Cornbread and Sausage Stuffing with Apples and Sage

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-05-06 · Updated 2026-05-06

Classic Thanksgiving stuffing featuring savory sausage, sweet apples, and fresh sage, baked until golden and aromatic. This American-inspired Thanksgiving recipe, ready in about 80 minutes, pairs cornbread, Italian sausage, yellow onion for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 350 calories and feeds 8, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 8 cups, cubed and dried cornbread
• 1 lb, casings removed Italian sausage
• 1 large, diced yellow onion
• 3, diced celery stalks
• 1 medium, peeled and diced Granny Smith apple
• 2 tbsp, chopped fresh sage leaves
• 2 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 2 large, beaten eggs

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Instructions

1. Step 1: Preheat oven to 350°F. Spread 8 cups cubed cornbread on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes to dry it out further.
2. Step 2: In a large skillet over medium heat, melt 3 tbsp unsalted butter. Add 1 lb Italian sausage, breaking it up, cooking for 7-8 minutes until browned and cooked through.
3. Step 3: Add 1 large diced yellow onion, 3 diced celery stalks, 1 medium diced peeled Granny Smith apple, and 2 tbsp chopped fresh sage leaves to the sausage. Sauté together for 5 minutes until vegetables soften and apple is fragrant.
4. Step 4: In a large mixing bowl, combine the toasted cornbread cubes, sausage-vegetable mixture, 2 1/2 cups chicken broth, 2 large beaten eggs, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Stir gently until evenly moistened.
5. Step 5: Transfer the stuffing mixture to a greased 9x13-inch baking dish and bake uncovered for 40 minutes until the top is golden brown and slightly crisp.