I love the concept of stuffing. It’s a blank slate waiting to be painted in flavors that depict who you are. Green olives are my ode to California, while the chouriço, saffron, and vinegar speak for the India I grew up in.–Nik Sharma
Why Our Testers Loved This
Our testers were so pleased that this stuffing recipe was easy to make and “full of vibrant flavors and textures” that offered a welcome change from traditional stuffing.
Notes on Ingredients
- Bread–Sturdy sourdough or ciabatta bread is our first choice for this stuffing, but any artisan-style bread will work here.
- Uncured chouriço–Use a raw, uncured sausage here since you will need to crumble and brown it. If you can’t find chouriço, regular chorizo can be used instead.
- Apples–Granny Smith apples are ideal here because they have a pleasant tart flavor and hold their shape during cooking. If you want to substitute a different type of apple, you can, but be sure to choose a variety that is firm and tart.
- Green olives–Our testers successfully made this with canned green olives, but since the briny flavor of the olives really shines in this stuffing, we recommend you use the best quality olives you can find.
How to Make This Recipe
- Dry the bread. Preheat the oven to 200°F. Tear or cut the bread into chunks and bake until dry.
- Grind the saffron. Use a mortar and pestle to grind half of the saffron with some salt. Grinding allows the saffron to give the finished dish more color and flavor than using the strands alone would.
- Brown the chouriço. Crumble the sausage into a saucepan and cook, breaking up the pieces, until it is browned.
- Sauté the vegetables. Add the butter, leek, and onion, and cook until the vegetables are softened. Add the garlic and cook for a minute or so, then stir in the saffron.
- Mix the stuffing. Stir in the apples, cherries, and nuts, and cook briefly. Remove from the heat and stir in the vinegar followed by the olives and bread. Place in a large bowl or baking dish.
- Moisten the stuffing. Whisk the stock and eggs together, pour over the stuffing mixture, and fold gently to combine.
- Cook the stuffing. Fill the turkey cavity with stuffing and roast until it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. If cooking the stuffing in a baking dish, bake, covered, at 350°F for 40 minutes, then uncover, reduce the oven temperature to 300°F and continue to cook until golden brown and crisp on top.
- Serve. Transfer the stuffing to a serving bowl and garnish with cilantro and parsley.
FAQs
Stuffing is generally cooked inside a turkey, while dressing is baked separately in a baking dish. This chouriço stuffing with green olives could also be called a dressing since you can cook it in a baking dish. This article on the difference between stuffing and dressing gives you all the details.
If you are baking your stuffing inside a turkey, you must ensure that the internal temperature of the stuffing reaches 165°F for it to be safely consumed. The easiest way to do this is with an instant-read thermometer. If you are making a dressing that is baked separately from the turkey, you’ll know it’s ready when the top is crispy and golden.
Yes, you can. The unbaked stuffing can be prepared up to 1 day before serving. Cover with plastic and store in the refrigerator until you are ready to bake it. Never stuff a turkey until just before baking.
Helpful Tips
- If you prepare your stuffing in advance and store it in the fridge overnight, let it rest at room temperature for at least 15 minutes before baking to let it warm up.
- Leftover stuffing can be stored in a covered baking dish or sealed container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in a 350°F oven until warmed through.
More Great Stuffing and Dressing Recipes
Write a Review
If you make this recipe, or any dish on LC, consider leaving a review, a star rating, and your best photo in the comments below. I love hearing from you.–David
Green Olives and Chouriço Stuffing
Ingredients
- 1 pound ciabatta or sourdough bread
- 1 stick (4 oz) unsalted butter, plus more for the baking dish
- 20 strands saffron
- Fine sea salt
- 11 ounces uncured chouriço
- 1 large leek, ends trimmed and thinly sliced
- 1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
- Two (7-ounce) Granny Smith or other firm, tart baking apples, cored and diced
- 3 ounces dried tart cherries (optional)
- 1/2 cup walnut halves
- 1/4 cup apple cider or malt vinegar
- One (6-ounce) can or jar medium green olives, drained and halved
- 2 cups store-bought or homemade low-sodium chicken stock
- 2 large eggs, lightly whisked
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro, for garnish
- 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200°F (93°C) and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Cut or tear the bread into 1/2-inch (12-mm) cubes, spread them in a single layer on the baking sheet, and bake until dry, about 1 hour. Remove from the oven and let cool completely. Transfer to a large bowl.
