Italian Polenta and Salami Stuffing

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Cornbread and bacon stuffing. Been there, done that. Stuffing with breadcrumbs and sage. Been doing it for years. So this year at the Thanksgiving table, alongside Grandma’s classic stuffing (which, don’t get me wrong, is amazing) will be a bold and vibrantly-flavored stuffing full of veggies, crispy baked polenta cubes sweetened with a hint of honey, and something a bit unexpected…salami and cheese. Unexpected, but totally welcome, right?!

To prepare this Italian Polenta and Salami Stuffing, I went on an early Thanksgiving grocery shopping spree to Whole Foods Market, where I was lured in by the smells coming from the salad and hot bar area. I could have sworn someone was cooking up an actual Thanksgiving meal somewhere in the back. But no, it was just Whole Foods being the classy and comforting grocery store that it is. I took a detour through the salad bar (happens every time) on my way to the gorgeous specialty cheese center (also known as a charcuterie lover’s heaven) to pick up the star ingredient for this recipe: Creminelli Sopressata Italian Salami.

This salami isn’t just any old deli salami. Creminelli Sopressata Italian Salami is infused with the rich flavors of garlic and wine and seasoned with organic spices. The result is a tangy, high-quality, and full-bodied salami, which adds a serious punch of flavor to this stuffing.

For this recipe, you’ll use about a third of the salami roll which means you’ll have enough to include in a meat and cheese appetizer platter, to add to the green bean Thanksgiving side dish, to fold into your Christmas morning omelet, or to sprinkle on some slow cooker maple oatmeal as a salty topper. Creminelli Salami pairs perfectly with so many holiday dishes. So while you’re in the kitchen this season, get creative and spice up some of the classics with this fabulous salami.

5.0 from 1 reviews

Italian Polenta Stuffing with Salami and Mozzarella

 

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Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

20 mins

Total time

30 mins

 

Author: Krista

Serves: 10 servings

Ingredients

• 2 tubes of polenta
• 1 ½ teaspoons salt, divided
• ½ teaspoon pepper, divided
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced
• 8 cups fresh spinach
• 1 cup roasted red peppers from jar, drained and chopped
• 3 ounces Creminelli Sopressata Italian Salami chopped into small cubes
• 1 cup fresh mozzarella, cubed or in mini ball form
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Slice the polenta into ½-inch cubes. Spread the cubes out on a large baking sheet. Sprinkle with ½ teaspoon of salt and ¼ teaspoon of pepper. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil and honey over the polenta. Gently toss the cubes with your hands to evenly coat them in the seasoning, oil and honey. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes.
2. While the polenta is baking, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Once heated, add the chopped onion and sprinkle with ½ teaspoon of salt. Sauté for 3-4 minutes until tender. Add in the garlic and cook for another minute. Then, add in the mushrooms, and sprinkle with another ½ teaspoon of salt. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the mushrooms are tender. Then, add in the spinach and cook for about 2 minutes until wilted. Lastly, add in the roasted red peppers and chopped salami. Stir the entire mixture together until combined.
3. Add the vegetable and salami mixture, baked polenta cubes, mozzarella, and 2 tablespoons of basil to a large bowl. Coat a 9 x 13 baking dish with cooking spray. Pour the entire mixture into the baking dish. Bake the stuffing in the oven for 20 minutes until the top layer is golden and slightly crisp.

Notes

Serving size: ¾ cup
Nutrition Information (per serving) from Caloriecount.about.com
Calories: 182 Fat: 8.1g Carb: 20.2g Fiber: 2.3g Protein: 7.9g Sugar 3.5g Sodium: 790mg

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