Sausage Apple Pecan Stuffing
Sausage Apple Pecan Stuffing is a hearty classic Thanksgiving stuffing recipe with sausage, apples, pecans, and fresh herbs.
The last Thanksgiving recipe I'm sharing this year is Sausage Apple Pecan Stuffing and let me tell you - it is a gooooood one. I can't remember ever really caring about stuffing at Thanksgiving until one year when we went to Kansas City for Thanksgiving at my Aunt Penny's.
I remember Penny and my mom were trying out some unique recipes along with some classics and my two favorites of that Thanksgiving were Mayonnaise Roasted Turkey and a sausage apple stuffing from Real Simple. I think we all just died over that Mayonnaise Turkey and its gravy, and I could not get over how good sausage and apples were in stuffing.
So this year, I decided to kick it up another notch and add some toasted pecans for their flavor and their crunch. I also used chunks of fresh bread instead of a stuffing mix for a chunkier, and I think heartier, stuffing. I still used the classic stuffing herbs like sage and thyme but also added a big handful of fresh parsley too. Then of course I added the sausage, apples, and pecans for the salty-sweet combo I love. If you're still looking for a stuffing recipe and are wanting to spice things up a bit - this recipe is just for you.
Looking for another fun stuffing recipe? Check out my Butternut Squash Cornbread Bacon Stuffing!
Need a super easy side dish? Check out my Jalapeno Creamed Corn, Slow Cooker Creamed Corn, and Air Fryer Acorn Squash.
Ingredients
French Bread - my preferred bread for stuffing cubes. Any white bread will work.
Italian Sausage - this adds delicious savory sausage flavor.
Butter - this is used to sauté the onion and adds a richness to the stuffing.
Yellow Onion - for savory onion flavor.
Apples - I love adding apples to stuffing as they add different texture and some sweetness.
Garlic - for delicious garlic flavor.
Fresh Parsley and Fresh Sage - I love these fresh herbs in stuffing! They add such great flavor and the sage gives it very classic stuffing flavor.
Dried Marjoram, Dried Thyme, Nutmeg - these all add such great flavor.
Pecans - pecans add a nice crunch to the stuffing.
Chicken Broth - this is drizzled over the stuffing to give it moisture.
Please refer to the recipe card for the complete list of ingredients.
Variations
Different Broth - you can use chicken stock instead of broth. In addition, you can use chicken bouillon to make your own broth.
Add more Vegetables - you can add mushroom and celery too. I would of 8 ounces of mushrooms and 3 stalks of celery.
Add Dried Fruit - you could throw in ½ to 1 cup of dried cranberries or dried cranberries.
Fresh Herbs - while I use dried thyme, you could do fresh thyme instead to go along with the fresh parsley and sage. You could also add 1 tablespoon of fresh rosemary, too.
Different Sausage - I use pork sausage but you can use chicken sausage or turkey sausage if you prefer.
Step by Step Instructions
Photo 1. In a large skillet, cook the sausage, breaking it up as it browns, until no longer pink.
Photo 2. Remove the sausage from the pan, wipe away the grease, add the butter, and cook the onions over medium heat, until softened, about 5-7 minutes.
Photo 3. Add the garlic, apples, dried and fresh herbs, and cook for another 5 minutes. Season with kosher salt and black pepper.
Photo 4. In a large mixing bowl, combine bread cubes, sausage, and onion/apple mixture. Pour the broth over the mixture and toss well to combine.
Photo 5. Transfer the mixture to a greased 9x13" baking dish.
Photo 6. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes, until warmed through and golden brown on top.
Expert Tips
Let the Bread Dry Out. Don't skip the step of letting the bread sit out for at least a couple of hours to overnight, to let it dry out a bit. I like to spread it out on a baking sheet. This will make it ideal for soaking up the broth and flavors, and prevent it from becoming mushy.
Prep Ahead. I love prepping holiday dishes ahead of time to make timing smooth. For this apple sausage stuffing recipe, You can follow the recipe all the way up to baking, and then cover and refrigerate until you are ready to bake it, as it is best when fresh out of the oven. I would add 10-15 minutes to the baking time if baking it straight from the refrigerator.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Simply cut each ingredient in half and then bake in an 8x8" baking dish. Adjust the cooking time to 30-35 minutes.
Yes. The sausage does add a lot of flavor, but it will still get flavor from the onions, apples, garlic, and fresh herbs. You can also check out my Vegetarian Stuffing recipe.
This can definitely be prepped ahead of time. You can follow the recipe all the way up to baking, and then cover and refrigerate until you are ready to bake it, as it is best when fresh out of the oven. I would add 10-15 minutes to the baking time if baking it straight from the refrigerator.
Sure! Walnuts, pine nuts, and almonds would work really well, too.
Other Thanksgiving Recipes to Consider
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating on this recipe below and leave a comment, or take a photo and tag me on Instagram with #greensnchocolate.
Sausage Apple Pecan Stuffing
Ingredients
- 10 cups white bread cubed (you can use sandwich bread, or some sort of French bread)
- 16 oz Italian sausage
- 2 tablespoon butter
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 Granny Smith apples peeled and diced
- ½ cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
- 2 tablespoon fresh chopped sage
- 1 teaspoon dried marjoram
- 1 ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 cup chopped and toasted pecans*
- 2 ½ cups chicken broth
Instructions
- Let bread cubes sit out uncovered for a couple of hours to overnight to dry out.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Lightly grease a 9x13" casserole dish.
- In large skillet, cook sausage over medium heat, breaking up as it cooks.
- Remove from skillet, set aside. Wipe grease from skillet.
- Add butter to skillet over medium heat.
- Add onion and cook 5-7 minutes, until they start to soften.
- Add garlic, apples and herbs and cook another 5 minutes.
- Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Add sausage, apple mixture, and pecans to bread and stir well to combine.
- Pour broth over mixture and toss gently to combine.
- Pour into prepared baking dish.
- Bake in preheated oven for 45-50 minutes, until golden brown and cooked through.
By Thanksgiving you're going to be a pro! I'm only in charge of pies, so tonight my kitchen will be transforming in to a pie factory. Ha! This stuffing looks delicious. The addition of pecans is a great idea. Yum!
Yes, I definitely feel ready for the 'real deal' now! And oohhhh how I wish I could be in your kitchen tonight!
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving and yes, enjoy it without worrying about blogging 🙂
You too Natalie! Make sure you feed your little nugget growing in you lots of turkey and pie 😉
This is a nice classic sounding recipe, with just enough of a twist with the pecans. 🙂
Thanks, Aly!
I am loving your site and this recipe stood out to me - my husband would LOVE it! I'll have to come back and try it in the fall/winter 🙂
Gorgeous food photos too - do you take them yourself? I just started a food blog at LaurendaMarie.com and taking the photos has both been exciting and frustrating. Exciting when I finally get a good one and frustrating when my set-up or lighting is off....or when my warm food gets cold by the time I eat it. Haha!!
I'll stop back often. You have a new friend in me 🙂
Laurenda
laurendamarie.com
Thanks Laurenda! Yep i take all my own photos and I totally know what you mean about food photography... It is very frustrating at times but when you get the right shot it is so satisfying!
Great recipe! I used my homemade vegan “sausage”, and it turned out great! Thanks.
Thanks for reviewing! Love that you adapted it to your preferences 🙂