Delicious Christmassy stuffing ideas

Add some Christmas flavours with these six sensational stuffing recipes.

Stuffing

I think it goes without saying.

Stuffing, like gravy, makes a roast.

And makes Christmas Day.

But I do remember as a child, some stuffings were better executed than others.

So, I have chosen six recipes to check out.

The first one is super simple, tasty, quick and pretty fail-safe.

Some of the others have a little more embellishment to them.

Either way, your family will be happy when you serve one of these stuffing recipes up.

1. Simple crispy traybake stuffing

If your favourite part of the stuffing is the crispy bits, you’ll love this recipe.

  • SERVES: 8 – 10
  • PREP: 10 mins
  • COOK: 30 – 35 mins
  • DIFFICULTY: easy

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 2 onions, halved and sliced
  • 1 Bramley apple, peeled, cored and diced
  • 2 x 400g packs Cumberland sausages, skins removed
  • small pack sage leaves, chopped, a few whole leaves reserved to serve
  • 100g breadcrumbs
  • 100g cooked chestnuts, roughly chopped

Method

  1. On medium heat, cook the onions in the butter for 10 mins or until softened, in a large, non-stick pan.
  2. Add the apple and cook for 2-3 mins, then set aside.
  3. Tip the sausagemeat into a large bowl, and mix with the onion and apple mixture and all the other ingredients then add some seasoning. Use your hands to mix everything really well.
  4. While your turkey is resting, spread the stuffing into a large shallow roasting tin and cook in the oven for 30-35 mins until the top has formed a crust.
  5. Serve immediately with the reserved sage leaves scattered over.

Tip: You can do up to Step 3 and keep it in the fridge up to two days before baking.

BBC goodgood

2. Chestnut, bacon & cranberry stuffing

  • SERVES: 8 – 10
  • PREP: 30 mins + 1 hr to soak the cranberries
  • COOK: 40 mins
  • DIFFICULTY: easy

Ingredients

  • 100g dried cranberries
  • 50ml ruby port
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 2 rashers unsmoked back bacon, cut into strips
  • 50g butter
  • 2 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 450g sausagemeat
  • 140g fresh white or brown breadcrumbs
  • 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
  • ½ tsp chopped fresh thyme leaves
  • 140g peeled, cooked chestnuts, roughly chopped
  • 1 medium egg, lightly beaten

Method

  1. Soak the cranberries in the port for an hour.
  2. Fry the onion and bacon gently in the butter, until softened and the bacon is cooked. Add the garlic and fry for another minute or so.
  3. Cool slightly, then mix with all the remaining ingredients, including the cranberries and port, adding enough egg to bind.
  4. (Tip: Fry a knob of stuffing in a little butter, taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary).
  5. To bake, press the stuffing into a greased ovenproof dish in a layer that is around 4cm thick.
  6. Bake at 190C/gas 5/fan 170C for about 40 minutes, until browned and the sausagemeat stuffing is cooked right through.
  7. Alternatively, roll into balls that are about 4cm in diameter. Roast the stuffing balls in hot fat (they can be tucked around the turkey or done in a roasting tin of their own) for 30-40 minutes, until crisp and nicely browned on the outside.

BBC goodfood

3. Apricot & hazelnut stuffing

Ingredients

  • 2 large onions, chopped
  • 50g butter
  • 50g hazelnut, roughly chopped
  • 140g ready-to-eat dried apricots, chopped
  • 175g fresh white breadcrumbs
  • 20g pack parsley, chopped
  • finely grated zest of 1 lemon
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • olive oil, for drizzling

Method

  1. Fry onions in the butter. Stir in nuts; fry until golden.
  2. Remove from the heat, and add apricots, breadcrumbs, parsley and lemon zest.
  3. Mix in the egg and season.
  4. Use half to stuff the cavity; shape the rest into balls. Put the balls in a buttered baking dish, then drizzle with oil.
  5. Bake for 30 mins until golden, or roast them around the chicken or turkey.

Recipe: BBC GoodFood

4. Pistachio & cranberry stuffing

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 small brown onions, halved, finely chopped
  • 75g (1/2 cup) Craisins (dried cranberries), finely chopped
  • 55g (1/3 cup) unsalted pistachio kernels, finely chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 245g (3 1/2 cups) fresh breadcrumbs (made from day-old bread)
  • 2 eggs, lightly whisked
  • 1/3 cup finely chopped fresh continental parsley

Method

  1. To make the stuffing, heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan over medium heat.
  2. Add the onion, Craisins, pistachio and garlic and cook, stirring, for 8-10 minutes or until onion softens.
  3. Set aside for 5 minutes to cool slightly.
  4. Place the pistachio mixture in a bowl.
  5. Add the breadcrumbs, egg and parsley and stir to combine.
  6. Season with salt and pepper
  7. Spoon the stuffing into the chicken cavity.

Recipe: Taste

5. Prune and walnut stuffing

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 brown onion, finely chopped
  • 2 bacon rashers, finely chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 1 cup (70g) fresh breadcrumbs (made from day-old bread)
  • 1/2 cup (95g) pitted prunes, coarsely chopped
  • 1/3 cup (35g) toasted walnuts, coarsely chopped
  • 2 tbsp finely shredded sage
  • 1 egg, lightly whisked

Method

  1. To make the prune and walnut stuffing, heat the oil in a medium frying pan over medium heat.
  2. Add the onion, bacon and garlic and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until the onion softens.
  3. Remove from heat and set aside for 5 minutes to cool slightly.
  4. Transfer to a medium bowl.
  5. Add the breadcrumbs, prunes, walnuts, sage and egg and stir to combine.
  6. Season with salt and pepper.
  7. Spoon the stuffing into the chicken cavity.

Recipe: Taste

6. Sage & onion stuffing

Ingredients

  • 15g butter
  • 1 large onion, finely chopped
  • zest of ½ lemon
  • 5 fresh sage leaves, finely chopped, or 1 tsp dried sage
  • 100g breadcrumbs
  • 1 egg

Method

  • To make the sage and onion stuffing, melt the butter in a frying pan, add the onion and cook it over a low heat until it’s very soft and translucent. 
  • Tip the onion into a bowl and let it cool, then add the lemon zest, sage and breadcrumbs.
  • Season well with salt and pepper, then add the egg and mix thoroughly.
  • Spoon the stuffing into the chicken cavity.

Recipe: Hairy Bikers

For a delicious roast chicken visit, here.