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Savory sausage is paired with the flavors of nutty brown butter, candy apple, and tart cranberries on this scrumptious sausage and cranberry stuffing.

We will all agree that one of the best a part of any vacation meal is the aspect dishes, proper?
In my household, we go nuts for cranberry fluff, candy potato casserole, and home made scalloped potatoes. And, in fact, for a giant serving to of stuffing.
Round right here, we’re all about this sausage and cranberry stuffing. It’s bursting with so many excellent fall and winter flavors; it’s an absolute must-make!

About this sausage and cranberry stuffing recipe
What’s my favourite factor about any Thanksgiving unfold? Arms down, it’s the stuffing!
Despite the fact that I by no means prepare dinner my stuffing inside my turkey, I nonetheless name it stuffing. I know the right time period is dressing when it’s cooked outdoors of the fowl. However we simply by no means known as dressing, so I merely can’t get the hold of it.
Rising up, I don’t keep in mind anybody having a signature stuffing recipe, we sort of simply ate no matter was introduced to us, nevertheless it was at all times known as stuffing and it was at all times baked on the aspect.
As an grownup, I’ve experimented with a number of totally different recipes and appear to at all times come again to this one.
It’s filled with savory sausage and veggies, candy apples, and tart cranberries. The of completion is nutty brown butter to actually make it really feel particular. It’s at all times the primary empty bowl on our Thanksgiving desk.
The great thing about home made stuffing is that it’s so adaptable. Merely add in what you’re keen on and modify the spices, textures, and flavors to fit your style.
Plus, it’s a recipe that may simply be made forward of time, so you may cross the prep off 1 or 2 days earlier than your vacation meal!

Easy methods to make sausage and cranberry stuffing
Don’t let anyone idiot you: Making your personal stuffing feels actually fancy nevertheless it’s really completely straightforward. I promise you are able to do this!
Components you’ll want
To make my sausage and cranberry stuffing, you’ll want:
- Cubed bread: Any sort of bread will work. I usually use nation white, however sourdough is a good possibility, too.
- Unsalted butter: We’re going to brown a few of the butter so as to add much more taste to the stuffing and use the remainder for sautéing the greens.
- Floor Italian sausage: I take advantage of delicate sausage, however be happy to make use of medium if you need extra of a kick to your stuffing.
- Fragrant greens: I like utilizing a mixture of onion, celery, and mushrooms on this recipe.
- Granny Smith apple: Don’t skip this! You’ll be amazed how a lot taste it provides, and it pairs so effectively with each the sausage and the cranberries.
- Dried cranberries: Somewhat tart, just a little candy, and completely excellent on this stuffing.
- Spices: We’ll use salt, pepper, garlic powder, and poultry seasoning.
- Contemporary parsley: Somewhat little bit of contemporary herbs brightens up the stuffing completely.
- Hen broth: Be at liberty to substitute this with turkey inventory you probably have it, particularly in case you’re making this for Thanksgiving!
For the total recipe, together with ingredient quantities, remember to take a look at the recipe card beneath.

