Well is More Plant-Based Thanksgiving, Pt. II

Menu

I. Garlic Smashed Sweet Potatoes, V, GF

II. A Healthier Thanksgiving Stuffing, V, GF

III. A Healthier Mushroom Gravy, V, GF

IV. Crispy Oven-Baked Tofu Nuggets, V, GF

V. No-Sugar-Added Cranberry Sauce, V, GF

Stuffing For Stuffing’s Sake

I took a poll on my Instagram stories yesterday asking everyone what their favorite Thanksgiving dish was. The options were 1. Turkey, 2. Mashed Potatoes, 3. Stuffing, 4. Pie. The results? Stuffing was by far the winner with more than half the total votes!

So, if you ask me, stuffing is still required on a plant-based Thanksgiving menu even if no turkey is present. This recipe is made using a little bit of olive oil instead of loads of butter, making it lighter but still as delicious as your traditional stuffing.

Recipe Notes

• Type of bread. I think any type of bread will work for this recipe. I used a gluten-free vegan sourdough option, which was delicious. If you’re vegan or sensitive to eggs, be sure to check the ingredients list for eggs because those can often sneak their way in, or make sure the bread is labeled vegan.

• Vegan Chickenless Seasoning - This seasoning is available at Trader Joe’s, but if you don’t have access to it or prefer not to buy a new seasoning, you can surely concoct your own rendition. Here are the ingredients: sea salt, onion powder, garlic powder, turmeric, celery seed, ginger powder, and black pepper. Keep in mind this already has salt in it so you may not need to add additional salt if using this seasoning.

• Granulated Garlic - I used granulated garlic in this recipe but feel free to sub with garlic powder. You can try using minced garlic as well, but you’ll want to add it in the second half of baking to avoid burning it. 1 tsp of granulated garlic is roughly equal to 1 clove of garlic.

• Additional herbs & spices - You can switch up the spices and herbs with whichever you please. I used dried oregano and fresh parsley because I didn’t have any fun holiday herbs on hand, but using herbs like rosemary, sage, and thyme would be great for the holiday occasion as well.

• Broth - I love both low sodium veggie broth and mushroom broth for this recipe. If using full sodium broth, take that into consideration when adding your seasonings.

Step By Step

Healthier Thanksgiving Stuffing, Vegan, Gluten-Free

Adapted from Spend With Pennies stuffing recipe

Ingredients

Makes roughly 10-12 servings

• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

• 1 tsp vegan chickenless seasoning (see recipe notes)

• 1 tsp granulated garlic (equivalent to 1 clove garlic)

• 1 tsp oregano

• 1/4 tsp sea salt

• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper

• 2 stalks celery, diced

• 1 small red onion, diced

• 4.5 cups gluten-free sourdough bread cubes

• 1-1.5 cups low sodium vegetable broth or mushroom broth

• 3 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped, plus more for garnish

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350°F

• Wash and prep veggies

• Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the chickenless seasoning, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine. Add celery and onion, stir until evenly coated.

• Reduce heat to medium-low. Cook for about 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally until veggies are softened but not browned.

• Meanwhile, prep sourdough bread cubes. Add to a large mixing bowl. Top with the onion-celery mixture and fresh parsley. Mix to combine.

• Add the broth, pouring over 1/2 cup at a time. Only use enough broth to cover bread cubes until they are moist but not soggy. Stir to coat evenly.

• Pour entire mixture into a 9x12 baking dish. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes uncovered, until golden brown.

• Serve stuffing hot and garnish with fresh parsley. Add additional sea salt and pepper if needed, to taste.

• Enjoy!