This Apple Cranberry Stuffing is a savory and surprising twist on the traditional Thanksgiving side dish. My version is loaded with chopped apples and dried cranberries that nicely complement the hearty Italian sausage. It’s a recipe that’s great all winter long, not just the holidays.
Most years on Thanksgiving I like to experiment with a new stuffing recipe. This Apple Cranberry Stuffing with sausage has been a winner on our holiday table for many years now. I think it’s the combination of sweet and tart cranberries with rich Italian sausage and herbs.
My husband would be perfectly content with a box of classic Stovetop stuffing, which is what he grew up with. It’s so fascinating to me how different families approach their holiday foods. But I must admit, once he tried this sausage stuffing, he converted to loving this simple yet elevated version every since.
What’s your favorite part of Thanksgiving dinner? Really good stuffing is always in the running for most of my family, but we also love this Fresh Green Bean Casserole, Cranberry Jello Salad, Lion House Dinner Rolls, and of course, a juicy Roast Turkey with Butter Herb Rub!
Reader Review: “That is one killer looking stuffing! The bread even has shape and texture! Mom’s didn’t. Don’t tell her I said that. LOL” – Christie
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
- An easy twist on the classic Thanksgiving stuffing. It’s not much different than the basic, just add fresh apple, dried cranberries, Italian sausage, and lots of fresh herbs. You’ll be surprised how gourmet the flavor combination is (with minimal hassle!).
- Easy to serve all year round. My family is such stuffing fans, we have it as a side dish all months of the year. I love this version served with pork tenderloin, roast chicken, even baked fish!
- A great way to use up leftover bread. Stale bread is best, and I often find extra in the kitchen at the end of the week. So save it and make this Italian sausage stuffing.
Ingredients
- Italian sausage: We prefer mild or sweet Italian sausage and I like to look for the packages where the sausage is not already in casings, just to make my life easier.
- Crusty, day-old bread: The quality of your bread will make a big difference in your stuffing. I love making this with a loaf of my no-knead artisan bread (you can leave out the roasted garlic and rosemary if you want) or store-bought Italian or artisan loaves. You could use unseasoned bread cubes (Pepperidge Farms are my favorite) in a pinch.
- Granny Smith apple: A chopped up apple adds a surprising and delightful sweetness that balances the other flavors.
- Dried cranberries: We love the chewy tart bursts of flavor of dried cranberries in this dish!
- Chicken broth: You can use homemade chicken broth, store-bought, or even Better-Than-Bouillion Chicken Paste mixed with hot water.
- Egg: This is for binding and texture.
- Celery: Chopped celery really gives a classic stuffing flavor to this recipe.
- Onion: One whole yellow or sweet onion adds so much savory flavor to the stuffing.
- Fresh herbs: I love using fresh parsley and rosemary in my stuffing, although you could substitute with dried herbs if fresh is not available.
- Salt & pepper: Because nobody wants bland stuffing.
How to Make Apple Cranberry Stuffing
- Crumble and cook the sausage in a large pan until browned and no longer pink inside. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
- Melt the butter and saute the onions, celery, and apples until they soften. Add the garlic during the last 30 seconds or so.
- In a large bowl, combine the cubed bread, cooked sausage, onions, celery, garlic, and apples, dried cranberries, herbs, and salt and pepper.
- Beat the eggs and add the eggs and chicken broth to the stuffing mixture. Gently toss until everything is thoroughly moistened. The bread will absorb the liquid and should be very moist but not soggy.
- Transfer to a large 9×13-inch baking dish and bake for 50-60 minutes. The stuffing should be golden brown on top, cooked through, but still moist in the middle.
Storage
This stuffing can be made a few days in advance and kept in the fridge, then reheated under foil for 15 to 20 minutes in a 350°F oven until hot all the way through.
If you’d rather prep different components in advance, you could always cook the sausage, onions, celery, and apples a day or two in advance, and keep them in an airtight container in the fridge so you aren’t storing the whole pan of stuffing in there. Then just combine them with the other ingredients and bake it fresh on the day you plan to serve the stuffing. This is the method I use for Thanksgiving Day.
