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I love sweet and savory flavors together and while chocolate-covered bacon fits the bill, it isn’t the best for a nutritious meal idea. These sausage stuffed apples make a delicious meal and their fun packaging makes them appealing to kids.
This recipe is incredibly versatile and you can make this into sausage-stuffed sweet potatoes or sausage-stuffed winter squash depending on what you have around the house.
Sausage-Stuffed Apples for Dinner
We have a lot of apple munchers in our house! I have one son in particular that loves to enjoy a little quiet time by grabbing a few apples and a favorite book.
To make the apple “bowls,” simply cut off a little slice from the top of each apple. Then use a melon baller to scoop out most of the center, leaving the edges about half an inch thick.
It might sound tricky, but I promise it’s actually really fast and easy. You could also just slice the apples in half and scoop out some of the center that way.
My kids love helping with this step and make sure nothing goes to waste! If you don’t have any little scavengers helpers around, save the apple scraps for apple walnut tuna salad or Instant Pot steel-cut oats.
Making Sausage Filling (Grain-Free)
The filling for these stuffed apples couldn’t be easier to make. For the sausage I like to use Italian sausage, but breakfast sausage or spicy sausage also work well. I brown the sausage in my favorite skillet and before it’s all the way done cooking, add the chopped celery and onion and spices and let it finish cooking together.
To save on dishes, I wipe out the same skillet that I cooked the sausage in and put the apples back into it to cook them in the oven. Then I cook them in the oven until they’re nice and soft and they’re done!
Healthy Food to Go
One of my favorite things about these sausage-stuffed apples is that they’re portable! I make them ahead for on the run days. They’d also be perfect for a lunch to take to work.
Here are some other more portable meal ideas:
Sausage-Stuffed Apples Recipe
Apples stuffed with a sausage filling! This savory and sweet combination is a satisfying meal for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 375°F.
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Cut half an inch off the top of each apple.
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Use a melon baller or corer to remove most of the flesh and seeds of the apple, leaving about half an inch around the edges to make a bowl.
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Set aside.
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In a large skillet, brown the sausage until almost completely cooked.
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Add the celery, onion, and spices to the skillet and continue cooking until the sausage is cooked through and the celery and onion are starting to soften.
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Drizzle with the maple syrup or honey if desired.
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Divide and spoon the sausage mixture equally into each apple and place in a large baking dish.
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Bake for 25-30 minutes until the apples are cooked and fragrant.
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Remove and serve with salad.
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Enjoy!
Notes
You can also slice the apples in half and scoop out the core area if you prefer.
Nutrition
Serving: 1appleCalories: 349kcalCarbohydrates: 31gProtein: 12gFat: 20gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 54mgSodium: 495mgPotassium: 462mgFiber: 5gSugar: 23gVitamin A: 221IUVitamin C: 11mgCalcium: 38mgIron: 1mg
Do you use fruit in cooking? What is your favorite recipe? Share your secrets!
