Sausage Stuffing Stuffed Brussels Sprouts
My family is big on Brussels sprouts for Thanksgiving (along with a laundry list of other must-haves we like to eat).
So as the one normally in charge of anything veggie, I often find myself elbow-deep in Brussels sprouts come November.
I’ve done them with pomegranate vinaigrette and wild rice, and I’ve cut them into strips and tossed them like a salad.
But this year I’m really bringing it…
It’s time to blow some peoples' socks off by taking a sausage stuffing and stuffing it into the Brussels sprouts, creating bites of Thanksgiving day goodness that might just steal the turkey's spotlight.
Never stuffed a Brussels sprout?
Don’t worry, it’s easier than you think: a quick bath and a single cut, and the centers pop right out, creating a nest just waiting to be filled with holiday cheer.
These are great as a side dish or an appetizer (if you’re going in the appetizer direction, try to get smaller Brussels sprouts so that they are still one-biters even after being stuffed)!
Sausage Stuffing Stuffed Brussels Sprouts
makes: 24 stuffed Brussels sprouts
Ingredients:
- 1 Italian sausage (about ¼ pound)
- ½ pound Brussels sprouts
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 shallot, finely chopped
- ½ cup Italian-seasoned panko bread crumbs
- ¼ cup turkey stock
- 2 tablespoons dried cranberries
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon shredded parmesan cheese
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Heat a medium skillet over medium heat. Remove the sausage from its casing and crumble it into the heated skillet; cook, breaking up with a wooden spoon, until cooked through—3 to 5 minutes. Drain the meat on a paper towel-lined plate and set aside. Set the skillet aside as well, but do not drain it.
- Meanwhile, add 2 cups of water to a medium pot and bring to a boil. Cut the Brussels sprouts in half lengthwise and drop them into the boiling water, working in batches, if necessary. Cook them until they are slightly soft and pliable—about 2 minutes, then set aside to cool.
- Once the Brussels sprouts are cool enough to touch, use a melon baller to remove the inside of the sprout; discard this piece or reserve it for another use (Alternately, if you don’t have a melon baller, you can use a paring knife to remove the inside of the sprout. To do this, cut part of the stem towards the base of the sprout, which should allow the center of the sprout to pop out.). Place the Brussels sprout shells on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Add the oil to the same skillet you used to cook the sausage, heating it over medium heat. Stir in the shallot, cooking until it is translucent—1 to 2 minutes. Add the panko, cooked sausage, turkey stock, cranberries, and salt, and continue to cook for 2 minutes more.
- Remove the mixture from the heat and transfer it to the bowl of a food processor, pulsing it until coarsely chopped and combined—about 10 pulses.
- Stuff the Brussels sprout halves with ½ teaspoon of the sausage filling, then sprinkle with parmesan. Place the baking sheet in the oven and cook until the cheese is golden-brown and the Brussels sprouts are tender—about 20 minutes.
- Remove the sprouts from the baking sheet and serve immediately.
