Elevate any holiday meal with sophisticated Sausage Stuffing with Apples and Sage. Savory and moist with a crispy crust, this dressing is not only easy to make, it's perfect for making ahead. Saute your add-ins, beginning with your sausage, and then mix with your cubed bread to create the base. Soften with the broth mixture and bake until golden. Serve fresh out of the oven.
Heat the oven to 400°F. Grease a 9” x 13” casserole dish with butter.
Cut or tear the bread into 1” (or smaller) pieces and spread evenly over a baking sheet. Transfer to the oven and bake for 15 minutes, stirring once halfway through, or until the bread is dry and lightly golden brown. Transfer the bread cubes to a very large mixing bowl.
Heat a 12” skillet over medium high heat. Add the sausage and break into pieces with a wood spoon. Cook, stirring frequently, until no longer pink, 8-10 minutes. Remove the sausage with a slotted spoon and transfer the mixing bowl with the bread cubes.
Add the butter and heat until it melts then foams. Add the onion and celery and toss to coat in the fat. Saute, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft, 7-8 minutes.
Add the apples and garlic; saute, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes. Add the sage, parsley, salt, and pepper and saute, stirring frequently, 1 minute more.
Scrape the vegetable mixture into the mixing bowl, then toss with the sausage and bread cubes until well combined.
Whisk the eggs with 3 cups chicken broth until smooth. Pour the egg mixture into the bread mixture and toss. Add more broth as needed, a quarter cup at a time, until the bread cubes are evenly moistened and soft and very little liquid remains at the bottom of the bowl.
Transfer the stuffing to the greased casserole dish. Cover tightly with foil, transfer to the oven and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and bake 10-15 minutes more, until the top is golden brown. Serve immediately.
Notes
Make-ahead: prepare the stuffing through step 7. Transfer to the casserole dish and cover with aluminum foil. Place in the fridge for up to 24 hours, then bake as directed.