Italian Sausage Kale and Butternut Squash Stuffing
A fantastic twist on a classic homemade stuffing recipe. This stuffing is made with focaccia, sweet Italian sausage, kale, butternut squash and leeks for a rich, savory and fresh stuffing that you will make again and again!
Equipment
- Large baking dish or casserole dish 4qt or 9x13"
Ingredients
- 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 pound sweet Italian sausage casings removed, broken into small pieces
- 3 large leeks white and light-green parts only, cleaned, halved lengthwise, and sliced
- 5 green onions chopped
- ½ medium butternut squash peeled and diced (around ½ inch pieces) - about 4 cups diced
- 1 Tablespoon fennel seeds
- 2 Teaspoons fresh rosemary leaves finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 1 bunch kale leaves trimmed and chopped
- 1 pound focaccia onion focaccia recommended, stale/dried and cubed (around ¾ - 1 inch) - see note
- 1 large egg
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken stock
- 1 cup diced parmesan cheese plus ½ cup shredded
Instructions
Cook the Sausage
- Preheat the oven to 350° and butter a 3-quart casserole dish. Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a large Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook until golden brown, about 6 minutes.
Add and Cook the Vegetables
- Add the leeks, green onions, squash, fennel seeds and the salt and pepper; cook until the leeks are soft, about 3 minutes. Add the kale, toss and cover until the kale wilts, about 4 minutes.
Combine the Bread
- Add the focaccia cubes and the remaining 3 tablespoons butter and toss until the butter melts. Then stir in the diced parmesan.
Finish with the Broth
- In a separate bowl, whisk the egg and chicken broth until smooth. Pour the broth mixture over the bread mixture; cook until the liquid is absorbed by the bread, about 1 minute.
Bake
- Transfer the bread mixture to the prepared casserole dish. Scatter the shredded cheese evenly on top and bake until golden and cooked through, about 40 minutes. Set aside for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
For the focaccia, you will want to cut these into cubes then sit out at room temperature for 1-2 days prior to making the stuffing. Alternatively, you can place the cut cubes into the oven on a baking sheet and allow to bake at 350° for approximately 15-20 min, or until the bread has dried out. You can use store-bought onion dinner rolls or another type of bread, but we recommend using focaccia, and onion focaccia if you can find it. You can buy or make your own focaccia for this recipe if desired.
SUBSTITUTIONS:
- Leeks: Leeks add great flavor to the dish, but you can use yellow onion if leeks aren't available for similar results.
- Butternut squash: Other squash varieties like acorn squash, kabocha squash, or sugar pumpkin are good substitutes.
- Kale: Spinach, swiss chard or another leafy green could easily be substituted for the kale, but you will lose a bit of texture since kale holds up a bit better than other leafy greens.
- Focaccia: If you can't find focaccia, we recommend using onion rolls, dinner rolls or sourdough bread, but any other crusty bread will work.
- Chicken stock: Vegetable stock or turkey stock can be used in this recipe if desired.
- Parmesan Cheese: Grana Padano, Pecorino Romano or even a cubed alpine cheese will work instead of parmesan.
- How to store leftover stuffing: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- How to reheat leftover stuffing: Simply reheat in a skillet over medium-low heat or in the oven at 325°F until warmed through.
- Can you freeze leftover stuffing? Yes, it can be frozen for up to 6 months. Just thaw before reheating.
- Can you make stuffing in advance? Yes! This stuffing can be prepared 1-2 days in advance and stored covered in the fridge until ready to bake. Once you transfer the stuffing to the baking dish, simply cover tightly with plastic wrap, then aluminum foil, and store in the fridge for 1-2 days (or freeze for up to 3 months). Remove from the fridge about 30 minutes prior to baking, then place in your preheated oven uncovered and bake for the recommended amount of time in the recipe instructions. If using the freezer option, defrost completely in the refrigerator overnight prior to baking.
- For the focaccia, you will want to cut it into bite-sized cubes and let them sit out at room temperature for 1-2 days to dry out prior to making the stuffing. Alternatively, you can place the cut cubes into the oven on a baking sheet and allow to bake at 350° for approximately 15-20 min, or until the bread has dried out. You can use store bought onion dinner rolls or bread, but we recommend using focaccia (onion focaccia recommended). You can buy or make your own for this recipe.
Nutrition
Calories: 420kcalCarbohydrates: 34gProtein: 17gFat: 25gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 70mgSodium: 1256mgPotassium: 427mgFiber: 3gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 6034IUVitamin C: 25mgCalcium: 212mgIron: 2mg
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