Apple and Sausage Stuffing with Tarragon

This special apple sausage stuffing just might steal the show from the traditional mashed potatoes and turkey! It’s the perfect balance of fall flavors to compliment your roast and any other side.

Why This Recipe Works

This stuffing recipe is a classic for the holidays, and with an impressive twist. The tarragon, apple and turkey sausage echo the flavors of other traditional side dishes and will complement your roast.

The sourdough bread works as the apple & sausage stuffing base because it holds its shape in the mix while absorbing all the flavors.

The addition of apples add a subtle sweetness while the radishes and carrots add a slight crunch that contrast with the savory sausage meat.

This stuffing is a really great option for a side that’s dairy-free, just in case you have to watch any dietary restrictions.

This dish is a great make-ahead dish if you're pressed for time, and especially if you have countless houseguests coming for Thanksgiving! The bread, veggies, and sausage can easily be prepared in advance, then mixed and cooked on the day you need them.

Ingredients & Substitutions

sausage - I use a turkey sausage because around Thanksgiving, you can get uncased turkey sausage at the meat counter with many flavor options. It's basically seasoned ground turkey. You can also use chicken.

stock - you can use chicken or vegetable stock in this recipe, but I like to use vegetable stock because I always have it on hand.

egg - the egg is what binds the stuffing together. A smashed banana also works great in this recipe if you don't have eggs.

bread - I prefer sourdough because it flavor to the stuffing without overpowering it like a herbed bread would. However, any day-old bread works in this recipe. If you need to quickly age the bread, cut it into cubes and leave it out overnight.

How to Make this Recipe

You will need to prepare the ingredients separately before mixing them together to make the finished stuffing.

Heat a saute pan on high heat, and cook the sausage meat through until golden brown. Once fully cooked, transfer the turkey sausage to a plate, using a slotted spoon or similar so that the remaining fat stays in the pan. The remaining fat later adds even more flavor to your stuffing!

Add two tablespoons of olive oil to the fat already in the pan. Prepare your onion, carrot, apple, and radishes by roughly dicing them with a knife.

Add them to the oiled pan and season with salt and pepper. Keep an eye on the pan as the ingredients cook through - you are looking for the onions to turn translucent and the veggies to be soft. Once they are, add the diced garlic and cook for another minute.

In a large bowl, combine the cooked veggies with the sausage, bread, egg, and tarragon. Add the vegetable stock, about 1.5 - 2 cups, until the mixture is moist. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Whether it's done by spatula or by hand, make sure all the ingredients are mixed well.

In a large bowl, combine the cooked veggies with the sausage, bread, egg, and tarragon. Add the vegetable stock, about 1.5 - 2 cups, until the mixture is moist. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Whether it's done by spatula or by hand, make sure all the ingredients are mixed well.

Note: Your sourdough bread will be cut into cubes, and this recipe works best with bread that is a day old or so. If you need to quickly age your bread, cut the bread into cubes and leave out on a baking tray overnight.

Transfer your mixture to your baking dish and lay out evenly - a cast iron pan works perfectly! Make sure it retains the moisture, and if you feel the dish has become a little dry don't be afraid to add more vegetable stock.

Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden brown. Serve the stuffing in the cast iron pan for a family-style meal.

Looking for this gorgeous cast-iron pan? You can find it on Amazon (~$200), and you can also find this other great cast-iron on Amazon (~$26).

Apple Sausage Stuffing FAQs

Must-Make Thanksgiving Recipes

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Print Recipe

5 from 9 votes

Tarragon, Apple, & Turkey Sausage Stuffing (Dairy-Free)

This special stuffing just might steal the show from the mashed potatoes and turkey! It’s the perfect balance of fall flavors to compliment your roast and other sides.

Prep Time20 minutes mins

Cook Time45 minutes mins

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Diet: Kosher

Servings: 8

Calories: 109kcal

Author: Candice

Equipment

• ▢
  Cast Iron Pan

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 lb turkey or chicken sausage removed from casings (I used spicy Italian)
• ▢ 2 tablespoon olive oil
• ▢ 1 onion finely diced
• ▢ 1 carrot finely diced
• ▢ 1 McIntosh apple finely diced
• ▢ 6 radishes finely diced
• ▢ 6 cloves garlic minced
• ▢ ¼ oz tarragon stemmed & chopped
• ▢ 1 egg beaten
• ▢ 4 cups stale sourdough loaf cut into a 1-inch dice
• ▢ 2 cups vegetable stock
• ▢ salt & pepper

Instructions

• Heat a saute pan over high heat. Cook the sausage until golden brown. With a slotted spoon, transfer to a plate. Keep the rendered fat in the pan.
• Add 2 tablespoon of olive oil to the rendered fat. Add the onions, carrots, apple, and radishes. Season with salt & pepper. Cook until onions are translucent and veggies are soft.
• Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Remove from heat and let it cool for 5 minutes.
• Preheat to 425F.
• Fold in the tarragon, bread, and egg. Add enough stock so the mixture is moist, 1.5-2 cups. Season with salt & pepper to taste.
• Pour your mixture into the baking dish. Make sure it is moist with the stock. Add more if necessary.
• Bake 25-30 minutes until golden brown.

Notes

If you need to quickly age the bread, cut it into cubes and leave it out overnight.

You can complete steps 1-3 up to 2 days in advance.

Nutrition

Calories: 109kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 20mg | Sodium: 323mg | Potassium: 137mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1478IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 30mg | Iron: 1mg

Did you try this recipe?Don't forget to leave a rating and/or comment! And tag @ProportionalPlate on TikTok or Instagram... I'd love to see what you're making.

This post was originally published in May of 2017 but was republished with new photos, step by step instructions, and tips in October of 2020.