This old-fashioned sausage stuffing with apples, celery and sage made with whole grain bread is the perfect Thanksgiving side dish!

It's easy to make, is reminiscent of grandma's stuffing and makes for the best leftovers. You're going to love it!

How to make apple sausage stuffing

Whole grain bread. I grab a loaf of crusty whole grain bread from the bakery, or I'll use sourdough (or a combination of both).
Onion and celery. Both will provide flavor and texture and are classic ingredients in Thanksgiving stuffing (and for good reason).
Italian sausage. I use ½ a pound of ground Italian sausage. You can use more if you prefer.
Apples. Grab 2 crisp apples, such as honeycrisp, gala or fuji.
Poultry seasoning. I love adding both dried and fresh herbs to my stuffing, and poultry seasoning hits all of the right notes (it's a combination of sage, thyme, rosemary, marjoram, nutmeg and pepper).
Stock. I use chicken stock, but if you want to use turkey or vegetable stock, that works, too. You can also make your own!
Eggs. They hold everything together and give the stuffing a spongy, springy texture (this is a good thing).
Fresh sage. Sage provides that classic stuffing flavor, and it can't be replicated or replaced!

Step-by-Step Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Spread the bread cubes into one layer on a baking sheet. Toast in the oven 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned and crisp. Remove from the oven and let cool.
Heat the butter in a large skillet to medium heat.
Add the onion and celery and sauté 3-4 minutes or until slightly soft. Add the Italian sausage and cook until almost browned, breaking it up with a wooden spoon as it cooks.
Add the apples and sauté until the sausage is completely browned and the apples are slightly soft.
Transfer the sausage mixture to a large bowl.
Add the toasted cubed bread, poultry seasoning, salt, black pepper, 2 cups of stock, eggs and sage.
Stir the mixture until thoroughly combined and the bread starts to soften. If it seems dry, add additional stock.
Reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees. Coat a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray. Transfer the stuffing mixture to the baking dish.
Bake 40-45 minutes or until the mixture is set. (An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F.)
Let slightly cool, then serve.

Bread: Use any bread you like. I enjoy fresh bakery bread that is a few days old, and I prefer whole grain and/or sourdough, but a country white bread would also be fantastic.
Sausage: You could try sage breakfast sausage instead of Italian sausage.
Apples: Any apple will work, but aim for crisp apples (not a mealy one).
Poultry seasoning: If you don't have poultry seasoning, you may have the individual herbs and spices to make your own.

To make it gluten free: Use gluten free bread. Be sure all packaged ingredients are gluten free.
To make it dairy free: This recipe is naturally dairy free.
To make it vegetarian: Omit the sausage. It does not need a replacement.
To make it vegan: Omit the sausage. Use an egg replacer or skip the eggs (it will change the texture). Use vegetable stock.
To make it nut free: This recipe is nut free. Be sure all packaged ingredients are nut free.
To make it heart-healthy: Use olive oil instead of butter. Omit the sausage or use less of it. Use less salt.

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Old-fashioned sausage stuffing with apples, celery and sage made with whole grain bread.

Scale

1 loaf crusty whole grain or sourdough bread, cubed (about 16-20 ounces or 6-7 cups cubed)
3 tablespoons butter
½ medium yellow or white onion, peeled and diced
3 medium stalks celery, diced
½-pound ground Italian sausage
2 medium crisp apples, skins on, cored and diced
1 tablespoon poultry seasoning
1 ½ teaspoons coarse salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
2-3 cups unsalted chicken stock
2 large eggs
4-5 fresh sage leaves, minced (about 2 tablespoons)

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Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Spread the bread cubes into one layer on a baking sheet. Toast in the oven 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned and crisp. Remove from the oven and let cool.
Heat the butter in a large skillet to medium heat. Add the onion and celery and sauté 3-4 minutes or until slightly soft. Add the Italian sausage and cook until almost browned, breaking it up with a wooden spoon as it cooks. Add the apples and sauté until the sausage is completely browned and the apples are slightly soft.
Transfer the sausage mixture to a large bowl. Add the toasted cubed bread, poultry seasoning, salt, black pepper, 2 cups of stock, eggs and sage. Stir the mixture until thoroughly combined and the bread starts to soften. If it seems dry, add additional stock.
Reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees. Coat a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray. Transfer the stuffing mixture to the baking dish. Bake 40-45 minutes or until the mixture is set. (An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F.)
Let slightly cool, then serve.

Cooking Tip: If the stuffing becomes dry as it bakes, add additional stock as needed.