Sunny's Apple Walnut Stuffing Beauty, as seen on The Kitchen, Season 32.
Recipe courtesy of Sunny Anderson

Sunny's Apple Walnut Stuffing

Getting reviews...
  • Level: Easy
  • Total: 1 hr 30 min
  • Active: 30 min
  • Yield: 8 to 10 servings
Thanksgiving is a holiday that can put your planning and timing skills to the test. With so many dishes traditionally required, a kitchen with just one oven needs a plan. Your best bet is to prepare what you can beforehand. One of the smarter dishes to cook one to two days before is the stuffing/dressing. Let’s not fuss over the title, because one thing we can agree on is it’s better on the second day and easier to store if you cut it down to size for storage in the refrigerator, thus making room for that big bird and a ham if you so choose. This also freezes well in serving-sized cubes.

Ingredients

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish and set aside.
  2. In a large pan on medium heat, add the butter, onions, celery, thyme, sage and garlic. Season with a pinch of salt and a nice grind of pepper. Cook until the onions and celery are tender but the garlic is not browned, about 8 minutes.
  3. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the stuffing mix with the walnuts, apples and parsley. Add the onion mixture to the bread mixture and stir to combine. Pour the stock over the bread mixture and stir to combine.
  4. Transfer the stuffing to the baking dish and press down to compact it. Cover with foil. Bake for 45 minutes, then raise the oven temperature to 400 degrees F. Remove the foil and continue to bake until golden brown on top, about 15 to 20 minutes more.
  5. If making the day before, let the stuffing cool completely, cover and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before reheating until warmed through.