Hawaiian Roll Stuffing

Every bite hits sweet, salty, savory, and a little spicy all at once. The rolls bring a buttery sweetness, the Italian sausage adds fennel and herb flavor, the caramelized onions melt into the bread, and a pinch of crushed red pepper keeps everything from tipping too sweet. The Medjool dates are the surprise: soft and jammy, they play the same role prunes do in old fashioned holiday stuffings, only richer.

It is also one of the most forgiving holiday sides you can make. The ingredient list is short, the rolls come from a single package, and baking it covered with parchment and foil keeps the center moist while the last few uncovered minutes give you a crisp, golden top. My meat and potatoes husband asked for it again for Thanksgiving the first night I made it, and that is about the highest praise a stuffing can get in my house.

The Maillard Reaction

Browning is the backbone of this recipe, and it happens three times. Toasting the cubed rolls triggers the Maillard reaction, where the proteins and sugars in the bread react under dry heat to create hundreds of new flavor compounds and that golden, nutty, toasted aroma. Because Hawaiian rolls contain more sugar than a typical loaf, they reach that golden stage quickly, which is exactly why a lower oven temperature gives you better control.

Browning the Italian sausage builds the same savory depth in the meat, and the browned bits left in the pan become the flavor base for the onions. The onions then caramelize slowly in butter, adding a second layer of sweetness and color. When everything bakes together, the uncovered final minutes give the top layer one more round of browning for contrast against the soft, stock soaked center.

Equipment Needed

• Large rimmed baking sheet for toasting the bread cubes
• Large skillet or sauté pan for the sausage and onions
• Large mixing bowl for tossing everything together
• 9×13 baking dish
• Parchment paper and aluminum foil for covering while it bakes
• Slotted spoon

Ingredients in Hawaiian Roll Stuffing

• Sweet Bread Dinner Rolls – King’s Hawaiian Dinner Rolls are used in this recipe, but you can use any type of sweet roll.
• Italian Sausage – you can use sausages removed from the casing or purchase Italian sausage ground. Either will work great.
• Onion – diced sweet or yellow onion.
• Butter – unsalted butter at room temperature.
• Chicken Stock – or broth, either will work. Use prepared or make your own.
• Egg – lightly beaten.
• Dates – medjool dates that are pitted and diced.
• Herbs & Spices – fresh Italian flat leaf parsley, crushed red pepper flakes, salt & pepper to taste.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Recipe Variations & Substitutions

• Swap the rolls: Any soft sweet roll works, including Portuguese sweet bread, brioche, or challah cut into 1 inch cubes.
• Change the sausage: Use hot Italian sausage for more heat, sweet Italian for a milder stuffing, or ground turkey sausage for a lighter version.
• Try another dried fruit: Dried apricots, dried figs, or prunes can stand in for the Medjool dates at the same amount.
• Add crunch: Fold in a handful of toasted pecans or walnuts just before baking.
• Make it vegetarian: Skip the sausage, add sautéed mushrooms for savory depth, and use vegetable stock in place of chicken stock.

How to Store, Freeze, and Reheat

• Make ahead: Toast the bread cubes and cook the sausage and onion mixture up to 2 days ahead. Store the bread cubes airtight at room temperature and the sausage mixture in the fridge, then combine with the stock and egg right before baking.
• Refrigerate: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
• Freeze: Freeze baked and cooled stuffing in a freezer safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
• Reheat in the oven: Spread leftovers in a baking dish, drizzle with a splash of chicken stock, cover with foil, and warm at 350°F for 20 to 25 minutes. Uncover for the last 5 minutes to crisp the top.
• Reheat in the microwave: Warm single portions covered with a damp paper towel in 30 second bursts.

What to Serve with Hawaiian Roll Stuffing

• Smoked Spatchcocked Turkey
• Asian Apricot Spiral Ham
• Homemade Cranberry Sauce
• Creamy Truffle Parmesan Mashed Potatoes
• Green Bean Mushroom Gratin
• Garlic Parmesan Roasted Broccoli

Frequently Asked Questions

More Recipes to Try

• Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread
• Sausage & Caramelized Onion Stuffing
• Garlic Parmesan Roasted Broccoli
• Creamy Truffle Parmesan Mashed Potatoes
• Roasted Butternut Squash with Pine Nuts

This hawaiian roll stuffing recipe was originally posted October 30, 2013. The post was updated with new photography, step by step instructions, information on how to store, and recipes to pair it with.