The Batch Lady’s sage, cheddar and chestnut stuffing

“This is a delicious stuffing mixture, perfect either for stuffing the turkey or for cooking separately,” says family cooking guru Suzanne Mulholland.

Sage, cheddar and chestnut stuffing

Ingredients
(Prep: 15 minutes, serves 4-6)

1 x 170g packet of dried sage and onion stuffing
2tbsp orange juice
400g pork sausage meat
70g grated Cheddar
90g cooked chestnuts, finely diced

Method (if making ahead for the fridge or freezer)

1. Add the stuffing to a mixing bowl and pour over the amount of boiling water stated on the packet, along with the orange juice. Leave to stand according to the packet instructions.

2. Add the sausage meat, cheese and chestnuts and mix with your hands until they all come together.

3. Add to a large labelled freezer bag and freeze flat.

To cook in an oven: Remove from the freezer and leave to fully defrost. This can now be used to stuff your turkey or be cooked separately. To cook separately, preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan and line a 900g loaf tin with greaseproof paper. Press the stuffing mixture into the tin and cook for 25–30 minutes until cooked through.

To cook in an air fryer: Remove from the freezer and leave to fully defrost. This can now be used to stuff your turkey or be cooked separately. To cook separately, preheat the air fryer to 180°C and line a 900g loaf tin with greaseproof paper. Press the stuffing mixture into the tin and cook for 20–25 minutes until cooked through.

If cooking now:

Follow the method in the ‘making ahead’ section up until the end of step 2. This can now be used to stuff your turkey or be cooked separately.

To cook in an oven: To cook separately, preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan and line a 900g loaf tin with greaseproof paper. Press the stuffing mixture into the tin and cook for 25–30 minutes until cooked through.

To cook in an air fryer: To cook separately, preheat the air fryer to 180°C and line a 900g loaf tin with greaseproof paper. Press the stuffing mixture into the tin and cook for 20–25 minutes until cooked through.

The Batch Lady Saves Christmas by Suzanne Mulholland is published in hardback by Ebury Press, priced £25. Photography by Andrew Hayes-Watkins. Available now