Vegan Stuffing

Name: Vegan Stuffing
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 12-15 slices of bread (about 12 cups), toasted and cut into cubes or torn into pieces; 2-3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil; 3 onions, chopped; 1 whole head celery, chopped; 1 8-ounce can sliced water chestnuts, chopped; 1/2 teaspoon ground sage (or 1 teaspoon dried sage); 2-3 cups vegetable broth; 2-3 tablespoons vegan butter

by Deborah on Nov 20, 2022 (updated Dec 15, 2024) 0 comments

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This Vegan Stuffing recipe is made with celery, onions, water chestnuts, toasted bread cubes and vegetable broth. It’s a delicious vegan Thanksgiving stuffing recipe seasoned with dried sage and topped with vegan butter then baked until deliciously golden.

Blue baking dish filled with vegan stuffing. A spatula sits next to the dish.

Some bread stuffing recipes add sausage, giblets and eggs, but we keep things delicious, simple and on the healthy side with this recipe. If you’re looking for an easy vegan stuffing for Thanksgiving, this recipe is easy to make and sure to be a crowd-pleaser. And leftovers (if you’re lucky enough to have any) are even better the next day!

This easy vegan Thanksgiving stuffing recipe is the stuffing recipe that my mom has made for the holidays since I was a kid. The great thing about this recipe is you don’t have to wait for the holidays to make it. It’s so simple to make and it makes a great side dish to grilled chicken, turkey patties, vegan patties, or you can even stuff it inside zucchini or peppers. Back in the day my mom used to make this stuffing to cook inside the turkey, but then we started serving it as a side dish instead. It’s much easier, less messy and travels well. However, we still call it “stuffing” but it can also be called “dressing”.

Dressing vs Stuffing

“Dressing” is served as a side dish while “stuffing” is typically cooked inside the cavity of the turkey while it roasts in the oven.

Vegan Stuffing Recipe

Bread. You’ll need 12-15 slices of bread (about 12 cups), toasted and cut into cubes or torn into pieces. My mom always used a mix of wheat bread and white bread, but you can use all wheat or all white if you like.
Olive Oil. I use extra-virgin olive oil to saute the onions and celery, but use whatever mild flavored oil you have.
Onions. The onions adds a ton of flavor to this stuffing.
Celery. Also adds a lot of flavor to this stuffing.
Water chestnuts. I love water chestnuts, and they add a nice crispy crunch to the mix. You can usually find canned water chestnuts in the Asian food section at markets. Be sure to drain them first
Seasoning. I use dried (ground) sage, but you could also use poultry seasoning if you prefer.
Vegetable broth. Since this is a vegan recipe, we use vegetable broth to soften the bread and mix the ingredients before baking.
Vegan butter. We use just a few dabs of butter to the top of the stuffing before baking in the oven.

Find printable recipe with measurements below.

Variations

Add 1-2 cloves garlic.
Use 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning instead of sage.
Sprinkle in 1-2 tablespoons fresh parsley.
Use chicken broth, or make a broth by simmering the turkey giblets and neck instead of vegetable broth (if you’re not vegan).
Use regular dairy butter instead of vegan butter (if you’re not vegan).

How to Make Bread Stuffing

The key to a great homemade stuffing is to make sure your bread is nicely toasted. My mom always uses a combination of whole wheat bread and white bread, which provides the best flavor and texture. When I make it, I typically use a good whole grain bread like Dave’s Killer Bread with 21 whole grains and seeds. It has a lot of flavor and I like the added seeds for texture. A bread like this also adds a lot of plant protein making this vegan stuffing more nutritious.

Toast bread. Lightly brown bread slices in the oven or lightly toast them in a toaster, then cut them into squares.
Prepare vegetables. Peel and chop onions, chop celery and chop water chestnuts.
Saute vegetables. Heat oil in large pan or Dutch oven and add the celery and onions. Saute until soft (about 10 – 15 minutes – depending on size of your pan), then add the water chestnut and cook another 2-3 minutes.
Add toast. Stir in toast 1 fistful at a time.
Pour in broth. Stir in broth a little at a time to moisten and incorporate the bread with the vegetables.
Season. Sprinkle in the dried sage and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Bake. Scoop the mixture into a greased 13 x 9 inch casserole or other baking dish and bake in the preheated oven for for 20 minutes, then remove foil and bake another 15-20 minutes or until you have the stuffing has a nice browning on top. Be careful not to cook too long or stuffing will dry out and/or burn.

Can I Make This Bread Stuffing Ahead of Time?

You sure can! This easy stuffing recipe can be made one to two days ahead of time.

Just prepare the homemade stuffing according to the instructions.
Spoon it into a baking dish and cover well with plastic wrap.
Refrigerate for up to 2 days ahead of time.
When you’re ready to bake it, remove from the refrigerator and let sit at room temperature for 20-30 minutes.
If your homemade stuffing is dried out at all, mix in a splash or two of vegetable broth just until it’s slightly moistened.
Remove the plastic wrap and bake according to the directions.

More Favorite Thanksgiving Recipes

Yield: 8 servings

Vegan Stuffing

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes

Total Time 55 minutes

This Vegan Stuffing recipe is made with celery, onions, water chestnuts, toasted bread cubes and vegetable broth. It's a delicious bread stuffing that's seasoned with dried sage and topped with vegan butter then baked until deliciously golden. You don't have to wait for the holidays to make this easy homemade stuffing recipe, it's simple enough to make any night of the week!

Ingredients

12-15 slices of bread (about 12 cups), toasted and cut into cubes or torn into pieces
2-3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 onions, chopped
1 whole head celery, chopped
1 8-ounce can sliced water chestnuts, chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground sage (or 1 teaspoon dried sage)
2-3 cups vegetable broth
2-3 tablespoons vegan butter

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Lightly brown bread slices in the oven or lightly toast them in a toaster, then cut them into squares.
Peel and chop onions, chop celery and water chestnuts.
Heat oil in large pan or Dutch oven and add the celery and onions. Saute until soft (about 10 - 15 minutes - depending on size of your pan), then add the water chestnut and cook another 2-3 minutes.
Gradually add toast bread cubes 1 fistful at a time.
Pour in broth a little at a time to mix in the bread.
Season with ground or dried sage and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Scoop the mixture into a greased 13 x 9 inch casserole or other baking dish
Dab the top with vegan butter and cover the top of the baking dish with foil.
Bake in the preheated oven for for 20 minutes, then remove foil and bake another 15-20 minutes or until you have the stuffing has a nice browning on top. Be careful not to cook too long or stuffing will dry out and/or burn.