This Apple Sage Sausage Stuffing is a sensational side dish! It has something for everyone! A little sweetness from the apples, a little spice from the spicy Italian chicken sausage, tons of savory flavors from aromatics and fresh herbs, and a little crunch from toasted pecans!
I'm just gunna throw this out there and you can do with it what you will...This Apple Sage Sausage Stuffing is the best stuffing that I have ever had. You could probably overcook your turkey and all anyone will talk about is this stuffing.
It makes a phenomenal Thanksgiving Side Dish but it is equally delicious the rest of the year served with a simple roasted chicken and some roasted Brussels Sprouts. If you are one of those "in for a penny, in for a pound people," (welcome, friend!) then this stuffing is amazing with my Mushroom Pork Chops. Might as well add some creamy mashed potatoes, right? Just to make sure none of that sauce goes to waste!
Table of Contents
How to make a flavorful Stuffing?
Goodbye bland, dry stuffing. Welcome home, the good stuff.
- Aromatics: Don’t skimp on the aromatics! Gently cooking leeks and onions mellows and develops their flavors. The extra step is worth it.
- Fresh Herbs: I use a mixture of fresh thyme, rosemary and sage to amplify the flavors of this stuffing. Fresh herbs have more flavor than dried, so I always take the time to chop them fresh.
- Moisture: Adding both apple cider and chicken stock adds moisture and a complexity of flavor. The apple cider also adds a little warming spice and sweetness. (My homemade chicken stock tutorial is a must-use this holiday season!)
- Sausage: Sausage is a powerful flavor but it really adds to the dish. You could omit it if you prefer and this would still be a delicious stuffing.
- Taste & Season: After mixing everything together except the egg, taste the stuffing. Add additional kosher salt or black pepper as needed. Chicken stock varies in saltiness, so tasting along the way will ensure an incredibly flavorful stuffing that isn’t overly salted.
Ingredients
- Day old Rustic Bread: Calling all leftovers! This is a phenomenal way to use leftover sourdough bread but any crusty Italian loaf or French bread will do. Drying the bread out for a day allows it to absorb more moisture and take on a new flavor.
- Butter: Unsalted butter allows you to control how much salt is going into the Apple Sage Sausage Stuffing, so you can salt it just how you like it.
- Yellow Onions: Yellow Onions are a bit milder than white onions. They still pack all that powerful onion flavor! White onions can also be used interchangeably.
- Leeks: Leeks are a phenomenal way to add complex flavor to any dish. To prepare, slice off the leafy green tops and save for stock. Cut the white stems in half length-wise and rinse with cold water between each layer. There is often dirt hiding in there!
- Apples: Apples add a little sweetness and crunch to savory dishes. Depending on the variety you choose they can also add a bit of acidity. I use Granny Smith for this dish!
- Kosher Salt: Kosher salt brings out all the other flavors and pulls everything together. Adjust to your preference but I wouldn’t suggest omitting.
- Cracked Black Pepper: Freshly cracked black pepper will add a little depth and heat if you add enough to your Apple Sage Sausage Stuffing! It is completely to your taste.
- Fresh Thyme: Prepare fresh thyme by picking the delicate leaves off the stem. You can try running your thumb and forefinger down the stem to remove as many as possible, but picking thyme, unfortunately, takes some time.
- Fresh Rosemary: Prepare fresh rosemary by picking the leaves off the stems. I run my thumb and pointer-finger down the thick stem from the top to bottom. This removes most of the leaves. Then pick the remaining leaves off. Gather and chop!
- Fresh Sage: Prepare fresh sage by picking the leaves off the stems. Gather a few together and roll into a spiral as you would basil. Slice with a sharp knife using a rocking motion to chiffonade then run your knife through the other way for a fine mince.
- Spicy Italian Turkey Sausage: I love the added spice and meatiness of spicy Italian Turkey Sausage. When using it crumbled, I always take the time to remove the outer casings even if they are pre-cooked. It will blend better texturally into the dish. You can also use chicken sausage or pork sausage.
- Chicken Stock: I use homemade chicken stock or an unsalted organic chicken stock. Some store-bought stocks have a lot of salt and this can make your gravy too salty when combined with the drippings.
- Apple Cider: I try to find the freshest, local apple cider to use in cooking and baking. It has the most flavor from both spices and apple varieties. I always choose unfiltered apple cider for the best flavor.
- Whole Eggs: The egg’s only job here is to act as a binder. It holds everything together.
- Pecans: I chopped and toasted my pecans for even more flavor and crunch.
Variations on Apple Sage Sausage Stuffing
- Make it Cornbread Stuffing: Substitute half of the bread cubes for cubed cornbread! Try this savory cornbread recipe for the perfect flavorful addition to this Apple Sage Sausage Stuffing.
- Make it Vegetarian: Simply use vegetable stock in place of the chicken stock and omit the sausage or use your favorite vegetarian variety. You might want to add a dash of chili flakes to replicate the sweet-heat flavor of the original.
- Make it Vegan: Simply use vegetable stock in place of the chicken stock and omit the sausage or use your favorite vegan variety. Omit the egg. The stuffing will still be cohesive.
Frequently Asked Questions
Store this Apple Sage Sausage Stuffing covered in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. You can also transfer it to a freezer-safe container and freeze it.
Apple Sage Sausage Stuffing will keep 1 week refrigerated or up to 2 months frozen.
You can freeze Apple Sage Sausage Stuffing, but I prefer to freeze the cubed bread and make the stuffing fresh.
From Refrigerated: Reheat, covered, in a preheated 350°F oven. I usually store it in the original baking dish, which makes this easy, but you could also transfer it to another oven-safe dish before reheating.
