This post contains affiliate links. Click here to read my affiliate policy.
Last Updated on January 2, 2024
There’s nothing like a stuffed turkey to announce the arrival of the holiday season. This has been the staple holiday dinner for many years, and for good reason.
Unfortunately, though, a few unlucky people are unable to enjoy this wonderful meal due to their gluten sensitivity. So, what can we do to get them in on the fun? Make gluten-free stuffing!
If you’ve been looking for an easy gluten-free stuffing recipe, you’ve come to the right place. I’ll tell you how to make it from scratch, as well as share a few tricks on how to take your stuffing to the next level.
Ingredients
Here are the ingredients you’ll need to make delicious gluten-free stuffing:
For the Gluten-Free Bread:
- ½ cup tapioca flour
- 1 ½ cups raw almonds or ultra-fine almond flour
- 1 cup chicken broth
- ½ tsp. apple cider vinegar
- ½ tsp. baking soda
- ½ tsp. dried thyme
- 1 tsp. sea salt
- 2 tbsp. butter
- 1 tbsp. curly parsley, finely chopped
For the Veggie Mix:
- 2 tbsp. butter
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 4 slices bacon, diced
- 1 small onion, diced
- 6 Crimini mushrooms, diced (or any other mushrooms)
- 2 tbsp. poultry seasoning (optional)
How to Make Gluten-Free Turkey Stuffing From Scratch
Now, let’s start cooking a mouth-watering gluten-free stuffing mix!
Step 1: Make the Gluten-Free Bread
Before we start making the bread, preheat the oven to 350 °F.
While the oven is getting hot, start grinding your raw almonds in a food processor to make almond flour. Make sure to keep grinding until you get a fine powder with no noticeable clumps. The finer the flour, the airier and lighter your bread will be. That’s why it’s always best to sift your flour after it comes out of the food processor.
Once you’re done with the almond flour, transfer it to a large mixing bowl and add the rest of the dry ingredients. Finish by pouring in the chicken broth and butter.
You should now have a gooey batter that you’ll pour into a greased 8″ x 10″ pan. Bake the bread for 30 minutes and once it cools down a bit, break it into small pieces with a fork. You’ll notice that the bread is a bit sticky. Don’t worry; this is the texture we want.
Step 2: Sauté the Vegetables
In a pan, put two tablespoons of butter and wait for it to melt on medium heat. Then, add the bacon and cook until it becomes crispy and golden brown.
Take out the bacon, then add the chopped celery, mushrooms, and onion and sauté for 15-25 minutes. Make sure to stir occasionally to prevent anything from burning.
Step 3: Bake the Stuffing Mix
When the vegetables are cooked, add them and the bacon to a baking dish/pan with the bread pieces. Place the vegetable-bread mixture into the oven and bake for 25 minutes at 300 °F.
After that, all you have to do is take it out of the oven, wait for it to cool, and start stuffing your turkey.
Do You Have to Make the Bread From Scratch?
Nope. You can skip this part by getting some gluten-free bread from the store. However, you’ll have to make a few adjustments if you decide to go with this method.
For one, you’ll have to toast the bread. Do so by cutting it into little bread cubes, then place the cubes on a rimmed baking sheet with some salt and olive oil. Bake in the oven until you have perfectly toasted gluten-free bread.
Then, heat up your chicken or vegetable broth, and bit by bit, add it to a couple of whisked eggs. Do it slowly to avoid cooking the eggs, and make sure to whisk continuously.
Finally, add the cooked vegetables and toasted bread cubes to a greased casserole dish and pour the egg/broth mixture on top of it. Bake until the top is golden brown, and voila!
Is It Okay to Use Stale Gluten-Free Bread?
If you’re not new to gluten-free baking and regularly make your own bread, then rejoice. You now have a place to use all those stale slices and crusts.
Over the months, store your leftover bread in the freezer. Then, when Thanksgiving comes around, defrost it, toast it in the oven, and allow the chicken stock to work its magic on it.
Can You Make Vegan Gluten-Free Stuffing?
Absolutely. You’ll just need to switch certain ingredients with vegan-appropriate ones.
For instance, take out the butter and replace it with vegan butter or olive oil. As for the broth, use vegetable stock instead of chicken.
You can also substitute the turkey bacon with some tofu to get that needed boost of protein. And if tofu isn’t your thing, chickpeas or lentils will be a great addition to this gluten-free stuffing recipe.
Can You Substitute Turkey Drippings for Broth?
Why not? Turkey drippings are delicious and can be an incredible alternative to chicken or veggie broth.
But remember that they’ll pack a stronger punch, flavor-wise. So, cut back a bit on the poultry seasoning, and add water to it to make it more broth-like.
Can I Use Sausage in This Recipe?
Yup. If you’re not the biggest fan of bacon, then sausages can be a wonderful addition to this recipe. You can use whatever type of sausage you like, be it breakfast sausage, chorizo, or Kielbasa.
All you have to do is cook the sausage like you normally do, then cut it up into little pieces. You’ll then add the cooked sausage to the prepared casserole dish and bake it with the rest of the stuffing mix at 300 °F.
How Long Does Gluten-Free Stuffing Last?
