To make the very best gluten free stuffing of your life this holiday season, you only need a few things: toasted gluten free bread, onions, celery, eggs, herbs, and chicken stock.
When each ingredient is packed with tons of savory flavor, and just the right gluten free bread, everyone will be asking for seconds!
(This recipe is for dressing, since it’s not cooked inside the cavity of a turkey. But we’ll use the two terms interchangeably because I like to live on the edge.)
Why is this the best gluten free stuffing recipe?
This recipe makes the best gf Thanksgiving stuffing since it’s packed with intense flavor, and is never ever soggy. It works so well to make the perfect gluten free stuffing for two main reasons:
First, we use the perfect style of bread, and we prepare it for the mixture by tearing and toasting it dry. Then, it’s ready to absorb all the flavors we’re going to add—without turning mushy.
Then, we cook down tons of onions and celery, plus all the right seasoning, to deepen and enhance their flavors. Just a couple eggs, plus lots of flavorful chicken or vegetable stock, complete the dish that we bake to perfection.
What gluten free bread is right for your gluten free stuffing mix?
The main ingredient in holiday stuffing, or dressing, is bread. And our gluten free recipe is no exception.
I’ve used every type of bread, from the squishiest to the most crusty. I’ve made it with lean breads and enriched breads. Cornbread, too.
After all that testing and comparing, my favorite gluten free bread for stuffing is our recipe for gluten free Japanese milk bread.
It’s slightly enriched bread, with an egg, some butter, a water roux for moisture retention, and milk, so it’s soft and tender. Our gf Japanese milk bread also has a thick, bakery-style crust, for texture variation.
And it’s enriched, but not with as much fat or sugar as gluten free brioche. It’s soft enough that, when we bake it in a low, 300°F oven, for about 40 minutes, it dries out and toasts lightly—but doesn’t harden.
Rather than cubing the bread, I now like to tear it into rough pieces before toasting it dry. The dry toasting of the pieces of this moist, enriched bread prepares it to absorb the flavors of the cooked vegetables and stock without becoming soggy.
Tips for making the best gluten free stuffing
Select the right bread
We’ve already talked about what type of gluten free bread we want to use, but it still bears repeating! You want an enriched bread, made with some added fats and tenderizers.
Your bread also has to be one you can tear into rough pieces, and solid enough to hold up to all the moisture we add without becoming soggy. You can begin by making our gf milk bread ahead of time, and freezing it until you’re ready to make stuffing.
Toast the bread low and slow
We’re using a loaf of bread that’s very soft inside with a thick bakery-style crust outside. When we tear it into pieces, we expose that tender center—and now we want to dry it out in the oven.
We’re using the oven to toast the bread and dehydrate it a bit in a low, 300°F oven—not bake it. It takes some time, but this is how we create just the right textured bread to absorb all the flavors we’re going to add.
Don’t skimp on the aromatics, herbs, and spices
Since we’ve chosen the right gf bread, it’s going to hold onto tons of flavor. That’s what is going to make this possibly the most flavorful side on your holiday table.
Here, we cook down two whole chopped yellow onions and a bunch of chopped celery with lots of herbs and spices. I like to use powdered vegetable bouillon, poultry seasoning (a blend of woodsy, earthy spices like sage, marjoram, and rosemary), and lots of good, dark chicken or vegetable stock.
Gluten free stuffing variations
As long as you have the right type of gluten free bread and the right proportions of eggs and stock, you can vary the flavors quite a bit. Here are some suggested variations
Gluten Free Stuffing with Cranberry and Apple
Cranberry-Apple Stuffing: When cooking onions and celery, add 2 peeled, cored and diced apples, and 1 cup dried cranberries to the aromatics when you add the stock.
Gluten Free Sausage Stuffing
When cooking the aromatics, first cook 1 1/2 cups crumbled bulk sausage until no longer pink. Remove the cook the sausage and set it aside, leaving behind the grease.
Add 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil, and cook the aromatics, replacing the sliced onions with 1 cup cleaned and sliced leeks.
