The Best Gluten-Free Vegan Stuffing

Published: Nov 26, 2013 · Modified: Nov 7, 2024 by Rebecca Pytell · This post may contain affiliate links.

The Best Gluten-Free Vegan Stuffing! Thanksgiving isn't complete without this essential side dish! This award-winning gluten-free stuffing recipe is so easy to make, eggless, allergy-free, and will impress all your holiday guests (even the biggest gluten-eaters!)

That's why just leaving the TV on in the living room, listening in, and catching glimpses, is fine by me! I'll be in the kitchen prepping for the big Thanksgiving feast and most importantly, the world-famous gluten-free vegan stuffing! The award-winning recipe that I've been baking up since I was diagnosed with celiac disease.

The Best Gluten-Free Stuffing Recipe

My perfected, no-fail, amazingly delicious gluten-free stuffing recipe has been our family's go-to since 2008! This is the best classic gluten-free stuffing you will ever make and eat, but not only that, this stuffing will knock the socks off everyone at the dinner table! Yes, it's beloved by even the biggest gluten-eaters! This stuffing is so good, that you can serve it as the entree on the holiday table! Did I mention it's beyond easy, vegan, and allergy-free too? This from-scratch stuffing is:

Gluten-Free
Vegan & Vegetarian
Allergy-free (Dairy-Free, Soy-Free, Egg-Free, Nut-Free, Peanut-Free, Wheat-Free, Sesame-Free, Corn-Free, Coconut-Free)
Healthy & Kid-Friendly
Oil-Free & Sugar-Free
Quick & Easy, Budget-Friendly
Make-Ahead & Freezer-Friendly
Must-Have Thanksgiving, Christmas, Holiday Side Dish

The Best Bread For Gluten-Free Stuffing

The original famous recipe always used Ener-G Light Brown Rice Loaf as the gluten-free bread. Something about this obscure, gluten-free, vegan, and allergy-free bread just made for the most delicious stuffing. You can still order this bread online (the light tapioca loaf is great too!), but word on the street is that Ener-G is out of business. Don't worry, I have a few other safe gluten-free vegan bread options that work great (these options are all 100% top allergen-free).

ALDI's liveGfree wide pan gluten-free bread (white or whole grain)
BFree Soft White Loaf or Brown Seeded Loaf (white would work better)
Little Northern Bakehouse Wide Slice White Bread (or whole grain)

Stuffing Without Eggs

You do not need eggs to make stuffing! No substitute is needed either! Vegan stuffing naturally. The moisture added to this eggless stuffing from the water is the only thing you need to moisten the dread and keep everything together for that perfect forkful of delicious veggie-bready-pudding-like texture!

Other Ingredients

Vegetables: Classic vegan stuffing only needs some celery, carrots, and onion. However, to make this stuffing more veggie-packed, I love including chopped portobello mushrooms!
Seasonings: The only fresh herb I like to include in parsley. Then the other seasonings are all dried herbs including rosemary, thyme, sage, garlic powder, black pepper, and salt to taste.
Water: This is essential for adding moisture to your eggless stuffing! I always used water, but you could always use veggie broth if you want more flavor.

The Key To The Best Gluten-Free Stuffing

It's all about how you prep the bread! Gluten-free bread is already a touchy subject, but just like French toast, you need to use stale bread or give the bread a light toasting before using it in your stuffing! I prefer to toast each slice of bread rather than leaving it out overnight to stale and dry out. Toast the slices just enough so that they are golden brown, not burnt! Then you can go ahead and slice the bread into 1-inch cubes.

How To Make Gluten-Free Vegan Stuffing From Scratch

Start by toasting your gluten-free bread just until it's golden brown. Cut the bread into 1-inch cubes. It doesn't need to be perfect!
Saute the celery, carrots, mushrooms, onions, parsley, and seasonings over medium heat until the veggies soften and the onions turn translucent.
Add the ½ cup water to the pan, cover with a lid, and cook for 5 more minutes.
Place cubed toast in a large mixing bowl, add the sauteed vegetable mixture, and toss until everything is combined and the bread is moist.
Pour the stuffing mixture into a prepared 9x13 (3-quart) baking dish and cover with foil.
Place the baking dish in the oven to bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake an additional 10 minutes before removing.

Make-Ahead & Storage Instructions

Make-Ahead: To make the stuffing ahead of time, follow the recipe instructions, but leave the unbaked stuffing in the fridge for up to 2 days in advance. If you want to bake the stuffing ahead of time, you can bake it for the first 20 minutes, but leave the last 10 minutes of baking uncovered until right before you plan to serve.
Leftovers: Store leftover baked stuffing, once cooled, in a closed container in the fridge for up to 5 days. You can also leave it in the casserole dish to easily reheat the stuffing directly in the oven at 350°F until warmed through. You can reheat individual servings in the microwave.
Freezing: You can freeze unbaked stuffing or baked stuffing for up to 4-6 months. If unbaked, bake covered frozen stuffing in the oven at 400°F for 25-30 minutes and then 10 minutes uncovered. If it was already baked, I suggest thawing it in the fridge first and then reheating, covered with foil, at 350°F for about 15-20 minutes. You can add a few tablespoons of water or broth if you feel it gets too dry.

Don't miss the complete Allergy-Free Thanksgiving Menu Plan and Guide!

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