Harvest Apple Dressing
Submitted by olliewadewells
Harvest apple dressing combines homemade cornbread, bread cubes, sausage, chopped apples and sage for a Thanksgiving-worthy side that works with chicken, turkey, ham or pork.
YIELD
16 servingsPREP
30 minCOOK
1 hrsREADY
1 hrsThis harvest apple dressing is a proper Thanksgiving-table side dish, not an afterthought. It starts with making your own small loaf of cornbread from scratch, which is non-negotiable. Store-bought versions don’t have the right crumb and either turn to mush or stay dry during baking.
The apple is what sets this apart from a standard sausage-sage dressing. A full cup of chopped apple gets folded in along with crumbled cooked sausage, adding tart-sweet pops against the savory pork and herbaceous sage. Use a firm baking variety like Honeycrisp or Granny Smith so the apple holds its shape through the 45-minute bake.
A mix of cornbread and regular bread cubes gives the dressing varied texture. The cornbread absorbs broth and goes tender, the bread cubes stay structural with crisp edges where the top browns. Chicken bouillon in warm water provides the savory backbone and an egg binds everything together into a sliceable casserole rather than a loose pile.
The flavor profile suits almost any roast meat, which is exactly why it’s worth keeping in the regular rotation not just for the holidays.
Kitchen Tips
- Bake the cornbread the day before so it has time to dry out slightly, fresh-baked bread turns to pudding in dressing
- Toast the bread cubes in a 325F (160C) oven for 10 minutes before mixing for better texture retention
- Cook the sausage fully and drain off excess fat, greasy dressing tastes heavy and masks the apple
- Add liquid gradually, the dressing should be moist but not soupy, start with 1 cup and add more as needed
- Cover the casserole for the full 45 minutes, uncovered baking dries out the interior
Variations
Ingredients
Directions
Heat oven to 425 degrees F.
Grease 8×4-inch loaf pan.
Combine ¾ cup Aunt Jemima or Quaker Enriched Corn Meal, ¼ cup all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon sugar, 2 teaspoons baking powder and ¼ teaspoon salt.
Combine egg, ½ cup milk, and ¼ cup melted margarine or butter.
Add to corn mixture; mix just until dry ingredients are moistened.
Pour into prepared pan.
Bake about 30 minutes or until golden brown.
Cool on wire rack.
For the dressing, heat oven to 350℉ (180℃).
In large bowl, crumble Corn Bread.
Add bread cubes, sausage, apple, sage and pepper; mix well.
Cook onion in margarine until tender; add to corn bread mixture.
Stir bouillon granules into warm water; add to corn bread Stir in egg. Spoon into 2-qt. casserole. Cover; bake 45 minutes or until heated through. Serve with chicken, turkey, ham or pork.
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