Description
This Awesome Sausage, Apple, and Cranberry Stuffing combines savory turkey sausage with sweet apples and tart dried cranberries for a flavorful and moist Thanksgiving stuffing. Featuring a mix of white and whole wheat bread cubes toasted to perfection and infused with classic herbs like sage, rosemary, and thyme, it offers a delightful balance of textures and tastes. Enhanced with fresh parsley and turkey liver for richness, this recipe is perfect for stuffing your holiday turkey or baking as a side dish.
Ingredients
Scale
Bread Cubes
- 3.75 cups cubed white bread
- 1.5 cups cubed whole wheat bread
Sausage Mixture
- 1 pound ground turkey sausage
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 0.75 cup chopped celery
- 2.5 teaspoons dried sage
- 1.5 teaspoons dried rosemary
- 0.5 teaspoon dried thyme
Additional Ingredients
- 1 Golden Delicious apple, cored and chopped
- 0.75 cup dried cranberries
- 0.333 cup minced fresh parsley
- 1 cooked turkey liver, finely chopped
- 0.75 cup turkey stock
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
- Preheat and Toast Bread: Gather all ingredients and preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Spread the white and whole wheat bread cubes evenly on a large baking sheet. Bake for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the bread cubes are evenly toasted, then transfer them to a large mixing bowl to cool slightly.
- Cook Sausage and Aromatics: In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the ground turkey sausage and chopped onions. Stir and break up any lumps frequently, cooking until the sausage is evenly browned and the onions are softened, about 6 to 8 minutes.
- Add Celery and Herbs: Add the chopped celery, dried sage, dried rosemary, and dried thyme to the skillet. Continue to cook and stir for approximately 2 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together.
- Combine Mixture with Bread Cubes: Pour the cooked sausage mixture over the toasted bread cubes in the bowl. Add the chopped apple, dried cranberries, minced fresh parsley, and finely chopped cooked turkey liver. Drizzle the turkey stock and melted butter evenly over the mixture. Gently toss everything together to combine, ensuring the bread absorbs the liquids without becoming mushy.
- Cool and Stuff: Allow the stuffing mixture to cool completely before loosely stuffing inside a turkey or transferring to a baking dish for baking as desired.
Notes
- This apple sausage stuffing made with turkey sausage, aromatic herbs, tender apples, and dried cranberries provides a sweet and savory flavor perfect for Thanksgiving.
- Make sure to toast the bread cubes to avoid sogginess and to add a slight crunch to the stuffing.
- The cooked turkey liver adds richness and a unique depth of flavor, but you can omit it if preferred.
- Allowing the stuffing to cool before stuffing helps prevent bacterial growth and ensures even cooking inside the turkey.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (about 1 cup)
- Calories: 236 kcal
- Sugar: 9 g
- Sodium: 548 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 13 g
- Cholesterol: 80 mg
