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4 from 3 votes

Gluten-Free Rice Stuffing

Gluten-Free Rice Stuffing -a cozy and hearty side dish made with with butternut squash, fresh herbs, apples, cranberries, and almonds, everyone will love this flavor-filled stuffing. Warm spices and flavors make this the ultimate holiday dish.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American, Italian
Keyword: gluten-free, rice
Servings: 6
Author: Lora

Ingredients

  • 1 pound bulk mild turkey sausage* you could use pork if you prefer
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 1/2 large purple onion chopped (1/2 cup)
  • 1 butternut squash 12 to 16 ounces, peeled and chopped (about 2 1/2 cups)
  • 2 cups apples cored and chopped (I used 2 Gala apples)
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2-1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/4-1/2 cup broth vegetable or chicken*
  • 2 cups cooked rice* I used Italian Venera rice, could use basmati, long grain, wild or brown rice
  • 2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 cup almond slivers
  • 1 cup dried cranberries
  • 1/2 cup fresh cranberries* left whole
  • 1-2 Tablespoons coconut aminos*
  • 1/2 cup broth* vegetable or chicken
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh sage
  • Fresh rosemary

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 425F.
  • Line a baking sheet with foil paper. Add the butternut squash and some fresh herbs (I used sage and rosemary). Add on tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil. Toss on a teaspoon of sea salt. With clean hands, coat the squash with the oil, salt and herbs. Cover with a top sheet of foil and tuck it all around the edges of the bottom sheet (so you’re cooking the squash in a foil pocket).
  • Roast for about 20 minutes, or until the squash is nice and tender.
  • While the squash is roasting up, cook up your rice (I had leftover Italian Venera rice, but you could use any leftover rice, like wild rice, brown rice, Basmati or jasmine rice would work fine).
  • When squash is ready, remove from the oven and set aside.
  • In a large skillet on medium-high heat, add the sausage.
  • Use a wooden spoon to break up the sausage into small pieces and stir while it’s cooking.
  • When the sausage has a nice color and is cooked through, transfer it to a small bowl (should take less than 10 mins to cook up).
  • Add a tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil to the skillet. As soon as it’s heated up, add in the onion. Add in the apples and cook until the onion is translucent and apples begin to soften.
  • Next, add in the cooked rice, dried cranberries and almond slivers. Add a splash of broth. Stir and combine.
  • Add in the fresh cranberries and the gently fold in the roasted squash pieces.
  • Add 1-2 tablespoons of coconut aminos and a splash of some broth to moisten the stuffing.
  • Fold in the sausage. Check the flavor and add any salt and pepper, if needed. Add some fresh sage (or whatever fresh herbs you have on hand and enjoy), and serve.