Gluten Free and Vegan Stuffing

This Classic Gluten Free Stuffing is a family recipe that we've been making for years and have adapted to make celiac-friendly, vegan and dairy free. Such a delicious and comforting addition to your holiday menu!

Are you guys Team Stuffing or Team Dressing? Until a few years ago, I'd never even heard of the term "dressing". It's always been "stuffing" in our house, so we're going with that.

This gluten free (and vegan!) stuffing recipe is something we've been working on for years. Seriously, it's taken us that long to nail it!

Loaded with classic stuffing ingredients like celery and sage, plus meaty mushrooms, sweet apples and crispy bread cubes. This classic gluten free stuffing is a crowd pleaser!

It's certainly not short on flavor, so even your non-gluten free friends and family will be asking for seconds!

There are a few important things to consider when making gluten free stuffing, so we're breaking them down below.

Ingredients

• Gluten free multigrain bread: we LOVE Canyon Gluten Free bread products in this stuffing!
• Vegan butter: if not vegan, feel free to use regular butter. You can also use olive oil.
• Onion
• Celery
• Mushrooms: cremini or white button mushrooms are easiest.
• Apple: we used honeycrisp apples for their tart, sweet, crisp flavor, but just about any variety will do!
• Herbs: fresh parsley, fresh thyme, dried sage
• Salt and pepper: Note in the recipe that we have a range for the salt amount. Start on the lower end, but be sure to taste test the stuffing before cooking so you can adjust if desired! We included a range as salt levels differ in vegetable broths, bread, etc.
• Vegetable broth: If not vegan, feel free to substitute with chicken broth.
• Breadcrumbs: You can use regular or Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs in this stuffing. Just make sure they're gluten free, of course!
• Flax "egg": A flax "egg" is a simple mixture of ground flax meal and water, which forms a gelatinous substance that works as a binder in place of egg. If you're not vegan, feel free to substitute with 1 egg.

Instructions

Toast the bread

We start this recipe by seasoning and oven-toasting gluten free bread cubes to add extra flavor and prevent the stuffing from getting soggy. It's an essential step, so don't skip it!

Plus, the bread cubes are delicious on their own or as a topping for soup.

To start, preheat your oven to 350˚F. 

Remove crust from bread and cube into 1-inch pieces. Add to a large mixing bowl and toss with olive oil. In a separate small bowl, stir together dried sage, thyme, salt and pepper. Sprinkle evenly over bread and toss well to evenly coat. (It's easiest to use your hands for this to make sure the seasonings are evenly distributed). 

Spread bread cubes in an even layer on a sheet pan and bake for 25 minutes, tossing half way through cook time. Keep on eye on the bread for the last 5 minutes to make sure none of it burns. 

Prep ingredients

While the bread is toasting, make the flax egg by stirring together flax meal and water. Let sit for 15-20 minutes. 

Add butter to a large stock pot over medium heat. Once melted, add onion and sauté for 5-7 minutes. Add celery, mushrooms, apple, parsley, thyme, sage, 1 ½ teaspoon salt and pepper and stir well. Cook until the vegetables are softened (about 8-10 minutes). 

Assemble and let sit

Add the toasted bread cubes, breadcrumbs, 1 cup of vegetable broth and flax egg. Stir very well. Let sit for 20 minutes (to allow dry ingredients to absorb liquid). Stir every 5 minutes or so.

If the mixture looks too dry, add up to an additional ¼ cup of broth (add 1 tablespoon at a time). Taste and adjust salt if desired. 

Bake and serve

Transfer to a baking dish, spread in an even layer and bake for 40-45 minutes, until stuffing is crispy and golden brown on top. Serve warm. 

Tips

• Seems obvious, but use good quality gluten free bread! We almost always use Canyon Gluten Free breads, which are moist, flavorful and delicious. Note: most of their products contain egg, so if you need to go fully vegan, choose a different option.
• Let the stuffing sit for 20 minutes before baking. Don't skip this step - it's necessary to make sure the bread soaks up all of that delicious flavor. This also ensures that the stuffing is fluffy and moist on the inside once baked, yet crispy and delicious on the exterior.
• Want extra flavor? Try using a more flavorful variety of mushroom, like shiitake, maitake or chanterelle. You can also use a mix of wild mushrooms if preferred.
• Don't forget to make the flax "egg" ahead of time. The flax egg (flax meal + water) needs a solid 15-20 minutes to sit before adding to the stuffing mixture. This allows the flax meal to thicken up and act as a binder (like a real egg!), so don't skip this step.

More gluten free Thanksgiving recipes:

• Vegan Mashed Potatoes
• Wild Rice Stuffed Acorn Squash
• Green Beans with Vegan Bacon
• Hasselback Butternut Squash with Maple Herb Glaze
• Easy Cranberry Sauce
• Crispy Maple Mustard Brussels Sprouts
• Vegan Mushroom Gravy

If you make this vegan and gluten free classic stuffing, we’d love for you to leave a comment and rating below! We also love to see your creations on Instagram – tag us at @crowded_kitchen so we can see what you’ve been cooking.

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