Sausage Apple Cranberry Sourdough Stuffing Recipe + Video
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This tasty Sourdough Stuffing is soaked to the center with sweet and sour fruit and scrumptious sausage! Sure, sausage cranberry apple stuffing might be a mouthful to say, but that’s because it’s FULL of holiday flavors that we can’t leave out!! The video doesn’t do it justice — it looks, smells, and tastes better than you could ever imagine!
There’s nothing quite like the flavor of this sourdough bread stuffing. It’s a must on any holiday table and pairs perfectly with the rest of the Thanksgiving meal.
This is one of those side dish recipes that puts the perfect spin on the classic recipe. If you’re looking at making homemade stuffing for a holiday meal this year, this recipe is a great way to make that happen.
It has so much flavor and, in my opinion, has a better texture than any classic stuffing recipe.
Some people call it Thanksgiving stuffing, but I literally make this for all the big meals during the holiday season!
Using a sourdough loaf as the best bread ingredient takes the flavor to a whole new level.
Sourdough Stuffing
Sometimes I look forward to the Thanksgiving sides even more than the turkey!
And how could I not with this absolutely phenomenal sausage cranberry stuffing on the table??
You may have guessed it from the name, but this has the best mix of savory and tart flavors in a mouthwateringly moist, rich sourdough stuffing.
I could eat it on its own — of course, there’s no need to with all of these 5-star Thanksgiving sides to choose from!
Recipe Video
To see us make sausage cranberry apple stuffing from start to finish, watch the video in this post!
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
- Sourdough Bread Cubes – Sourdough is substantial and holds up to moisture really well, making it perfect for cranberry apple stuffing! It has a nice chewy texture!
If you have homemade sourdough bread leftovers, use it for this! I typically cut them into 1-inch cubes or bite-sized pieces. - Dried Cranberries – These don’t need to be rehydrated before use — just throw them in right with the apples!
If you’d like to use fresh cranberries, go right ahead. You’ll just need to use more. - Ground Pork Sausage – Really, any sausage will do!
Regardless of your choice, you really do want to leave all of that grease and fat in the pan to fry up the shallots and seasonings — it adds so much depth and flavor!
You could also use turkey sausage if you wanted to cut out some of the calories. - Chopped Pecans – Walnuts are the closest alternatives, and almonds can easily take their place for a more mild flavor and texture.
You can also leave them out entirely if desired. - Parsley, Sage, Rosemary & Thyme – It can be hard to find fresh herbs toward the end of the year. In this case, you can use dried for this sourdough stuffing recipe.
Just use 1 teaspoon of dried per 1 tablespoon of fresh. - Chardonnay Wine – Adds crisp, buttery flavor and some much-needed acidity. Use whatever you like to drink by the glass. You can use any white wine to make this the best stuffing.
Easily make this cranberry sausage stuffing without alcohol if needed. Simply replace the wine with either chicken stock or vegetable stock! Whatever you choose will be the perfect addition.
The step-by-step instructions are below but the best part is that you do have some wiggle room in how you can make this stuffing recipe. That’s one of my favorite things about this golden brown side dish!
Tips for Making Sausage Cranberry Stuffing with Sourdough
- Keep It Warm
I’m a big fan of keeping my holiday sides in slow cookers to keep them warm and for easy serving at dinnertime!
Just transfer sausage cranberry stuffing to the crockpot and cover. If it gets a bit dry, just add some extra stock!
- More Popular Stuffing Add-Ins
Other dried fruits like blueberries, currants, or raisins are very popular in stuffing as well.
Bell peppers (or hot peppers for the brave!) are great to use too. And bacon or cheddar cheese (or both!) can add a lovely smoky and savory flavor!
- Using Dried Herbs?
Crush them in your palm or with a mortar and pestle before adding them to the pan.
This helps the herbs to release their oils and give off a stronger aroma and flavor.
