
Sausage, sage, prune and onion stuffing
- Published: 28 Oct 24
- Updated: 20 Dec 24
The two best stuffings are either sage and onion stuffing or sausage and prune: this one contains both!

Stuffing is one of those dishes that can be flavoured all sorts of ways, be it vegetarian or meaty, served whole like a loaf or formed into balls (but rarely served actually stuffed inside the bird as it takes so long to cook through). This is our favourite of all time – rich and savoury with a bouncy, light texture, fragranced with sage and with a hint of sweetness from the prunes. It might not be the most beautiful thing on the table, but it more than makes up for it in flavour.
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Before you start
Why it’s the best stuffing
Modern meets medieval: The two best stuffings are either sage and onion or sausage and prune (and we will die on this hill). This one contains both, combining the medieval flavours of meat and dried fruit with the more modern (yet still traditional) earthy savouriness of sage and onion. The results are pretty epic!
Big is beautiful: No matter how well you plan your Christmas dinner, chances are some things might get a little longer than they need in the oven. Often items get perfectly cooked but are then kept warm in a low oven, slowly drying out or getting a little too ‘golden brown’. This is why stuffing balls should be made big! It’ll keep them juicy and moist in the centre but beautifully golden on the outside, and far more forgiving if they get an extra 10 minutes in the oven. If they look a bit too big on the plate you can always halve them once cooked.
The moist-makers: These stuffing balls are essentially pimped-up meatballs – and just like meatballs, you want something fluffy and light rather than dense and stodgy. Adding fresh breadcrumbs helps create a lighter, more tender texture and also absorbs the moisture (and flavour) released from the onions and sausage. The second key is those juicy prunes, adding little bursts of sweetness, cutting through the rich meat.
Make ahead: You can mix and shape the stuffing balls up to 24 hours in advance and keep them in the fridge – or freeze for up to a month. Defrost fully before cooking.
Easy swaps: If you’re cooking for gluten-free guests, don’t be tempted to omit the bread as it’s crucial to the texture of the stuffing. Instead, whizz up a gluten-free bread roll and use that.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large red onion, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, finely sliced
- 3 sage sprigs, leaves picked and finely chopped, saving some leaves to garnish
- 100g fresh breadcrumbs (any kind)
- 400g sausagemeat
- 80g pitted soft prunes, roughly chopped
- Finely grated zest 1 orange
- ⅛ nutmeg, finely grated
Method
- Heat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/gas 4. Pour the oil into a frying pan over a medium heat. Once hot, add the onion and garlic and cook for 8 minutes until soft but not coloured. Tip into a mixing bowl, add the chopped sage and leave to cool.
- Add the rest of the ingredients. Mix well with your hands, almost kneading the mixture to really break up the sausagemeat, then divide into 6 large balls (or 8 slightly smaller ones, depending on how many you’re cooking for).
- Put the balls in a baking dish, ensuring they aren’t touching, then roast for 25 minutes. Serve immediately or keep in a very low oven until ready to serve. Garnish with a few sage leaves.
- Recipe from November 2024 Issue
Nutrition
- Calories
- 222kcals
- Fat
- 13g (4.7g saturated)
- Protein
- 9.2g
- Carbohydrates
- 15g (5.5g sugars)
- Fibre
- 1.8g
- Salt
- 0.7g
delicious. tips
You can mix and shape the stuffing balls up to 24 hours in advance and keep them in the fridge – or freeze for up to a month. Defrost fully before cooking.
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