Homemade Stuffing (with Sausage and Apples)

This homemade stuffing combines crisp dried bread cubes with savory sausage, sweet apples, onion, celery, garlic and fresh sage. Everything is tossed with a simple mixture of eggs, milk, chicken broth and Dijon mustard, then baked until golden and crisp on top while staying soft and flavorful in the center.

It’s an easy stuffing recipe with all the familiar flavors of a classic Thanksgiving stuffing, but sausage and apples make it just a little more special.

A Little About this Recipe

Stuffing is one of those Thanksgiving dishes where everyone seems to have an opinion. Some want it very soft, some want every bread cube crispy, and some insist it has to taste exactly like the traditional stuffing they grew up eating.

I like mine somewhere in the middle.

I want those golden, crunchy pieces around the top and edges, but the inside should still be moist and tender. That’s why I dry the bread first and then add a mixture of milk, chicken broth and eggs. The sausage and fresh sage give it that unmistakable holiday flavor, while apples bring just enough sweetness to balance everything out.

It’s familiar, but a little elevated—which is usually exactly where I want a holiday recipe to land.

Why I Love This Homemade Stuffing Recipe

• Dried bread cubes absorb plenty of flavor without immediately turning soggy.
• Sausage makes the stuffing savory and substantial.
• Apples add sweetness and freshness without making the dish taste sugary.
• Fresh sage gives it classic Thanksgiving flavor.
• Dijon mustard adds subtle savory depth to the custard.
• The top becomes golden and crisp while the center stays soft.
• Most of the components can be prepared ahead, which is especially helpful on Thanksgiving.

Ingredients You’ll Need

1 loaf bread, diced

A sturdy loaf works best. French bread, Italian bread or sourdough bread are all excellent options. Aim for roughly 10–12 cups of bread cubes, depending on the size of your loaf.

I dry the cubes in the oven rather than waiting several days for stale bread. Properly dried bread absorbs the liquid while still maintaining some structure.

1 pound sausage

Use your favorite pork sausage. Mild Italian sausage, breakfast sausage or sage sausage all work. If your sausage is strongly seasoned, taste before adding too much extra salt.

1 large onion, diced

Onion provides the savory base of almost every traditional stuffing recipe. A yellow onion is my first choice because it becomes sweet as it cooks.

2 celery stalks, diced

Celery brings that unmistakable classic stuffing flavor. Dice it fairly small so it softens and distributes throughout the bread mixture.

2 apples, diced

I like an apple that holds its shape while baking. Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, Granny Smith or Gala are all good choices for apple sausage stuffing.

The apple shouldn’t dominate the dish—it should simply give you occasional sweet bites against the savory sausage.

4 garlic cloves, minced

Garlic isn’t always part of a basic stuffing recipe, but I love the extra savory flavor it adds.

1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage

Fresh sage and sausage are one of my favorite holiday combinations. If you don’t have fresh herbs, substitute about 1 teaspoon dried sage or use poultry seasoning.

2 large eggs

Eggs bind the stuffing and help give the center its soft, cohesive texture.

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

This is one of my favorite little additions. The Dijon mustard adds acidity and savory depth, but the finished stuffing doesn’t taste strongly of mustard.

1 cup milk

Milk makes the interior richer and more tender. Whole milk or 2% both work well.

1 cup chicken broth

Chicken broth adds moisture and savory flavor. Use low-sodium broth if your sausage is already fairly salty.

Salt and black pepper, to taste

Season carefully because both sausage and chicken broth can contribute quite a bit of salt.

I always taste the cooked sausage mixture before deciding how much more seasoning the dish needs.

Substitutions and Variations

Make Classic Stuffing Without Sausage

Leave out the sausage for a more traditional stuffing. Sauté the onion and celery in a few tablespoons of butter or olive oil instead.

Add More Fresh Herbs

Add thyme, rosemary or parsley along with the sage. You can also use poultry seasoning when you want that classic Thanksgiving flavor without buying several separate herbs.

Add Cranberries

Fold in about ½ cup dried cranberries for a sweet-tart variation. They work especially well in sausage and apple stuffing.

Add Pecans or Walnuts

Add ½ cup toasted chopped pecans or walnuts for crunch.

Make It Vegetarian

Leave out the sausage, use vegetable broth and sauté the vegetables in butter or olive oil. Mushrooms are a great addition when you want more savory flavor.

Use Pears

Firm diced pears can replace the apples for a slightly more delicate sweetness.

How to Make Homemade Stuffing

1. Dry the Bread

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Cut the loaf of bread into roughly 1-inch cubes and arrange them in a single layer on one or two sheet pans.

Bake for about 15 minutes, tossing once if needed, until the bread feels dry and is lightly toasted.

You aren’t trying to make dark croutons. The goal is to remove enough moisture that the bread can absorb the flavorful liquid later.

Transfer the dried bread to a large bowl and reduce the oven temperature to 350°F.

2. Cook the Sausage

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook, breaking it into small pieces, until browned and cooked through. Transfer it to the bowl with the bread, leaving a little of the flavorful fat in the skillet.

3. Cook the Onion and Celery

Add the diced onion and celery to the skillet. Cook for about 5–7 minutes, until softened.

If the skillet seems dry, add a small amount of butter or olive oil.

