Venetian Stuffing with Cheese

Forget bread-cube stuffing for a minute and let Venice take the wheel.

This Italian-inspired stuffing swaps the usual stale bread for cooked rice, then folds in creamy ricotta, freshly grated Parmesan, and shredded fontina until every spoonful pulls with melty, savory richness.

Minced pancetta and chopped walnuts bring the crunch, while Swiss chard (or spinach) adds an earthy green bite that balances all that cheese.

Rosemary, savory, and thyme keep the herb game classic and understated.

Best part? You can prep the whole thing two days ahead, so when the big meal rolls around, you just stuff and go.

Pro Tips

• Squeeze every drop of water from the cooked chard or spinach. Soggy greens will make the stuffing watery.
• Use part-skim ricotta for a lighter texture that still melts beautifully.
• Toast the walnuts in a dry pan for a couple of minutes before adding them for deeper, nuttier flavor.
• This works brilliantly inside a roast chicken, turkey breast, or stuffed into bell peppers for a vegetarian spin.