Tex-Mex Cornbread Gluten Free Dressing
Tex-Mex Cornbread Stuffing: Replace the Japanese Milk Bread cubes with cubed Gluten Free Skillet Cornbread. To the aromatics, add 1 diced japaleño pepper, ribs and seeds removed, and 1 seeded red bell pepper. After you add the stock, add 1 cup frozen corn kernels.
Gluten Free Stuffing Ingredient Substitutions: Dairy Free, Vegan, and More
How to make gluten free dairy free stuffing
To replace the dairy in this recipe, you’ll need to make a substitution for the butter, and leave out the cheese, which is optional anyway. In place of the butter, try using vegan butter (Melt and Miyoko’s Kitchen brands are best).
You’ll also need to replace the butter and milk in the bread recipe. See the recipe for gf Japanese milk bread for that substitution information.
How to make gluten free egg free stuffing
There are only two eggs in this recipe, but they do a lot of work helping to hold the stuffing together. Without eggs, the ingredients really stay separate from one another.
You can try using one “chia egg” in place of each egg in the recipe. I make a “chia egg” by combining 1 tablespoon ground white chia seeds with 1 tablespoon lukewarm water, and allowing it to sit until it gels.
More frequently asked questions about gluten free stuffing
Can a vegan or vegetarian eat this gluten free stuffing?
If you replace all the dairy and the eggs, and you use vegetable stock instead of chicken stock—you have a recipe for gluten free vegan stuffing for your holiday table, too!
Can I cook this gf stuffing inside a turkey?
Food safety is of paramount importance whenever you’re working with raw meat. According to the Cleveland Clinic’s website, it’s safe to eat dressing cooked inside a raw bird if you take certain precautions.
Don’t add the stuffing ingredients until right before cooking. And make sure to test the dressing itself with an instant read thermometer and cook it until it reaches at least 165°F.
Can I make this gluten free stuffing ahead of time?
Yes! You can make the recipe through the first, covered, bake of Step 11 in the recipe card below.
At the point in the cooking process, the stuffing ingredients have been fully prepared and combined. They’ve also been baked for 30 minutes covered in foil, so they’ve been kept really moist.
At that point, remove the dish from the oven and allow it to cool to room temperature—while still covered in foil. That way, it won’t dry out.
After it’s come to cool room temperature (it will take some time), remove the foil. Cover the dish with freezer-safe wrap (Glad Press n Seal works particularly well) and freeze.
The day before you intend to serve the dish, defrost it in the refrigerator overnight. Remove it from the refrigerator and finish baking it, uncovered, according to the remaining recipe instructions.
How to make the best gluten free stuffing, step by step
The Best Gluten Free Stuffing for Thanksgiving | So Savory!
Ingredients
- 1 pound Gluten Free Japanese Milk Bread See Recipe Notes
- 2 tablespoons (42 g) extra-virgin olive oil
- 6 tablespoons (84 g) unsalted butter chopped
- 2 large yellow onions peeled and diced
- 2 cups chopped celery from about 6 stalks celery
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons powdered gluten free vegetable bouillon homemade vegetable bouillon powder or store-bought
- 2 tablespoons poultry seasoning
- 2 (100 g (weighed out of shell)) eggs at room temperature
- 1 ½ cups (12 fluid ounces) vegetable or chicken stock
- 1 ounce Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese shredded (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 300°F. Grease well a 9-inch x 13-inch baking dish and set it aside.
- First, tear the gluten free bread into roughly 1-inch pieces. Place them on a rimmed baking sheet.
- Place the baking sheet in the center of the 300°F oven, and bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until dried out and lightly browned. Stir at least once halfway through baking, to ensure even baking. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
- While the bread is cooling, cook the aromatics. In a medium-size, heavy-bottom saucepan, heat the butter and olive oil over medium heat until the butter is melted.
- Add the onion, celery, salt and pepper, powdered bouillon, and poultry seasoning, and stir to combine.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions and celery are fork-tender (about 10 minutes). The vegetables shouldn’t be mushy or even browned.
- Increase the oven temperature to 350°F.
- Transfer the vegetable mixture to a large, heat-safe mixing bowl. Add the cooled toasted bread cubes, and mix to combine.