Making this recipe
Begin by toasting the bread cubes. This helps the bread maintain up and never flip to mush once we add the opposite substances later.
Unfold the bread onto giant, rimmed baking sheets and bake at 325°F for 12-Quarter-hour. Let the bread cool when you work on the remainder of the recipe.
Whereas the bread is toasting, brown the butter. We’re solely going to brown 8 tablespoons of it; the remainder will likely be used to sauté the veggies in a minute.
Soften the butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan or skillet over medium warmth, stirring steadily. Because the butter cooks, it’ll foam after which subside. You’ll begin to see brown specks on the backside of the pan and the butter will tackle a nutty aroma.
As quickly because the butter is fantastically browned, pour it right into a bowl and put aside.
In a big skillet or Dutch oven, brown the sausage, then take away it from the pan and set it apart.
Add the remainder of the butter to the pan together with the onion, celery, mushrooms, apple, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and poultry seasoning. Prepare dinner over medium warmth, stirring steadily, for about 7-10 minutes. You need the flavors to mix and the veggies to melt.
Add the sausage again into the pan and blend into the cooked veggies. Add this combination to a big bowl with the bread cubes, together with the cranberries and parsley.
Drizzle the entire combination with the browned butter and rooster broth. Stir to mix.
Give the stuffing a style. Now could be the time to regulate the seasonings if wanted!
Unfold the stuffing in a buttered 9×13-inch pan. Cowl with foil and bake at 325°F for half-hour, then uncover and bake for one more 15-20 minutes, or till golden brown.
In the event you’d like, garnish with a bit extra freshly chopped parsley earlier than serving alongside your vacation turkey, garlic mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, and contemporary inexperienced bean casserole.
Recipe variations and ingredient substitutions
Regulate the quantity of broth for a way moist you want your stuffing.
- We like a crisp topping for our stuffing, so I at all times bake mine uncovered on the finish. In the event you don’t desire a crispy topping, go away the foil on for the whole baking time.
- Make a vegetarian stuffing by omitting the sausage and utilizing vegetable inventory as an alternative of rooster broth.
- Be at liberty to regulate the greens to your loved ones’s liking. Don’t like mushrooms or celery? Be at liberty to depart them out!
- Attempt switching up the herbs. Sage, thyme, and finely chopped rosemary are all nice choices.

Make-ahead suggestions
You may assemble this sausage and cranberry stuffing as much as 2 days earlier than you intend to serve it.
Make the stuffing and unfold it into the buttered casserole dish. Cowl tightly with foil and refrigerate for as much as 2 days.
Let the stuffing come to room temperature earlier than baking as directed.

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Preheat oven to 325°F. Unfold the bread cubes onto 2 giant baking sheets – be certain they’re in a single layer. Bake for 12-Quarter-hour or till evenly toasted. Permit cubes to chill on pan earlier than transferring them to a really giant mixing bowl.
10 cups cubed bread
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Whereas the bread toasts, brown 8 tablespoons of the butter: Soften the butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan or skillet over medium warmth, stirring steadily. Proceed cooking over medium warmth, stirring consistently. Because it cooks, the butter will start to foam after which subside. Brown specks will start to kind on the backside of the pan and the butter will tackle a nutty aroma. As quickly because the butter reaches your required colour, instantly take away it from the warmth and pour it right into a bowl to cease the browning course of. Put aside.
12 tablespoons unsalted butter
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In a big skillet or Dutch oven, prepare dinner the sausage over medium warmth till evenly browned, take away from the pan and put aside. To the pan, add the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter, onion, celery, mushrooms, apple, salt, pepper, garlic powder and poultry seasoning. Prepare dinner, stirring steadily for 7-10 minutes to mix the flavors and soften the greens.
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, 1 pound floor Italian sausage, 1 medium candy onion, 3 stalks celery, 8 ounces contemporary white or child bella mushrooms, 1 Granny Smith apple, 3/4 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, ¾ teaspoon garlic powder, 1 ½ teaspoons poultry seasoning
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Add sausage again into the pan and stir to mix. Pour sausage combination over the toasted bread cubes. Add within the dried cranberries and parsley. Drizzle with the browned butter and rooster broth and stir gently to mix. At this level, style your stuffing and alter the seasonings as desired.
3/4 cup dried cranberries, 1/4 cup minced contemporary parsley, 1 ¾ to 2 cups rooster broth
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Unfold into (1) buttered 9×13-inch baking pan, cowl with foil and bake for half-hour. Uncover and proceed baking for an extra 15-20 minutes or till golden brown. If desired, sprinkle with extra contemporary parsley earlier than serving.
This stuffing could be made forward and refrigerated for as much as 2 days earlier than baking. I permit it to come back to room temperature earlier than baking.
Energy: 412kcal, Carbohydrates: 27g, Protein: 11g, Fats: 30g, Saturated Fats: 14g, Polyunsaturated Fats: 3g, Monounsaturated Fats: 10g, Trans Fats: 1g, Ldl cholesterol: 71mg, Sodium: 807mg, Potassium: 298mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 11g, Vitamin A: 571IU, Vitamin C: 5mg, Calcium: 63mg, Iron: 2mg
Diet info is routinely calculated, so ought to solely be used as an approximation.