Be sure that you grease or butter the casserole dish or baking dish that you use. This will help that stuffing mixture not stick to the sides and makes less of a mess to clean up!
Cranberry Sausage Stuffing FAQ
It’s right in the name!
Stuffing is something that you stuff into your Thanksgiving turkey or chicken before baking.
Dressing, on the other hand, is baked on its own and served on the side. But most people just call it stuffing.
If you’re working a couple of days in advance, then cube the bread and leave it out to dry on its own! But if you’re short on time or have household pets that would never leave that bread alone, you can also dry it in the oven.
Go ahead and cube or tear the bread and lay it all out on a baking sheet. Use parchment paper to prevent burning. Bake at 225°F — no higher — for 30-45 minutes.
Of all of the varieties of apples out there, there are a few that are best suited for cranberry apple stuffing. They’re usually not too sweet nor too sour, and can handle heat in the oven.
Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, Fuji, Braebrun, and Jonagold are some of the sweeter options! The always crisp and delicious Granny Smith works as well if you like something more tart.
Most people will use stale bread or dried bread cubes because the bread mixture picks up and soaks in all the other flavors. I like to use dry bread, but if I’m in a pinch, I’l use fresh bread as well. Anything to get it on the Thanksgiving dinner table!
Prep Ahead Instructions: Make & Bake Later
Save a bit of time by doing all of the prep work the day before the big meal!
It’s as easy as following this cranberry sausage stuffing recipe all the way until it’s time to bake — rather than popping your dish into the oven, you’ll slide it into the fridge.
I wouldn’t prepare sourdough stuffing more than a day in advance to maintain the fresh taste of the fruit, herbs, and sausage.
Once you’re ready to bake, go ahead and pop it into the oven! Give yourself a couple of extra minutes to make up for the cooled temperature of the ingredients.
Make Ahead Instructions: Bake & Reheat Later
You can also make sausage cranberry apple stuffing the day before and reheat the next day. Everything can be prepared and baked as instructed in the recipe.
Allow it to cool, then cover once more with tin foil.
Reheat cranberry apple stuffing in the oven at the same temperature until warmed through.
Be sure to remove the tinfoil so the top of the sourdough bread crisps right back up.
Enjoy!
With love, from our simple kitchen to yours.
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Other Fabulous Stuffing Recipes
Sausage Apple Cranberry Sourdough Stuffing Recipe + Video
Ingredients
- 10 cups sourdough bread cubes, (1 large loaf)
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- 1 medium apple, peeled, cored and chopped
- 24 ounces ground pork sausage
- 1/2 cup shallots, finely diced
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
- 1/2 cup chopped flat leaf parsley
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh sage, divided
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
- 1 cup chardonnay wine, See Notes
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 cups chicken stock, or vegetable broth
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 9×13-inch casserole dish; set aside.
- Place sourdough cubes in single layers across 2 baking sheets. Bake for 10-15 minutes, stirring bread occasionally, until toasted, but not browned.
- Transfer toasted bread cubes into an extra-large bowl. Add cranberries and apples; set aside.
- Cook sausage in a large skillet over medium heat, using a spatula to break up the meat as it cooks. Add 1 ½ tablespoons sage, and cook for another minute.
- Use a large slotted spoon to transfer sausage from skillet to bowl with bread cubes. Leave 2 tablespoons of sausage drippings in the pan (drain any extra).
- Add shallots to the pan. Cook until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add pecans, herbs and remaining sage, and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Pour shallot herb mixture into the bowl with bread cubes.
- Add wine to the skillet and use a wooden spoon or spatula to scrape up browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add butter and chicken stock and bring mixture to a boil for 3 minutes, then remove from heat and pour over bread cubes in the bowl.
- Add beaten eggs to the bowl. Toss gently to combine, then transfer sourdough stuffing into the prepared baking dish.
- Cover the dish with foil and bake for 40 minutes. Remove foil and bake for an additional 15 minutes.
