A great Thanksgiving side dish — gluten free Sausage Stuffing Balls. Transform your stuffing into an elegant side dish for your holiday table or into a seasonal dinner for any day. I’ve used my grandma’s gluten free cornbread stuffing recipe, and jazzed it up with apples, chicken sausage, and lots of fresh sage.
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An Elegant Thanksgiving Side Dish
Have you ever made stuffing balls? If not – add these to your must-make this holiday season.
My favorite part of stuffing is the crunchy pieces that have been baked against the edge of the casserole dish. These stuffing balls maximize the crunchy edges.
Besides being packed full of sausage, apples, and fresh sage, they are so elegant. Rather than serving a casserole dish, try these individual portions of stuffing to elevate your holiday dinner presentation.
You’ll love these because:
- They are gluten-free, made with my homemade Gluten Free Cornbread Recipe. Make this ahead of time!
- If you’re a stuffing lover, these have added protein so can be served as a special fall season dinner, even without a turkey!
- Loaded with fall flavors! From sweet apples, savory herbs, to spicy sausage, I can’t say enough good things about these.
What You’ll Need
- Gluten Free Cornbread (or any bread you love in your stuffing!)
- Sausage (I love using mild Italian chicken sausage)
- Butter (or olive oil)
- Onions
- Bell Pepper
- Celery
- Apples
- Fresh Herbs (sage, rosemary, thyme – it’s okay to use dried herbs too!)
- Chicken Broth (or vegetable stock)
- Sea Salt & Black Pepper
- Egg
How to Make Sausage Stuffing Balls
Step 1: Cut cornbread into cubes and place on a baking tray or other large container. Allow to sit out uncovered to dry for 1-3 days.
Step 2: Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add a little olive oil, then add in the sausage. Cook the sausage until browned, breaking it up in to smaller chunks. Remove cooked sausage from the pan.
Step 3: Into the same large skillet, melt the butter, and then add the onions, bell pepper, celery and apples. Saute for 10-15 minutes until very soft.
Step 4: Season the vegetables with the chopped herbs, salt and pepper. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 425º F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper and set aside.
Step 5: Add the dried cornbread cubes and sausage back into the skillet. Break up the cornbread and mix it in to the vegetables. Add the chicken broth, and mix to soften the bread. Remove the mixture from heat, and allow to cool prior to adding an egg into the mix, and stirring well until its evenly coating the stuffing mixture.
Step 6: Use a 1/4 or 1/3 cup measuring cup (or a large cookie scoop) to scoop the mixture into mounds on a large baking sheet.
Step 7: Bake the sausage stuffing balls for about 20 minutes, until the edges have browned and crisped.
*If you have leftover stuffing, save it to add to a baked chicken for added flavor! The stuffing will freeze well until ready to use.
How to Store Leftover Sausage Balls
Once fully cooled, add leftover stuffing balls to an airtight container and refrigerate up to 4 days.
To reheat, drizzle each ball with 1 tablespoon of chicken broth to rehydrate. Add to a baking tray, and reheat in a 425º F oven for about 15 minutes.
How to Serve Sausage Stuffing Balls
Add this to your Thanksgiving or Christmas Table: These are perfect alongside Roasted Turkey or even Garlic Butter Prime Rib.
Serve as a festive meal any fall or winter night: If you just love stuffing like we do, make these a meal! The sausage adds protein. Serve alongside this Mashed Cauliflower and these Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts.
Liven up a Baked Chicken: If you’re not making a full turkey for Thanksgiving, these gluten free stuffing balls turn a baked chicken into a holiday worthy meal!
Make it an Appetizer!: Sausage stuffing balls are WAY better than bread rolls. Serve these at a holiday party.
Other Healthy Thanksgiving Side Dish Recipes:
- Grandma’s Cornbread Stuffing
- Brussels Sprouts with Pomegranate and Pecans
- Gluten Free Apple Pie
- Healthy Green Bean Casserole
- Healthy Sweet Potato Casserole
- Sauteed Delicata Squash
- Baked Butternut Squash
I’d love to connect with you on social media! Find me on Facebook or Instagram where I post daily healthy eating and lifestyle inspiration.
Sausage Stuffing Balls
Ingredients
- 4 cups cornbread cut into cubes
- 1/2 pound sweet Italian chicken sausage or sub pork sausage
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 onion chopped
- 1 cup celery chopped
- 1 apple chopped
- 1 green bell pepper chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh sage chopped (optionally add rosemary and thyme)
- 3/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1 egg
Instructions
- Cut cornbread into cubes and place on a baking tray or other large container. Allow to sit out uncovered to dry for 1-3 days.
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add a little olive oil, then add in the sausage. Cook the sausage until browned, breaking it up in to smaller chunks. Remove cooked sausage from the pan.
- Into the same large skillet, melt the butter, and then add the onions, bell pepper, celery and apples. Saute for 10-15 minutes until very soft.
- Season the vegetables with the chopped herbs, salt and pepper.
- Meanwhile, preheat oven to 425º F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper and set aside.
- Add the dried cornbread cubes and sausage back into the skillet. Break up the cornbread and mix it in to the vegetables. Add the chicken broth, and mix to soften the bread. Remove the mixture from heat, and allow to cool prior to adding an egg into the mix, and stirring well until its evenly coating the stuffing mixture.
- Use a 1/4 or 1/3 cup measuring cup (or a large cookie scoop) to scoop the mixture into mounds on a large baking sheet.
- Bake the sausage stuffing balls for about 20 minutes, until the edges have browned and crisped.
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