So your looking for an easy homemade recipe for Sausage Stuffing? We show you how to make your own Sausage Meat Stuffing Balls with Apple and Chestnut from scratch.
In my opinion, they are one of the best side dishes to cook for Christmas or any Roast Dinner.
How to make Sausage Meat and Chestnut Stuffing Balls
Follow our simple recipe and slideshow video below for the basic steps to create Sausage Meat Stuffing Balls.
Continue to read the blog posts for answers to any questions you may have.
📖 Step by Step Recipe
Sausage Meat Stuffing Balls with Apple and Chestnut
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 large Shallot - or 1 small onion
- 2 cloves Garlic - crushed
- 180 g Whole Roasted Chestnuts
- 400 g Pork & Apple Sausages - or your choice of other sausage meat flavours
- 100 g Natural or White Breadcrumbs - can be homemade
- 3 sprigs Fresh Thyme - or 1 teaspoon dried herbs
- Salt & Pepper
Instructions
- Finely dice 1 large Shallot and saute on low heat for 5 minutes until soft and golden. Crush 2 cloves Garlic and add for 2 minutes. Leave to cool.Preheat oven to 200°C / 400°F fan oven
- Use a potato masher to crush up 180 g Whole Roasted Chestnuts into small pieces.You can use a food processor for this step if wanted.
- Use a knife or kitchen scissors to remove the casing from 400 g Pork & Apple Sausages. Add the sausages to the bowl with the chestnuts.
- Add 100 g Natural or White Breadcrumbs
- Grab your 3 sprigs Fresh Thyme. Run finger and thumb backwards down sprig stem to remove.
- Add the cooled down shallots to the rest of the ingredients. Season with Salt & Pepper
- Mix the ingredients well, we find it easier to use your hands for this.
- Grab some of the stuffing mix and roll between palms of hands to form golfball-sized balls
- Place on parchment paper or foil to prevent sticking to the tin.
- Oven bake on 220℃ conventional /200°C fan /425℉ / Gas Mark 7 oven for 25 minutes
- Serve alongside your choice of roast dinner.
Video
Nutrition
These sausage meat stuffing balls can be made ahead of time and frozen. UK & US measurements are given.
Ingredients for homemade stuffing
In this case, apple sausages, chestnuts, shallots, garlic, breadcrumbs, and thyme are needed for these stuffing balls.
Shallot or onion
Shallots will give a more delicate, slightly sweeter flavouring than onions, complementing the apple nicely.
However, onions can still be used if you prefer or don't have shallots, just use a small one and dice finely.
Making stuffing from sausage meat is really easy, not to mention delicious!! So where to start!
Saute shallot (or onion) in a pan over low heat with garlic until they are soft and golden.
Allow them to cool before adding to the other stuffing ingredients.
Whole roasted chestnuts
You can use a food processor to easily break up the whole roasted chestnuts, just a quick pulse will do.
Otherwise, if like us you can't be bothered pulling it all out! A potato masher works in the same way, to help break them up!
What sausage to use for stuffing?
So, you can buy sausage meat, which is perfect for stuffing. However, we love apple and pork sausages, which are not available in a sausage meat pack!
Nevertheless, removing the sausage meat from their casing only takes a few minutes.
Snip with kitchen scissors or a knife and peel away.
Can I use other types of sausages?
Yes of course, use whichever sausage you like! There are so many to choose from!
Breadcrumbs
Use white or natural breadcrumbs, which are available to buy from most shops! You could indeed make your own from sliced bread.
How to make breadcrumbs?
Weigh out enough sliced bread for the recipe and put in a food processor. Pulse until resembles fine breadcrumbs!
Thyme
To remove fresh thyme leaves from the stalk easily and quickly. Simply run your thumb and finger backwards down the stem.
Substituting fresh thyme with dried thyme
If you use dried thyme or another dried herb use 1 tsp.
Add back the sauteed onion or shallot and use a spoon or your hands to mix the ingredients together.
Shape stuffing mix into balls
It is easy to make the stuffing mix into balls, grab some out of the bowl and roll between your hands.
You are aiming for the size of a golf ball, so remove or add more if needed?
Oven Cooking
Time to put these delicious sausage stuffing balls in the oven! It is best to use a sheet of parchment on a baking tray to prevent them from stick to the tin.
What temperature and how long to cook stuffing balls
Cook the stuffing balls in a fan oven at 200°C / Conventional Oven 220°C / 400°F / Gas Mark 7 fan oven for 25 minutes.
Make ahead sausage meat stuffing balls
Sausage meatballs can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container or ziplock bag until ready to oven cook.
Freezing
Yes you can freeze the stuffing balls in two ways, whilst raw or cooked!
Raw sausage stuffing balls
Place the raw rolled out stuffing balls on a small baking sheet and allow them to freeze slightly ( so they don't stick together) before transferring to a ziplock bag.
Defrost before cooking for same amount of time as usual. Do not cook from frozen as they will take longer and dry out to much.
Freezing cooked sausage meat balls
If freezing already-cooked leftover sausage stuffing balls, you can pop them straight in a freezer bag when cool.
To reheat, it is best to defrost first.
Reheat covered with foil at 190°c/375°F fan oven until warmed through about 20 minutes.
Or you can reheat it in the microwave until it is hot throughout (time varies depending on how many you reheat).
What to serve Stuffing Balls with?
Perfect with Roast dinners like our Rolled Rib of Beef, Roasted Pork Belly in Cider or Slow Cooked Leg of Lamb or Roast Turkey Crown.
Or served up as part of your Christmas Dinner! Check out our other Christmas recipes such as, Small Whole Turkey , Sage and Onion Stuffing, Roast Potatoes, Roasted Vegetables with Maple & Rosemary Glaze and Yorkshire Puddings too.
- Turkey Thigh Slow Cooked in the Oven
- Slow Cooker Beef Shin with Gravy
- Oven Roast Pheasant with Herb Butter
- Rolled Turkey Breast Joint with Stuffing
We hope you enjoy your stuffing balls! Please leave us a comment below to let us know how you got on?
Nic Bescoby says
Your stuffing balls are the best part of a Sunday Dinner! Love them!
Luke and Kay says
Thank you for your review, Nic! We're thrilled that you love our sausage meat stuffing balls with apple and chestnut. Sunday dinners just wouldn't be complete without them. 🙂
sue says
Where have these been all my life? They were amazing, thanks for a keeper recipe 🙂
Heather Perine says
Why have I never thought to turn my stuffing into meatballs?! So trying this for a fun Thanksgiving leftover meal 🙂
Eliza says
What a great recipe! This is perfect timing for the holidays, and I love the information you included about roasted chestnuts. They are so tasty, and I'm glad to know that you can simply use a potato masher to crush them. Another winner from Flawless Food!
Claudia Lamascolo says
I love this recipe its the best sausage stuffing I ever made
Kay says
Thank you, Claudia
So pleased to hear you love sausage meat stuffing balls, they are a big hit in our house at Christmas 🙂
Enjoy!!
Mindee Taylor says
Such simple ingredients and easy instructions to follow! On top of that they tasted amazing!
Kay says
Thank you Mindee
They are really easy to make and they make a great side dish for Thanksgiving or Christmas 🙂
Enjoy!!
Kate says
Many thanks for sharing this wonderful recipe. I am particularly looking forward to trying it and the taste of apple and chestnut together. 🙂