She Strengthens

Savory Italian-Style Stuffing Recipe

Elevate Your Holiday Feast

Looking for a show-stopping side dish to impress your family and friends this holiday season? This Italian-inspired stuffing recipe is sure to become a new tradition. With its unique blend of sweet Italian turkey sausage, crunchy pine nuts, and creamy Parmesan cheese, this dish is a game-changer.

A Symphony of Flavors

This recipe brings together a medley of flavors and textures, starting with day-old Italian bread cubes, toasted pine nuts, and savory Italian turkey sausage. The addition of sautéed fennel, onion, and garlic adds a depth of flavor, while the dry white wine and low-sodium chicken broth provide moisture and richness. Finally, the beaten eggs and grated Parmesan cheese bind everything together, creating a cohesive and satisfying dish.

Easy to Prepare

Despite its impressive presentation, this recipe is surprisingly easy to prepare. Simply heat the oven to 375°F, coat a 13-by-9-inch baking dish with butter, and set it aside. Then, cook the sausage and vegetables in a large frying pan, before combining everything in a large bowl and transferring it to the prepared dish.

The Perfect Side Dish

This savory stuffing is the perfect accompaniment to your holiday feast. Serve it alongside our Turchetta with Vermouth Gravy for an unforgettable Italian-inspired Thanksgiving.

Recipe Details

Yield: 6-8 servings
Difficulty: Easy
Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 (1-pound) loaf day-old Italian bread, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
• 3/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (1/2 stick), plus more for coating the baking dish
• 12 ounces uncooked Italian turkey sausage, casings removed
• 2 1/2 cups medium-dice fennel (from about 2 medium fennel bulbs)
• 1 medium yellow onion, medium dice
• 4 medium garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth or stock
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese (about 2 ounces)

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 375°F and arrange a rack in the middle.
2. Coat a 13-by-9-inch baking dish with butter and set it aside.
3. Place the bread and pine nuts in a large bowl and set aside.
4. Melt the measured butter in a large frying pan over medium-high heat until foaming.
5. Add the sausage and cook, breaking it up into smaller pieces with a wooden spoon and stirring occasionally, until the meat is cooked through and starting to brown, about 6-8 minutes.
6. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the sausage to the bowl with the bread and nuts.
7. Reduce the heat to medium and add the fennel, onion, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper to the pan.
8. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have softened, about 7 minutes.
9. Increase the heat to medium-high, add the wine, and cook, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan and stirring occasionally, until the wine is reduced by half, about 2 minutes.
10. Transfer the onion-fennel mixture to the bowl, add the broth, eggs, and cheese, and stir until well combined and evenly moistened.
11. Transfer the stuffing to the prepared dish and spread it into an even layer.
12. Bake until the top is golden brown, about 45-50 minutes.
13. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool for at least 5 minutes before serving.