This Sausage and Apple Cornbread Stuffing is crisp on top, tender inside, and full of savory flavor from browned sausage, fresh sage, and a brown butter cider sauce. The perfect make-ahead Thanksgiving side dish.
This stuffing recipe is unreal. The apples, sausage and cornbread combo made everyone go back of recon's. Totally claiming this as my new Thanksgiving stuffing tradition!
- Emily R.
Jump to:
Bailey's Thoughts ...
I don't publish many Thanksgiving recipes, so when I tell you this one earned a spot, it means something. I tested, retested, and then tested again because if you're trusting me with a place on your holiday table, it has to be perfect. In the end, the addition of brown butter cider was the thing. It gave the whole stuffing mixture that nutty, tangy richness that makes you stop mid-bite and say, wait, what was that?
It comes out golden and fragrant, the sausage, fresh apples, and buttery cornbread baked into something savory and just a little sweet. The edges get crisp, the center stays soft, and the smell alone is enough to pull everyone into the kitchen.
I used pre-made cornbread from my local grocery deli, and it was perfect. Skip the boxed mix, it turns out too dry. You can make your own if you have a favorite recipe, but store-bought keeps things simple. I didn't dry the bread overnight because once I start cooking, I want to finish. Toasting the cubes in the oven was easy and gave them just the right texture. You can halve the recipe for an 8x8 inch dish or make is as written for a 9x13.
-Bailey
P.S. If you love this, you should absolutely try my Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes. Same cozy holiday energy and are impossible to mess up.
Ingredients + Substitutions
Country white bread: Give the stuffing structure and soaks up the brown butter cider mixture. Substitution: Any neutral sandwich bread like Italian, French, brioche or sourdough.
Cornbread: Adds a sweetness and a soft, custardy texture. Substitution: Any homemade or bakery cornbread. Do not use boxed cornbread mix, it's too sweet and too soft and will end up mushy. If needed, replace with more white bread. The stuffing will be less sweet and less soft.
Unsalted butter: Used for browning, sautéing, and flavor. Substitution: Salted butter (reduce added salt slightly).
Apple cider (not vinegar): Adds fall sweetness and deep flavor to the brown-butter sauce. Substitution: Unsweetened apple juice or chicken broth (you'll lose some flavor).
Yellow onion: Builds savory flavor and sweetness. Substitution: White onion, sweet onion, or 3-4 chopped shallots.
Celery: Adds crunch and classic stuffing flavor. Substitution: Fennel (slightly sweeter) or omit if needed.
Garlic: Adds warmth and depth. Substitution: ½ teaspoon garlic powder.
Mild Italian pork sausage: Makes the stuffing hearty and savory. Substitution: Hot Italian sausage works too. Do not use precooked sausage. It won't crumble properly.
Apples: Give sweet-tart pops and moisture. Substitution: Any firm apple like Pink Lady, Fuji, or Braeburn.
Chicken broth: Moistens the stuffing without making it soggy. Substitution: Vegetable broth.
Eggs: Bind the stuffing so the interior sets instead of crumbling. Substitution: There is no substitute. Eggs are needed for structure.
Fresh thyme and sage: Adds classic stuffing flavor. Substitution: 1 teaspoon dried sage and ½ teaspoon dried thyme.
See recipe for full quantities.
Instructions
- Dry the bread: Spread the white bread and cornbread on parchment-lined baking sheets and heat them in the oven until dry to the touch. Let cool.
- Make the brown-butter cider mixture. Melt the butter in the skillet and cook until it begins to brown. Slowly pour in the apple cider and simmer while scraping up the brown bits.
- Cook the vegetables and sausage. Add the remaining butter to the skillet and cook the onion and celery until softened. Stir in the garlic, then add the sausage and cook until fully browned.
- Add the apples and herbs. Stir in the diced apples, sage, thyme, salt, and pepper into the sausage and cook until apples begin to soften.
- Combine the stuffing. Transfer the bread cubes to a large mixing bowl and add the sausage-apple mixture. Whisk the broth, eggs, and the brown butter-cider mixture, then pour over the bread and toss gently.
- Bake the stuffing. Transfer the mixture to a greased baking dish, cover with foil, and bake. Remove the foil partway through baking to allow the top to become golden and crisp.
Top Tip
Taking the butter all the way to deep golden before adding the cider is what gives this stuffing its signature nutty, rich flavor and makes it so much more complex than standard stuffing. Skip it, and the whole dish tastes noticeably less special.
Variations
Gluten-Free: Use a gluten-free cornbread plus a gluten-free country style bread.
Dairy-Free: Swap the butter for a diary-free alternative. No other changes needed.
