This Sweet Potato Cranberry Stuffing combines sweet potato croutons, browned Italian sausage, garlic-infused butter, onions and celery, and cranberries to brighten each bite. It is so good you won’t even miss the traditional version!
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This recipe is…
Stuffing is everything. Everything! It’s the one dish that makes this particular turkey dinner in November a Thanksgiving dinner. Even though the crumbly bready side plays just a supporting role, it’s still the first dish we sample and the one we dream about. Right? I know you’re with me.
It’s hard to beat traditional stuffing. It’s simple to make, feeds a lot of people, and tastes like childhood. All that being said, this new paleo sweet potato cranberry stuffing recipe won’t disappoint. It’s uber flavorful, easy to make, and allergen-friendly. It’s a stuffing that everyone will enjoy!
Looking for more stuffing recipes? We’ve got a few! Try our Semi-Homemade Thanksgiving Stuffing, our Wild Rice Stuffing, our Bacon Cranberry Cornbread Stuffing, and our Gluten Free Stuffing.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It’s flavorful – this stuffing recipe is full of fall staples (think: sweet potatoes, sausage, celery, and fresh cranberries) with the perfect balance of savory and sweet!
- It’s easy to make – because we’re replacing the bread in traditional stuffing with sweet potato croutons, this recipe doesn’t require making grain-free bread.
- It’s allergen-friendly – another bonus? This stuffing is totally gluten-free, grain-free, egg-free, and nut-free, making it a great dish to be enjoyed by all.
Recipe Ingredients
We’re going to use oven-crisped sweet potato croutons, browned Italian sausage, lots of garlic-infused grass-fed butter, onions and celery, and then some super fresh and super delicious cranberries! The cranberries in this stuffing really brighten each bite. Find ingredient notes (including substitutions and swaps) below.
- Butter – feel free to use extra virgin coconut oil or ghee instead, if you’d like!
- Italian Sausage – if you prefer your stuffing with breakfast sausage, use that instead. Either works great!
A full ingredient list with exact amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
Recipe Variations and Modifications
- Sub squash for the sweet potatoes – use cubed butternut squash in place of the sweet potatoes! Know that the squash won’t get quite as crispy as the sweet potatoes, but it’ll still be completely delicious.
- Use hot Italian sausage – if you’re looking for a little bit of spice in your stuffing, sub hot Italian sausage in for the mild!
- Use dried cranberries in place of raw – if tart raw cranberries aren’t your thing, use a cup of sweet dried cranberries instead!
- Add mushrooms – if you like mushrooms in your stuffing, feel free to add those into the mix too!
- Add more vegetables – feel free to add diced carrots or bell pepper to your stuffing! You’ll do this at the same time that you add the yellow onion and diced celery to the saute pan.
How to Make Sweet Potato Cranberry Stuffing
Though this stuffing has several steps, it’s actually very easy, and really comes down to a little bit of chopping, baking, sautéing, and then a little bit more baking – see, not hard at all! Follow along below.
Step 1: preheat the oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper. Then, cube your sweet potatoes if you haven’t already.
Step 2: Melt half of the butter and pour it over the cubed sweet potatoes. Lay the sweet potato cubes on the baking sheets in a single layer. Dust with half of the salt, and bake for 30 minutes, stir, then bake for an additional 25 minutes.
Step 3: In a large frying pan over medium-high heat, break up and brown the Italian sausage. When it’s brown and crispy, drain, and set aside.
Step 4: Add the other half of the butter to a large skillet over low/medium heat. Add the cloves of garlic and let it simmer and infuse for about 5 minutes. When the garlic starts to brown, remove and discard.
Step 5: Add the diced onions and stir. Add the diced celery, a ½ teaspoon of the salt, and the Italian seasoning, stir, and let simmer for about 5 minutes, or until the onions are translucent.
Step 6: Pour the finished sweet potato croutons, Italian sausage, and cooked onion, celery, and garlic mixture into a large bowl, then add the raw cranberries and fold until evenly combined.
