Vegan Stuffing
Author:The best vegan stuffing for your holiday table! With cubes of flavour-soaked crusty bread, crumbled vegan sausage for meaty richness, loads of onion, garlic and herbs, and some grated apple and dried cranberries for delicious contrast and pops of colour. You can even prep it ahead!
Ingredients
- 1½ lb (24oz or 680 grams) loaf of crusty bread , cubed & stale/dry (not soft sandwich bread. Artisan sourdough gives the very best flavour)
- 4 tablespoons vegan butter , or olive oil (butter for best flavour) & a little more for optional dotting over the top
- 2 medium onions , red, yellow or white
- 2 ribs celery , diced
- 4 large (about 400g / 14 oz) vegan sausages chopped (Beyond or Impossible style are best, or use 2 cups brown mushrooms instead or 50/50 sausage & mushrooms).
- 5 cloves garlic
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage or 2 teaspoons dried
- 4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or 4 teaspoons dried
- 1 teaspoon thyme , fresh or dried
- 1 teaspoon rosemary , fresh or dried
- 2 medium apples , grated (no need to peel)
- ½ cup (62 grams) dried cranberries , sweetened or unsweetened (don't use fresh!)
- 2 to 3½ cups (480 to 840 mls) vegetable stock , I like using Better Than Bouillon No Chicken
- 1 heaping tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
INSTRUCTIONS
- Before: Your bread needs to be very stale and dry for this recipe. If you only have fresh bread or it's not really dry, cube it a day or two before you assemble your stuffing, lay the cubes in a single layer on a large baking tray and let them dry out at room temperature for 24 to 48 hours. Or place in an even layer on a large baking tray and bake at 300°F (150°C) for 30 to 40 minutes until completely dry.
- Preheat: Turn your oven on and preheat to 375°F (190°C).
- Sauté: Melt the vegan butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Once hot, add the onions and celery. Cook, stirring frequently, until just tender (about 5 minutes). Then add the chopped sausage (I snip it into small pieces straight into the pan with some kitchen scissors), and cook until just starting to turn golden on the edges. Then add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes more. Turn off the heat.
- Assemble: To a very large bowl (or in the baking dish you will be using), add the cubed bread, fresh herbs (if using - leave the dried ones out for now), grated apple, cooked sausage, onions, garlic and dried cranberries. Toss together with clean hands to combine.
- Take 2 cups of the stock and add the dried herbs, salt, pepper and mustard. Give it a good stir to incorporate the mustard well, then pour evenly over the stuffing. Pour over up to 1½ cups (360 ml) more stock as needed, a little bit at a time, tossing gently until the cubes of bread are moist but not soggy. You shouldn't be able to see any excess liquid pooling.
- Transfer the stuffing mixture to a 9 x 13-inch casserole dish. Make sure it's no smaller than that or use two 8 x 8 or 9x 9-inch dishes instead. Try not to compact it down as you're filling the dish and poke any visible cranberries below the surface.
- This is optional, but some small knobs of butter scattered all over the top will give you extra lovely colour and flavour!
- Bake - Cover with foil or an upturned baking tray and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the cover and continue baking for another 25 to 30 minutes until the top is golden brown. You can give it even more colour by popping it under the broiler (grill in the UK ) for a few minutes if you want to.
- Rest - I recommend leaving the stuffing to rest for about 10 minutes before digging in.
NOTES
Cover and store the cooled stuffing in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat thoroughly for at least 25 minutes in a 375°F (190°C) oven (less if a small batch of leftovers).
To Make Ahead: Prepare as directed without baking. Cover tightly and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Follow the baking directions, but add an extra five minutes or so to compensate for it being cold from the fridge.
To freeze - Bake the stuffing as directed. Cool, then cover well and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, allow to come to room temperature, then reheat uncovered in a 375°F (190°C) oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until warmed through.
NUTRITION
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 294kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 826mg | Potassium: 286mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 433IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 93mg | Iron: 4mg
