Sage sausage, dried cranberries, fresh herbs, tart apples, and cubes of sourdough add up to create the best stuffing I have ever tasted.
For as long as I can remember, I steered clear of stuffing and dressing. People would tell me that it tasted amazing, I’d take the “polite bite” but it never was something I enjoyed. Stuffing was always the one thing on the Thanksgiving table that I avoided at all costs.
So, when I tell you this is fantastic stuffing? You should probably trust me on that.
A few years ago, I decided to try stuffing once again and I started looking around for something different.
I found the original recipe for this stuffing on Allrecipes. Could 1,628 5 star reviews be wrong?! No, they were not.
I’ve adapted the original recipe a bit over the years, according to our tastes, and it has become a friends and family favorite.
Filled with sweetly tart apples, chewy sweet cranberries, rich savory sausage, plenty of herbs, and perfect cubes of toasted sourdough. This is truly awesome stuffing.
How To Make Sausage Stuffing
One or two days before baking the stuffing: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Spread the bread cubes across a large baking sheet.
Toast the bread for 10-15 minutes or until crispy on the outside. Remove from the oven and let cool completely before storing in a bowl or container with a loose cover.
Let the bread dry out for a day or so before making the rest of the stuffing. The bread cubes will seem rock hard when it is finally time to make the stuffing, but they will cook up perfectly soft and stay separate within the stuffing.
When ready to make the stuffing (either the day before or the day you want to bake it): In a large skillet, over medium heat, cook the sausage and onion.
Crumble the sausage as it cooks until it is browned. Add the celery, rosemary, sage and thyme; continue to cook and stir to combine for a couple minutes or until the mixture is fragrant.
Pour the sausage mixture over the bread in the bowl.
Add the apples, dried cranberries and parsley. Toss to combine. (If you are preparing this the day before, skip to the directions below.)
Drizzle with the turkey (or chicken) stock and melted butter and mix gently.
Transfer the stuffing mixture to a 9×13 pan and cover with foil. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
Uncover the stuffing, stir and bake another 10-15 minutes to toast the top.
Make Ahead Stuffing Recipe
If you are preparing this in advance, reserve all the liquids in a separate container.
Place the stuffing mixture in the refrigerator along with the separate liquids.
Bring the stuffing mixture to room temperature, drizzle with the turkey stock and butter and then toss to combine. Place in a 9×13 dish and bake as directed above.
Favorite Holiday Side Dishes
Homemade Green Bean Casserole is about to change your holiday side dish game. I’m a great big fan of any dish that can be prepared ahead of time for holiday meals and this recipe delivers awesome results when prepped in advance.
Without any added sugar at all, these Vanilla Bean Whipped Sweet Potatoes are the best sweet potato dish I have ever tasted. The vanilla adds an unforgettable note to the dish and the potatoes are the lightest and creamiest imaginable.
Corn Pudding is beloved throughout my family. I grew up eating my mom’s corn pudding for every holiday and plenty of Sunday dinners in between.
My siblings and I have been known to sneak the leftover corn casserole out of my mom’s house and I’ll even admit to “accidentally” bringing home my sister’s share of the leftovers (along with mine) once upon a time.
Sausage, Cranberry and Apple Stuffing
Ingredients
- 6 cups sourdough bread, cut into 3/4" cubes
- 1 pound ground sage sausage (regular sausage is fine if you can't find sage)
- 1 cup chopped onion, about 1 small onion
- 3/4 cup thinly sliced celery, about 2 medium stalks
- 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh sage or 2 1/2 teaspoons dried sage
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary or 1 1/2 teaspoons dried rosemary
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 granny smith apple, cored and chopped small
- 3/4 cup dried cranberries
- 1/3 cup fresh parsley, minced
- 3/4 cup turkey or chicken stock
- 4 tablespoons butter, melted
Instructions
One or two days before baking the stuffing:
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Spread the bread cubes across a large baking sheet. Toast the bread for 10-15 minutes or until crispy on the outside.
- Remove from the oven and let cool completely before storing in a bowl or container with a loose cover. Let the bread dry out for a day or so before making the rest of the stuffing. The bread cubes should feel almost rock hard when it is finally time to make the stuffing.
When ready to make the stuffing:
- In a large skillet, over medium heat, cook the onions and the sausage. Crumble the sausage as it cooks until it is browned.
