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Sausage, sage, prune and onion stuffing

Name: Sausage, sage, prune and onion stuffing
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: Serves 6-8
Cuisine: British recipes
Ingredients: 1 tbsp olive oil; 1 large red onion, finely chopped; 3 garlic cloves, finely sliced; 3 sage sprigs, leaves picked and finely chopped, saving some leaves to garnish; 100g fresh breadcrumbs (any kind); 400g sausagemeat; 80g pitted soft prunes, roughly chopped; Finely grated zest 1 orange; ⅛ nutmeg, finely grated

By: Pollyanna Coupland
Food producer, delicious.

Published: 28 Oct 24
Updated: 28 Oct 24

The two best stuffings are either sage and onion or sausage and prune (and we will die on this hill). This one contains both, combining the medieval flavours of meat and dried fruit with the more modern (yet still traditional) earthy savouriness of sage and onion.

Browse more brilliant Christmas dinner recipes.

Easy
November 2024

Test kitchen approved

Serves 6-8
Hands-on time 20 min. Oven time 25 min

Browse more brilliant Christmas dinner recipes.

Nutrition: Per serving (for 8)

Calories: 222kcals
Fat: 13g (4.7g saturated)
Protein: 9.2g
Carbohydrates: 15g (5.5g sugars)
Fibre: 1.8g
Salt: 0.7g

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Before you start

These stuffing balls are larger than usual and this helps keep them juicy inside and stops them drying out. Also, they’re kept fluffy and light by the fresh breadcrumbs which helps to create a more tender texture and also absorbs the moisture (and flavour) released from the onions and sausagemeat. Those juicy prunes add little bursts of sweetness, cutting through the rich meat. The result is pretty epic!

You can mix and shape the stuffing balls up to 24 hours in advance and keep them in the fridge – or freeze for up to a month. Defrost fully before cooking.

If you’re cooking for gluten-free guests, don’t be tempted to omit the bread as it’s crucial to the texture of the stuffing. Instead, whizz up a gluten-free bread roll and use that.

Before you start

You can mix and shape the stuffing balls up to 24 hours in advance and keep them in the fridge – or freeze for up to a month. Defrost fully before cooking.

If you’re cooking for gluten-free guests, don’t be tempted to omit the bread as it’s crucial to the texture of the stuffing. Instead, whizz up a gluten-free bread roll and use that.

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil
1 large red onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely sliced
3 sage sprigs, leaves picked and finely chopped, saving some leaves to garnish
100g fresh breadcrumbs (any kind)
400g sausagemeat
80g pitted soft prunes, roughly chopped
Finely grated zest 1 orange
⅛ nutmeg, finely grated

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Method

Heat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/gas 4. Pour the oil into a frying pan over a medium heat. Once hot, add the onion and garlic and cook for 8 minutes until soft but not coloured. Tip into a mixing bowl, add the chopped sage and leave to cool.
Add the rest of the ingredients. Mix well with your hands, almost kneading the mixture to really break up the sausagemeat, then divide into 6 large balls (or 8 slightly smaller ones, depending on how many you’re cooking for).
Put the balls in a baking dish, ensuring they aren’t touching, then roast for 25 minutes. Serve immediately or keep in a very low oven until ready to serve. Garnish with a few sage leaves.