Description

This Savory Apple & Cranberry Stuffing is a must on our Thanksgiving table! It’s the best of all worlds: buttery, herby, super savory with a touch of sweet, and wows everyone who tries it. The addition of crisp apples, dried cranberries, and spiced apple cider adds a fun twist to this otherwise traditional stuffing – and the results are just fabulous!

Ingredients

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6 cups cubed sourdough bread
6 cups cubed Italian or French baguette
2 sticks (16 tablespoons) unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups diced onion
1 cup diced celery
1 1/2 cups diced Honeycrisp, Granny Smith, or Cosmic Crisp apples (see Note)
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons fresh sage, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped
1 cup dried cranberries
2 cups apple cider
1 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 large eggs

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Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spread the cubed bread out in an even layer on a large rimmed baking sheet and toast in the oven for 15 minutes until golden and crisp – similar to croutons (alternatively, if your bread is already somewhat stale, you do not need to do this step. Having slightly stale/dried out bread is KEY for this recipe, though, so do not skip the toasting step if your bread is fresh).
Meanwhile, heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat and add the butter. Once the butter is melted, add the onion, celery, apple, garlic, and fresh herbs along with a large pinch of salt, and saute for 10-15 minutes or until they are softened.
Stir in the dried cranberries, apple cider, and broth and stir to combine. Cook until the liquids are warmed through. Taste the mixture and season with additional salt and pepper – don’t be afraid to really season this. It will be coating A LOT of bread. It should almost taste over-seasoned at this stage.
Remove the pot from the heat and add the toasted bread cubes to the pot and toss to combine until all the bread is evenly coated. Taste again and adjust the seasoning, as needed.
In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs and then pour into the bread mixture, tossing again to combine.
Transfer the mixture to a buttered 9 x 13-inch baking dish and make sure it is evenly pressed into the dish.
Bake for 45-50 minutes or until the stuffing is puffed, golden, and set in the center. If the stuffing is browning too quickly, tent the baking dish with foil.
Serve while warm, garnished with additional herbs.

Notes

I like the combination of two breads here, for both texture and flavor. I like to cube the bread in ½-inch squares, but you can cut it larger or smaller, depending on your preference. Larger cubes will yield a more rustic stuffing while smaller cubes will yield a softer, not-as-crusty stuffing.
The best apple for this is one that is tart-sweet and crisp. My favorites are honeycrisp, cosmic crisp, or Granny Smith – but any crisp/tart-sweet apple will work.
To keep this vegetarian, use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
To make this ahead, prepare it completely prior to the baking step, cover well, and refrigerate for up to 2 days ahead of time. Remove from the fridge at least 1 hour before you are ready to bake the stuffing. Bake as directed.
I like to keep my stuffing separate from the turkey, but this recipe will work inside the turkey as well.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Category: side dishes

Keywords: vegetarian thanksgiving stuffing, savory apple and cranberry stuffing, thanksgiving stuffing with apples, apple and cranberry dressing, thanksgiving stuffing with apples