Caramelized Onion, Apple and Sausage Whole Grain Stuffing

This Caramelized Onion, Apple and Sausage Whole Grain Stuffing is a sweet and savory, flavor-packed stuffing your Thanksgiving table needs. Everyone will love the savory sausage, sweet apples and buttery caramelized onions.

Would you believe me if I said I never really cared for a Thanksgiving feast until a few years ago? I am not sure what was wrong with my former self…

Every year, my plate consisted of loads of turkey (sans gravy), a warm roll with the perfect ratio of butter to bread; 2:1. And a spoonful of my Mom’s bacon green beans. That’s it.

The mashed potatoes? I passed. The green bean casserole? No thanks. And that boxed stuffing? I will gladly go without.

Fast forward to the late and I still pile on the turkey and bacon green beans (because duh, bacon), but I gladly fill my plate with honey loaded sweet potato casserole, a few rolls and a heaping spoonful of sausage stuffing.

Along with a bigger plate, I need a bigger stomach. Don’t we all on Thanksgiving?

It is beyond me why it has taken me until the young age of 30 to make stuffing and really start enjoying it mostly. I like every component; sausage, bread, onions and endless flavor possibilities. And not to mention how easy it is. One dish dinner is always a great idea.

Rather than boring, boxed stuffing that made my turn up my nose, there is layers upon layers of flavor here. The key to any dish. The first layer? Juicy Johnsonville Ground Italian Sausage. The sausage comes loaded with all of the Italian seasonings so you can skip a long list of ingredients here! The sausage cooks up quickly, making it a great start to any weeknight dish! So the first layer is sauteed in a large skillet then remove once cooked. The next few layers build upon the flavor of sausage in the same skillet. Another key to a great dish!

The second layer? The buttery, sweet caramelized onions. Then, crisp celery and tender, crisp apples are added to the mix. Once that is all mixed, nutty whole grain croutons are folded in then baked until heated through and the croutons are golden brown.

I can now see what the rave is all about over stuffing. I mean, it’s practically a well-rounded meal in itself: meat, veggies and your carb. In true Thanksgiving style, please excuse me while I go consume copious amounts of stuffing.

Tools I used to make this recipe:

• Large Saute Pan
• Baking Dish
• Large Baking Sheet
• Chef’s Knife

Caramelized Onion, Apple and Sausage Whole Grain Stuffing

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Megan

Yields 10

This Caramelized Onion, Apple and Sausage Whole Grain Stuffing is a sweet and savory, flavor-packed stuffing your Thanksgiving table needs. Everyone will love the savory sausage, sweet apples and buttery caramelized onions.

45 minPrep Time

1 hrCook Time

1 hr, 45 Total Time

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Ingredients

• 1 pound multi grain bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 pound Johnsonville Ground Italian Sausage
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter or coconut oil
• 2 large white onions, sliced thin
• 3 celery ribs, diced
• 1 medium apple, chopped into cubes
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 can (14.5 ounce) can low sodium chicken stock

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350?F. Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
2. Place the bread cubes onto a large baking sheet and cook 10-12 minutes, until bread is crisp and lightly toasted. Set aside.
3. Meanwhile, in a large sauté pan, add the sausage. Cook until sausage is no longer pink. Remove from pan and place on a paper towel-lined plate. Set aside.
4. In same sauté pan, add the sliced onions. Cook on medium low in sausage grease until caramelized; 20 - 25 minutes stirring occasionally, adding one tablespoon of butter or oil if onions seem dry.
5. In the last 5 minutes of cooking add the celery, apples, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt and black pepper. Cook until the celery is soft, 5 minutes.
6. Pour in the chicken stock and stir to fully incorporate.
7. Remove pan from heat. Fold in the bread cubes. Add mixture to prepared baking dish.
8. Cover stuffing with foil and bake 30 minutes. Remove cover and bake 25 minutes more or until top of stuffing is crispy and golden brown. Serve immediately.

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http://withsaltandwit.com/apple-and-sausage-whole-grain-stuffing/

Hungry for more comforting side dishes?

Fall Harvest Salad

Caramelized Butternut Squash Quinoa Salad with Goat Cheese and Roasted Grapes

Creamy Garlic Parmesan Gnocchi

If you make this recipe, make sure to snap a photo and hashtag it #WITHSALTANDWIT. I’d love to see what you are cooking up in your kitchen!

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Johnsonville. The opinions and text are all mine.