Like the chorizo of Hawai’i, Portuguese sausage is a fresh or smoked sweet-spicy sausage used in breakfast dishes, plate lunches, and at many tailgates. This Portuguese Sausage Cranberry Brioche Stuffing recipe combines Portuguese sausage with other local flavors—sweet onion and sweet bread—for a Hawaiian slant on classic Thanksgiving stuffing.
Why You’ll Love This Portuguese Sausage Stuffing Recipe
Elevate your holiday table with this Portuguese Sausage Cranberry Brioche Stuffing, a blend of savory and sweet with a robust, smoky undertone. This recipe marries the rich flavors of smoked sausage with the tartness of cranberries, all nestled within pillowy brioche bread.
Recipe Ingredients
This stuffing is loaded with tantalizing ingredients:
- 1 pound of smoked Portuguese sausage (Linguica) or Spanish chorizo, adding a deep, smoky flavor
- Fresh produce, including sweet onion, celery stalks, and Fuji apple, provides a sweet and crunchy texture
- A cup of fresh or frozen cranberries coated in unrefined cane sugar for a burst of tart sweetness
- Flavor enhancers like garlic, fresh thyme, and parsley
- The base of the dish consists of 10 cups of cubed Brioche, challah, or Hawaiian Sweet Bread, toasted to perfection
- A mixture of low-sodium broth and beaten eggs bind everything together
How to Make This Recipe
Start by browning your choice of sausage in a preheated oven and setting it aside. In the same pan, sauté onions, celery, and apples, then add sugared cranberries and aromatics.
Combine this mixture with the sausage and bread cubes, then moisten with a broth and egg mixture. Transfer everything to a buttered baking dish and bake until golden brown. This simple process results in an irresistibly flavorful and satisfying textured stuffing.
Variations On This Recipe
The versatility of this recipe allows for several creative variations:
- Swap the Portuguese sausage for milder Italian or spicy Andouille to adjust the heat level.
- Introduce different fruits, such as diced pears or dried apricots, for a distinct sweetness.
- Replace brioche with sourdough or another artisanal bread for a different texture.
- Add nuts like chopped pecans or walnuts for an added crunch.
What to Serve This Recipe With
This stuffing pairs beautifully with traditional holiday meats such as roasted turkey, glazed ham, or a juicy roast chicken. Complement it with other side dishes like mashed potatoes, green bean almondine, or a fresh autumn salad to create a well-rounded festive meal. For drinks, consider a rich red wine, such as a Zinfandel or a Pinot Noir, to echo the robust flavors of the stuffing.
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Hawaiian Portuguese Sausage Brioche Stuffing Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound Smoked Portuguese Sausage (Linguica) or Spanish chorizo
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter plus more for coating the baking dish
- 1 medium sweet onion finely chopped
- Kosher salt and Freshly ground black pepper
- 5 celery stalks large dice
- 1 medium Fuji apple medium dice
- 1 cup cranberries fresh or frozen
- 3 tablespoons unrefined cane sugar
- 4 medium garlic cloves
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves roughly chopped
- 1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh flat-leaf Italian parsley
- 10 cups (1-inch cubes) Brioche bread or challah or Hawaiian Sweet Bread (about 14 Kings Hawaiian sweet dinner rolls), toasted
- 2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth, chicken broth, or water
- 2 large eggs beaten until smooth
Instructions
- Brown The Sausage: Heat oven to 350° and arrange a rack in the middle. Coat a 13-by-9-inch baking dish with softened butter then set aside. Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat.If you have smoked sausage, cut it in half lengthwise, then slice into half moons. (If you have fresh sausage, remove if from its casing and crumble into the skillet then cook the sausage, breaking it into small pieces.) When the sausage is browned and cooked, transfer it to a plate. Discard all but 1 tablespoon of the drippings.
- Make The Stuffing Base: Return the pan to heat and add butter and the onions, season with salt and pepper, and cook until golden. Add the celery and apples and cook until they start to soften about 5 minutes. Coat the cranberries in sugar then add to the pan and cook until they just begin to collapse. Stir in the garlic, thyme, and parsley and mix well. Return the sausage to the skillet, add the bread, and toss it together.
- Bake And Serve The Stuffing: Whisk together the broth and eggs then pour over the stuffing mixture, season generously with salt and pepper, then turn into the baking dish. Bake until heated through and browned on top, about 30 to 45 minutes. Let rest a few minutes before serving.