Gluten-free stuffing can last in the fridge for up to three days. So, if you haven’t managed to eat the last few morsels at thanksgiving dinner, you’ll have plenty of time to finish it in the following days.
But what if you’ve accidentally made too much stuffing and are worried about it going bad? Well, fear not. You can freeze the stuffing and have it stay good for several months.
You’ll only need to place the leftover stuffing in a plastic bag or airtight container and throw it in the back of the freezer. When you get the urge to have some stuffing, let it defrost in the fridge overnight, and heat it up in the oven for 15-20 minutes at 300-350 °F the following day. You can also use the microwave for a shorter cooking time.
Either way, the stuffing will taste as good as when you had it the first time.
Can You Make Gluten-Free Stuffing Ahead of Time?
Thankfully, yes. We all know how hectic Thanksgiving dinner can be, so the earlier you prepare, the better off you’ll be.
To make this gluten-free stuffing ahead, finish the bread and vegetables a couple of nights before and store them in the fridge. Then, on Thanksgiving day, put the two together in a baking dish and bake in the oven till the top forms a golden crust.
If you’re toasting store-bought gluten-free bread, make sure to store it at room temperature, not in the fridge. This will help the bread remain nice and crunchy.
Tips and Tricks for Making the Perfect Gluten-Free Stuffing
Here are a few things you can do to make your stuffing taste its best.
Toast the Bread
If you’re using ready-made gluten-free bread, make sure you toast it.
Now, traditional stuffing is made using bread that’s been left to air dry for 1-2 days. While this method can produce some pretty good stuffing, that’s not always the case. That’s because a lot of factors can affect how much the bread dries out, such as the surrounding humidity, how old the bread is, etc.
As such, it’s always better to toast the bread. Not only will it take less time, but you’ll be able to control how much the bread dries out. And as a bonus, your bread will now have that beautiful toasty flavor we all love.
Bake Covered, Then Uncovered
Baking the stuffing with and without the cover can make a world of difference.
To clarify, if you bake it without covering it, then the stuffing can become too dry and tasteless. On the other hand, if you leave the cover on all the while, your stuffing will be all soggy. So, what should you do to get the right flavor and consistency?
Start baking the stuffing with the casserole dish covered, then uncover it during the last 5-10 minutes. That way, the stuffing will be lightly crisp but not too dry, and most importantly, the seasonings will permeate all the layers, giving the stuffing its characteristic deep, savory flavor.
Customize the Recipe
While this recipe can stand on its own at any Thanksgiving table, you have to remember that every family has its own needs and preferences. So, it’s essential that you make this stuffing your own.
For instance, if you like some sweetness in your stuffing, throw in some diced apples, carrots, or cranberries. For a bit of crunch, add some chopped nuts like almonds and chestnuts. If you’re lactose intolerant, replace the melted butter with olive oil or vegan butter for dairy-free stuffing. Do what feels right, and you’ll have the best holiday meal you could hope for.
What to Serve With Gluten-Free Stuffing
Whether you’re cooking gluten-free stuffing for Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner, here are a few dishes you can serve alongside it:
- Cranberry sauce
- Gravy
- Mashed potatoes
- Roast sliced beef
- Sweet potato casserole
- Bread pudding
- Pumpkin pie
- Fruitcakes
- Green Bean Casserole
To Recap
Making gluten-free stuffing is as easy as making normal stuffing. You’ll find yourself using the same old classic ingredients, like celery, onion, mushrooms, bacon, and chicken stock. The only thing that’s not the same is the bread part, where you’ll be making your own gluten-free bread out of almond and tapioca flour.
So, take care to closely follow the instructions when making the bread, but run wild with the other ingredients. Put in whatever giblets, vegetables, and seasonings you like, and enjoy!
Gluten free Stuffing
If you're looking for a delicious gluten free stuffing recipe that's easy to make, look no further. We'll show you how to make it from scratch, as well as give you a few tips and tricks to take it to the next level.
Ingredients
Bread
- 1 1/2 cups raw almonds or 1 1/2 cups of ultrafine almond flour
- 1/2 cup tapioca flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 tbsp diced curly parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
Sauteed Vegetables Mix
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 stalks of celery, diced
- 4 slices Whole Food's applewood turkey bacon, diced
- 1 small onion, peeled and diced
- 6 Crimini mushrooms, diced
Instructions
- To make the bread, first grind the almonds into a fine flour in your blender or food processor.
- Next add all the other bread ingredients to the blender and blend until fully mixed.
- Pour the batter into a greased 8" x 10" pan and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove for the oven and take a fork and break up the bread into small pieces. It should be somewhat sticky.
- For the sautéed vegetables, melt the butter in the pan and then add all your ingredients. Cook for 25 - 30 minutes on medium, stirring occasionally.
- Fold in the sauteed vegetables with the the breading in your baking pan. Cover the pan and
- Place in the oven at 300 degrees for 25 minutes.
- Remove from oven and set aside to cool.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Serving Size:
1/2 cupAmount Per Serving: Calories: 225Total Fat: 17gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 17mgSodium: 542mgCarbohydrates: 15gFiber: 3gSugar: 3gProtein: 7g