From Frozen: Allow to thaw in the refrigerator overnight and follow instructions above, or cover and bake from frozen in an oven-safe dish. It will take longer but will be equally delicious. Bake until hot and bubbly. You might want to add a little more chicken stock to remoisten the stuffing.
You can make this Apple Sage Sausage Stuffing up to 3 days ahead. I prefer to mix the filling and then cover and refrigerate unbaked, but it can also be baked ahead and rewarmed according the instructions above.
It is easy to mix and bake a large batch of this Apple Sage Sausage Stuffing. Bake in one large dish or divide between multiple dishes.
What to serve with Apple Sage Sausage Stuffing?
I made this Apple Sage Sausage Stuffing as part of my Thanksgiving Menu 2022, but you could also serve it alongside maple mashed sweet potatoes, scalloped potatoes and my Potato Dinner Rolls! The sweet-spicy flavor would also pair beautifully with my Spiced Pumpkin Dinner Rolls or their herbaceous cousin, Pumpkin Herb Dinner Rolls. Serve Apple Sage Sausage Stuffing with a roasted chicken or my foolproof rosemary chicken for an easy weeknight meal!
Chef Lindsey's Recipe Tips
Mix all the ingredients together except the egg. Taste the stuffing. Add additional kosher salt or black pepper as needed. Chicken stock varies in saltiness, so this will ensure an incredibly flavorful stuffing that isn’t overly salted. Mix in the beaten egg and bake!
Recipe
Apple Sage Sausage Stuffing
Ingredients
- 6 cups day old rustic bread cut into roughly ½ inch cubes.
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup yellow onions (chopped)
- 2 small leeks (preparation instructions below)
- 1 ½ cups apples (pealed, cored and chopped (I used granny smith))
- Kosher salt
- Fresh black pepper
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
- 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves (finely chopped)
- 2 tablespoons fresh sage leaves (finely chopped)
- ½ pound hot Italian sausage (casings removed (you can use sweet))
- 1 cup low sodium chicken or turkey stock (bonus points for homemade!)
- ¼ cup apple cider
- 1 egg (lightly beaten)
- ¼ cup toasted pecans (instructions for toasting in notes)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350° F. Spread bread crumbs in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until crisped and some are tinged with gold. Set aside to cool.
- In a large cast iron skillet or other saucepan, melt the butter over medium-high heat.
- Add the onions, leeks, apples, rosemary, sage and thyme; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent. Place in a large bowl.
- While the onions are cooking, cook your sausage in a skillet or medium saucepot over medium heat until brown and cooked through. I tried to keep mine in larger pieces so that it wouldn’t get lost in the stuffing. Drain and add to the onion mixture in a large bowl. Add bread to onion mixture and toss to evenly distribute the onions and sausage.
- Pour the stock and apple cider over the top of the bread mixture and toss to coat evenly. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper if desired. Add the egg and toss to coat.
- Spread into a 13 inch by 9 inch baking dish and sprinkle with chopped pecans.
- Bake in your preheated oven 30-45 minutes until the top is browned and the stuffing is heated through.
Video Instructions
Notes
Before You Go!
Check out our other delicious, chef-developed recipes for Side Dishes!
Have you tried making stuffing in the form of crispy pork bonbons - this year for Christmas I made shredded pork belly mixed with cranberries and caramelised onions and then coated them in panko before crisping them up - SO good. Even better with ham hocks. Here's the recipe if you're interested, http://www.timedeating.co.uk/fully-loaded-shredded-pork-bonbons
i tend to shy away from recipes that say "the best (thingy) evar"... but this one reeeeeally waaaaaaas. making it forever. and ever. thank you.
Haha! Thanks, Liz! I definitely know that feeling. I'm so glad you liked it as much as me! I seriously could not stop eating it!
One day I need to make stuffing on an ordinary day and just eat a bunch of that. Just stuff myself with stuffing, you know? This looks so good, I could eat that whole bowl full. With no guilt.
The stuffing looks delicious, Lindsey! Apple and sage is a fab combination! ! Love it! !
It's my new favorite thing!
Lindsey, you are killing me with all these AMAZING turkey day recipes!! They look absolutely delicious! I LOVE stuffing and this one looks perfect.
thanks, Becky! I heart this stuffing!
I could make a meal out of this stuffing alone! You've packed so many of my favorite flavors into one dish and I can't wait to try it!
Shhh I did...and it was AWESOME!
Evah? Are you from Boston now? 😉 This stuffing looks amazing...I always make a cornbread stuffing for Thanksgiving...but I might just have to make two stuffings this year. All of the awesome flavors in this version are making me super ready for an afternoon of Turkey Day leftovers and football on tv. If you have any leftovers, you are welcome to just swing by and drop them off. Just sayin'. I could trade you some cookies? 🙂
Maaybe...
I love me some cornbread stuffing but this one blew me away. I mean, if I do say so myself! This stuffing made for some awesome leftovers. Cleveland isn't so far from Boston...I suppose I could be so generous. And I never turn down cookies. Never.
Love those amazing flavours! Yum!
Thanks, Alessandra
Evah! You crack me up. Gosh this looks amazing and now I have to make this and the stuffing Dorothy made on crazy for crust. You guys are killing me!
No one says you can't have both this holiday!!
anything with apple cider -- count me in!
I have been a wee bit obsessed lately with the apple cider!
This definitely looks like the best stuffing, Lindsey! And I always eat stuffing cold, too! For some reason, I like it better that way, especially on sandwiches. I love the apple and sausage in here. Sounds delicious! Pinned!
Do you really? It always makes me feel double guilty if I eat it cold, but I have no idea why! Stuffing has to be cold for sandwiches though. Definitely. Thanks for the pin!