Apple Cranberry and Sausage Stuffing
User Reviews
5
Apple Cranberry and Sausage Stuffing
Description
Apple Cranberry and Sausage Stuffing combines a base of toasted French bread cubes with savory sage sausage and a blend of fresh herbs including sage, rosemary, and thyme. The addition of chopped Gala apples and sweet dried cranberries adds a subtle fruity contrast to the rich sausage. Toasted pecans provide a crunchy texture. Cooking the onion and herbs in butter before mixing helps develop depth of flavor. White wine and chicken broth moisten the mixture, while eggs act as a binder to hold everything together once baked. The stuffing features balanced layers of savory, sweet, and herbal elements within a moist yet slightly textured crumb. It works well as a side for roast dinners and brings together traditional fall flavors in an inviting dish.
Throughout the preparation, bread is first toasted for a firm base, and sausage is browned to release savory fat and flavor. The fresh herb mix offers aromatic notes timed appropriately in the filling. Pecans are warmed gently to bring out nuttiness without burning. The use of sweetened dried cranberries complements the apples and enhances the stuffing’s subtle sweetness without overpowering it. Cooking wine and broth gradually soften the bread to an ideal consistency for stuffing.
This dish is best baked until heated through and the top develops a slight golden crust, providing an appealing contrast to the tender interior. It pairs naturally with roasted turkey or chicken and can add festive color and flavor to holiday meals.
If preparing ahead, the mixture can be refrigerated for a day before baking. Let it come close to room temperature first for more even cooking. Use fresh or frozen bread cubes to ensure proper texture, and toast the pecans briefly to maximize their aroma without browning too much. Adjust salt and pepper at the end to taste, as sausage seasoning varies.
Ingredients
- 16 oz loaf French bread cut into 1/2-1 inch cubes
- 2/3 cup pecans chopped
- 1 lb sage sausage bulk
- 1 1/3 cup Cranberry sweetened, dried
- 2 medium sized Gala apples peeled, cored and chopped
- 5 Tbsp butter divided, unsalted
- 1 medium yellow onion minced
- 1/3 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley fresh
- 3 Tbsp sage finely chopped and divided, fresh
- 1 Tbsp rosemary finely chopped, fresh
- 1 tsp thyme chopped, fresh
- 1 cup white wine dry
- 2 cups chicken broth reduced sodium
- 2 egg lightly beaten
- 3/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.
- Spread cubed bread onto prepared baking sheet and bake for about 10 minutes, until bread is toasted and a light golden brown color. Set bread aside to cool.
- Add pecans to a dry skillet and heat over LOW heat for a few minutes, stirring occasionally, until they smell toasty. Turn off the heat. Remove pecans to a plate.
- Add bread pieces and pecans to a large mixing bowl and set aside.
- Heat skillet over MED heat with a drizzle of oil. Add sausage and brown, crumbling as you cook, for about 4-5 minutes, or until cooked through.
- Drain sausage, then add to bowl with the bread and pecans. Add in apples and cranberries.
- Add 1 Tbsp of the butter to the skillet, then add onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, over MED heat for 3-5 minutes, until soft.
- Stir in parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme and continue cooking another minute or so. Transfer skillet contents to the mixing bowl.
- Add wine to the skillet, using a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook the wine for 1-2 minutes.
- Add remaining butter and chicken broth and cook for 3 minutes. Pour chicken broth mixture into the mixing bowl and stir everything together to combine well.
- Add beaten eggs, salt and pepper, and stir again.
- Butter or lightly grease a 9x13” baking pan and transfer stuffing mixture from the mixing bowl to the pan.
- Cover with foil and bake 35 minutes. Uncover and bake another 25 minutes or so, until top is golden brown.
Notes
- Toast the bread cubes until golden but not too dry to help maintain structure in the baked stuffing.
- Warm pecans over low heat briefly to enhance nuttiness without burning.
- Cook sausage thoroughly and drain excess fat before mixing to avoid greasiness.
- Fresh herbs like sage, rosemary, and thyme add distinctive aroma; chop them finely for even distribution.
- Add the liquids gradually and stir gently to achieve a moist but cohesive stuffing texture.
- Refrigerate the assembled stuffing before baking to let flavors meld and improve texture.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 12servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 401 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 401kcal | 20% |
| Carbohydrates | 40g | 13% |
| Protein | 13g | 26% |
| Fat | 21g | 32% |
| Saturated Fat | 7g | 35% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 3g | 18% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 8g | 40% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 67mg | 22% |
| Sodium | 606mg | 25% |
| Potassium | 294mg | 6% |
| Fiber | 3g | 12% |
| Sugar | 14g | 28% |
| Vitamin A | 387IU | 8% |
| Vitamin C | 5mg | 6% |
| Calcium | 52mg | 5% |
| Iron | 3mg | 17% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
You'll Also Love
