This Easy Vegan Stuffing is a must for your Thanksgiving table! It’s easy to make, and is oil free, dairy free, and can be made gluten free!
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What’s your favorite Thanksgiving dish? For many, it’s the stuffing.
Growing up I don’t recall eating stuffing very much. I don’t think I really acquired a taste for it until I was an adult when I really started to love it.
Then when we went vegan, I had stopped eating it for a long time. Our Thanksgiving dinners are always an extended family potluck, and the stuffing served at these meals has never been vegan.
I decided to make a plant based version so my vegan family can enjoy this tasty holiday side. This vegan dressing is now one of my absolute favorite holiday dishes! It’s crispy on the top and moist in the center, and full of holiday flavor!
I like to dice up some of my Vegan Breakfast Sausage Links and add them to this plant based stuffing. With this addition, the recipe could pass as a Thanksgiving main dish. But it’s just as delicious without the sausage.
What do you need for this vegan stuffing?
- Bread – You can use any bread you like. I used a combination of my multigrain bread and some sourdough bread. Gluten free bread can even be used. It’s best to use a denser bread than one that is light and fluffy.
- Onion – yellow or white is fine.
- Celery – you’ll need 2 ribs.
- Carrots – 1 large carrot. I shredded mine, but you can dice it if you prefer.
- Garlic – I used lots of fresh garlic, because I love the flavor.
- Vegetable broth – store bought, homemade, or water with vegetable bouillon will work.
- Chopped Walnuts – these can be substituted with chopped pecans, or can be left out if you’re allergic to nuts.
- Herbs – I used dried herbs: sage, parsley, poultry seasoning, thyme, and black pepper
- Breakfast Sausage Links – these are optional, but are a delicious addition that adds a bit of protein to the stuffing.
How to make vegan stuffing
Begin by cutting the bread into cubes. You will need about 9 cups of bread cubes. I used a combination of multi-grain bread and sourdough bread for interest and flavor.
Dry the bread cubes by placing the on a baking sheet and putting them in the oven at 350° F for about 15 minutes. You want the bread cubes to be dry before making the stuffing, otherwise the stuffing will come out soggy. Transfer the dried bread into a large mixing bowl.
Sauté the onion, celery, and carrot for about 5 minutes, until the onions are translucent, and the vegetables are starting to soften. Use a bit of water or broth to loosen the vegetable when they begin sticking to the pan. It’s good to let them brown a little bit, as this adds more flavor to the recipe. Just be sure to deglaze the pan from time to time as the vegetables are cooking.
Add garlic, walnuts and herbs, and sauté for another two minutes, until the garlic is fragrant.
Add the sautéed vegetables to the bread cubes.
Pour the broth over the bread cubes a bit at a time while stirring to combine. The amount of broth you use will vary depending on what kind of bread you use and how dry it is. You want the bread cubes to be nicely moistened, but not soggy.
Bake it! Place the mixture in a 9” x 13” casserole dish and cover with foil. Bake at 375° for 45 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes, until the stuffing begins to brown on top.
Other possible add ins
- Mushrooms – saute a cup or two and remove from the pan before sauteing the vegetables.
- Dried cranberries – add some sweet bits of flavor by adding in some dried cranberries when you stir the vegetables into the bread cubes.
- Diced apple – saute it with the vegetables.
- Vegan Sausage – saute about a cup and a half of sliced Vegan Breakfast Links or Vegan Italian Sausage. Stir them into the stuffing mixture before baking.
Can I Make This Easy Vegan Stuffing in Advance?
To save time on Thanksgiving Day, here are some steps you can take a day or two before your big cooking day.
The bread can be cubed and dried up to a few days in advance and kept in an airtight bag or container. The vegetables can also be sauteed the day before, and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Then on your cooking day, just combine the bread cubes, vegetables, broth, and any add-ins you desire, stir together, transfer to your baking pan and bake.
For more holiday recipes, see:
- Vegan Garlic Mashed Potatoes
- Easy Vegan Golden Gravy
- Vegan Corn Muffins
- Fat-free Apple Crisp
- Vegan Scalloped Potatoes
- Vegan Mac & Cheese
- Holiday Rice Pilaf
- Sauteed Kale with Garlic & Onions
- Vegan Glazed Ham
- Vegan Lentil Loaf
- Instant Pot Glazed Carrots
- Cranberry Sauce
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Easy Vegan Stuffing
Ingredients
- 9 cups bread cubes
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 2 stalks celery diced
- 1 large carrot shredded
- 6 cloves of garlic minced
- ½ cup chopped walnuts toasted
- 4 teaspoons rubbed sage
- 2 teaspoons dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 2 to 2 ½ cups vegetable broth
- 1 ½ cups Vegan Breakfast Sausage Links sliced (optional)
Instructions
- Place bread cubes on a baking sheet and place in a 350° oven for about 15 minutes, or until dry. Transfer to a large bowl, and set aside.
- If you are including the sausage, dry saute it for a few minutes, just until it starts to brown. Add it to the bowl of bread cubes.
- Sauté the onion, celery, and carrot for about 5 minutes, until the onions are translucent, and the vegetables are starting to soften. Add the garlic, walnuts, and herbs and sauté for another two minutes, until the garlic is fragrant. Add the sautéed vegetables to the bread cubes.
- Pour the broth over the bread cubes a bit at a time while stirring to combine. Use enough broth to moisten all the bread cubes, but not to make it soggy. The amount you use will depend on the type of bread you use.
- Place mixture in a 9” x 13” glass cake pan and cover with foil. Bake at 375° for 45 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes, until the stuffing begins to brown on top.
