Thanksgiving Vegetarian Stuffing

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This vegetarian stuffing recipe is perfect to serve with your turkey for Thanksgiving. Made with roasted vegetables and fresh herbs, this stuffing recipe is also dairy free and vegan. Forget the boxed stuff this year, this flavorful stuffing is sure to be a hit with everyone!

If you’re anything like me, when it comes to Thanksgiving, I’m all about the side dishes! No Thanksgiving table would be complete without some homemade stuffing, and this recipe is sure to please! Perfect for serving to a hungry crowd, I just know you are going to love this recipe!

This stuffing recipe is the ideal dish to serve with your turkey and smother in gravy!

What vegetables do you use in vegetarian stuffing

Traditionally, you’ll need onions, celery, and carrots. I’m using onions, celery and butternut squash instead of carrots. I also add apples to give a tart flavor that balances the sweet and nutty butternut squash.

How to make stuffing

Cut the bread and roast

You want to get a large loaf of sourdough bread a few days before baking and leave it out on the countertop. That will ensure that the bread is not too fresh and soft, but hardened and almost stale. Cut into bite sized piece and spread apart on baking dish.

When it comes out of the oven, you want to to check that the bread has hardened and become golden brown and crunchy. Let it sit aside when it’s done to continue drying.

Prepare the vegetables

Next it’s time to roast the vegetables. I recommend using the casserole dish you’ll be serving the stuffing in. Toss vegetables with apples and herbs and seasoning and roast in the preheated oven. It’s ok if the bread is still in there, although I would recommend finishing the bread before roasting the vegetables so it doesn’t impact the moisture in the oven.

When it comes out of the oven, transfer the toasted bread on top of the roasted vegetables and add the vegetable broth. Mix everything together so the broth soaks all the ingredients well. Then return the vegetarian stuffing to the oven, first covered with tin foil, and then uncovered until the broth is absorbed and the bread is toasted.

Tips for making vegetarian stuffing

• Use stale bread and make sure to completely dry out the bread. It helps to absorb moisture from the broth and vegetables while staying crunchy. If you try to make any turkey stuffing recipe with soft, fresh bread, it results in a soggy texture.
• Use fresh herbs. While you can substitute every tablespoon of fresh herbs for one teaspoon of dried herbs, this is the time of year to use those poultry herbs that are stocked at grocery stores. I love the combination of thyme and parsley. But you can also use sage and rosemary in addition or instead.
• Cut all the vegetables into small bite sized pieces. When you take a bite of stuffing, you want to get the full aromatics in each bite plus the soaked and toasted bread. Cutting everything small and uniform helps the stuffing roast evenly and yield a consistent flavor throughout.
• Make sure to cook the aromatics before. This includes onions and celery. True they’ll cook with the bread, but they need to cook first on their own to release the best flavor.

Frequently asked questions

How much liquid do you put in stuffing?

This recipe calls for 4 cups of vegetable stock, you can either use store bought or make your own. It’s really important to dry the bread cubes out in the oven so that they absorb all of the liquid. The stuffing should be moist but not wet. You can add a little broth at a time to help it absorb quicker.

Can you make this vegetarian stuffing ahead of time?

You can make stuffing a day or two ahead of time. Add the stock, but don’t add the bread and don’t bake it. Cover it and keep it in the fridge, then add the toasted dried bread and bake it on the day. You can also bake it slightly ahead of time and then cover it with foil and heat through before serving. Leftovers should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge.

Isn’t all stuffing vegetarian?

Stuffing is traditionally made with chicken broth, so not all stuffings are vegetarian. This stuffing is also dairy-free and vegan, so perfect if you are hosting people with varying dietary needs. This stuffing works wonderfully with your classic Thanksgiving turkey or a vegetarian or vegan alternative like a nut loaf or a vegetarian pie.

More Thanksgiving side dishes:

• Thanksgiving Stuffing
• Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes
• Melting Sweet Potatoes
• Garlic Roasted Potatoes
• Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese
• Holiday Brussels Sprouts
• Healthy Mashed Potatoes
• Cauliflower Au Gratin
• Oven Roasted Carrots
• Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts

Add this delicious vegetarian stuffing to your Thanksgiving or Christmas holiday dinner. The butternut squash and apples are a pleasant surprise that brings a warm and sweet taste to the recipe. The recipe is egg-free and dairy-free but full of flavor that’s perfect with turkey!

If you’ve tried this healthy-ish feel good Vegetarian Stuffing recipe or any other recipe on FeelGoodFoodie, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave me a comment below! I would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you snapped some shots of it, share it with me on Instagram so I can repost on my stories!