Stuffing falls into the category of dish that invites reinvention. Swapping bread cubes for broiled polenta squares is one of the smarter moves you can make for a holiday table. This version leans Italian all the way: garlic olive oil, pork sausage, tart dried cranberries, and pistachios for crunch. It fits right in at Thanksgiving but works just as well alongside a simple roast chicken any time from October through December. Just right.
What makes this different from other polenta preparations is the broiling step, which firms and crisps the polenta into crouton-like squares before everything gets tossed together. Tear the sage leaves rather than chop them, crisping them in olive oil just long enough to get fragrant and slightly translucent at the edges. Quick win. You can prep the polenta squares a day ahead and store them at room temperature, then assemble and bake everything the day of. Serve straight from the oven in a warm dish alongside turkey, pork loin, or on its own as a vegetable-forward centerpiece with a green salad. We’ve stopped waiting for a holiday to make this.
Cook and Broil the Polenta
Bring 2.5 cups of water to a boil. Mix one cup of polenta with one cup of water and slowly pour into the boiling water, cooking and stirring constantly for 5 minutes until thickened. Spread onto an 8×12-inch sheet pan and allow to cool until completely firm. Brush with 4 tablespoons of garlic olive oil and broil until golden, turning the pan as needed, about 10 minutes.
Brown the Sausage and Crisp the Sage
In a sauté pan, brown the pork sausage over medium heat, crumbling as it cooks. Remove and set aside. In the same pan, add the 2 tablespoons of olive oil and cook the pistachios and cranberries over low heat for 5 minutes. Tear the sage leaves, add to the pan, and allow them to crisp in the oil with the fruit and nuts.
Combine and Bake
Cut the broiled polenta into 1/2-inch squares. Combine the polenta squares, crumbled sausage, cranberries, pistachios, and crisped sage in a large mixing bowl and toss well. Transfer to an oven-safe bowl and bake at 325°F for 15 minutes. Serve immediately.
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Polenta Stuffing with Sausage and Crispy Sage
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: Serves 6
Description
Broiled polenta squares stand in for bread cubes here, tossed with pork sausage, tart dried cranberries, and pistachios, with torn sage crisped in the pan drippings. Works alongside turkey or a simple roast chicken.
Ingredients
- 2 cups Colavita Polenta
- 3 1/2 C Water
- 6 oz Pork Sausage
- 1 C dried Cranberries
- 4 TBSP Colavita Garlic Olive Oil
- 1/2 C shelled Pistachios
- 12 Fresh Sage leaves
- 2 TBSP Colavita Olive Oil
Instructions
- In a large sauce pan, bring 2½ C water to a boil.
- Mix one Cup Polenta into a medium bowl with one Cup water and stir.
- Once water has boiled, slowly pour Polenta and water mixture into boiled water and cook until thickened for 5 minutes stirring constantly.
- Pour Polenta onto a sheet pan 8×12 and allow to cool until completely firm.
- Brush 4 tablespoons garlic olive oil over top of Polenta and place in oven under broiler until golden brown, turning pan as needed (about 10 minutes).
- In medium sauté pan brown sausage and crumble while cooking.
- Remove from pan and set aside.
- In same sauté pan add 2 TBSP Colavita Olive oil and add pistachios and cranberries and cook over low for 5 minutes.
- Tear sage leaves and add to sauté pan and allow to crisp in oil with berries and nuts.
- As Polenta gets browned, remove from broiler and cut into ½ inch squares to resemble croutons.
- Combine all ingredients, polenta squares, sausage, cranberries, pistachios and sage into large mixing bowl and mix thoroughly.
- Place in oven safe bowl and place in oven set to 325 degrees for 15 minutes.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
- Broil the polenta until it’s genuinely golden, not just warm — that’s what gives you crouton-like squares instead of mush once everything gets tossed together.
- Tear the sage rather than chopping it, and crisp it in the oil with the fruit and nuts just until fragrant and translucent at the edges.
- The polenta squares can be made a day ahead and held at room temperature; assemble and bake everything else the day you serve it.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 10
- Sodium: 600
- Fat: 15
- Carbohydrates: 45
- Fiber: 5
- Protein: 10
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this stuffing without the sausage?
Yes. Omit the pork sausage for a vegetarian version. The polenta squares, cranberries, pistachios, and crispy sage still make a flavorful side dish. You can also add sautéed mushrooms for extra depth.
Can the polenta be cooked ahead?
Yes. Cook and cool the polenta on the sheet pan up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate. Broil it and cut into squares on the day of serving, then combine with the other components and bake.
Can I substitute dried cranberries with another fruit?
Dried cherries or chopped dried apricots work as alternatives. The tartness of dried cranberries balances the richness of the sausage and polenta, so choose something with a similar sweet-tart quality.
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