This Easy Vegetarian Sourdough Stuffing has some serious texture—it’s the perfect mix of crispy and soft pieces. And it’s made without eggs to make it allergy-friendly and vegetarian. If you use a vegan butter, it could easily be vegan as well!
I initially created this recipe to share at a Friendsgiving. The hosts had invited a few international students, one of which was vegetarian. It was her first American Thanksgiving, and she commented how the table and everyone gathering around it was so similar to scenes she had seen in the movies.
Since this was her first Thanksgiving, I wanted to make sure she could try as many of the dishes as possible! I was in charge of stuffing, so I created this recipe without the eggs so she could enjoy it.
It starts with a 1-pound loaf of sourdough bread. I cut it into ¾ inch cubes and dried the bread in the oven. You can do this step up to 2 days in advance, which will save some time and dishes on Thanksgiving Day. This step allows the bread to soak up the vegetable stock as it cooks.
On the day that I served this, I sautéed chopped celery and chopped onion in butter. If you were making this for someone who is vegan, you could use a non-dairy stick butter like Earth Balance.
Then I added fresh thyme, fennel seeds, dried rosemary, and salt. The fennel seeds give it an almost meat-like flavor (which is fitting since fennel is the predominant spice in many sausages), which will make the meat eaters happy!
Then I tossed it all with low-sodium vegetable stock. I can’t stand a salty stuffing so the low-sodium variety keeps the seasoning in check.
It goes into a 13×9 inch baking dish to bake for 35–40 minutes. It’s best served right out of the oven, so have it ready to go into the oven when the turkey comes out. The turkey will need to rest before carving and then you’ll need to carve it, at which point the stuffing will be ready by the time you’re ready to sit down at the table. 🙂
I’ve also made this stuffing with the Ancient Grains loaf from Whole Foods. That was delicious as well!
For this spread, I served the Easy Vegetarian Sourdough Stuffing with:
Lemon Herb Roasted Turkey Breast
Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Spiced Pecans
Classic Apple Tart
(more recipes coming soon!)
Easy Vegetarian Sourdough Stuffing
Ingredients
- 1 1 lb loaf sourdough bread
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 small yellow onion finely diced
- 2 stalks celery finely diced
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves chopped (or substitute ½ teaspoon dried thyme)
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
- ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2½ cups low-sodium vegetable stock
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Cut the bread into 1-inch cubes (does not have to be perfect—rustic is good!). Place in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the bread cubes are dry to the touch. You can do this up to 2 days ahead.
- Melt the butter in a medium sauté pan over medium heat. Add the diced onion and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the celery is soft and the onion is translucent, about 4–5 minutes. Stir in the thyme, fennel seeds, rosemary, and salt.
- Increase oven temperature to 375°F. Grease a 13x9 inch baking dish with cooking spray or butter. Place the dried bread cubes in a large bowl. Add the onion and celery mixture, and pour the stock over the top. Toss gently to combine (I use my hands).
- Pour the bread mixture into the greased baking dish. Bake for 35–40 minutes, or until the top is toasted. Garnish with fresh parsley, if desired, and serve immediately.
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