- Whisk together the eggs and stock until smooth. Add the egg mixture to the large mixing bowl, and toss carefully to coat. Add the optional shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano, and mix gently until just combined.
- Transfer the mixture carefully to the prepared 9-inch x 13-inch baking dish. Press it gently into an even layer. Cover the baking dish securely with aluminum foil.
- Bake at 350°F for 30 minutes. Uncover, and continue to bake until the eggs are set and the stuffing is golden brown all over (about another 30 minutes).
- When it’s done, the stuffing will feel relatively firm when pressed gently with a finger in a thick portion. The top edges will be crisped but not dark. Serve warm.
Notes
The Best Gluten Free Stuffing for Thanksgiving | So Savory!
Ingredients
- 1 pound Gluten Free Japanese Milk Bread See Recipe Notes
- 2 tablespoons (42 g) extra-virgin olive oil
- 6 tablespoons (84 g) unsalted butter chopped
- 2 large yellow onions peeled and diced
- 2 cups chopped celery from about 6 stalks celery
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons powdered gluten free vegetable bouillon homemade vegetable bouillon powder or store-bought
- 2 tablespoons poultry seasoning
- 2 (100 g (weighed out of shell)) eggs at room temperature
- 1 ½ cups (12 fluid ounces) vegetable or chicken stock
- 1 ounce Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese shredded (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 300°F. Grease well a 9-inch x 13-inch baking dish and set it aside.
- First, tear the gluten free bread into roughly 1-inch pieces. Place them on a rimmed baking sheet.
- Place the baking sheet in the center of the 300°F oven, and bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until dried out and lightly browned. Stir at least once halfway through baking, to ensure even baking. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
- While the bread is cooling, cook the aromatics. In a medium-size, heavy-bottom saucepan, heat the butter and olive oil over medium heat until the butter is melted.
- Add the onion, celery, salt and pepper, powdered bouillon, and poultry seasoning, and stir to combine.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions and celery are fork-tender (about 10 minutes). The vegetables shouldn’t be mushy or even browned.
- Increase the oven temperature to 350°F.
- Transfer the vegetable mixture to a large, heat-safe mixing bowl. Add the cooled toasted bread cubes, and mix to combine.
- Whisk together the eggs and stock until smooth. Add the egg mixture to the large mixing bowl, and toss carefully to coat. Add the optional shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano, and mix gently until just combined.
- Transfer the mixture carefully to the prepared 9-inch x 13-inch baking dish. Press it gently into an even layer. Cover the baking dish securely with aluminum foil.
- Bake at 350°F for 30 minutes. Uncover, and continue to bake until the eggs are set and the stuffing is golden brown all over (about another 30 minutes).
- When it’s done, the stuffing will feel relatively firm when pressed gently with a finger in a thick portion. The top edges will be crisped but not dark. Serve warm.
sue lane says
If I make this bread one or 2 days in advance do I refrigerate or leave on the counter until making the stuffing?
Nicole Hunn says
Hi, Sue. I would wrap it tightly in something airtight (I really like Glad Press n Seal) and keep it at room temperature. I don’t like refrigerating bread, ever!
Arlene Turney says
Have tried making GF stuffing using different GF breads. When drying the bread out it gets too firm and does not absorb the liquid. The GF Japanese Milk Bread was great. Easy to make and then making it into stuffing. Added sausage to make more of a meal and it was wonderful! Will be making it again but will add the raisins like Mom always had. YUM!
Nicole Hunn says
Yes, Arlene! That has been my experience, if you don’t use the right bread. You need something that starts out quite moist, so you can toast it just right. I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe, and since we agree on so much, I promise to look the other way at adding raisins (!!).
Kay Lopez says
This was great and I didn’t even make the bread. I used Canyon Bakehouse Heritage store bought. I just made a GF stuffing and it needed a lot of help to make it ok. This recipe needed nothing. I’m so happy to have found it before Thanksgiving.
Nicole Hunn says
I’m so glad you gave this a try with the bread you had on hand, Kay. Happy Thanksgiving!
