Thanksgiving stuffing with Italian sausage, apples, and herbs.

Ingredients

  • 11 cups cubed white bread (approximately 1 1/2 lb)
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 1 1/2 cups chopped celery
  • 3/4 lb mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 tart apple, peeled, cored, chopped
  • 1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
  • 2 tsp dried rosemary, crumbled
  • 1 tsp ground or rubbed sage
  • 1 tsp dried thyme, crumbled
  • 3/4 lb Italian sausage, casings removed
  • 1/2 cup chicken stock, more if needed
  • Salt
  • Freshly ground pepper

Steps

  1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees.
  2. Spread bread cubes on baking sheet and bake until dry to touch, about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  3. Transfer bread to large bowl.
  4. Melt butter in heavy large skillet over medium-low heat.
  5. Add onion and cook until tender, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes.
  6. Add mushrooms, rosemary, and generous amount of pepper and cook until mushrooms soften, stirring occasionally, about 6 minutes.
  7. Add celery and apple and stir 1 1/2 minutes.
  8. Mix in parsley, sage and thyme.
  9. Add vegetable mixture to bread and toss to blend.
  10. Increase heat to medium-high and add sausage to same skillet.
  11. Cook sausage until beginning to brown, breaking up with a fork.
  12. Add sausage to bread mixture using slotted spoon.
  13. Add stock to stuffing and mix to blend, adding more stock if needed.
  14. Season with salt and cool completely.
  15. Place in baking dish.
  16. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  17. Bake stuffing covered for 25 minutes, then uncovered another 15 minutes until golden brown.

Notes

  • Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate, then bring to room temperature before baking.
  • You can use less bread if preferred.