Step 7: Pour the mixture into a large baking dish, cover with aluminum foil, and bake at 350°F for 20 minutes. Remove the foil then bake for an additional 10 minutes uncovered. Let cool slightly, then serve and enjoy!
Recipe Tip
Be sure to watch your sweet potatoes as they bake, so that you can either add or reduce the cooking time if needed. You want slightly crisped, but not burnt, sweet potato croutons.
How to Serve
Serve your stuffing alongside all of the Thanksgiving regulars. Here’s my recommended menu:
- Main: Oven Roasted Turkey
- Starchy Side: Creamy Mashed Potatoes (topped with traditional gravy, of course)
- Stuffing: this YUMMY sweet potato and cranberry stuffing!
- Veggie Side: Balsamic Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon
- Dessert: Easy Gluten-Free Pumpkin Pie
How to Store and Reheat
Store any leftover stuffing in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
To reheat, simply microwave a serving for 1-2 minutes or bake the stuffing in a 350°F oven for 10-12 minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, sweet potato cranberry stuffing can be prepared in advance. You can assemble the dish and refrigerate it overnight, then bake it the next day. Just be sure to add any liquid ingredients just before baking to prevent it from becoming too soggy.
Store leftover sweet potato cranberry stuffing in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Reheat it in the oven or microwave before serving.
More Favorite Thanksgiving Recipes
If you tried this Sweet Potato Cranberry Stuffing or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below!
Delicious Cranberry Stuffing with Sweet Potato
Ingredients
- 6 pound sweet potatoes cut into 1/2 inch cubes
- 8 ounces grass-fed butter or extra virgin coconut oil 2 sticks
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 pound mild Italian sausage
- 5 cloves garlic peeled and smashed
- 1 large onion diced
- 1 head celery diced
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 12 ounces fresh cranberries
- curly parsley for garnish optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper. Melt half the butter and pour over the cubed sweet potatoes. Lay the sweet potato cubes on the baking sheets in a single layer. Dust with half of the salt. Bake at 350°F for 30 minutes, stir, then bake for an additional 25 minutes. Add or subtract baking time in order to get slightly crisped, but not burnt sweet potato croutons.
- In a large frying pan, break up and brown the Italian sausage. When it’s brown and crispy, drain in a colander and then set aside.
- Add the other half of the butter (4 ounces) to a large sauce pan over low/medium heat. Add the cloves of garlic and let it simmer and infuse for about 5 minutes. When the garlic starts to brown, remove and discard. Add the diced onions and stir. Add the diced celery, ½ teaspoon of the salt, and the Italian seasoning. Stir and let simmer for about 5 minutes, or until the onions are translucent.
- Pour the finished sweet potato croutons, Italian sausage, and cooked onion, celery, and garlic mixture into a large mixing bowl. Add the raw cranberries and fold until evenly combined.
- Pour the mixture into a large baking dish, cover with aluminum foil, and bake at 350°F for 20 minutes. Remove the foil then bake for an additional 10 minutes uncovered.
- Remove from oven, serve, and enjoy!
Recipe Notes
- Sub squash for the sweet potatoes – use cubed butternut squash in place of the sweet potatoes! Know that the squash won’t get quite as crispy as the sweet potatoes, but it’ll still be completely delicious.
- Use hot Italian sausage – if you’re looking for a little bit of spice in your stuffing, sub hot Italian sausage in for the mild!
- Use dried cranberries in place of raw – if tart raw cranberries aren’t your thing, use a cup of sweet dried cranberries instead!
- Add mushrooms – if you like mushrooms in your stuffing, feel free to add those into the mix too!
- Add more vegetables – feel free to add diced carrots or bell pepper to your stuffing! You’ll do this at the same time that you add the yellow onion and diced celery to the saute pan.
Nutrition
This looks really good. The recipe calls for a head of celery? How many stalks is that?
Hi Jill! About 10!
Every time I have made it, everyone loves it. So delicious
Yay! Thank you, Monica!
I made this a few years ago and will make it again this year because of multiple requests. It’s delicious and different but not weird.
Yay! Thank you, Alison!
I have a vegan daughter, can I omit the sausage or do you have a suggestion for replacing it?
Feel free to omit, Denise!