Description
This Savory Cauliflower Stuffing is a delicious and hearty side dish perfect for holiday meals or any comforting dinner. Roasted cauliflower, mushrooms, carrots, and onions combined with browned Italian sausage, fresh herbs, cranberries, pecans, and parmesan cheese create a flavorful and textured stuffing that’s both gluten-free and satisfying.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables
- 1 head cauliflower, cut into bite-size florets
- 1 cup diced yellow onion
- 1 cup diced baby Bella mushrooms
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
- 1 cup diced celery
Proteins and Fats
- 1 pound mild Italian sausage
- 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 4 tablespoons butter
Herbs and Seasonings
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
- 2 teaspoons minced fresh sage
Add-ins and Cheese
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 1/2 cup pecans
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese (or to taste)
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Vegetables: Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Spread the cauliflower florets, diced mushrooms, diced carrots, and diced onions evenly on a sheet pan. Drizzle 2 to 4 tablespoons of olive oil over the vegetables and toss them to ensure they are well coated. Sprinkle salt and pepper over the vegetables to taste.
- Roast Vegetables: Place the sheet pan in the oven and roast the vegetables for 25 minutes, stirring halfway through. This will help the cauliflower start browning and the veggies become tender.
- Brown Sausage: While the vegetables roast, heat 4 tablespoons of butter in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the mild Italian sausage and cook until browned and cooked through. Use a slotted spoon to remove the sausage from the pan, leaving the butter and pan drippings behind.
- Sauté Celery and Herbs: Add the diced celery along with minced fresh rosemary, parsley, and sage to the pan drippings. Sauté the mixture for 4 to 5 minutes or until the celery becomes tender, infusing the drippings with fragrant herbs.
- Combine Ingredients: After the vegetables have roasted for 25 minutes, remove the sheet pan from the oven. Add the browned sausage, sautéed celery and herbs to the roasted vegetables on the sheet pan. Use a rubber spatula to scrape all the flavorful butter and drippings from the frying pan into the mix.
- Add Cranberries and Pecans: Toss in the dried cranberries and pecans with the other ingredients on the sheet pan. Mix everything together thoroughly to distribute flavors evenly.
- Add Cheese and Finish Roasting: Sprinkle the parmesan cheese evenly over the mixture. Return the sheet pan to the oven and roast for an additional 10 to 15 minutes. This will allow the vegetables to develop a golden brown color, roast the pecans, and melt the cheese, creating a rich and savory topping.
Notes
- This stuffing is naturally gluten-free due to the absence of bread crumbs, making it a great option for those with gluten sensitivities.
- Feel free to substitute pecans with walnuts or almonds if preferred.
- For a vegetarian version, omit the sausage and butter and replace with olive oil and plant-based sausage or tofu crumbles.
- Fresh herbs can be substituted with 1 teaspoon each of dried rosemary, parsley, and sage if fresh are unavailable.
- Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and reheated in the oven for best texture.
