Get ready to elevate your holiday feast with our vegan cornbread stuffing, a gluten-free marvel that promises to be the star of your table! Packed with rich flavors and delightful textures, this stuffing is not just a side dish but a showstopper that will leave everyone craving more, vegan or not.
Our go-to gluten-free vegan cornbread, perfect with a cozy bowl of vegan chili, is a year-round favorite, thanks to its one-bowl wonder batter that's almost magically easy to whip up. But the true spotlight moment for this side dish is in the Fall. That's when we bring in the delightful duo of sage butter and cranberries, transforming it into a culinary celebration, especially perfect for jazzing up those Thanksgiving leftovers.
When decking out your holiday table, be it Thanksgiving or Christmas, this cornbread stuffing is a must-have. It pairs like a dream with our vibrant vegan kale salad dressed in a maple-balsamic vinaigrette and our delectable maple-glazed baked tofu steaks. Together, they create a festive symphony of flavors that'll have everyone asking for seconds!
Jump to:
💚 Why you will love it
- Rich Vegan Butter: Creamy texture.
- Earthy Fresh Sage: Savory depth.
- Gluten-Free Cornbread: Delicious, absorbent base.
- Tangy Cranberries: Flavor burst.
- Crunchy Pecans: Nutty complexity.
🧾 Ingredients
Make this gluten-free cornbread stuffing with just a few kitchen staples and shine with pure comfort food flavors.
- Vegan butter: It provides a rich and creamy texture, enhancing the flavor and moisture of the dish without using animal-derived ingredients.
- Fresh sage: It adds a distinct earthy and savory flavor, complementing the other ingredients and adding depth to the overall taste.
- Chopped fresh rosemary: It contributes a fragrant and pine-like aroma, infusing the dish with a subtle herbal taste.
- Fresh thyme: It imparts a slightly floral and earthy flavor, elevating the overall taste profile of the dish.
- Onion: It adds a savory and slightly sweet flavor, providing a solid base for the other ingredients and enhancing the overall taste.
- Celery stalks offer a crisp texture and a subtle, refreshing taste, adding a mild and refreshing note to the dish.
- Cornbread: It serves as the main ingredient in the stuffing, providing a delicious and gluten-free base that absorbs the flavors of the other ingredients.
- Egg replacement: It acts as a binding agent, replacing eggs in traditional recipes, and helps to hold the stuffing together without compromising its texture.
- Vegetable broth adds moisture and savory depth to the stuffing, infusing it with flavors and preventing it from drying during cooking.
- Plant milk: It contributes moisture and richness to the stuffing, ensuring a moist and tender texture while providing a creamy element without using dairy products.
Optional ingredients
Dried cranberries and toasted pecans: The cranberries offer a sweet and tangy flavor, while the toasted pecans provide a crunchy texture and a nutty taste, adding complexity to the stuffing.
Substitutions
- Pecans - instead of pecan nuts, you could use walnuts.
- Cranberries - use sweet and sour dried raisins or blackberries instead.
- You can replace egg replacers with flex meal eggs, combining one tablespoon of flax meal and three tablespoons of water for each one.
- Onions - use leeks instead.
- Vegan butter - use extra-virgin olive oil or melted coconut oil.
See the recipe card for quantities.
🍽 Equipment
To make your gluten-free cornbread stuffing, you will need a baking dish for the bread and a rimmed baking sheet to bake the stuffing.
To mix the liquid ingredients, you can use a large bowl and a whisk: then pour the mixture over the cubed cornbread. Optionally cover with foil so the flavors meld more evenly.
🔪 Instructions
Preheat the oven to 375 º F (190 ºC).
Step 1: Make homemade cornbread.
Step 2: Melt butter and chop fresh sage on top, cooking on low heat for 2-3 minutes.
Step 3: Chop onions and celery.
Step 4: In a large skillet, Sautee diced onion and celery in butter on medium heat.
Step 5: Dice the pre-made gluten-free cornbread.
Step 6: Use nonstick cooking spray and arrange cornbread cubes on a baking sheet.
Step 7: Add the cooked vegetables on top.
Step 8: Followed by cranberries and stir egg replacement, vegetable broth, remaining melted butter, non-dairy milk, and salt. Cover with foil and bake.
Step 9: Remove the foil, and broil for another 5 minutes until golden brown. Lightly toast the pecans on a skillet.
Step 10: Toss the lightly toasted pecan nuts and garnish with fresh herbs in a casserole dish. Stir to combine.
Hint: For moist stuffing, sprinkle extra plant milk.
💡 Expert tips
For a head start on the stuffing, prepare it beforehand and set aside a bit of melted butter to drizzle just before serving.