- Increase the oven heat to 350°F (177°C). If baking the stuffing outside the turkey in a baking dish, coat a 9-by-13-by-2-inch (23-by-33-by-5-cm) ceramic or glass baking dish with a little butter. If baking the stuffing inside the turkey, proceed with the recipe.
- Using a mortar and pestle or spice grinder, grind half of the saffron to a fine powder with a little salt.
- Remove and discard the casing from the chouriço and break the sausage into small bits. Toss it in a medium saucepan over low heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sausage starts to brown, 8 to 10 minutes.
- Add the butter and stir until it melts. Increase the heat, add the leek and onion, and sauté until they start to turn translucent, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Add the whole and ground saffron strands and stir to combine.
- Stir in the apples, cherries, if using, and walnuts and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the vinegar and remove from the heat. Gently fold in the olives followed by the dried bread. Season with the salt.If baking the stuffing outside the turkey in a baking dish, transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish.If baking the stuffing inside the turkey, transfer the mixture to a large bowl.
- In a medium bowl, whisk 1 cup of the stock with the eggs, then whisk in the remaining stock. Pour the liquid over the bread mixture in the baking dish or bowl and gently stir to combine. (You can let the stuffing rest at room temperature for 30 minutes before baking or cover it with plastic wrap and refrigerate it overnight.)
- When you’re ready to bake the stuffing, discard the plastic wrap. If chilled, leave the stuffing on the counter for 15 minutes.
- If baking the stuffing outside the turkey in a baking dish, cover the baking dish snugly with a sheet of aluminum foil to form a tight seal and bake for 40 minutes. Reduce the heat to 300°F (149°C), remove the foil, and continue to bake, uncovered, until the top is golden brown and crispy and the liquid has completely evaporated, 20 to 30 minutes. A skewer or knife inserted into the center should come out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool for at least 10 minutes. If baking the stuffing inside the turkey, place the stuffing in the cavity of your turkey and roast according to whatever recipe you’re using for the turkey. The stuffing is done when an instant thermometer inserted in the centermost part of the stuffing reaches the same desired internal temperature as the thickest part of the turkey thigh (namely, 165°F | 75°C).
- Garnish the stuffing with cilantro and parsley before serving.
Notes
- Make-ahead–The unbaked stuffing can be prepared up to 1 day in advance. Store in a covered dish in the fridge until you are ready to bake. Never stuff a turkey in advance.
- Storage–Leftover chouriço stuffing can be stored in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 4 days. To reheat, place the stuffing in a baking dish and heat in a 350°F oven until warmed through.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe Testers’ Reviews
This is a welcome change to usual stuffing recipes—it’s full of vibrant flavors and textures and I can promise you won’t miss the usual celery and thyme. The saffron delicately perfumes the bread and blends nicely with the chouriço and dried cherries. It’s good enough to eat plain all on its own and everyone had seconds.
Not wanting to waste money, I used canned olives for testing, but I can assure you that you will want higher quality, briny ones, especially if you’re making this for company. My only concerns are the stuffing was a little too wet to feel like stuffing…below the surface it felt a little too soft like bread pudding and I certainly would want more crusty/crunchy bits (i.e. texture contrast), especially if it was being served with a sauce or a gravy.
Since the apples leech out moisture as they cook, I would recommend using only 2 cups of liquid.
The instructions are easy to follow and the final results exceeded my expectations. My recommendation is try to make ahead of a time and you won’t be stressed out.
I started at 9:42 pm to do the prep, with my mom helping cut and slice all the ingredients while I was cooking the sausage and mixing all the ingredients. I enjoyed it and it reminded me of when we used to cook for Christmas. At 11 pm, we had everything ready and decided to bake it the next day.