Video
Donna’s Notes
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe’s nutritional value will vary depending on the ingredients used, measuring methods, and portion sizes.
Originally published November 2014, updated and republished October 2024
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Happy Thanksgiving Donna! This will be year 3 of this glorious stuffing/dressing! Nom nom nom…Keep all your wonderful recipes coming! Love them!
Thank you Becky! You made my day. I am so happy that we have become a part of your holiday traditions. Have a Happy Thanksgiving.
What kid of sourdough? From the bakery or sandwich bread?
Hi Kit,
Either will work, since they are toasted in the oven. Hope this helps.
TSRI Team Member,
Holli
Happy Thanksgiving!!!This will be my 2nd year doing this delish recipe. Last year it was the highlight of our the meal. Unfortunately this year one of our guest has a nut allergy. Are the pecans an essential part of this dish? I'm thinking of omitting the pecans. Will the taste be drastically sacrificed?
That is so thoughtful of you, Jackie! Absolutely, you can leave them out. It does add a lovely nuttiness and a great crunch, but the omission of the nuts will not sacrifice the dish. I am so happy that you love this stuffing.
Have a fabulous Thanksgiving and let me know how it went.
I have made this stuffing beofre and it was DELICIOUS! The fresh herbs make all the difference; I probably added a little nore than the recipe called for. I also substituted in dried cherries for the cranberries and add chopped pecans. I put mine in the center or a crown roast and baked it tha way. This year I plan to use it with my turkey for Thanksgiving. 🙂
nut allegies so wondering what seeds would make a good substitute. sunflower or maybe pumpkin?
I’d use pine nuts if you can. Not sure where those are on the list.
I just made this for thanksgiving. it was my first time making stuffing. it was really good. I left out the pecans. I couldn't find a 24oz pack of sausage so I used two 16oz packs. My loaf of sourdough made a lot of bread chunks, I couldn't fit them all into my pan, I had to leave some out. I loved the cranberries. Maybe 2 apples would be better.
Can you bake this stuffing and then put it in a crock pot to keep it warm until you're ready to eat it?
This is the best stuffing. I made it last year for Thanksgiving and I’m making it this year for Christmas. My mother in law talked about how good it was all year. And she does not give out compliments often.
This is such a good stuffing recipe, I won’t use any other ones from now on. This one was amazing!
I make this every Thanksgiving, it’s a family favorite!!
Hi Tiffany,
We are so happy to hear that! Thank you!
TSRI Team Member,
Holli
I’ve made this for the past four years for Friendsgiving. It never fails, every year when we send out invitations, the first question is, “Will Christina be making her stuffing??” I bake them in muffin tins, so everyone gets their personal “muffin” with the nice crunchy topping! It’s definitely a favorite!
Hi Christina,
What a great idea! We are so happy you all enjoy it! It is a family favorite here. Have a great day!
TSRI Team Member,
Holli
I make this every Thanksgiving since 2019. Family just loves it ❤️
this will be year 5 making this amazing dressing! i always brag about the fact that there is no salt added. It’s just all of the amazing spices and ingredients that make this amazing!
What kind of sourdough do you use? From the deli/bakery for the sandwich bread?
My family absolutely loves this recipe. This will be year three for our Christmas Eve dinner. My mother in law tells everyone how good it is. Is it possible to cook this the day before and then reheat in a crockpot?
Kit, I purchase sourdough sandwich bread from a local bakery for this recipe. However, my first time using this recipe (2017), I used a store-bought loaf of sourdough and it worked fine, just a little more time prepping it due to the tougher crust.
This is the best stuffing recipe! A coworker shared it with me a few years ago and I’ve been making it ever since. Just wanted to say Thank you. 🙂
perfect! I used a crackpot to keep it warm.
I tried this on Thanksgiving and wanted to report back. I’ve been trying new stuffing recipes for the last few years and I think I’ve finally found the keeper!
