What makes this sage, apple and pecan stuffing recipe so great is the mix of pepper and sage, it adds a unique spin on this old classic with the slight sweetness of apples and an added crunch with pecan’s, with a crunchy golden top and an ooey gooey center, it will be your new favorite.
Sage, Apple and Pecan Stuffing
Full Disclosure! This is not my recipe, the original came from my mother-in-law. I’ll never forget, my first thanksgiving with the family 9 years ago and I asked my new husband what his favorite dish was and he said, “mom’s stuffing”. After years of asking for the recipe, she finally admitted…she’s never made the same recipe exactly the same way twice! Many of the same elements of course, but every year just a little different from the year before. At the time, I couldn’t quite tell if she just didn’t want to give her secret recipe away or if she was like me and liked to bend the rules when it came to following recipes. Since then, my husband and I have enjoyed making this recipe our own with our own little additions. This year my husband finally put his foot down. It must go on the blog…and here we are.
What makes this stuffing so great?
Fresh is best! Chopping fresh rosemary and sage is so great around the holidays, it fills the air of the kitchen. Using sage pork sausage is great with a little added black pepper for just the best kick. Lastly texture, this dish is filled with it. You get crunchy and soft bread pieces with chopped pecans and slightly softened green apples, it’s just the best!
A quick note about stuffing…
So this is technically a “dressing” because we do not put it in our turkey bird, we cook ours in the oven as a side and I still call it stuffing. We usually cook our turkey in a deep fryer. Which I highly recommend by the way. The guys get to hang out outside with the Turkey and that leaves you free (and the oven!) to cook all the sides. It works so great! I’m also so excited, this year my husband and I will be visiting friends and he has a smoker, so we will be eating our first spatchcock turkey. Check out @savorparadise on our Instagram stories to see our experience with it.
The Best Bread for stuffing?
For this recipe I find just plain old white bread works best. I just toast it in a toaster or if I’m on a time constraint in the oven until toasted and then cut into small squares. I understand (from a quick google search) Challah bread or Brioche is a close second. I personally have experience trying to make stuffing with French bread or baguettes and it does not work! The bread just soaks up the liquid into a soupy goopy mess, bleh!
The Best way to make this recipe…
It’s easy if you think of doing the recipe in parts:
- 1st: Toast the bread and cut the slices into small squares.
- 2nd: Fry the onion, celery and seasonings, add sausage and 1 cup chicken broth.
- 3rd: Fold in the apples, pecans and bread.
- 4th: Pour into a 13×9 casserole dish and then slowly add the egg/broth mixture on top adding more bread pieces as needed.
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Sage, Apple and Pecan Stuffing
Description
What makes this stuffing recipe so great is the mix of pepper and sage, it adds a unique spin on this old classic with the slight sweetness of apples and an added crunch with pecan’s, with a crunchy golden top and an ooey gooey center, it will be your new favorite.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olve oil
- 1 large yellow onion
- 3 ribs of celery
- 1 garlic clove minced
- salt and 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1 lb of sage sausage (Jimmy Dean)
- 2 granny smith apples cubed
- 1 sprig of rosemary
- 1/2 bunch of sage
- 3/4 cup of pecans
- 1 tbsp garlic salt
- 1 tbsp poultry seasoning
- 1 loaf white bread toast
- 1/4 cup chopped parsley (divided)
- 4 cups chicken bouillon
- 2 eggs
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350.
- Toast slices of white bread loaf and cut into squares.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet.
- Add chopped onion, chopped celery, minced garlic, salt, pepper and poultry seasoning to skillet.
- Add sausage and cook 5 to 7 minutes until sausage is browned.
- Create three cups of chicken stock add 2 eggs and 1/2 of the parsley, whisk until combined (set aside).
- Add 1 cup of chicken stock to skillet and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Take skillet off of heat.
- Mix in apple, rosemary, sage, 1/2 of parsley and pecans.
- Sauté for 2 minutes.
- Fold in 1/2 of the bread crumbs.
- Transfer everything form the skillet to a 9×13 casserole dish.
- Slowly pour chicken stock/egg mixture evenly over casserole dish.
- Add remaining bread until fully combined.
- Cover casserole dish with aluminum foil and bake at 350 for 45 minutes.
- Uncover casserole dish and bake for another 10 minutes.
- Let sit for 20 minutes before serving.
Notes
Pre chop all ingredients before starting recipe for an easier bake.
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