Marianne says
Nicole, Your dressing recipe is delicious! Definitely the best GF dressing we have ever had. Thank you so much – I have been missing a good, flavorful dressing for years! This is Thanksgiving week-end in Canada, & I know my family will love this :-)
Nicole Hunn says
I’m so glad you love it as much as I do, Marianne! It’s a simple recipe, but those are sometimes the hardest to get just right. Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!!
Holly says
Nicole, can the Japanese milk bread recipe be doubled successfully? I’m assuming this stuffing recipe can be easily doubled. This looks awesome! *comments were closed on the bread recipe page. Thank you!
Nicole Hunn says
Hi, Holly, Good question! I really don’t like doubling yeast bread, since things tend to go sideways, but you could definitely make two sets of dough in tandem. Just measure out the dry ingredients in two bowls, the wet ingredients separately, and mix each in the mixer one set after the other. And yes, the stuffing recipe can definitely be doubled!
Kristen T says
Can this be prepared a day before and heated up? If so, which steps would you go through early and which would you reserve for the day of? I am not much of a cook, but I would love to have dressing on Thanksgiving this year at my family’s dinner.
Thanks!
Brad G says
My favorite stuffing is with cornbread, sauteed/carmelized plantains, leeks (or shallots), and chanterelle mushrooms. YUM!!!
Donia Robinson says
Not to be a buzzkill, but could you also recommend a dairy-free bread? My small intestine thanks you. :)
I used Nom Nom Paleo’s spatchcocked bird recipe last year, and it was delicious. It also cooked much faster, which was a plus. I also feel very fancy using the word spatchcock. I plan to do it again this year (both use the recipe and use the word).
Mare Masterson says
Donia, I was shocked to see your post because I assumed you already make the breads from the book using the dairy free suggestions Nicole provided in the book. I love Nom Nom Paleo! I don’t have to be dairy free, but I am a lot of the time.
Donia Robinson says
I found that the extra water that the dairy-free versions required made them behave very differently than the dairy versions. They could not be kneaded, rolled, or handled the way the dairy versions could. There was a lot of sticking. Ultimately, I found it easier for me personally to keep using the old-school recipes, because they just go from mixing bowl to pan. I have the white sandwich bread recipe from the first book memorized, and make it about 3 times a week. As I’ve mentioned before on the blog, I’m sort of a lazy baker. I don’t like to make cookies because of all of the in and out of the oven, then cooling racks, etc. It’s probably a problem with me, not the dairy-free flour recipe. ;)
So that’s my dirty little secret. But I am happy for the successes of others with the dairy version of the bread flour! If I could tolerate more dairy, I’d be right there with you!!
Anneke says
I knew Donia’s dirty little secret already! My husband feels the same way about the old bread recipes, he makes the brown bread (we call it teff bread in our house) from the blog several times a week. He is all about easy! And I must investigate this spatchcock word! Really rolls off the tongue, doesn’t it!
Melissa says
Soak your turkey in a salt/sugar brine for 2-3 days before you bake it. I promise you won’t be sorry!
Mare Masterson says
Oh I have yet to try the Japanese Milk Bread. I guess I must do so and make a couple extra loaves for T-Day! I make my own turkey stock beforehand from parts I buy in supermarket. I have to blend the onion and celery in the stock because my daughter likes the flavor but not to chew the actual onion or celery. Only way she chews an onion is if it is a onion ring or crispy fried onions. We use GF Jones sausage in our stuffing. I do cook it in the bird and I also make extra to cook outside the bird.
Lucy says
Lovely stuffing Nicole, we hardly ever roast turkey… It’s always ham, beef or chicken.
We always make stuffing and I’ve had some failures, I’ll try this recipe next and make sure I have the Japanese Milk Bread on hand :)
The Lemon Meringue Pie was a hit, thanks for the pie crust recipe!
We ended up using rotini pasta for the lasagna dish and it was excellent too!
Lynda says
How many cups of bread cubes? I’m not sure I’ll have time to bake the bread and will probably have to buy it pre-made.
Nicole Hunn says
It’s about 9 to 10 cups, Lynda.
Lynda says
Thank you!