I used sourdough bread from my favorite local bakery. I cut the cubes too big and will make them smaller next time. I air tried the cubes by leaving them out on a single layer for a little over 24 hours, I turned them once. They were fully dry and held up well in the stuffing. I was concerned about the apple being too crunchy, as it was only baked but it was perfect. Next time I’ll try to use a sausage with sage already in the mix, in addition to the fresh. Don’t skimp on the fresh herbs!! I was generous with all of them and will use even more next time, you can’t go wrong! I chopped the pecans in my slap chop and will roughly chop them next time. The flavor was there but the texture would have been better had I not chopped them too finely. I really love this recipe!! There are a lot of ingredients but they are what make this dish so delicious. The recipe is super easy though and everyone at my Thanksgiving requested to take the leftovers. That’s always a great sign. Thank you for the recipe, I hope this review is helpful.
Hi Rachel,
We are so happy you enjoyed it, it is a favorite here! Thank you for such an amazing review, we appreciate it! Have a great day!
TSRI Team Member,
Holli
I’ve Been Making This Recipe For the Last 5 Years everyone in My Family Love It. It’s that One side Dish They all Look Forward Too. My Oldest Daughter Got Married Last November, and She’s Pregnant Right Now and She’d Been Craving It lol She Said that Was The One Thing She Was Craving The Most. It Is Definitely A Keeper here In Mi Casa! Thank You For Sharing Your delicious Recipes With Us!! God Bless You, Merry Christmas And Happy New Year 2023!
Im going in for surgery and need to cook a week ahead and wondering if i able to freeze it until the day of??
Hi Lee!
Yes it can be frozen for up to 3 months. Hope this helps!
TSRI Team Member,
Devlyn
What about stuffing the turkey with this… well… stuffing? Instead of baking it outside? I prefer moist stuffing & am worried this will be dry. Has anyone tried cooking it inside the turkey? I’m excited to try this bc it’s all of my favorite tastes in one spoonful.
Hi Loulou!
I think it would turn out good if it was inside aswell, but let us know if you try it!
TSRI Team Member,
Devlyn
Question Have you ever tried anessential oil in a recipe?
Hi Shaina!
I don’t believe that we have! but you could try it in one of our recipes and let us know.
TSRI Team Member,
Devlyn
could you put pork chops or short ribs on top of the dressing and would the cooking time vary. My mother used to do that but I don’t remember how long to bake it or would they bake for the same amount of time.
Hi Margaret!
We have not tried that, but I assume the cooking time would vary. Let us know if you try ti!
TSRI Team Member,
Devlyn
I REALLY don’t like sourdough bread. Is it necessary for the balance of flavors? Or do the other components mask the sourness of the bread? Will it be as good with a quality Italian or French bread?
Hi CJ!
It should mask the flavors! The flavors are strong.
TSRI Team Member,
Devlyn
I made your recipe using sourdough croutons from my local bakery and it works great in place of sourdough bread! Get the same great texture of the sourdough bread, flavor plus seasoning of the croutons. I follow the rest of your recipe except I leave out the sausage and my family and friends enjoy it every year!!!!
Hi Carla!
We’re so glad that you enjoy it!!
TSRI Team Member,
Devlyn
Hello,
2 questions: I also wanted to know if I can use a different bread other than sour dough? And does the amount of liquid change if I’m actually stuffing and cooking this in a turkey?
Many thanks!
Hi Cindy!
You should be able to cook it according to the recipe. Hope this helps!
TSRI Team Member,
Devlyn
OMG I made this, this year for Thanksgiving and it was soooo good! I’m probably going to make it EVERY YEAR!!!
Hi Renee!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it.
TSRI Team Member,
Devlyn
Absolutely delicious! This will be the stuffing we have every Thanksgiving from now on.
Hi Marcy!
We’re so glad that you enjoyed!!
TSRI Team Member,
Devlyn