Sausage & Apple Stuffing

This stuffing hits all the right notes: savory browned sausage, sweet chopped apples, and crispy toasted bread cubes held together with sauteed onions and just enough liquid to make everything stick without going soggy.

Toasting the bread cubes at low heat first is the foundation. Dried bread absorbs the sausage drippings and apple juices without dissolving into mush, giving you a stuffing that’s moist inside with textured, chewy bits throughout.

Cooking the onions in the reserved sausage drippings (just two tablespoons worth) adds porky richness to every layer. The rest of the fat gets poured off so the stuffing isn’t greasy.

Kitchen Tips

• Break the sausage into small, irregular pieces after browning. Big chunks don’t distribute well and you end up with bites that are all meat and no bread.
• Use a firm apple like Granny Smith or Honeycrisp that holds its shape when tossed with hot liquid. Soft apples turn to applesauce.
• Toss lightly with your hands or a large fork. Stirring with a spoon compresses the bread and you lose the varied texture.
• If stuffing a turkey, pack loosely. Compressed stuffing doesn’t cook evenly inside the cavity.

Variations

• Add a handful of dried cranberries for pops of tart sweetness that complement the apples.
• Stir in chopped celery and fresh sage for a more traditional herb stuffing profile.
• Use Italian sausage for a more heavily seasoned, fennel-forward version.