Sausage and Apple Stuffing (Cranberries and Mushrooms)

breadstuffingsausageapples Some call it stuffing, some call it dressing, but all who have tried it agree that this sausage and herb stuffing is an essential part of a Thanksgiving meal. It’s been a family favourite for decades. You’ll love the comforting medley of herbs, sausage, mushrooms, apples, and bread. So many textures and flavours in one dish.

10 cups bread, cubed (400 g)
2 Tbsp. butter (28 g)
1 medium onion, diced
3 stalks celery, thinly sliced (~ 150 g)
½ tsp. sea salt
½ tsp. black pepper, freshly ground
1 cup mushrooms, roughly chopped (~ 100 g)
1 tsp. dried thyme leaves or 3 stalks fresh thyme leaves
1 tsp. dried sage or 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh
2 tsp. dried parsley or 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh
1 lb mild Italian sausage, uncooked (454 g)
2 cups apples, diced (~ 2 medium apples) (240 g)
2¼ cups chicken broth (540 mL)
⅔ cup dried cranberries (80 g)

Preheat oven to 300°F (149°C). Spread bread cubes out on two large baking sheets and bake for 15 minutes, or until lightly browned and crisp. Transfer to a large bowl.

Place butter in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, celery, salt and pepper. Sauté for about 4 minutes until vegetables begin to soften. Add mushrooms, thyme, sage and parsley. Continue cooking for another 3 minutes. Squeeze the sausage meat out of the casings into the skillet. Break up with spoon, then add the apples. Cook for about 4 minutes, until sausage meat is just about cooked through.

Remove from heat and stir the sausage/apple mixture in with the toasted bread. Pour the broth on top, then the cranberries, if using. Stir to combine everything.

If using to stuff a turkey, allow to cool completely before stuffing. If baking the stuffing separately like I did in these photos, heat oven to 350°F (180°C/160°C fan, Gas Mark 4). Grease a 9x13" or any 3-4 qt baking dish. Spoon stuffing into the dish, then bake for 40-45 minutes or until lightly browned and crisp on top.

Garnish with fresh herbs before serving, if desired. Serve warm.

Cover leftovers tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat in the oven at 350°F (180°C/160°C fan, Gas Mark 4) sor 15-20 minutes.

Cook's Notes:

Make-Ahead and Freezing Instructions: If you make this stuffing ahead of time, be prepared for maximum flavor! The stuffing is actually BEST made ahead and here’s how to do it. The bread loses a lot of texture if you make the stuffing completely ahead of time. Instead, prepare the recipe through step 2.
Store the cooked veggies/apples/sausage in the refrigerator overnight and store the crisp bread cubes lightly covered at room temperature. Continue with step 3 the next morning. For long storage, freeze the baked stuffing up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, allow to come to room temperature, then reheat it in a 350°F (177°C) oven for 20–25 minutes, or until warmed through, before serving.
Special Tools (affiliate links): Baking Sheets | Glass Mixing Bowl | 9x13" Baking Pan or any 3- to 4-quart Baking Dish.
Can I Make This Vegetarian? Yes, absolutely. You can turn this into a vegetarian stuffing recipe by replacing the sausage with more mushrooms, or some diced butternut squash. The cooking instructions remain the same. You can also use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.