The Best Gluten Free Stuffing for Thanksgiving | So Savory!

5 from 4 votes

Prep Time : 20 minutes

Cook Time : 1 hour 50 minutes

Serve a gluten free stuffing this Thanksgiving that your guests won't stop raving about. Enjoy a gluten free dressing that tastes just like traditional stuffing!

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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

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The Best Gluten Free Stuffing for Thanksgiving | So Savory!

Serve a gluten free stuffing this Thanksgiving that your guests won't stop raving about. Enjoy a gluten free dressing that tastes just like traditional stuffing!

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour 50 minutes

Servings: 5 servings

Author: Nicole Hunn

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

Note: I used 2/3 of the loaf made using that recipe. You could use the whole loaf, and increase all the other remaining ingredients in the recipe by 1/3. You’ll need to bake the stuffing in a larger casserole dish.

Originally published on the blog in 2014. Recipe enhanced a bit; photos, video, and text mostly new.

Print Pin SaveSaved!

The Best Gluten Free Stuffing for Thanksgiving | So Savory!

Serve a gluten free stuffing this Thanksgiving that your guests won't stop raving about. Enjoy a gluten free dressing that tastes just like traditional stuffing!

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour 50 minutes

Servings: 5 servings

Author: Nicole Hunn

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

Note: I used 2/3 of the loaf made using that recipe. You could use the whole loaf, and increase all the other remaining ingredients in the recipe by 1/3. You’ll need to bake the stuffing in a larger casserole dish.

Originally published on the blog in 2014. Recipe enhanced a bit; photos, video, and text mostly new.