This Turkey Stuffing with Apples and herbs bakes up golden and full of flavor. It’s a perfect thanksgiving dinner side dish that’s easy to make ahead and SO tasty.
Tips for Perfect Thanksgiving Stuffing
- Use stale bread so the broth absorbs evenly. If using fresh bread, dry it in the oven first.
- Season before adding eggs so you can taste and adjust. Bread and broth vary in salt, so start low and add more as needed.
- Do not rush the sauté. The onions, celery and apples should be soft and flavourful before adding the bread cubes.
- Let it rest for a few minutes after baking so the center sets and scoops cleanly.
- Bake stuffing outside the bird. It heats safely and evenly without overcooking the turkey meat (you otherwise have to overcook the turkey breast in order for the stuffing to reach a safe internal temp of 165ºF after all the raw juices dripped into it). See: How to Cook a Turkey.
- Use focaccia for richness. Unstuffed stuffing misses the turkey drippings, but focaccia and eggs add richness and moisture without needing them.
Ingredients for Herb and Apple Stuffing
Here is what you need to make this easy Thanksgiving stuffing recipe.
- Bread cubes: stale focaccia is the best bread for even absorption and light texture. Any stale bread works if you dry it in the oven.
- Veggies: onions and celery cook down in butter until soft and flavourful.
- Your fav sweet apple: Honeycrisp, Braeburn or Gala are the best apples that hold their shape and stay juicy.
- Fresh herbs: parsley, thyme and sage give classic Thanksgiving stuffing flavour.
- Spices: a small amount of salt and pepper balances the broth and apple.
- Chicken or vegetable broth: adds moisture and binds everything together.
- Eggs: help the stuffing set so it slices cleanly.
Full ingredient amounts are listed in the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
Optional Add Ins
- Breakfast sausage: brown in a large skillet first for savory depth.
- Mushrooms: sauté until browned for extra umami.
- Poultry seasoning: a small pinch works well with the fresh herbs.
- Cranberries: sometimes I add a couple of handfuls of fresh cranberries with the apples in the pan.
How to Make Apple Herb Stuffing
This stuffing cooks in a large pot or Dutch oven before baking in a casserole dish. The steps are simple and give great flavour with minimal work.
Sauté the Vegetables
Heat butter over medium-high heat in a Dutch oven. Stir in onions, celery and apples. Cook until softened and lightly golden. This step concentrates their flavor and sweetness.
Add Bread Cubes and Broth
Stir in herbs, spices and the bread cubes. Pour broth over the mixture slowly so the bread hydrates without turning mushy. The best bread for this step is stale focaccia because it keeps small air pockets inside.
Stir In Eggs and Bake
Let the mixture cool slightly, then stir in beaten eggs. Transfer to a buttered casserole dish. Bake until the top is golden and the center is set. The edges crisp beautifully as it cooks.
Make Ahead and Storage
Store Leftover Stuffing
- Fridge: Cool fully, then store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Microwave: Warm in short bursts until heated through.
- Oven: Cover with foil and reheat at 325°F with a splash of broth.
Freezing
- Freeze baked stuffing in portions for up to 2 months.
- Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
Serving Ideas
This apple stuffing pairs with my roast turkey (or spatchcock turkey!) but also with roast pork loin or tender eye of round roast beef.
It is also great with brown pepper gravy (or my turkey gravy from neck and giblets without drippings), mashed potatoes and other classic sides.
You can even crisp leftover stuffing in a skillet (or waffle iron!!) for breakfast the next day.
Other Popular Turkey Dinner Recipes:
FAQs About Apple Herb Stuffing
Yes. Use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth. No other changes are needed.
Honeycrisp, Braeburn and Gala hold their shape and stay slightly firm after baking.
Stale focaccia is ideal because it soaks broth evenly, but any stale bread cubes work after drying in the oven.
Yes. Brown breakfast sausage in a large skillet and stir it in before baking.
Use stale bread, add broth slowly and bake uncovered so the top can crisp.
Cool fully, then store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or oven.
Turkey Stuffing with Apples (“Unstuffed”)
Ingredients
- 2 lbs stale focaccia bread, cubed *see note
- ½ cup unsalted butter plus more to grease dish if not using parchment
- 2 medium onions finely chopped
- 2 large ribs celery finely chopped
- 2 apples peeled, cored, finely chopped
- 2 ½ to 3 tsp kosher salt divided use
- 1 tbsp dried sage or 3 tbsp minced fresh
- 2 tsp dried thyme or 2 tbsp minced fresh
- ¼ cup minced fresh parsley
- 4 cups chicken broth
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- 2 large eggs lightly beaten
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF. Melt butter over medium heat in a large stockpot. Add onions, celery and apples plus 1 tsp of the kosher salt; cook until soft, about 10 minutes, reducing heat if browning occurs. Stir in bread, herbs, chicken broth, parsley, 1 1/2 tsp more kosher salt and the pepper. Taste, and add remaining 1/2 tsp salt if needed (depends how much salt is in your broth and focaccia), then stir in the eggs.
- Transfer stuffing to a buttered or parchment-lined 9×13" baking dish. Bake uncovered for 40 minutes, or until stuffing is golden on top and set in the middle.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Can this be made vegetarian?
Yes, it’s easy to make this vegetarian. Just swap the chicken broth for vegetable broth and keep everything else the same. It still bakes up with great flavor and the same texture.
Very tasty and easy recipe. I love the use of focaccia here. I added about 1 cup of toasted pecans.
I love the recipe but can I use sour dough bread instead of focaccia which I don’t have access to?
Sourdough will work for sure!
Sounds delicious and am going to try this for this TG dinner. Can it be made in advance?
Hi Anna, yes it certainly can! Just cover it and refrigerate until you’re ready to bake it.
So I tried the recipe and it is absolutely delicious. I made it in the morning and heated it for supper once the turkey was out of the oven. It makes a lot so I halved the recipe and it was perfect in a 8×8 glass dish. I’ve been eating left overs all week so I now know it can be made well in advance.