The best classic stuffing recipe made gluten-free! This traditional Thanksgiving stuffing recipe is made with gluten-free bread, a flavorful blend of fresh herbs, butter, celery, onions, and seasoned chicken broth.
This family favorite Thanksgiving side dish is allergy-friendly and perfect for pairing with turkey, ham, or a chicken roast for every holiday occasion. The best part of this easy stuffing recipe is the soft texture on the inside with a golden toasty top. Well, that and the leftovers that we use to make cranberry, turkey, and stuffing sandwiches with..yum!
Gluten-Free Stuffing Recipe
The holidays are upon us! I remember the first holiday season after being diagnosed with food allergies. It was pretty hard when Thanksgiving came around and I couldn’t enjoy the classic favorites. After that first holiday season, I vowed to learn how to adapt my family’s favorite recipes. It’s been a learning curve but after several years I think I’ve perfected the recipes to the point where my family can’t tell the difference.
To make this classic stuffing recipe gluten-free I’m using gluten-free sandwich bread. This recipe can be made with your favorite bread depending on the texture and taste you prefer or with a combination of white and wheat bread. Here’s a list of my favorite bread to make stuffing with:
- Sandwich bread
- French bread
- Sourdough
- Artisan bread from a bakery
Ingredients to make gluten-free stuffing
- Gluten-free loaf
- Butter
- Celery
- Onion
- Broth
- eggs
- Herbs: parsley, sage, thyme
- Salt & pepper
How do you make gluten-free stuffing from scratch?
It’s pretty difficult to find gluten-free bread cubes locally so my best option is to make my own.
- Start by cutting a loaf of bread into small cubes. Read the tips below on toasting the bread cubes.
- Dice the vegetables and heat on a skillet with butter. Cook the vegetables until soft. I’m using my favorite cast-iron pan which can also double as a pan to bake the stuffing in.
- Combine low-sodium broth (chicken or vegetable broth) with chopped fresh herbs, salt, pepper, and whisked eggs. The eggs will act as a binding ingredient to help the stuffing retain its shape. This is important when working with gluten-free bread.
- Mix the bread cubes and vegetables together. Pour the broth mixture over the stuffing and gently toss until evenly coated.
- Bake in a greased 9×13 baking dish.
Do you need to toast the bread in a stuffing recipe?
Gluten-free bread tends to be a little drier than regular bread therefore toasting isn’t totally necessary. However, if you prefer a slightly toasty and less mushy stuffing then go right ahead and toast the bread cubes before mixing with the broth. My preferred method is to toast the bread cubes for only 5-10 minutes.
Another tip is to place your bread slices on a baking sheet overnight to help the bread have a slightly stale texture that will prevent it from absorbing too much liquid.
Ingredients to add to a classic stuffing recipe:
- Sausage – brown half a pound of sausage in a skillet then drain before combining with bread cubes.
- Apples
- Dried cranberries
- Carrots
- Raisins
- Nuts: almonds, pecans, or walnuts
Gluten-Free Stuffing
Ingredients
- 1 loaf of gluten-free bread
- 6 tbsp butter unsalted
- 2 celery ribs
- 1 onion
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley chopped
- 1 tsp sage chopped
- 1 tsp thyme chopped
- 2 cups broth
- 2 eggs
- pinch salt & pepper
Instructions
- Cut bread into cubes and lay it into a single layer on a baking sheet. Toast for 5 minutes in a 350-degree oven.
- Melt butter, celery, and onion in a large skillet; cook for 8-10 minutes or until soft.
- Combine broth, whisked eggs, salt, pepper, and herbs together.
- Place bread cubes in a large bowl. Stir in celery and onions.
- Pour broth mixture over the stuffing mix. Gently toss to evenly coat the bread cubes.
- Place in a greased 9x13 baking dish. Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes. After 25 minutes remove foil and bake for an additional 15-25 minutes depending on the texture you prefer best.