While you can freeze cooked apple cranberry stuffing, I don’t recommend it because the bread can become very soggy once thawed and reheated.
Expert Tips
- Swap the type of sausage. We prefer mild or sweet Italian sausage, but if you like it spicy, then by all means use the spicy version. Or you could use breakfast sausage for a different but also delicious flavor profile.
- If you don’t have stale bread, you can toast fresh crusty bread low and slow in the oven to dry it out. I cut mine into pieces, then place in a 300ºF oven for about 20 to 30 minutes until dry. Or if you have the bread the day before making, lay it out on a baking sheet on the counter overnight.
- Try fresh cranberries instead of dry. A bit more tart in flavor, but also delicious! I recommend chopping them before stirring them in.
- Always cook the sausage in advance. It needs to brown to be cooked all the way through and for the best flavor and texture.
Recipe FAQ’s
Make sure you bake it until set and don’t add too much stock; you want the bread cubes very moist but to still hold their shape.
Of course, it’s so full of flavor even without the sausage. Just omit from the recipe.
I prefer using an artisan loaf from the store, but you can use regular bread or even the cubes at the store if you are short on time. Just make sure they are stale and dry.
More Delicious Thanksgiving Recipes
- Bacon Wrapped Green Bean Bundles
- Homemade Turkey Gravy
- Copycat Texas Roadhouse Rolls
- Creamy Corn Casserole
- Sweet Potato Casserole with Marshmallows and Pecans
- Southern Collard Greens
- The Best Mashed Potatoes
Sausage Stuffing with Cranberries and Apples
Ingredients
- 8 cups day-old bread cut into 1/2- to 1-inch cubes, either homemade or unseasoned store-bought bread cubes
- 1 pound mild Italian sausage casings removed
- 1/2 cup salted butter
- 1 medium onion diced (about 1 ¼ cups)
- 3 celery stalks diced (about 1 cup)
- 2 Granny Smith apples unpeeled, cored, and diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 3/4 cup dried cranberries
- 2 Tablespoons Italian flat-leaf parsley freshly chopped
- 1 Tablespoon fresh rosemary chopped
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 3/4 cups chicken broth
- 2 large eggs
Instructions
- If using bread that isn't already stale, preheat oven to 300℉ (149℃) and spread the bread cubes onto a baking sheet. Bake for 8 minutes to help dry them out. If you have time to plan ahead, you can cut the bread into cubes a day in advance and let them dry out so they are stale, which will help them absorb the liquid better.8 cups day-old bread
- Increase the oven temperature to 350℉ (177℃). Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
- Break up and brown the sausage in a large skillet, about 5-7 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside.1 pound mild Italian sausage
- Melt the butter in the same pan. Add the onions, celery, and apples. Saute for about 5 minutes until softened. Add garlic during the last 30 seconds.½ cup salted butter, 1 medium onion, 3 celery stalks, 2 Granny Smith apples, 4 cloves garlic
- Combine the bread cubes in a large bowl with the cooked sausage, onions, celery, apples, garlic, dried cranberries, parsley, rosemary, salt, and pepper.¾ cup dried cranberries, 2 Tablespoons Italian flat-leaf parsley, 1 Tablespoon fresh rosemary, ¾ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Beat the eggs in small bowl, then add them to the bread mixture along with the chicken broth, gently tossing everything together to evenly moisten the stuffing mixture.2 ¾ cups chicken broth, 2 large eggs
- Transfer the stuffing to the prepared pan, then bake for 50-60 minutes until golden brown and hot all the way through. If it starts browning too much on top, cover with a piece of foil.
I am with you and love to add a few new recipes to our favorites every year, this one is a winner!
That is one killer looking stuffing! The bread even has shape and texture! Mom’s didn’t. Don’t tell her I said that. LOL
The flavor of this stuffing is so savory and delicious. This definitely will be a go-to comfort food year round! The bottom of mine did come out soggy though, and I’m not sure why!
The November Fall Challenge is fun!