When were in Ireland, it was my first time not cooking Christmas dinner in decades. While I relished the opportunity to have a proper cold Christmas, and to hang out with my Irishman’s family, I did miss the cooking part. Actually I really missed cooking (and eating) one thing in particular.

My Christmas stuffing.

And then I realized that stuffing doesn’t just have to be for Christmas. So I promised myself I’d experiment with making a non-Christmassy stuffing loaf that we could enjoy any time of the year.

The cranberries are gone but the roast macadamias and sage are still here. And just like a good stuffing, it’s delicious warm OR eaten cold straight from the fridge.

Just don’t call it ‘meatloaf’ (too many horrific boarding school memories there). And serve with a green salad as per the photo so it looks prettier too.

enough for 4
takes: 45 minutes
100g salted butter
2 onions, diced
200g (7oz) almond meal or bread crumbs
500g (1lb) pork sausages
200g (7oz) roast macadamias
handful sage leaves (optional), finely sliced

1. Preheat your oven to 250C (480F). Line a 1lb (4.5in x 8.5in) loaf pan with baking paper.

2. Melt butter in a medium saucepan. Cook onions, covered stirring every few minutes for 10 minutes or until the onions are soft but not browned.

3. While the onion is cooking, combine almond meal / bread crumbs, sausages, macadamias and sage (if using) in a large bowl. Add a good pinch of salt and the cooked onions.

4. Let the onions cool for a few minutes then using your hands mix until well combined. Pack the mixture into the lined loaf pan.

5. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until loaf is well browned and cooked through. Cool for a few minutes before removing from the loaf pan. Serve in slices with something green.

WINE MATCH: A nice peppery shiraz.

Variations & Substitutions

sweeter / more Christmassy – add a few handfuls of dried cranberries.

budget / nut-free – replace the almond meal and macadamias with soft bread crumbs. Increase the butter so it isn’t too dry or moisten with some chicken stock.

vegetarian – tough one. The sausages are really key here. Maybe some eggs to bind and cooked chickpeas or lentils for substance and protein.

carb-lovers – serve with roast potatoes or other root veg. Or slice the loaf and turn it into a sandwich.

short on time – skip the onion (will save you 15 minutes) and form the mixture into patties. Pan fry until cooked through.

different nuts – almonds, walnuts or pine nuts.

paleo (grain, legume & dairy-free) – replace the butter with olive oil.

Waste Avoidance Strategy

butter – will keep in the fridge for weeks.

onion – will keep in the pantry for months. Best if in a dark corner in a brown paper bag.

almond meal or bread crumbs / roast macadamias – keep them in the pantry.

pork sausages – freeze them.

sage – keeps for ages in a plastic bag in the fridge or even longer in the freezer.

Prepare Ahead

Absolutely! Will keep in the fridge for 1-2 weeks or freeze for months. To serve either reheat the whole loaf in the oven or slice and pan fry in a little oil until browned. You could also prepare ahead up to the final baking step and keep in the fridge for up to 3 days before baking and serving.