Growing up, we had stuffing on the table most Thanksgivings, usually with Italian sausage and herbs. Which sounds great. (I honestly can’t remember much about the stuffing – all my attention was on the mashed potatoes and jellied cranberry sauce.)
As an adult, I’ve discovered new ingredients, which I’ve combined in this chorizo leek stuffing. Leeks are amazing things. They look like enormous green onions, and they have a mild, sweet flavor. You only use the white part of the plant, and when leeks cook they basically melt into your dish.
Fresh Mexican chorizo is easily one of my favorite foods. It’s the odds and ends of the pig mixed with lots of chili. It’s salty, fatty and flavorful, and pairs perfectly with the leeks. I only used one 9-ounce tube of chorizo in this recipe, because any more would have made it too salty.
To temper the saltiness of the chorizo and add a little texture, I add cauliflower to my stuffing. Despite being gluten-free, I don’t typically eat a lot of cauliflower, but this chorizo leek stuffing really benefits from it. Just be sure to cook the cauliflower until it’s just al dente, or else you’ll lose the crunch.
For the bread part of this recipe, I use store-bought gluten-free stuffing mix from Trader Joe’s. It’s basically seasoned croutons. Any store-bought stuffing mix should work, and you could also buy bread and make your own croutons.
Serve this chorizo leek stuffing with a crisp white wine and my butternut squash salad to balance out the umami in this dish. Enjoy!
Looking for more Thanksgiving recipes? Find them here.
Chorizo Leek Stuffing
Ingredients
- 12 ounces stuffing mix or croutons
- 3¼ cups turkey or chicken broth*
- 9 ounces fresh Mexican pork chorizo (not the cured Spanish chorizo)
- 2 large leeks, washed, dark ends removed and white parts sliced thin (should yield about 2 cups)
- 2 cups cauliflower, chopped into bite-sized pieces
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons fresh herbs, chopped fine (I like thyme, sage and rosemary)
- Salt and pepper to taste (may not need it)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400ºF.
- Heat skillet over medium and cook chorizo about 5 minutes, stirring regularly.
- Add leeks, cauliflower and garlic and cook, covered, stirring once every five minutes. Cook until cauliflower is just beginning to soften, 10-15 minutes.
- While leek mixture cooks, pour dry stuffing or croutons in a 13×9 pan and pour in broth. Let stand, stirring once or twice, until broth is absorbed, about 10 minutes.
- Turn off heat, remove lid and add herbs. Stir to incorporate.
- Add chorizo mixture to stuffing mixture in 13×9 pan. Stir gently, until well mixed. Taste the stuffing and add salt, pepper or more herbs if desired.
- Bake uncovered for 20-25 minutes, until top is browned and nice and crispy. For a soft stuffing, bake covered with foil.
- Let cool and serve.