We're fans of varied textures, so we chop our dried cornbread cubes into assorted sizes. Feel free to crumble any larger pieces with the back of a wooden spoon during plating for a more uniform texture.
Remember to give the stuffing a hearty mix before it hits the table.
🥢 How to serve
Serve on any Holiday meal with a fresh kale salad, and roasted Brussels sprouts as side dishes for a delicious holiday vegetarian roast with mushroom gravy, and vegan mashed potatoes.
📖 Variations
- Sweet - top with maple syrup, agave nectar, or date syrup.
- Kid-friendly - add vegan marshmallows.
❓ FAQ
Right before serving, put in a preheated oven and broil for 3-5 minutes, depending on how much moisture there is. This will evaporate the humidity and make the cornbread crunchier.
The terms "cornbread stuffing" and "cornbread dressing" often refer to the same dish, particularly in the context of a seasoned, bread-based mixture used as a side for festive meals like Thanksgiving. However, the usage of these terms can vary by region.
🥡 Storage
Store this vegan stuffing in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Sprinkle almond milk or vegetable broth before reheating to prevent it from drying out. Add some freshly toasted pecans before serving.
Although it can be frozen, I recommend not thawing it completely and baking it in the oven while frozen so it doesn't become mushy.
📚 More Holiday Recipes
Pair this vegetarian stuffing with sweet mashed potatoes, vegetable and lentil casserole, glazed roasted carrots, and stuffed baked onions.
Don't forget to serve this dish with unsweetened applesauce and the most delicious vegan pumpkin pie, green beans potatoes sausage casserole, and a sweet potato crunch to make a memorable banquet.
Start the day using homemade pumpkin pie spice mix to make vegan pumpkin pancakes or overnight pumpkin oats, paired with a cozy vegan pumpkin spice latte!
⭐ If you try this recipe, let us know! 💬 Leave a comment, rate it, and don't forget to tag us @ourplantbasedworld on Instagram. Cheers!
🎥 Video
📋 Recipe
Vegan Cornbread Stuffing (Gluten-Free)
Equipment
Ingredients
Herbed butter
- ½ cup vegan butter
- 1 ½ tablespoons sage fresh, chopped
- 1 teaspoon thyme fresh sprigs
- ½ teaspoon rosemary fresh sprigs
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
For the stuffing:
- 1 onion large, finely diced
- 3 celery stalks, finely diced
- 5 cups Vegan Cornbread Recipe Gluten-free cubed
- 3 tablespoons egg replacement like just egg
- ½ cup vegetable broth
- ½ cup plant milk such as soy milk, cashew milk, or almond milk
Optional
- ½ cup cranberries dried, or dried cherries, raisins
- ½ cup pecans lightly toasted, or walnuts
Directions
- Make the herb butter: melt the vegan butter in a small skillet and add the chopped sage, thyme, and rosemary. Simmer on medium-low heat for 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Make the stuffing: add half of the herb butter to a large skillet and add the chopped onion and celery, occasionally stirring, until translucent, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from the heat.
- Combine the ingredients: cut the cornbread into ½-inch cubes and put them on a buttered 9" x 13" Nonstick Baking Sheet, then top them with the stir-fried onion and celery mixture; then gently stir-in and fold the vegan egg replacement, vegetable broth, remaining herb butter, non-dairy milk, and salt. Optionally, do this in a large mixing bowl.
- Bake the stuffing: preheat the oven to 375 º F (190 ºC). Cover the baking sheet with foil and bake for 30 minutes; remove the foil and raise the oven temperature to broil until golden brown, about 5-10 more minutes.
- Remove the foil, and broil for another 5 minutes until golden brown. Lightly toast the pecans on a skillet.
- Garnish with fresh herbs
Video
Nutrition Facts
Nutritional Disclaimer
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist's advice. See our full Nutritional Disclosure here.
Affiliate Disclaimer
Please note that some of the links here are affiliate links, and I will earn a commission if you purchase through those links. I recommend all of the products listed because they are companies I have found helpful and trustworthy.
Natalie says
Loved your cornbread stuffing Gus! Simple, and delicious. I added some marshmallows for kids, and they really enjoyed it, thanks!
Gus says
Thank you Natalie; I am glad you guys liked it! Our nieces also love it with Marshmallows!
Lucy says
This cornbread stuffing is perfect for Thanksgiving. Full of all the classic stuffing vegetables and herbs - delicious! I love that it's gluten free so a dish everyone can enjoy.
Crystal says
This cornbread stuffing looks fantastic and is perfect for Thanksgiving!