4. Add the Apples

Add the diced apples and cook for another 3–4 minutes. I like them slightly softened but not completely broken down. They’ll continue cooking in the oven.

5. Add the Garlic and Sage

Stir in the garlic and chopped fresh sage. Cook for about 1 minute, just until fragrant.

Season lightly with salt and black pepper. Add the mixture to the large bowl with the bread and sausage.

6. Make the Wet Mixture

In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, Dijon mustard, milk and chicken broth. Season lightly with black pepper.

7. Combine

Pour the wet mixture gradually over the bread. Gently toss until the bread cubes are evenly moistened. Give the bread a minute or two to absorb the liquid before deciding it looks too wet or too dry.

You want moist bread that holds together slightly when pressed, but there shouldn’t be a pool of liquid at the bottom of the bowl.

8. Transfer to the Baking Dish

Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish. Transfer the bread mixture into the dish and spread it into an even layer.

Don’t compress it too firmly. Leaving some uneven pieces along the surface helps create those crisp edges.

9. Bake

Bake at 350°F for about 40–45 minutes, until the center is set and the top is golden brown and crisp.

If the top is browning faster than you like, loosely cover it for the remaining baking time.

Let the stuffing rest for about 5–10 minutes before serving.

How to Store Leftover Stuffing

• Cool leftover stuffing and transfer it to an airtight container.
• Store it in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days.
• To reheat, place the stuffing in a baking dish with a small splash of chicken broth. Cover and warm at 350°F, then uncover for the final few minutes to crisp the top again.
• Individual portions can also be reheated in the microwave, although the oven gives you better texture.

How to Make Stuffing Ahead

Holiday meals are exactly when I want as much prep time handled in advance as possible. My preferred method is to prepare the components separately:

• Dry the bread cubes up to 2 days ahead and store them at room temperature once completely cool.
• Cook the sausage, onion, celery, apples, garlic and sage one day ahead and refrigerate.
• Whisk the wet mixture and assemble the stuffing on the day you plan to bake it.

This keeps the dried bread from sitting in liquid overnight and gives you a better balance between a moist center and crisp top.

You can also assemble the entire stuffing several hours ahead, cover and refrigerate. Let the baking dish sit out briefly while the oven heats, then bake as directed, allowing a little extra time if it’s still very cold.

Frequently Asked Questions

What kind of bread is best for homemade stuffing?

I prefer a sturdy loaf such as French bread, Italian bread or sourdough bread. The specific bread matters less than making sure it is properly dried before adding the liquid.

Why do you dry bread for stuffing?

Dried bread can absorb chicken broth, milk, eggs and all the flavor from the sausage and vegetables without immediately collapsing. That’s how you get moist stuffing rather than soggy stuffing.

Can I use store-bought dried bread cubes?

Yes. Dried bread cubes are a convenient shortcut.

Because packaged stuffing bread can be much drier than bread toasted at home, watch the consistency and add additional broth if needed.

What’s the difference between stuffing and dressing?

Traditionally, stuffing refers to a bread mixture cooked inside poultry, while dressing is baked separately in a baking dish.

In everyday use, however, the names often vary by family and region.

This recipe is baked separately, but I still call it homemade stuffing.

What are the best apples for sausage stuffing?

Use an apple that holds its shape. Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, Granny Smith and Gala are all good choices. Granny Smith gives the stuffing more tartness, while Gala or Honeycrisp makes it slightly sweeter.

Can I make apple sausage stuffing without eggs?

The eggs are important to the texture of this particular recipe because they bind the bread and liquid together.

There are egg-free stuffing recipes, but I would use a recipe specifically designed without eggs rather than simply omitting them here.

Why is my stuffing soggy?

The bread may not have been dried sufficiently, or too much liquid may have been added. The bread mixture should be thoroughly moist before baking, but it shouldn’t be swimming in liquid.

Why is my stuffing dry?

Very dry bread can absorb considerably more liquid. If the bread still looks dry after the initial milk and broth have been absorbed, add a little more chicken broth before baking.

Can I use poultry seasoning instead of fresh sage?

Yes. Use poultry seasoning when you want a convenient blend of traditional stuffing herbs.

I still prefer fresh sage when it’s available because sausage, apple and sage are especially good together.

Can I make this in a slow cooker?

A slow cooker can make stuffing, but the texture will be softer and you won’t get the same amount of golden, crisp surface area. For this particular apple sausage stuffing recipe, I prefer the baking dish and oven method.

Can I add cranberries?

Yes. Add about ½ cup dried cranberries when you combine the sausage mixture and bread. They work especially well with the apples and fresh sage.

Can I use this as turkey stuffing?

I developed this recipe to bake in a separate baking dish, which gives it a crisp top and makes the texture easier to control.

For turkey filling, I would follow a recipe specifically developed and tested for cooking inside the bird.

Final Thoughts

Homemade stuffing doesn’t need to be complicated to feel special.

Start with properly dried bread, add plenty of savory sausage, onion and celery, then bring in apples and fresh sage for that little bit of sweetness and freshness.

The egg, milk, chicken broth and Dijon mixture keeps the center tender while the oven gives you those golden edges everyone reaches for first.

For me, that’s the ideal stuffing: familiar enough to belong on the Thanksgiving table, but flavorful enough that people remember it after the turkey is gone.

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