Apple & Sausage Cornbread Stuffing

A combination of apple, cornbread, and sausage come together to create the perfect alternative to the traditional Thanksgiving stuffing. If you’re tired of the usual recipe, this is a great way to switch things up and find a new favorite. This dish should be on your Thanksgiving table this holiday!

Why you’ll love this apple and sausage cornbread stuffing recipe.

Cornbread stuffing was not normal for my family. Growing up, we always had grandma’s dressing. And being from Iowa, cornbread was not a part of the Thanksgiving table. But why not? This recipe is a simple take on cornbread stuffing.

The key is starting with homemade cornbread. Use good-quality cornmeal for a sweet corn flavor. Once baked, cut and dry the cornbread as you would any other bread.

The stuffing starts with onion and celery, herbs, and butter. Sausage is mixed into the ingredients, and a few diced apples round everything out for a sweet, tart crunch.

This is a great way to change up your stuffing or add a new variation to the Thanksgiving day spread.

Everything you’ll need to make this recipe.

• Cornbread is best when made at home. Homemade will have more flavor and texture. Dry out the cornbread in the oven instead of leaving it on the counter to dry. Drying bread at room temperature dries out the bread’s exterior but does not reach the middle as the oven does.
• Sage and thyme are the traditional herbs to use in stuffing. They take on a different flavor when used with cornbread, which makes them seem like a new variation while leaving a hint of familiarity.
• Sausage is an easy way to add flavor. Choose a mildly flavored sausage without too many ingredients that could fight with the herbs in this recipe. Personally, I choose a mild turkey sausage.
• Apple has some sweetness that plays well with the additional sweetness that’s inherent in the corn in the cornbread. Choose an apple that will hold texture during baking, like a Honeycrisp.
• Eggs are a way to bind the ingredients just enough so the stuffing holds together but still has an iconic cornbread texture.

Here’s how to make this recipe.

1. Prepare the cornbread. In a 9×13 baking dish, prepare one recipe of cornbread. Once baked, slice it into small 1-inch square cubes, place the cubes on a baking sheet, and dry in the oven at 275°F until crisp, which will take about 1 hour.

2. Prepare the onion and celery mixture. Chop the onion and celery into a rough dice. In a large skillet with the butter, add the chopped onion and celery. While cooking, sprinkle with salt and black pepper. Let the mixture sauté. Chiffonade the fresh sage and add it to the mixture in the skillet along with the sprigs of fresh thyme.

3. Add some seasonings and the sausage. Once the onion and celery have softened, add in the chopped garlic and red pepper flakes (if using). Stir those into the mixture and allow it to cook for about 30 seconds to 1 minute. To the skillet, add the ground sausage. Break up the sausage into smaller pieces and allow it to cook fully. Once browned, remove the skillet from the heat, remove the springs of thyme, and set it aside.

4. Mix everything together. While the mixture is cooling, slice up the apples, remove the core, and chop into approximately ½-inch pieces. In a small bowl, beat the eggs. In a large bowl, add the dried cornbread cubes, sausage mixture, apples, beaten eggs, and stock. Mix everything together to fully incorporate and coat it with the eggs.

5. Bake the stuffing. To a buttered baking dish, pour in the cornbread stuffing mixture. Smooth out the contents until they are in a roughly even layer. Then place in a preheated 350°F oven and bake for 55 to 60 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for about 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

These pro tips will make this recipe a success.

• Rather than letting the cornbread dry at room temperature, dry it in the oven. This way, the bread will dry out the entire way through rather than simply getting dry on the exterior with a soft interior.
• Adding the garlic at the end of the onions and celery cooking will prevent it from burning or getting too bitter. When garlic cooks for too long, it can easily burn, so strategically timing when it is added makes for a more successful recipe.
• When mixing together the cornbread, other ingredients, and the stock, mix until the amount of liquid at the bottom of the mixing bowl is at a minimum. If necessary, allow the mixture to rest while the cornbread soaks up some of the remaining liquid.

More Thanksgiving side dishes you’ll love.

• Stuffed acorn squash casserole
• The best buttermilk biscuits
• Honey oat dinner rolls
• Easy slow cooker stuffing
• Chipotle sweet potato casserole
• Corn spoon bread
• Grandma Alice’s mashed potatoes
• Butterhorns
• Roasted carrots with dates and pistachios
• Twice baked sweet potatoes
• Spiced butternut squash with tahini sauce

Have I convinced you to make this recipe?

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