Your family, friends, & Thanksgiving table deserve nothing but the best. That’s why this Gluten Free Stuffing is the perfect addition to your holiday side dishes. No one will even know its gluten free! Plus, it’s incredibly easy to make.
If you’re ready to get started, continue on (see below for recipe as well suggestions for a completely easy, gluten free Thanksgiving meal). If homemade is not your thing, some of the most readily available at your local grocery store and best gluten-free stuffing mixes are: Katz® Herb Seasoned Stuffing Mix and Aleias™ Savory Stuffing Mix.
*For those asking if Pepperidge Farms or Stove Top has gluten free stuffing: I have not seen one yet, all formulations of their current stuffing mixes appear to contain gluten.
Gluten Free Stuffing Ingredients
Best Gluten Free Bread for Stuffing
The best gluten free bread to make stuffing with is always homemade. However, in this recipe, I’ve found the store bought to be pretty close and so much easier. For taste as well as easy availability, I recommend using Canyon Bakehouse® (Mountain White, Hawaiian Sweet, or any other version that is a white-style bread). For the purpose of this recipe, I used Canyon Bakehouse® Hawaiian Sweet.
Standard Ingredients
The other ingredients used in this recipe are pretty standard: butter, garlic, celery, sweet onion, salt and pepper, chicken broth, and dried herbs: sage, rosemary, parsley, and thyme. Fresh herbs can be substituted if desired. I do prefer to garnish with fresh sage and/or thyme.
Creative Additions/Mix-ins
Want to make your Thanksgiving stuffing unique? Here are some favorite stuffing mix-ins: dried nuts, dried cranberries (raisins or other dried fruits also taste good), diced apples, mushrooms, fresh herbs, ground sausage, or chopped bacon. Some add one (or several) or these ingredients not just for flavor, but to showcase that their stuffing is homemade.
How to Make Gluten Free Stuffing
Stale, dried out bread is preferable and makes for the best stuffing. However, if you do not have any dried out, you can dry out or toast your loaf of gluten free bread. Begin by slicing an entire load of bread into ½-inch cubes. Spread bread cubes along a baking sheet (covered in aluminum foil or parchment paper). Toast in a 300ºF oven for 20-30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. Or you can leave them out on the pan for 24 hours to dry at room temperature.
Butter can be melted in a large frying pan to sauté garlic, onion, and celery. Spices are then added and bread cubes are missed in. Then, stir in the chicken broth, a little at a time. Add until moist, but not soggy. The final stuffing mixture can then be added into a 2–3-quart casserole dish/pan and baked at 350ºF for 50-55 minutes or until stuffing is lightly crisp/browned.
Serving, Storing, and Making Ahead
Stuffing is best served with a large spoon directly for the casserole dish. Stuffing is best served freshly baked, but can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator or freezer depending on your timeline.
Refrigeration: After done baking, allow stuffing to cool to room temperature. Eat within 3 days of refrigeration. For reheating, add a bit more broth and microwave or bake.
Freezing: This will last longer than refrigeration. Freeze ingredients once assembled, but prior to baking. Wrap it in plastic wrap and aluminum foil. Freeze until ready to bake. When ready, follow regular baking directions per the recipe below.
FAQ
Stuffing almost inevitably contains gluten, unless it is specifically prepared gluten free. Follow the recipe below to make yours gluten free.
Stuffing in general is not known to be the healthiest dish. It contains a lot of refined carbohydrates and butter. However, homemade anything is always healthier than store bought and often healthier than what you’d get in a restaurant.
Yes you can! Just make sure they are from a fully cooked turkey.
This recipe is not vegan or dairy-free naturally. However, it’s easy to tweak. For vegan, just substitute vegetable broth for the chicken broth and use vegan butter vs regular butter. For dairy-free, just substitute vegan butter in place of the regular butter.
Gluten Free Thanksgiving
Your Thanksgiving meal will be so easy with these dishes! Most turkeys and cranberry sauces are naturally gluten free, so no worries on those, just grab your favorite recipe.
Serve this gluten free stuffing, corn, garlic green beans (stay away from green bean casserole), sweet potato casserole (make sure the recipe doesn’t use flour), gluten free mashed potatoes, crustless pumpkin pie/custard, and apple cider (here’s a fun alcoholic apple pie version for the adults – be careful, it’s extremely strong!).
Your meal will still have all the traditional favorites, no additional prep/leg work, and the same delicious flavors.
Here’s to a gluten free Thanksgiving and regaining our sparkle together,
✧❈✯✦Jenn✦✯❈✧
Gluten Free Stuffing
Ingredients
- 1 loaf bread (canyon), cut into ½-inch cubes (I usually end up throwing in a few extra slices from another loaf, it helps fill out the pan) *toasted or dried out for a day
- ½ cup butter
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 stalks celery, chopped
- 1 large sweet onion, chopped
- ½ teaspoon sage, ½ teaspoon rosemary, 1 teaspoon parsley, 1 teaspoon thyme
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 2 cups chicken broth (or to taste, add until moist, but not soggy)
- *Optional garnish: fresh sage and thyme
Instructions
- To prep the bread (if not already ready): slice an entire load of bread into ½-inch cubes. Spread bread cubes along a baking sheet (covered in aluminum foil or parchment paper). Toast in a 300ºF oven for 20-30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. Or you can leave them out on the pan for 24 hours to dry at room temperature.
- Preheat oven to 350ºF.
- Melt butter in a large frying pan. Add garlic. Sauté for one minute. Add onion and celery and sauté until soft.
- Add spices, salt, and pepper. Mix. Add bread cubes. Mix. Stir in chicken broth, a little at a time. Add until moist, but not soggy.
- Add ingredients into a 2–3-quart casserole dish/pan.
- Bake for 50-55 minutes or until stuffing is lightly crisp/browned.
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