Roasted Celery Boats with Cajun Stuffing

Roasted Celery Boats with Cajun Stuffing are a fantastic way to enjoy a slimmed-down version of a holiday favorite! Cajun-style stuffing is packed into celery boats, then roasted for a portion-controlled side dish that everyone can enjoy.

If you follow me on Instagram, you probably saw my weekend adventure in New Orleans. I’ve wanted to visit the Crescent City for as long as I can remember, so when my husband asked if I wanted to tag along on a “business” trip {well, some business, but mostly food and fun!}, I packed my bags as quickly as I could!

After doing some site seeing and strolling, I decided that if charming Charleston and funky Austin had a lovechild with a twist of its very own Cajun character, New Orleans would be it. The city is packed with stuff to do, eat and see {and we only got a tiny taste of everything it has to offer}, but I can say with certainty that it has made its way into my “favorites.”

Between the beignets, gumbo and chargrilled oysters, I definitely got to “digest” some of the food culture of this magnificent city!  It’s no wonder that I’m sharing a Thanksgiving recipe with a Cajun twist: Roasted Celery Boats with Cajun Stuffing.

It can be next to impossible to eat reasonable portions on holidays that are centered around food, but I might have just found a way to aid the cause with these pre-portioned celery boats filled with spicy, flavorful stuffing.

Dandy Fresh Fresh-Cut Celery makes the perfect vehicle for this easy-to-make stuffing recipe that features the fresh flavors of a classic “mirepoix” {the base for many Cajun dishes}, along with a little kick from a Creole seasoning blend and Andouille-style chicken sausage. {You can also make this vegetarian friendly by replacing the sausage with spicy tofu crumbles and subbing the chicken stock for veggie stock!} The roasted celery boats make a great edible base and keep the carbs to a minimum.

I’ll be sharing more about my trip soon… but first, Thanksgiving prep! I’ve got some cooking and baking to do and I’m sure you do, too!

I hope you have a beautiful Thanksgiving surrounded by loved ones and your favorite foods of the holiday season! Happy Thanksgiving, friends!

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Dandy Fresh Produce. As always, all opinions here are my own!

Roasted Celery Boats with Cajun Stuffing

Roasted Celery Boats with Cajun Stuffing are a fantastic way to enjoy a slimmed-down version of a holiday favorite! Cajun-style stuffing is packed into celery boats, then roasted for a portion-controlled side dish that everyone can enjoy.

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Course Appetizer, Side Dish

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Total Time 50 minutes mins

Servings 20 celery boats

Author Dianna Muscari

Ingredients  

• 2 cups Cajun-style chicken sausage or Andouille sausage finely diced {or spicy tofu crumbles for vegetarian version}
• 1 cup onion finely diced
• ½ cup carrots peeled and finely diced
• ½ cup celery finely diced
• ¼ teaspoon Cajun or Creole seasoning
• Approximately 2 cups diced day-old crusty baguette
• ½ cup chicken stock* {or vegetable stock for vegetarian version} ⅓ - ½ cups
• 1 egg beaten
• 20 stalks Dandy Fresh celery

Instructions 

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Prepare a baking pan by lining with foil. Set aside.
• Heat about a tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
• Add sausage and cook for about 2-3 minutes or until it begins to brown.
• Add onion, carrot, and celery and stir to combine. Cook for about 5-7 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften. Sprinkle Cajun seasoning over the mixture and stir to combine.
• Add bread and toss to combine. Drizzle in chicken stock slowly, scraping up the brown bits on the bottom of the pan. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Add beaten egg and stir to incorporate into the mixture.

Trim the celery:

• In order for the celery to lay flat, you will want to trim it lengthwise by running a paring knife along the bottom of each piece, slicing a thin strip to create a flattened base so that it doesn’t roll on its side when it’s filled and placed on the baking sheet.

Fill celery stalks:

• The best tool for this job is your clean hands! Spoon stuffing directly onto each celery boat and pack it down slightly from end to end. Place on lined baking pan and repeat with each piece of celery.
• Cover the pan with another sheet of foil. Bake for about 15 minutes to soften the celery, then remove foil from the top and bake for another 10-12 minutes to cook and brown the stuffing.
• Remove from oven and cool for about 15 minutes before serving.

Dianna's Tips

Notes: *You will want the bread to be moistened but not completely soaked, so add the chicken stock slowly and adjust if needed.