Description
This Apple Cranberry Stuffing is a deliciously festive side dish perfect for holiday meals or any comforting dinner. Featuring a delightful combination of apples, dried cranberries, and aromatic herbs, it’s packed with flavor and texture. The bread cubes soak up a savory broth enhanced with sage and thyme, then bake to golden perfection with a crisp top. This recipe serves 8 and is a wonderful twist on classic stuffing.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 loaf of day old bread, cut into cubes (about 16 ounces)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 2 red apples, cored and diced
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- 1 teaspoon dried sage
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
- 2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
Instructions
- Prepare baking dish: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9×13-inch baking dish to prevent the stuffing from sticking.
- Sauté vegetables: In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add diced onion and celery, sautéing until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Add apples and cranberries: Stir in diced apples and dried cranberries, cooking for another 2 minutes until apples soften slightly to release sweetness.
- Season mixture: Add dried sage, thyme, kosher salt, and black pepper. Mix thoroughly to blend the flavors evenly throughout the vegetable and fruit mixture.
- Combine bread and herbs: Place the bread cubes and chopped fresh parsley into a large mixing bowl, ready to combine with the sautéed mixture.
- Moisten stuffing: Pour the warm apple-cranberry vegetable mixture over the bread cubes. Gradually add the chicken or vegetable broth, gently tossing to evenly moisten all bread without making it soggy. Add more broth if needed.
- Transfer and cover: Spread the stuffing mixture evenly in the prepared baking dish. Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil to lock in moisture during baking.
- Bake covered: Bake the stuffing in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. This allows the flavors to meld and the bread to absorb the broth.
- Uncover and finish baking: Remove the foil and bake for an additional 15 minutes. This step crisps the top and creates a golden-brown crust.
- Serve and garnish: Allow the stuffing to cool slightly before serving. Garnish with extra fresh parsley or fresh thyme or sage sprigs for added color and aroma. Enjoy!
Notes
- Use day-old bread for best texture; fresh bread may become too mushy.
- You can substitute vegetable broth to make this stuffing vegetarian.
- Adjust salt and herbs according to your taste preference.
- For a nuttier texture, consider adding chopped walnuts or pecans.
- This stuffing can be prepared a day ahead and refrigerated before baking.
- Cover with foil during baking to keep stuffing moist, then uncover for a crisp top.
