Stuffed Potatoes Broccoli Sausage
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Potatoes stuffed with tender broccoli and spiced sausage, baked until golden. Uses Yukon Gold instead of Russet for creamier texture. Replaces Italian sausage with chorizo for smokier twist. Added sharp cheddar for contrast. Microwave speeds softening stage. Par-boiled broccoli keeps snap and vibrant color. Combining meat fat with butter and milk creates smooth mash, binding ingredients well. Baking melts cheese, crisps edges slightly. Visual cues trump timers here. Ends with savory aroma, slight crust on top, satisfying bite from broccoli chunks.
Prep:
35 min
Cook:
20 min
Total:
55 min
Servings:
4 servings
#potatoes
#broccoli
#chorizo
#baking
#Yukon Gold
#comfort food
#French-inspired
Potatoes. Been there, made that, baked until dry. Russets? Too mealy for stuffing. Yukon Gold holds creaminess better, messier but worth it. Swapped bland Italian sausage with chorizo—life changing, smoky spice hits. Broccoli needs brief blanch; nobody wants soggy green fluff. Quick microwave cooks the spud fast, saves oven time. Cheese? Sharp cheddar punches up the bland. Crispy edges tell you when it’s baked right. Don’t rely blindly on timers. Look, feel, smell. Kitchen’s your gauge. Tried with mozzarella once—melted but no flavor pop. Learned fast: texture and seasoning matter more than fancy names. Best when served hot, cheese bubbly, bites balanced between soft, tender, and crunchy. This is not neat; rustic is better.
Ingredients
- 2 large Yukon Gold potatoes washed
- 80 g broccoli florets chopped small
- 1 spicy chorizo sausage casing removed
- 5 ml vegetable oil
- 60 ml heavy cream
- 15 ml butter unsalted
- 90 g sharp cheddar coarsely grated
About the ingredients
Yukon Gold potatoes give creamy, buttery texture; Russets get dry. Chorizo stands in for Italian sausage; adds smokiness and spice. Can swap broccoli for kale or spinach but adjust blanch time—kale needs longer. Heavy cream replaces milk to deepen richness, avoid watery mash. Butter key for silkiness. Sharp cheddar leaps beyond mild cheese, brings bite and color. Vegetable oil neutral; drizzle olive oil if you want stronger scent but watch smoke point. Cheese blend okay if cheddar unavailable—pepper jack works. If no microwave, roast potatoes 40-50 min at 200 C, test softness before proceeding. Always salt water for broccoli; helps keep color and flavor.
Method
- Place rack mid-oven. Heat oven to 210 C (410 F). Line baking tray with silicone mat or parchment.
- Pierce potatoes with fork lightly. Microwave on high for 7 min turning halfway. Test softness with skewer; should slide in with little resistance. Let rest 3 min.
- Meanwhile, drop broccoli in boiling salted water. Blanch exactly 1.5 min, not longer or it wilts. Shock in ice water 2 min. Drain well. Keep vibrant, crunchy.
- Heat oil in skillet on med-high. Crumble chorizo, cook till browned bits form but not fully crisp. Meaty aroma will fill kitchen. Take off heat.
- Slice potatoes lengthwise. Trim flat base for stability. Arrange on tray cut-side up.
- Scoop flesh leaving 5mm shell intact. Mash in bowl with cream and butter while warm. Stir in broccoli, chorizo, and cheese. Season sparingly; chorizo salty.
- Fill potato shells generously. Expect mixture to mound slightly.
- Bake 20 min or until top golden and bubbling. Cheese should melt and edges crisp lightly.
- Serve warm. Crunch from broccoli, spicy chunks of sausage, creamy potato. No mush, texture contrast key.
Cooking tips
Cooking potatoes in microwave cuts prep time, softens faster but watch doneness—poke to check. Blanch broccoli short, immediate ice bath locks vibrant hue and texture; skipping this turns broccoli soggy or dull. Browning chorizo releases flavorful fat—don’t rush or burn. Leaving potato skin on creates natural vessel, keeps moisture in, but scrape shells carefully to avoid breaks. Mash warm potato with fats to combine easily; cold potato clumps. Stir ingredients gently to keep broccoli bites intact—overmixing turns mushy. Baking melts cheese and crisps edges; smell toasted notes as cue. If cheese bubbles then browns slightly, it’s done. Serve promptly—leftover stuffing dries out quickly. Potential issue: potatoes too wet? Too much cream. Fix with few breadcrumbs or extra cheese to bind.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Microwaving potatoes halves softening time compared to roasting but keep close watch. Poke lightly mid-way; if skewer faces resistance, blast short bursts more. Let sit warm to relax starch before scooping. Warm mash blends fats easier, avoids lumps.
- 💡 Blanch broccoli crisp, exactly 1.5 min. Longer steals snap, dulls color. Follow with ice shock in cold water bath; instant stop to cooking. Drain thoroughly or moisture leaks into mash, turning it watery. Keep florets small for even bite.
- 💡 Use cream not milk; milky mash tends watery. Butter brings silkiness but combine with rendered chorizo fat for binding and flavor depth. Overmixing destroys texture; stir gently. Cheese gets melty and edges brown better atop warm mash inside hollow skins.
- 💡 Chorizo cooks on med-high so fat renders but no full crisp. Brown bits mean flavor release. Chip off early if smell sharp or bitter; burnt makes bitter off-putting. Using spicier sausage boosts dish savoriness but salt down elsewhere.
- 💡 If no microwave, oven roast whole potatoes 40-50 min at 200 C. Test softness often near end—poke for ease not mushy. Don’t skip pre-baking or scoop-out’s hard, skins break. Scoop shells thick enough to hold mix, but trim bottom flat or skins topple during bake.
Common questions
Can I use Russet potatoes instead?
Russets dry out stuffing; not creamy enough. Hold better than baking but messier mash. Yukon Gold stays tender, buttery. If forced, add extra cream and butter; soften longer before scooping.
What if I don’t have chorizo?
Swap spicy Italian sausage or pepper jack cheese. Flavor changes but texture similar. For milder, lean sausage works best; add smoked paprika for depth. Bacon bits help but risk greasier result.
Broccoli soggy after baking?
Mostly overcooked broc. Blanch sharp timed, drain well, then only brief oven exposure. Too long crushes snap, gives limp mouthfeel. Ice bath crucial; cold stops cooking right away. Also keep florets small to heat evenly.
How to store leftovers?
Store stuffing and skins separately, if possible. Cover tight; refrigerate up to 3 days. Reheat in oven covered 15 min to avoid drying. Microwave workable but risks softening skins too much. Freeze cooked filling only; skins get soggy thawed.
