Kale Stuffing

A savory, soul-satisfying holiday classic with a leafy green twist — rich with rosemary, chestnuts, and buttery toasted sourdough.

Adapted from Suzanne’s original recipe — with a few delicious tweaks. If there were only one dish I could eat on Thanksgiving, it would be this, drenched in gravy.

Ingredients

• ¾ lb sourdough bread, torn into pieces

• ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided

• 1 garlic clove, minced

• 1 lb kale, chopped and stems removed

• ¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter

• 1 sprig rosemary

• 2 dried chile de árbol, sliced thin

• 1½ cups onions, sliced into half-moons

• 1 tbsp thyme

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

• ½ cup Madeira

• 1½ cups vegetable or chicken stock

• 6 tbsp butter, divided

• 1 cup chestnuts, chopped

• 1 tbsp fresh sage leaves

Instructions

1. Make the Garlic Breadcrumbs
   Preheat oven to 375°F. In a large bowl, toss bread with 4 tbsp olive oil and garlic. Squeeze gently to absorb, then spread on a baking sheet. Bake for ~15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until chewy and crisped. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.

2. Blanch the Kale
   Bring salted water to a boil. Add kale and blanch until just tender. Drain, cool, squeeze out excess water, chop, and set aside.

3. Sauté Aromatics and Kale
   In a Dutch oven, heat 3 tbsp olive oil over medium. Add rosemary and chilis; cook 1 minute. Reduce heat, add onions, thyme, salt, and pepper. Cook ~10 minutes until softened and lightly browned. Add kale and cook 15 minutes more. Remove rosemary stems.

4. Combine with Croutons
   Pour kale-onion mixture over the prepared croutons and gently toss to combine.

5. Deglaze and Add Stock
   In the same pot, add Madeira, bring to a boil, and reduce by half. Add stock, bring to a boil, and pour over the crouton mixture. Stir well.

6. Toast Chestnuts and Sage
   Return pot to heat, add 4 tbsp butter. Once foamy, add chestnuts, salt, and pepper. Cook 4 minutes until golden, then stir in sage. Pour over the stuffing mixture and combine.

7. Bake the Stuffing
   Transfer to a baking dish. Cover with foil and bake 40 minutes. Remove foil, dot with remaining 2 tbsp butter, and bake uncovered another 20 minutes until golden and crisp.