This healthy broccoli stuffing casserole recipe is the ultimate comfort food, but in healthier form! It's loaded with warm, cozy flavors, like cooked sausage and cream of chicken soup, which soak into the bread cubes and tender broccoli in the best way possible. Even better? It only requires a few minutes of prep and a kid-friendly main dish your whole family will ask for by name!
I grew up with hearty casseroles like this and am happy to pass them on to the next generation! This savory stuffing is a meal-in-one and a great way to use up scraps and pantry staples. Simply mix together leftover stale bread, cooked sausage, canned soup, and frozen broccoli, cover with cheese, and bake! It's a humble, simple dish, but couldn't be more delicious!
As a Registered Dietitian, I've tweaked this recipe to be higher in fiber, veggies, and protein, which means you'll feel full for longer without compromising on flavor one bit!
Jump to:
Ingredients
- Thin whole wheat bread: I like to use whole wheat for extra fiber. It's a simple swap.
- Onion & garlic: Fresh onion and garlic will add layers of flavor to this cheesy stuffing casserole. So good!
- Frozen broccoli: Just grab a pack of broccoli from the freezer and thaw it out. Easy!
- Butter
- Condensed cream of chicken soup: This adds a punch of flavor and really brings the casserole together. Look for a low-sodium option, if possible.
- Sharp cheddar cheese
- Turkey sausage: Brown the turkey sausage into bite-sized crumbles first.
- Salt and pepper
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Broccoli Stuffing Casserole Recipe
Preheat: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x13-inch casserole dish with avocado cooking spray.
Melt butter: In a saucepan, heat the butter over medium heat until melted.
Saute veggies: Saute the onions, garlic, and thawed broccoli in the butter for about 5 minutes.
Prepare bread: Cut the dried bread into cubes and place in a large bowl.
Stir: Pour the vegetable mixture, salt, pepper, browned sausage, and cream of chicken soup over the dried bread and stir to coat.
Transfer to baking dish: Pour the stuffing into the prepared baking dish and sprinkle the cheddar cheese on top of the casserole.
Cover and bake: Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 35 to 40 minutes. Enjoy!
Hint: If your casserole feels too dry, add small amounts of water or chicken broth to rehydrate the bread cubes.
Substitutions
This recipe can be made with gluten-free bread, but look for a high-fiber option if possible. If you need to avoid dairy, replace the butter with a neutral cooking fat, use dairy-free, and non-dairy cream of chicken soup.
For vegetarians, replace the turkey sausage with your favorite plant-based sausage crumbles and use condensed cream of mushroom soup instead.
Variations
Make chicken broccoli stuffing casserole: Replace the sausage crumbles with shredded rotisserie chicken, but keep the rest of the recipe the same. It's a great way to use leftover chicken!
Use the slow cooker: Once you place the casserole in the oven, it's pretty hands-off until you're ready to serve. Try placing everything in the slow cooker instead, and let it slow cook over high heat for 1-2 hours until the cheese is melted all the way through. Perfect for an easy dinner!
Nutrition
Fiber: The high fiber content from the whole wheat bread and broccoli mixture will keep you feeling satisfied for hours! Fiber also supports healthy digestion, which can improve your heart health, balance cholesterol levels, and more.
Protein: Ground turkey sausage has all the flavor of regular pork sausage, but has even more protein! Just 4 ounces contains 12 grams of protein, which will support muscular repair and offer long-lasting energy.
Nutrients: Broccoli is a nutrient-dense and inexpensive vegetable, perfect for busy families. It's a great source of vitamins C and K and contains essential iron and potassium.
Storage
Store your leftovers in an airtight container or cover the pan with plastic wrap and store in the fridge for 3-4 days. To reheat, simply microwave the leftovers for 1-2 minutes or bake in a 350 F oven until heated through the cheese melts again.
Top tip
It's easy to make your own bread cubes at home! Cut the bread into small pieces, then arrange on a sheet pan. Bake at 325 F until fully dried through.
FAQ
Yes, you can make this dish the night before and pop it in the fridge until you're ready to bake. The bread will absorb the moisture and may become a little softer than normal, but it will still taste great. This is extra handy on a busy weeknight since you just bake and serve!
It depends on the recipe, but yes! This broccoli stuffing casserole uses frozen instead of fresh broccoli florets, which simplifies the prep and helps the broccoli cook faster.
Who doesn't love stuffing at holiday gatherings? It's so savory and satisfying, and I love the texture. Although many stuffing recipes do contain some veggies, like onion and celery, they're usually pretty minimal. This recipe adds chopped broccoli for extra nutrition and fiber, but it still has the same cozy, hearty flavors you know and love. Carrots, mushrooms, kale, spinach, and even water chestnuts are all great in stuffing recipes, too!
Related
Looking for more healthy recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite recipes to serve with this hearty broccoli stuffing casserole recipe:
Healthy Cheesy Broccoli Sausage Stuffing Casserole
Ingredients
- 10 slices thin whole wheat bread cubed, dried out
- 1 cup onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 12 ounces frozen broccoli thawed
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 10 ounces condensed cream of chicken soup
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 pound turkey sausage browned
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with avocado cooking spray.
- In a saucepan, heat the butter over medium heat until melted.
- Saute the onions, garlic, and thawed broccoli in the butter for about 5 minutes.
- Cut the dried bread into cubes and place in a large bowl.
- Pour the vegetable mixture, salt, pepper, browned sausage, and cream of chicken soup over the dried bread and stir to coat.
- Pour the stuffing into the prepared baking dish and sprinkle the cheddar cheese on top.
- Cover with tinfoil and bake for 35 to 40 minutes. Enjoy!
Leave a Reply