This Sausage Apple Stuffing Recipe is going to be your favorite Thanksgiving Side Dish. Savory sausage, tart apples, sage, and chunks of bread are baked to perfection.
Apple sausage stuffing is a classic holiday side that's easy to make and always a crowd favorite. You can even make it ahead to make Thanksgiving prep even easier.
Thanksgiving dinner usually requires a lot of planning and preparation. You can make things easier by having a few Thanksgiving side dish recipes that you can make ahead.
Sausage stuffing can easily be made ahead and reheated on turkey day.
I like to make most of my side dishes ahead and that way I can focus on enjoying my guests and making the perfect Thanksgiving turkey on Thanksgiving day.
What You'll Need to Make Sausage Stuffing
- Bread: You can use a loaf of french bread, sourdough bread, or even cornbread. This recipe is also works with packaged bread cubes.
- Veggies: Celery, carrot, onion, and apples!
- Sausage: I use Jimmy Dean's Sage Sausage. However, you can also use sweet Italian sausage or any other sausage that you prefer!
- Stock: Turkey stock or chicken stock. Homemade stock or premade stock will bothe work fine.
- Fresh sage. You'll want 1 tablespoon of fresh sage, minced.
How to Make Sausage Stuffing with Apples
- Bread: Dice the bread into bite sized cubes. Toast in an oven preheated to 350℉.
- Sausage: In a large skillet over medium heat brown the sausage while breaking up the sausage as it cooks.
- Veggies: Using the same pan, add the onions, carrots, and celery.
- Combine: Add the bread cubes to the pan and toss to combine. Add chopped apples and the minced sage.
- Add the broth and stir to combine.
- Place the stuffing in a buttered baking dish. Cover with foil.
- Bake for 30 to 40 minutes @ 375℉.
FAQs and Helpful Tips
A lot of stuffing recipes call for eggs as a binder.
I usually leave the eggs out of my stuffing recipe. If you want your stuffing to bind together more, you can add an egg to this recipe.
Stuffing can always be made ahead and then reheated on Thanksgiving day.
Cover with foil and reheat @ 375℉ for 20 to 25 minutes. If you like stuffing with crispy edges you can remove the foil for the last 5 to 10 minutes. This allows the stuffing to brown and get crunchy on top.
Stuffing is made with french bread, sourdough bread, or cornbread.
You'll want to dice the bread into bite-sized pieces and dry the bread in the oven at 300℉. Time will vary depending on how fresh your bread is.
Need More Thanksgiving Recipes?
Thanksgiving side dishes make up the supporting cast of your holiday menu.
Recipes like Green Bean Casserole, Thanksgiving Sweet Potatoes, Turkey Gravy, and of course, Cranberry Sauce are always family favorites.
➽ Did you make this recipe? I love to see what's going on in your kitchen. Please show me what you're cooking. 🍳 Tag me @foodologygeek on your favorite social channel! Facebook, Instagram & Pinterest. If you loved ❤︎ this recipe, please leave a five ★ review and a comment!
Sausage Stuffing Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb sage seasoned sausage
- 3 stalks celery finely diced
- 1 carrot peeled and finely diced
- ½ onion finely diced
- 2 apples diced
- 1 loaf bread cubed and toasted
- 1 tablespoon fresh sage
- 2 ½ cups turkey broth substitute veggie or chicken broth
Instructions
- Dice the bread into bite-sized cubes. [note 1]
- Spread the bread onto a baking sheet in one single layer. Bake until they are crispy.
- Preheat oven to 375℉
- Brown the sausage in a large heavy-bottomed pan.
- Drain off most of the oil in the pan. Leave a small amount of oil and all of the brown bits for sautéing the mirepoix.
- Add the mirepoix (diced celery, onions, and carrots), sauté until tender and fragrant.
- Add a small amount of broth to the pan and use it to deglaze the pan. Using a spatula scrape the brown bits off the pan and mix them in.
- Add the bread cubes to the pan and toss will to combime.
- Add the diced apples and the minced sage. Toss well to combine.
- Add the remaining broth. Add enough broth to ensure that mixture is moist. You may not need to use the entire amount of broth. Moisture can be adjusted to your preference.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Cover with foil and bake for about 25 minutes.
- Remove the foil and bake for another 5-10 minutes, until the top is nice and golden brown.
- Let the stuffing rest for 15 minutes before serving.
Laura's Tips + Notes
- Use a loaf of bread that's been torn or cut into bite-sized pieces and then toasted in a low-temperature oven OR use prepackaged bread cubes.
