Name: Low Carb Cauliflower Stuffing
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 40 min
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil; 1 pound of ground sausage; 2 tablespoons of butter; 1/2 of an onion finely chopped; 3 garlic cloves minced; 1 head of cauliflower; 1/2 teaspoon of salt; 2 teaspoons of poultry seasoning; 1/4 cup of parsley

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This keto low carb cauliflower stuffing is a tasty alternative to bread stuffing. It’s made all in one skillet so clean up is super easy too.

Emergency recipe! While I was writing up my Thanksgiving menu, I realized that I didn’t have a stuffing recipe planned. Oh my. The Thanksgiving meal just doesn’t feel complete without stuffing.

Since I’m following a low carb diet, however, my bread stuffing is a no-no.

Cauliflower to the rescue. It proved to be a delicious and healthy substitute that made for a fluffy and flavorful twist on the classic side dish.

To take the stuffing to the next level, I also added crumbled sausage. And I flavored the stuffing with poultry seasoning, which is a lovely blend of thyme, sage, marjoram, rosemary, pepper, and nutmeg. It’s the perfect complement to your Thanksgiving turkey.

WHY DO SOME PEOPLE CALL STUFFING DRESSING?

Some people believe that if the mixture is cooked inside a roast, it’s called stuffing. If it’s prepared outside the bird, then the proper name is dressing. But in the Northern United States, people tend to prefer the term “stuffing” while in the South, they prefer the term “dressing”, regardless of how it’s prepared.

Either way, I call it yummy. My stuffing is made on the stove and then transferred into the oven. I haven’t tried cooking it inside a roast.

Let me show you my easy method.

Instructions with step by step images

In your food processor fitted with the large chopping blade, pulse your cauliflower a few florets at a time (no higher than the top of the blade), just until it is minced. Then set it aside.

Next, heat oil in a large oven-safe skillet. Add sausage and crumble up with a spatula while it sautés, until it is no longer pink, about 8 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer your sausage to a bowl and set aside.

Now, don’t drain the rendered fat.

Add some butter to the same skillet. And cook your onion until it’s caramelized. Then add some garlic and cook for one more minute. This adds a wonderful depth of flavor to your stuffing.

Now we’ll add our minced cauliflower and cover and cook on a medium flame for eight minutes.

When the cauliflower is done, season it with salt, parsley, and poultry seasoning. Then add your cooked sausage back in.

Stir it all up and transfer your skillet to the oven and bake at 350℉ for about 20-30 minutes (stirring half way through) until browned.

finished side dish in a cast iron skillet

And that’s it. A fluffy and delicious no-guilt stuffing. Go ahead and take an extra helping, it’s low-carb.

close up of low carb cauliflower stuffing

Pro tips and recipe notes

Can you use store bought cauliflower rice? Yes. It would save on clean up and time, but I’ve found that it’s not as fresh tasting. Perhaps frozen rice would be better, but I can’t say for sure because I haven’t tried it.
I like to crumble the sausage up and mince all of the cauliflower. If you would prefer a chunky stuffing, break up the sausage into bite-size pieces as well as adding some bite-size pieces of cauliflower to the mix.
For the sausage, I recommend 365 Pork Mild Italian Sausage from Whole Foods which has no nitrites. Go with whichever sausage you prefer. It’s up to you. If your raw sausage is in casings, you’ll need to slip each sausage out of its casing. Then cook it in your skillet.
If you don’t have an oven-safe skillet like cast-iron or this sauté pan, you will need to transfer your stuffing mixture to a baking dish for the oven.
What ingredients will you add? Celery? Carrots? Nuts? Apples? Cranberries? Note that, depending on what you add, it will effect the carb count.
Need to make it dairy-free? No problem. Instead of butter, use a dairy-free butter substitute like Earth Balance.
This is a perfect make-ahead side dish as it will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

I hope you enjoy this recipe.

Happy cooking! And Happy Thanksgiving!

More low carb Thanksgiving recipes

Turkey tenderloin stuffed with kale and goat cheese – Instead of roasting the whole bird, this tenderloin is marinated, baked in the oven, then sliced into moist and juicy medallions.

Keto bacon Brussels sprouts – Delicious side dishes don’t get any better than this!

12 Delicious soups and side dishes to grace your holiday table – A dozen gluten-free, low-carb, nutritious soup and side dish recipes that you can choose for your holiday table. (Though really these dishes would be lovely additions to any meal!)

Spaghetti squash carbonara (no egg) – With only six ingredients, carbonara is a creamy, decadent sauce that’s super easy to make. Pair with spaghetti squash for a delicious and healthy grain free noodle substitute that’s a perfect side.

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Baby Bok Choy With Sweet And Tangy Sauce – Baby bok choy is one of the most nutrient-dense foods you can eat. Paired with my sweet and tangy sauce, it’s absolutely delicious.

Sautéed Broccoli With Garlic This recipe is so delicious, you’ll probably never go back to boring steamed broccoli again.

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