You cannot have Thanksgiving without stuffing! I firmly believe this. Even this year, when I’m willing to forego traditional Thanksgiving expectations, I still want stuffing. There’s something about a casserole of bread that just means Fall to me. I rarely eat any kind of stuffing any other time of year, so I must have it on Thanksgiving!

But this year is the perfect time for a small departure from tradition, though I’ve definitely experimented with stuffing variations in the past. But I thought about comforting flavors, and what I might want to try to make into stuffing form. I settled on a quick pasta dish I love that marries salty parmesan, bitter broccoli rabe, and spicy, fatty sausage. Italian bread would stand in for the pasta, and I decided to try swapping some crushed tomatoes in for some of the broth usually used for moistening stuffing. I thought the acidity of the tomatoes would pair well with everything else and add a great color too, as a further departure from the traditional beige Thanksgiving table. The tomato + bread takes this into almost a ribollita flavor profile. If you want to go even closer to the Tuscan bread soup, you could swap cannellini beans for the sausage, which would also make this a vegetarian side if you need it to be.

This was wonderful, actually. Stuffing can sometimes be a little one-note to me, with its traditional onion and herb flavors, and often relies on butter to make it sing (this is fine! I do love it!). This version had flavor coming from all directions, and I especially liked the bitter edge from the broccoli rabe keeping things from being too rich. That balance is important when you are feasting. The top was crispy, the middle was silky and almost custardy, and I had a very hard time stopping myself from eating half the pan in one go.

Stuffing with Spicy Italian Sausage, Broccoli Rabe, Parmesan & Tomato

• 1/2 Italian bread loaf (or 1 small loaf), torn or cut into large pieces

• 1 cup broccoli rabe, chopped

• kosher salt

• 1 link spicy Italian sausage, casing removed

• 1 tsp fresh thyme

• 1/2 tsp dried oregano

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1/2 cup crushed tomatoes

• 1/2 cup chicken or vegetable broth

• 1 egg

• 1/2 cup shredded parmesan, plus more for serving

• butter, for the pan

1. Set bread chunks out on a baking sheet overnight to stale, or before cooking, leave in a low oven until dried out a bit (about 225 degrees for 30 min should work).

2. Heat oven to 375. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to boil, then add the broccoli rabe and cook for 1-2 minutes, then transfer immediately to a bowl filled with ice water to stop cooking. Drain and set aside.

3. In a pan over medium-high heat, cook the sausage until browned and cooked through, crumbling into small pieces. Add the garlic and herbs and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

4. In a large bowl, combine the bread, broccoli rabe, and sausage mixture and stir to combine. Add the parmesan and stir to combine. In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the crushed tomatoes, broth, and egg and season with 1/2 tsp salt. Add to the stuffing a bit at a time, mixing as you go, until you have your desired moistness level. I used the full cup of liquid, but if you like a drier stuffing you may prefer to use less.

5. Spread mixture in a buttered 8x8 baking dish (or equivalent volume dish) and cover tightly with foil, and bake on the middle rack of the oven for 20 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for 10 minutes. Keep an eye on it at this point in case any pieces start to look burnt (see my photos for how that looks!). Serve warm with extra parmesan, if you like.