Apples and cranberries give this basic sausage bread dressing extra flavor but it’s our Wild Mushroom and Sage infused olive oil that ties it all together. To make things easier, use the biggest bowl you have to combine all the ingredients and don’t be afraid to use your bare hands to mix it all together. We baked the stuffing in a casserole dish and served it as a side dish but you could also use this bread dressing to stuff a 12- to 14-pound turkey.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 large loaf (a little over a pound) of white bread, cut into small cubes (about 10 cups)
- 1/3 cup Olive This! Wild Mushroom and Sage Olive Oil
- 1 onion, chopped (about a cup)
- 1 cup chopped celery, about 2-3 large ribs
- ½ to 1 pound ground pork sausage (depending on your preference, we used 1 pound)
- ¼ teaspoon dried marjoram leaves
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon dried rosemary, chopped
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup to 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 large apple, peeled, cored, finely chopped (or two smaller apples)
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- ½ cup of toasted pecans coarsely chopped
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
DIRECTIONS
Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Toast pecans in a dry skillet on low heat for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Pour the 1/3 cup of olive oil into a measuring cup. Dip a brush in the olive oil and lightly coat the insides of a 13×9-inch baking pan or similar sized casserole dish. Save the remaining olive oil for the recipe.
Prepare most of your ingredients ahead of time to ease in the cooking. Combine the five seasonings (marjoram, thyme, rosemary, black pepper and salt) into a small bowl and set aside. Cube the bread and chop the onions and celery. Hold off on chopping the apple(s) until you’re just about to add them (subsequent step).
In a large skillet, heat the olive oil until shimmering but not smoking. Add chopped onion and celery. Sauté until just tender (about 3 minutes), stirring occasionally. Add sausage and cook until browned, breaking the sausage up with a spatula into crumbles.
In a large bowl combine the vegetable and sausage mixture with the bread cubes. Add seasonings. Stir and add chicken broth until well moistened but not mushy. We like to use our bare hands to mix gently. Dice and add the apples, pecans and cranberries; stir in the lightly beaten egg. Toss until everything is well blended.
Pat into the prepared pan and cover tightly with foil. Bake for 45 minutes.
Remove the foil and broil just until lightly browned, about 3-5 minutes (keep a close eye on this!). Serve warm and enjoy.
IF MAKING AHEAD: Prepare ingredients and assemble into oiled baking pan. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 1 day. When ready to bake, place stuffing on counter for 30 minutes to bring to room temperature. Replace plastic wrap with foil and bake according to above directions.
Serves 8
Have a comment? We’d love to hear from you. Have you tried this dish? Do you have a variation that you think others will enjoy? Leave us a comment below.
This will be my new Thanksgiving turkey stuffing. The Mushroom/sage EVOO is my new favorite! WOW! It’s good! Thank you Olive This. I love these recipes.
Can this be made the night before or will it get too soggy?
Good question Alyssa! When we made this year’s stuffing (Fig Balsamic Caramelized Onions, Farro and Pumpernickel Bread Stuffing – 11/19/13) we actually did make it ahead and comparing the two recipes, the pumpernickel stuffing has almost twice as much chicken broth. So I think it will be fine to make the apple and sausage stuffing ahead without it getting soggy. Besides, when making stuffing we like the contrast of the crisp bits on the top with the softer texture underneath. Give it a toss as you transfer it to the serving dish. To make ahead, assemble it all in the baking pan, cover it tightly with plastic wrap and put it in the fridge for not more than 24 hours. Then when ready to bake, let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before putting it in the oven. Replace the plastic wrap with foil and bake according to directions. I just updated this recipe to include those instructions. Thanks so much for bringing it up. Let us know how it turns out!