Description
This Crockpot Stuffing with Sausage and Apple is a hearty, flavorful side dish perfect for holiday dinners or family meals. Featuring savory Italian sausage, tart apples, fresh herbs, and vegetable broth, this recipe combines sweet and savory elements for a deliciously comforting stuffing that’s easy to prepare using a crockpot.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 lb Italian sausage (spicy or mild)
- 2 cups cubed stale bread
- 1 cup diced tart apples (e.g., Granny Smith)
- 1 cup chopped celery
- 1 cup diced onion
- 1 cup low-sodium vegetable broth
- 2 tsp fresh thyme
- 2 tsp fresh sage
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Brown the sausage: In a skillet over medium heat, cook the Italian sausage thoroughly, breaking it into small crumbled pieces as it cooks to ensure even browning.
- Sauté vegetables and apples: Using the drippings left from the sausage, sauté the diced onions and chopped celery until they soften. Then add the diced tart apples and sauté briefly to combine the flavors without overcooking the apples.
- Combine the stuffing mixture: In a large mixing bowl, add the cubed stale bread, cooked sausage and vegetable mixture, fresh thyme, fresh sage, salt, and pepper. Pour in the low-sodium vegetable broth and mix everything together thoroughly for even moisture and flavor distribution.
- Cook in the crockpot: Transfer the combined mixture into the crockpot. Cook on low heat for 4 hours or on high heat for 2 hours, allowing the flavors to meld and the stuffing to heat through completely.
- Finish and serve: Before serving, stir the stuffing gently to fluff it up. Serve warm as a delicious side dish to complement your meal.
Notes
- Using stale bread helps the stuffing absorb the broth better without becoming mushy.
- You can use either spicy or mild Italian sausage depending on your preferred heat level.
- For a richer flavor, substitute vegetable broth with chicken broth if not vegetarian.
- Fresh herbs can be replaced with 1 tsp dried thyme and 1 tsp dried sage if fresh is not available.
- Ensure to break the sausage into small pieces to distribute meat evenly throughout the stuffing.
