Savory Stuffed Apples with Chorizo and Cornbread
Savory stuffed apples with a spicy cornbread and chorizo stuffing are the perfect easy fall side dish! Try these crispy-topped tender baked apples filled with soft stuffing for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or even a Sunday night roast chicken dinner. Try different stuffings for more twists!
I know what you’re thinking. “For someone who supposedly doesn’t like apples she sure is posting alot of recipes with apples…”
Jump to RecipeThis is true. But the key with recipes is I do really love stuffing. And around this time of year I try to find as many ways as possible to eat stuffing. Other than just shoveling it in my mouth in heaping spoonfuls. Because that is not cute. (I try very hard to be cute. I wear bows.)
Want more stuffed fall goodies? Here are some Stuffed Acorn Squash – Tex-Mex Style!
Apples make the perfect stuffing vessel. They are crisp and solid, which means they don’t just disintegrate at high heat. But they do get tender enough to slice with a knife and fork and get to…all that stuffing.
Looking for a sweet version? Check out these sherry poached apples stuffed with crumb topping and cinnamon gelato!
How to Make Savory Stuffed Apples
Stuffing-stuffed apples are also incredibly easy to make! Really all you need to do is slice a tiny bit off the top of your apple, core it, stuff it, bake it and you’re ready to eat! No peeling, no slicing, no fancy work.
When it comes to slicing the tops off the apples, don’t slice too much. (You don’t even need to get all of the stem since you’ll be coring it out later.) The more apple you slice off the top, the less apple there is to stuff!
Using a spoon or a melon baller, start coring by running your spoon in a circle around the stem and scooping it out. Continue until the core is gone. (Don’t use an apple corer here. You’ll end up removing the bottom of your apple and you do not want to do that!)
You can also scoop out the majority of the apple itself, depending how much stuffing you have. I’d recommend leaving at least ¼ inch of apple on all sides so it keeps its structure during baking.
Once you have your apple shell, scoop spoonfuls of stuffing into your apples. You can pack them tightly or loosely, they cook the same either way. I always pack tightly and then put heaping spoonfuls of stuffing on the top. (Just to fit more stuffing really.)
Feel free to top with a bit of cheese or breadcrumbs for an extra topping. But if you bake the apples at high enough heat, your top layer of stuffing will crisp up and have much the same effect.
Bake the apples, turning once through out, until they are fork tender. Then serve immediately!
What type of apples should I use?
Pick out some tart, crisp apples. I prefer to stay away from very sweet varieties like Honeycrisps for this recipe. They are just too sweet. Cornbread and corn are sweet enough. Pick a tarter variety.
Also try to stay away from soft apples that cook down. You want to retain the apple’s shape.
My favorite varieties for this recipe are Winesaps and Braeburns.
Do I need to use Chorizo Cornbread Stuffing?
Nope, not at all! Cornbread goes well with apples, but so do oysters, sausage, and mushrooms. Try changing up the spices, meats, or even base of your stuffing for a new dish style. Nearly all types of stuffing go well with apples. So you really can’t go wrong!
Looking for other Mexican or TexMex style meals? Try these Easy Homemade Soft Tacos or these Stuffed Poblano Peppers with Shrimp and Butternut Squash!
What do I serve with Savory Stuffed Apples?
Savory stuffed apples work as either a side dish or a main dish. (You can make them vegetarian by removing the chorizo, sausage, oysters, etc. Easy Vegetarian Thanksgiving course!)
If you’re serving them as a main dish I recommend this Orange and Sage Crispy Roast Chicken as a main course. It’s festive, fall, and perfect to pair with apples. Even better, this means you can serve stuffing with your chicken without extending the cooking time and drying out your bird!
As a main, add a little soup on the side like this Brown Butter Butternut Squash Soup! Squash and apples grow in the same season and have amazingly complementary flavors.
What wine pairs with Savory Stuffed Apples?
- Red: What better to go with chorizo than a Spanish wine! Rioja made from Tempranillo is my choice. These wines will be just a little bit spicy with pepper and cinnamon, but full of big red fruits like cherry and strawberry.
- White: A light acidic wine with strong citrusy acidity works best. You don’t want anything that will overpower the flavor of your chorizo. But you also don’t want a soft wine to be overpowered by all that stuffing! I’d choose a Sancerre from Loire, a Dry Riesling from California, a Grüner Veltliner from Austria, or a Sparkling Cava/Champagne.
Going in another direction, depending on how spicy you make your stuffing you could choose a Gewürztraminer. Known as a “spiced wine” Gewurz has the reputation of pairing with spicier, more flavorful, and hard-to-pair foods.
Using a different stuffing?
- Sausage: Grüner, Chenin Blanc, Zinfandel
- Oyster: Dry Riesling, Sancerre, Viognier
- Mushroom: Pinot Noir, Chardonnay
Can I store and reheat Savory Stuffed Apples?
Yes! Keep them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 7 days.
To reheat just wrap them in tinfoil and place in a 350 oven for about 20 minutes. Uncover the tops and cook and extra 5-8 minutes for crispiness!
A savory stuffed apple recipe with rich southern flavors like cornbread, peppers, jalapeños, and chorizo.
- 1 bag Cornbread Stuffing*
- 1 half can Whole Sweet Corn
- 1 Bell Pepper (Orange, Red, or Green) minced
- 1 Carrot finely chopped
- 1 Celery Stalk finely chopped
- 1 clove Garlic minced
- 1 Jalapeño finely chopped
- 2 cups Chicken or Vegetable Broth
- 7 tbsp Butter
- 10-16 oz Chorizo Sausage chopped into small pieces
- 1/2 cup Pepper Jack Cheese grated
- 6-8 medium-large Apples
- 2 tbsp Olive Oil
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Preheat the oven to 350°F.
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Chop the carrot, celery, garlic, bell pepper, jalapeño. Combine with the drained corn. Place in a sauté pan over medium-high heat with 2 tbsp of butter and a quick dash of olive oil. Cook until the veggies are somewhat tender to a fork.
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Add in the chorizo. Cook until done or warm (if pre-cooked).
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Combine with bread in a bowl and toss. Pour broth over the mixture and stir to moisten. Add in the pepper jack cheese. Set aside.
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Set the apples right-side up. Slice a thin layer off the top (doesn't even need to be deep enough to get the whole stem.
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Using a spoon or melon baller, scoop out the core of the apple and most of the flesh. Leave behind a 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick apple shell.
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Coat each apple with olive oil inside and out.
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Fill with as much stuffing as possible, letting some heap on top.
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Top with extra grated cheese or bread crumbs (optional).
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Bake on a cookie sheet in the oven for 35 minutes. Turn the baking sheet once halfway through to ensure even cooking.
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Serve immediately!
*if you are using Fresh Cornbread, use 4 cups fresh bread and reduce the broth to 1 cup.
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