Easy Sausage, Cranberries and Walnuts Stuffing

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Are you ready for the holidays cooking? Here you have a great, easy sausage, cranberries and walnuts stuffing recipe. Enjoy!

Easy Sausage, Cranberries and Walnuts Stuffing

The holiday season is here and hopefully this recipe will be a real help for many of you.

I know that in the U.S., people make stuffing mostly for Thanksgiving, but I also know that a lot of people around the world might have it also for Christmas or New Year’s Eve.

What is stuffing and what is dressing?

I call stuffing the casserole that goes in the oven with bread mixed with herbs, sausage, bacon and vegetables, but technically it should be called dressing.

I learned the stuffing term in Minnesota where it is indeed called stuffing.

Stuffing should be called whatever you stuff the bird with, which in my opinion, if you do not know what you are doing, might become quite problematic.

I personally never stuffed the turkey, because there are some issues with that.

The bird might not cook properly which might lead to serious health hazards. I also like my stuffing crisp on top and cooked in the middle.

Is this the best stuffing?

Well, it is for me. It reminds me a lot of the classic stuffing Americans would put on the table. There is bacon, sausage, onion, celery and herbs.

The taste is balanced by the addition of dried cranberries and walnuts, making this recipe festive and beautiful on the table.

I know there might be all kinds of recipes out there and each one might be special to someone. Ingredients differ from one region to another and from one family to another.

What about the bread?

You can buy the bags of bread crumbs, but you can definitely make your own for this dish.

Grab some crusty good rustic bread, one or two days old and cut it in cubes, then place it on a baking tray in an oven at 300F for about 10-15 minutes until dry and golden.

I personally prefer a rustic bread over any regular bread from the store because it has a better texture and body.

However, I understand if you do not have time or skills to make this bread, so you can go ahead and buy one from the store. 

Fresh or dried herbs?

I use thyme and sage in this recipe and I always use dried, because it is easier. You can definitely use fresh if you have them.

So, these being said, here you have my favorite recipe of Easy Sausage, Cranberries and Walnuts Stuffing.

The good news about this recipe is that besides being easy to put together, it has bacon…yes, bacon AND sausages, which makes it delicious on its own.

This dish in particular has a lot of texture, which I love. I was never a fan of a soggy stuffing, I don’t like to buy already made crumbs that are overly salty and I don’t think that souping everything in gravy is a great idea.

For that matter, I am in love with the textures on this dish. The bacon, oh, the bacon and the sausages, the sweetness of the dried cranberries and the crunchiness of the walnuts, make this dish perfect for any holiday!

These being said, let’s make it!

How to make this Easy Sausage, Cranberries and Walnuts Stuffing

Step 1.

Chop the sausage and bacon and place them in a pan. Cook them until brown for 5-6 minutes.

Step 2.

Add chopped celery and chopped green onion to the pan and cook them together with the meat until translucent.

Step 3.

In a big bowl place the bread crumbs. Pour the chicken broth over and mix. Add the cooked meats and veggies and mix well. 

Step 4.

Add cranberries, walnuts, sage and thyme. Mix well and place everything in a baking dish.

Isn’t that pretty?

Step 5.

Bake at 375F for 40 minutes or until golden brown on top. While this dish is baking, maybe you want to take a look at my holidays collection of recipes.

Who knows? Maybe you find some inspiration to try some new stuff.

Can I make this recipe in advance? 

Yes, you can put it together the day before and refrigerate it. 

FEW SUGGESTIONS OF THANKSGIVING SIDE-DISH TO MAKE IN ADVANCE:

Easy Baked Pumpkin Mac And Cheese

Traditional Cheesy Potatoes

Vegetarian Wild Rice And Mushroom Stuffing

Savory Sweet Potato Casserole- Delicious Thanksgiving Dish

Baked Brandied Cranberry Sauce(my favorite)

Cranberry Chutney With Apples

Scalloped Corn With Vegetables(also my favorite)

Apples And Berries Pie

Best Sour Cherry Pie

Happy Holidays everyone!

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