Butternut Squash Stuffing
Butternut Squash Stuffing! The fall season's most beloved gourd makes an appearance in this delicious twist on a classic Thanksgiving side dish.
Servings: 8 servings
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 pound sweet Italian sausage
- large leeks white & light green parts only, cleaned and sliced
- 3 cups cubed butternut squash
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 3 cups chopped kale
- 4 cups stale crusty bread
- 2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese divided
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter or spray a large casserole dish (about 3 quarts) and set it aside aside.
- In a large pan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, melt 1 tablespoon butter. Add sausage and cook until browned.
- Add leeks (or onions), cubed squash, salt & pepper. Cook until leeks or onions are tender, about 4-5 minutes.
- Stir in the chopped kale and cook until it begins to wilt, about 4-5 minutes.
- Add the stale bread cubes and the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter, and toss together to combine. Reduce heat to low.
- In a bowl (or a large glass measuring cup for easy pouring), whisk together broth, egg, cheese and a pinch of salt until combined.
- Pour egg mixture over bread and cook for about a minute, or until most of the moisture is soaked up by the bread.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared casserole dish and sprinkle with remaining ½ cup of Parmesan cheese.
- Bake for about 40 minutes, until top is golden and mixture is cooked through. Cool for 5-10 minutes before serving
Notes
Tip: Purchase pre-cut butternut squash (or frozen, diced butternut squash) to cut down on prep time.
Variations:
- Substitute spinach for kale.
- Try roasting the butternut squash in the oven for extra flavor!
- Sauté other vegetables such as mushrooms, zucchini, pumpkin or other varieties of squash along with or in place of butternut squash.
- Add dried cranberries or diced apples.
- Use an herbed loaf or different types of bread such as sourdough or ciabatta.
- Gluten-Free: Use your favorite gluten-free bread in place of regular bread. Remember to let the bread dry out a bit so that it isn't too soggy. You can do this by cubing the bread and letting it sit out on a tray, uncovered, over night.
- Vegetarian: Use olive oil or plant-based butter instead of regular butter. Omit the sausage or use a vegan sausage or tofu crumbles; I like to use ½ teaspoon of smoked paprika when I omit meat to add similar, smoky flavors. Swap chicken broth for vegetable broth. Use a vegetarian cheese (cheese made without rennet).
- Dairy-Free or Vegan: Use plant-based butter, "sausage" and cheese, as well as a vegan egg substitute. Substitute vegetable broth for chicken broth.