Apple Sausage Stuffing Recipe

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Apple sausage stuffing is a variation of a classic Thanksgiving dressing recipe with sausage, apples, cranberries, and nutty topping. It's savory, sweet, easy to make, and a must-have holiday side.

There is nothing like the comfort and flavor of apple sausage stuffing alongside your holiday meal. It's an essential side dish to complement your meal with turkey, gravy, and cranberry sauce. This recipe is wonderful because it perfectly balances savory and sweet flavors along with crispy and soft textures. No holiday table should be without the best stuffing!

Ingredient notes

• Stuffing cubes - Use a bakery loaf to make bread cubes or pick up packaged cubes for convenience. You can even use croutons.
• Pork sausage - Plain pork or sage sausage are perfect for this recipe.
• Butter and olive oil - Both add flavor to this recipe.
• Apples - Use any tart or sweet apple of your choice.
• Onions and celery - These aromatics add flavor and texture to the stuffing.
• Dried cranberries - These add so much flavor variety to apple sausage stuffing. You can leave them whole or chop them into smaller pieces.
• Broth - Use any broth of your choosing or turkey stock, if available.
• Eggs - These help bind the stuffing together.
• Seasonings - A combination of poultry seasoning, dried sage, salt, and pepper makes every bite taste like Thanksgiving.
• Walnuts - This optional topping adds a delicious crunch and nutty flavor.
• Parsley - Adds a pop of color.

How to make apple sausage stuffing

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and prepare the casserole dish. Saute the sausage in oil until browned. Transfer from the pan and use the same skillet to saute the onions and celery.

While the vegetables are cooking, whisk together 1 ½ cups of the broth, eggs, and seasonings in a large mixing bowl until well combined. Add bread cubes to this mixture and gently toss to coat. Set aside for about 10 minutes to allow the bread to become fully moistened.

After 10 minutes, test the bread cube's moisture by squeezing a piece between your fingers. You want the bread cubes thoroughly moistened but not mushy. Add more broth as needed to achieve this.

Add the cooked sausage, cooked vegetables, apples, and cranberries to the stuffing mix. Gently stir to combine. Transfer the stuffing mixture to the baking dish and top with parsley.

Cover and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover the stuffing, sprinkle walnuts on top, and bake for another 30 minutes until the top turns golden brown. Rest for 10 minutes to set up. Serve warm.

Recipe tips

• Use packaged stuffing cubes or make your bread cubes using any bakery-style loaf, including French, sourdough, or Italian bread.
• Swap the pork sausage with turkey or chicken sausage in equal amounts for a pork alternative.
• Turkey broth or turkey stock are excellent to use instead of chicken broth because they add a comforting holiday aroma and flavor.

Other holiday recipes

• Herb Roasted Turkey Breast
• Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
• Brussels Sprout Salad Recipe
• Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese
• Mashed Potatoes with Sour Cream
• Pomegranate Cranberry Relish

📖 Recipe