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Sausage Stuffing Bites with Cranberry Dipping Sauce

Sausage stuffing bites are baked until golden with tender centers, then served warm with a quick cranberry dipping sauce. Bread cubes, browned pork sausage, and vegetables make these easy-to-serve bites a savory holiday appetizer.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 52 minutes
Cooling and resting 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 27 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Calories: 375
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the bites
  • 6 cup bread cubes unseasoned, dried
  • 1 lb pork sausage bulk
  • 1 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1 cup yellow onion finely diced
  • 1 cup celery finely diced
  • 1 tsp poultry seasoning
  • 1.25 cup low-sodium chicken broth warmed
  • 2 eggs large, beaten
For the cranberry dipping sauce
  • 1 can (14 oz) cranberry sauce whole-berry
  • 2 tbsp orange juice
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard

Equipment

  • 1 18x13-inch rimmed baking sheet
  • 1 12-inch skillet

Method
 

Make the bites
  1. Heat the oven to 375°F.
  2. Line an 18x13-inch rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
  3. Put the bread cubes in a large heatproof bowl.
  4. Cook the sausage in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat, breaking it into small pieces, until browned and cooked to 160°F, 8 to 10 minutes.
  5. Transfer the sausage to a plate.
  6. Leave about 1 tablespoon of drippings in the skillet.
  7. Melt the butter in the skillet.
  8. Add the onion and celery and cook until softened, 5 to 7 minutes.
  9. Stir in the poultry seasoning.
  10. Return the sausage to the skillet and mix well.
  11. Spoon the sausage mixture over the bread cubes and toss to combine.
  12. Let the mixture cool for 10 minutes.
  13. Pour in the broth and toss until evenly moistened.
  14. Mix in the beaten eggs until combined.
  15. Shape the mixture into 24 bites.
  16. Arrange the bites on the prepared baking sheet.
  17. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until golden and the centers reach 160°F.
  18. Let the bites rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes.
Make the cranberry dipping sauce
  1. Combine the cranberry sauce, orange juice, and Dijon mustard in a small saucepan.
  2. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat.
  3. Cook, stirring, for 4 to 5 minutes, until warmed through and loosened.
  4. Serve the bites warm with the cranberry sauce for dipping.

Notes

For evenly sized bites, pack the mixture firmly when shaping. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days; freeze for up to 2 months and thaw in the refrigerator. For a gluten-free option, use gluten-free bread cubes and check that the sausage and broth are gluten-free.