Is it stuffing or is it dressing? You may call it one or the other, depending on where you are from. I will forever call it stuffing, even though I no longer stuff a bird like my mom and grandma did. This general term refers to the Thanksgiving side dish that contains, at its foundation, softened breads and various herbs. For many people this is their favorite Thanksgiving dish since it is something that isn’t traditionally made many other times throughout the year.
I have tried different ingredients in my stuffing in search of finding the perfect recipe. After a few years of experimenting, I found the perfect combination and now that I have mastered it, I have made this stuffing recipe for close to 15 years! It has been a tremendous hit and I know your family will enjoy it too. It has a hint of sweetness and a well-rounded flavor with the addition of sausage, pine nuts and herbs.
Another thing that I love about this stuffing, besides the flavors, is that you can make it in advance. If you’ve ever prepared a Thanksgiving meal, you know that the time leading up to Thanksgiving Day is incredibly busy. This is a dish that I make ahead of time, throw in the freezer, and then I thaw it and serve it on Thanksgiving Day. There is no change in texture or flavor. It feels great to have one big thing crossed off from the very lengthy Thanksgiving to-do list ahead of the big day.
Thanksgiving Stuffing
Equipment
- deep skillet
Ingredients
- 1 T. Olive oil
- 1 White onion, chopped
- 4 Garlic cloves
- ¾ c. Craisins
- ¼ c. Pine nuts
- 1 lb. Ground sausage, I used sweet Italian
- 2 Apples, any kind
- 2 ½ c. Apple cider or apple juice, ½ used to rehydrate craisins, the other 2 will be poured over stuffing mixture before baking
- 1 bag Seasoned Stuffing Mix 12 oz bag, optional if doing gluten-free
- 1 loaf Sourdough bread, gluten-free if needed
- ½ c. Butter, melted
- 3 T. Thyme
- 3 T. Sage
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Add craisins and ½ c. juice to a small bowl and set aside. These will soak about 10 minutes, which is about the amount of time it takes to cook the meat and other ingredients.
- Toast pine nuts in a pan on medium heat for 1-2 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside.
- In a pan, on medium-high heat, add chopped onion and garlic to 1 tbsp. of oil. Cook until tender. Add in ground sausage and cook until brown. Drain if needed.
- Add in chopped apples and cook until tender. *See note belowAdd in thyme, sage, salt and pepper. Mix to evenly coat.
- Cut up sourdough loaf into bite-sized pieces and add to large bowl. Pour in bagged stuffing mix to bowl with sourdough pieces.
- Turn off heat and add sausage mixture, toasted pine nuts, and craisins (juice and all) to the mixing bowl with the bread and stuffing. Pour 2 cups of apple juice over the stuffing mix. *See note belowThoroughly combine and place in an oven-safe baking dish.Pour melted butter over the top and cover with tin foil.*See note below for freezing instructions
- Bake at 350° for 25 minutes.
Video
Notes
- If you are freezing this dish to eat later, I would recommend moving it from the freezer to the fridge the night before you want to use it. Adjust the baking time to 40 minutes instead of 25.
Nutrition
If you want to see me make this, check out my YouTube video below. I hope your family loves it as much as mine does! Enjoy!
More Thanksgiving Recipes for You
What do you look forward to eating at Thanksgiving? Share in the comments below.
This post may contain affiliate links. This means if you purchase through my links, I receive a small commission at no cost to you. For more information, please read my Disclaimer
Leave a Comment