Rice & Sausage Stuffing
Submitted by Papa Bear
Rice and Italian sausage stuffing with raisins, mustard greens, Parmesan, sage, thyme, and rosemary. A bread-free stuffing for a 10-12 pound turkey, make-ahead friendly.
YIELD
8 cupsPREP
10 minCOOK
55 minREADY
1 hrsForget the breadcrumbs. This stuffing builds on pearl rice cooked in chicken broth with sage, thyme, and rosemary, then loaded with crumbled Italian sausage, plumped raisins, wilted mustard greens, and a full cup of grated Parmesan.
The raisins go right into the sausage pan after browning. They puff up in the rendered fat, turning sweet and savory at the same time. Mustard greens cook in those same drippings until wilted and bright green, picking up all that sausage flavor before joining the rice.
Everything gets tossed together with Parmesan, which melts into the warm rice and binds it all. This recipe is designed for a 10-12 pound bird and can be prepped the night before, which takes real pressure off your holiday morning.
Kitchen Tips
- Don’t stir the rice while it cooks. Leave the lid on and let the broth absorb evenly. Stirring releases starch and makes it gummy.
- Brown the sausage in batches if your pan is small. Crowding the pan steams the meat instead of browning it.
- Cook the greens until bright green and just wilted. Overcooked mustard greens turn olive-drab and bitter.
- If making ahead, refrigerate the stuffing separately and stuff the bird right before roasting. Never stuff a bird the night before.
Variations
- Kale swap: Use chopped kale or Swiss chard if mustard greens aren’t available. Both hold up well.
- Dried cranberries: Swap the raisins for dried cranberries for a tart, festive twist.
- Side dish version: Skip the bird entirely and bake this in a casserole dish at 350°F (175°C) for 30 minutes for a crispy-topped standalone side.
Ingredients
Directions
Combine rice, broth, sage, thyme and rosemary and cover and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and cook, without stirring, until liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes.
Cook sausage on medium heat, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned.
Add the raisins to the meat, stirring often, until they puff, then remove the meat and raisins with a slotted spoon and add to the rice.
Add the greens to the sausage drippings and cook, stirring often until the leaves are wilted and bright green, about 8 minutes.
Add the greens, drippings and Parmesan cheese to the rice and mix.
This can be prepared the night before and kept chilled prior to stuffing a 10 to 12 pound bird.
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