Vegetarian/Vegan: Not recommended. The sausage is essential for both flavor and texture. Look for a well-revised recipe designed to made without meat.
Nut-Free: Already is.
Make Ahead: Assemble completely, cover tightly and refrigerate up to 24 hours. Add additional covered bake time if starting from chilled.
Storage
Refrigerate: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Make sure the stuffing is fully cooled before sealing to prevent excess moisture.
Freeze: Cool completely, then transfer to a freezer-safe container or wrap the baking dish tightly before freezing. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. If freezing in a glass baking dish, be sure it is freezer-safe and let it come to room temperature before placing it in a hot oven to prevent thermal shock.
Reheat: Warm in the oven, covered, until heated through. Remove the foil for the last few minutes to restore crisp top. Microwave reheating works for individual portions, but the texture will be softer than oven reheating.
FAQ
No. Drying the bread cubes in the oven works the same way and is much faster.
You can, but the texture will be softer. Using both breads provides a balance of structure and moisture.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Sausage and Apple Stuffing:
Recipe
Sausage and Apple Cornbread Stuffing for Thanksgiving
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Yield: 10
Description
Close-up of homemade sausage and apple stuffing in a white baking dish. The stuffing features golden cornbread cubes, diced celery, onions, and browned mild Italian sausage, baked until crisp on top and tender inside.
Ingredients
- Country white bread, cubed and dried (8 cups)
- Cornbread, cubed and dried (6 cups)
- Unsalted butter (6 Tbsp)
- Apple cider (½ cup)
- Yellow onion, finely chopped (1 cup)
- Celery, finely chopped (1 cup)
- Garlic, minced (2 cloves | 6 g)
- Mild Italian pork sausage (1 lb)
- Apples, peeled and diced (1½ cups)
- Chicken broth (2 cups)
- Eggs, beaten (2 large)
- Fresh sage, chopped (1 Tbsp)
- Fresh thyme leaves (1 tsp)
- Kosher salt (1½ tsp)
- Black pepper (½ tsp)
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 300°F. Spread the country white bread (8 cups) and cornbread (6 cups) on two baking sheets and bake for 20–25 minutes, stirring once, until the cubes feel dry and crisp but not browned. Let them cool completely.
- Increase the oven temperature to 350°F.
- Melt unsalted butter (4 Tbsp) in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook, swirling often, until the butter turns golden and smells nutty, about 3–4 minutes. Slowly pour in the apple cider (½ cup) (it will bubble) and simmer for 2 minutes, scraping up the browned bits. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Add the remaining unsalted butter (2 Tbsp) to the skillet. Add the yellow onion (1 cup) and celery (1 cup) and cook over medium heat for 6–8 minutes, until softened. Stir in the garlic (2 cloves) and cook 30 seconds more.
- Add the mild Italian pork sausage (1 lb) to the skillet. Cook, breaking it apart with a spoon, until fully browned and crumbled, about 6–8 minutes. Drain excess fat if needed.
- Stir in the apples (1½ cups), fresh sage (1 Tbsp), fresh thyme (1 tsp), kosher salt (1½ tsp), and black pepper (½ tsp). Cook 2 minutes — just until the apples begin to soften. Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl and add the dried bread cubes.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the chicken broth (2 cups) and eggs (2 large) with the brown-butter cider mixture. Pour it evenly over the bread mixture and toss gently until everything is moistened. Let sit 10–15 minutes so the bread absorbs the liquid.
- Transfer the mixture to a greased 9×13-inch baking dish. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking 20–25 minutes, until the top is golden and crisp.
- Let the stuffing rest 10 minutes before serving so the interior can set.
Notes
Bread Drying: Drying the bread in the oven ensures it absorbs the liquid evenly and prevents a gummy texture. The cubes should feel dry and crisp, not browned.
Brown Butter: The brown-butter cider mixture provides most of the depth and nutty flavor in the dish. Make sure the butter is fully golden before adding the cider.
Small Dice Matters: Finely dicing the onion, celery, and apples ensures they soften evenly and blend into the stuffing rather than standing out in large chunks.
Make-Ahead: Assemble fully, cover tightly, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Add extra covered bake time if baking straight from the fridge.
Gluten-Free: Use gluten-free cornbread and a gluten-free country-style loaf. Check sausage packaging to avoid cross contamination.
Dairy-Free: Replace the butter with a dairy-free alternative. No other changes needed.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 55 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 323
- Sugar: 5.3 g
- Sodium: 891 mg
- Fat: 15.4 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Protein: 8.3 g
- Cholesterol: 65.5 mg
Comments
No Comments