Pork and chestnut stuffing

Name: Pork and chestnut stuffing
Cook time: 25 min
Yield: 12 servings

A delicious Christmas stuffing recipe with chestnuts, pork, lemon and spinach that is ideal for Christmas dinner.

White dish filled with pork chestnut stuffing topped with a sprig of rosemary

Published - 28 Nov 2025

Cooking time

25 mins

Serves

Ingredients

1 large onion, approx 250g/9oz
3 tbsp vegetable oil
100g/4oz smoked rindless bacon
15g/½oz fresh thyme
350g/12oz young spinach
200g/8oz Merchant Gourmet vacuum-packed whole chestnuts
1kg/1¾lb Cumberland sausages
1 large, unwaxed lemon
100g/4oz couscous
150ml/5fl oz boiling water

Method

Peel and finely chop the onion, then gently soften in 2 tbsp oil. Chop the bacon and strip the thyme from its stalks. Zest the lemon and chop very finely. Stir the bacon and thyme into the onion. Cook for about 10 minutes to crisp the bacon. Stir the zest into the onions and leave to cool.
Meanwhile, slit the sausage skins and remove the meat to a mixing bowl. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a wok, add the spinach and toss with tongs for about 30 seconds until wilted. Tip into a colander to drain and cool. Squeeze until dry, then chop.
Stir the couscous into 150ml boiling water, cover and leave for 10 minutes. Coarsely chop the chestnuts. Add the onions, spinach, couscous and chestnuts to the sausage meat. Add the juice of the lemon, season generously with salt and pepper, then mulch together until evenly mixed.

Notes

This recipe is intended for a Christmas meal to serve 10 to 12 people. Simply reduce the ingredients accordingly for smaller meals, or freeze the leftovers for future use. Frozen stuffing will need to be taken out to defrost 24 hours before serving, and is ideal to make ahead of time so you aren't too rushed in the kitchen on Christmas morning.

Leftover stuffing can also be turned into burgers by shaping into patties, brushing with oil and roasting on a baking tray in a hot oven for 20 minutes.

(Hero image credit: Shutterstock)

Three mini Christmas cake muffins topped with glace cherries and pecan nuts in a square basket lined with gold star paper

Mini Christmas cake muffins with rum

Honey-roast parsnips

Mary Berry’s simmered red cabbage

Christmas pudding with Guinness and brandy butter

A delicious Christmas pudding recipe combining Guinness, rum and brandy to bring extra festive cheer to the table.

Marcus Wareing's turkey gravy recipe

TV chef Marcus Wareing shares his favourite recipe for Christmas gravy.

Savoury choux bun canapés with watercress and cream cheese filling

Cheesy watercress puff pastry stars

Savoury pastries with a peppery cream cheese and watercress topping make a perfect party canapé.

Roast hasselback potatoes

The ridges cut into these roast hasselback potatoes create a particularly crunchy, roasted outer layer, perfect for a showstopping Christmas dinner.

Fig on a plate garnished with rocket, walnuts and orange pieces

Festive figs with feta

This simple Christmas starter is easy to prepare and looks very impressive.

Mary Berry’s orange-glazed ham with mango and orange salsa

Mary Berry shares her beautifully simple recipe for a Christmas centrepiece.

A gingerbread house decorated with piped icing

Paul Hollywood’s gingerbread house

Bake Off judge Paul Hollywood shares his recipe for a stunning Christmas gingerbread house, ideal for baking with grandchildren.

Best-ever Yorkshire puddings | Shutterstock

Best-ever Yorkshire pudding recipe

Crisp and golden, a Yorkshire pudding is essential for a great Sunday roast. Try our super-easy recipe.

Two glasses of Negroni with fresh orange slices on the side

Shake it up: Stanley Tucci’s Christmas cocktails

Actor Stanley Tucci shares his take on 3 classic cocktails to celebrate the Christmas festivities.

Top-down view of salmon blinis with garnish

Hot smoked salmon blinis

Hot and spicy little blinis with horseradish cream and flaked smoked salmon.

A close-up of a glass of eggnog with a stick of cinnamon and a dusting of nutmeg

Make your own eggnog

Jonathan Goodall shares his recipe for eggnog, the traditional Christmas drink that’s a velvety mixture of egg, milk, cream and brandy.

Three baked Camembert cheeses next to three vegetable skewers on a plate

Baked Camemberts with roasted vegetable skewers

A festive vegetarian starter of baked Camembert with seasonal vegetables skewered on rosemary stalks.

Sausages wrapped in bacon with a sprig of rosemary garnishing each

Pigs in blankets

An easy recipe for Pigs in Blankets the traditional party snack or Christmas dinner side dish, of sausage wrapped in ham.

Roast potatoes, parsnips and shallots

This recipe is quick to prepare but is delicious - a perfect way to liven up the roast potatoes in your Christmas dinner.

Figgy pudding

Try this recipe from Mary Norwak for a traditional figgy pudding that dates back to 16th century England.

Honey-roast parsnips

A delicious and easy recipe that’s perfect for a fantastic Christmas dinner or Sunday lunch.

Honey-glazed Brussels sprouts with beetroot, blue cheese and walnuts

Jazz up your Christmas Brussels sprouts with this festive recipe.

Hot buttered rum

Try this classic cocktail that dates back to the 17th century – it’s perfect for cold winter nights.

Pepparkakor - Scandinavian spiced Christmas biscuits

Pepparkakor are traditional Swedish Christmas biscuits flavoured with cinnamon and ginger. They make ideal edible gifts when wrapped in cellophane and tied with a ribbon.

Pork and chestnut stuffing

A delicious Christmas stuffing recipe with chestnuts, pork, lemon and spinach that is ideal for Christmas dinner.

Spiced Christmas tea buns

Hide the Christmas ‘to do’ list and take a moment to enjoy these spiced buns topped with butter.

Pork and chestnut stuffing

Ingredients

Method

Notes

Related articles