- Add the celery, rosemary, sage and thyme; continue to cook and stir to combine for a couple minutes or until the mixture is fragrant. Pour the sausage mixture over the bread in the bowl. Add the apples, dried cranberries and parsley. Toss to combine.
- Drizzle with the turkey stock and melted butter and mix gently. Pour the stuffing mixture into a 9×13 pan and cover with foil. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Uncover the stuffing, stir and bake another 10-15 minutes to toast the top.
Notes
Nutrition
{originally published 11/21/11 – recipe notes and photos updated 10/21/20}
Carrie says
ooo Another great recipe for Thursday! When I was a kid my mom always put sausage in her stuffing. Perhaps I should give it a try this year.
Inside a British Mum's Kitchen says
this sounds fantastic – I was planning the Thanksgiving menu last night and wanted a sausage stuffing – had one for sausage and chestnuts but I wanted apple – and here we are! thanks so much – going to use yours – Happy THanksgiving!!
Mary oxo
My Journey With Candida says
I don't eat sausage, but Hubs would love this one.
Joanne says
No lie…I actually had the worst stuffing of my life on Saturday. Completely flavorless. Yuck.
I need something this delicious to make up for that bad memory!
The Blonde Duck says
My mom always made the Peppridge farm mix with instant chicken broth. I had my husband's grandfather's homemade recipe last year for Christmas and realized I could never eat my mother's again.
Sue/the view from great island says
I'm getting inspired by this new breed of delicious fresh stuffings…I'm with Blonde Duck, I can never go back to good old Pepperidge Farm again.
The Slow Roasted Italian says
I am going to have to NOT recommend this stuffing, sorry Mary.
UNLESS you have more self control than I do. I ate it ALL, every drop. I had it for dinner, I couldn't control myself. Sausage, sourdough bread, apples and cranberries???? Seriously???? It was like a savory bread dessert!
Thank you, I LOVED IT!!! Are you bringing more??? ; ) hehehe
Gloria says
This sounds yumm! gloria
Pam says
Wow – that looks fantastic! Love the flavor combination.
Tricia @ saving room for dessert says
Mary you are a cooking machine! This is a beautiful combination and I wish my family would let me make something other than cornbread dressing every, single, Thanksgiving! Really sounds great.
sweetcarolinescooking.com says
What a fabulous stuffing recipe! I can just imagine how well the flavors compliment each other. Great dish. x
nancy at good food matters says
The fruits in the stuffing recipe really set it apart. These days, though, I make a vegetarian based cornbread dressing–at the request of my veggie-only eaters. It is delicious, but I do miss sourdough bread/sausage versions.
Happy Thanksgiving!
The Café Sucré Farine says
this looks delicious – love stuffings with apples but never had a sourdough stuffing, YUM!
Marjie says
Our friend Greg makes a great sausage stuffing, and brings it here every year for Thanksgiving. He hasn't mentioned it this year, so I hope he remembers and brings it!
Geni says
Gosh this looks like the best stuffing I've ever seen! What a winner. Maybe I'll come to your house for Thanksgiving, stay the night and enjoy the wonderful hospitality. 😉
Jen says
This looks great Mary! I think I want to come to your house for Thanksgiving dinner!!! YUM!!
Words Of Deliciousness says
This looks divine. I bet this is packed with flavor.
Monet says
I tried posting a comment earlier…but I'm not sure if it worked. Thank you for sharing another inspired recipe with me. I hope you are having a great start to your week. Many blessings this Thanksgiving to you and yours!
sportsglutton says
Stuffing is one of the most subjective things in this world, but this one looks like a winner to me!
Chris says
I like sausage based stuffings like this one, especially with Jimmy Dean sage sausage.
Anonymous says
This has been our favorite stuffing for two years now. Thanks for the awesome recipe! I just printed it again to use in a couple weeks. This really is the best stuffing ever!
~ Christina
Anonymous says
I've been making this recipe since 2001. I cut it out of my local paper that year, it's originally from The Best American Recipes. It's hands down the best stuffing recipe ever. Easily doubled for large crowds with the same results.
Sharon says
This looks delicious and I’m very anxious to try it. Would fresh cranberries work instead of the dried cranberries?
Mary Younkin says
That would probably work, Sharon. I’ve never tried it myself though.
Sadie says
This recipe was SUPER easy!! I dont even care for stuffing and I couldn’t believe how great it was. Brought it to the dinner party and EVERYONE was raving about it. Will be making this every year. Thank you.
Mary Younkin says
I’m so happy to hear it was a hit, Sadie!