Broccoli Rabe and Sausage Stuffing
Everyone knows that stuffing is one of the most contentious dishes in the Thanksgiving lineup. People have their own opinions on how to make the perfect stuffing, with everyone’s being slightly different in some respect. A guaranteed crowd pleaser, this stuffing is savory, crispy, moist, buttery, and most importantly, delicious. It is a twist on the classic, incorporating broccoli rabe into the base. The broccoli rabe adds a beautiful hue of green to the dish, and a flavor that complements each ingredient perfectly.
Recipe by Heather Hands
Heather is the author of Flourishing Foodie, a mostly vegetarian food blog. The blog was nominated for Saveur awards in 2014 and 2015 and named as a “Site We Love” in 2013. She is a registered dietitian who practices what she preaches, cooking fresh ingredients in their most natural form. Her work has been featured on Williams Sonoma, Glamour, and a number of other media outlets.
Ingredients
- 1 Medium loaf of bread chopped into 1-inch cubes (8 cups)
- 10 Broccoli rabe stalks
- 4 Tbsp. butter
- 1 Lb. sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
- 1 ½ Cups diced onion
- 2 Celery stalks, sliced
- 1 Cup mushrooms, sliced
- 10 Fresh sage leaves, chopped
- 1 Tbsp. fresh chopped thyme
- 1 Tsp. salt
- ½ Tsp. pepper
- 1 ½ Cups broth
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
2. Spread the chopped bread onto a baking sheet, place into the oven and bake for 20 minutes, or until the bread is crispy. Leave the oven set to 350ºF.
3. While the bread is baking, bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add the broccoli rabe and boil for 3 minutes. Remove from the water and submerge the broccoli rabe into an ice water bath for 2 minutes. Drain, then chop into bite-size pieces.
4. In a large frying pan, heat the butter on medium. Add the sausage, onions, celery, mushrooms, sage, and thyme, breaking up the meat into small pieces as you cook. Sauté until the vegetables are soft and the sausage is cooked through. Add the cooked chopped broccoli rabe to the sausage mixture and combine. Season with salt and pepper.
5. In a 13 x 9 inch rectangular pan, combine the bread with the broccoli rabe sausage mixture. Pour in the broth and combine. Cover the pan with tin foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the tin foil and continue baking for an additional 30 minutes, until the bread is crunchy and the underneath moist. Remove from the oven and serve warm.
6. The stuffing can be made the night before, and then reheated in the oven at 350ºF for 15 minutes before serving.
7. Can be stored in the fridge covered for up to 5 days.
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