Thanksgiving Vegetarian Stuffing
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 the carrots. I also add apples to give a tart flavor that balances the sweet and nutty butternut squash.
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 the 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 your 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 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 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
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!
