Classic Vegan Stuffing

This vegan stuffing recipe is a must have on our Thanksgiving table every year! It’s a veganized version of the classic side dish that’s actually pretty easy to make. All you need is some good bread, a vegan butter that you like, some herbs and aromatics, and you’re all set!

This dish pairs well with all of the other Thanksgiving classics such as Vegan Green Bean Casserole and Vegan Scalloped Potatoes. Eat alongside your favorite vegan turkey, top with The Best Vegan Gravy, and enjoy the holidays!

Ingredients for Easy Vegan Stuffing

• Onion, celery and garlic. These create a super flavorful base for our vegan stuffing. Feel free to add in some chopped carrots too, if you like a hint of sweetness. And you can substitute in shallots for the onion if you’re feeling a bit fancy.
• Sturdy bread. French or Italian bread, or a rustic sourdough loaf work well. Avoid anything super fluffy or soft like white sandwich bread; these tend to get soggy.
• Chicken-style vegetable broth. This is what makes the dish taste like the classic stuffing I remember growing up. I have a few specific brand recommendations below. Regular vegetable stock will work as well but is a bit sweeter and less savory, so you might consider adding a tablespoon of soy sauce to boost the umami. (And make sure to season well with salt.)
• Vegan butter. Butter is key to achieve that classic stuffing flavor. Make sure to use a brand that you really like, because the flavor will be prominent. My go-to butter is from Country Crock — either the Plant Butter (made with olive oil) or the Homestyle Nondairy Butter. If you need recommendations, you can check out my Comprehensive Vegan Butter Guide.
• Poultry seasoning. This is a blend of herbs that is so evocative of Thanksgiving and the holidays in general! It’s a little shortcut to packing a lot of autumnal flavor in without much effort.
• Fresh herbs. For extra flavor and a pop of appealing color, chop up and add in a handful of your favorite fresh herbs such as sage, rosemary and thyme. Use any combination you like depending on your preferences. We are big fans of sage and rosemary in our home, so we add in a few tablespoons of those fresh herbs. You can also leave the fresh herbs out if you like; the poultry spice already contributes a lot of flavor.

How to Make Classic Vegan Stuffing

Dry out the bread ahead of time.

1. For stuffing, use slightly stale and dry bread so that it absorbs all of the broth and butter without getting soggy. The night before, tear up the bread into roughly 1″ cubes. (I like to tear it to get irregular craggy pieces that crisp up nicely in the oven, but you can also feel free to use a knife to cut it into cubes.) Transfer the bread to a rimmed baking tray and tent it loosely with foil. Allow it to sit out overnight to stale.
2. If you forget to leave your bread out the night before, no worries! You can dry it out by baking it in a preheated 300°F oven for 30-45 minutes, or until slightly golden brown and dry.

Mix together the stuffing ingredients.

3. Sauté the aromatic veggies (onion, celery & garlic) in a generous amount of vegan butter until very soft. Add in the poultry spice and fresh herbs of choice.

4. Mix this with the dried bread cubes. Then pour in the chicken-style vegetable broth gradually, mixing after each addition. You might not need all of it, depending on how dry and sturdy your bread is. Just add enough broth so that all the bread is moist but not soggy.

Bake the stuffing.

5. Transfer the stuffing to a greased casserole dish or 9×13″ pan and cover with foil. Bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 35 minutes, then remove the foil and finish it, uncovered, for an additional 10-15 minutes, until it’s as crispy and golden brown as you like.

Tips for the Best Vegan Stuffing

Here are a few key tips to ensure that your Vegan Stuffing tastes just like the kind you grew up with (or maybe even better):

• Use a brand of vegan butter that you love. My favorite butter substitutes are the ones by Country Crock or Melt. This recipe calls for quite a bit of butter, so make sure you use a brand that you love.
• Use a chicken-style vegetable broth. I highly recommend using a chicken-style broth to make the dish ultra-savory. If you can’t get your hands on any, I recommend adding a tablespoon of soy sauce to your regular veggie broth to add in some extra umami. A few great options for vegan chicken bouillon are:
  • Better than Bouillon No Chicken Base
  • Edward and Sons Not-Chick’n Seasoning

You can customize this dish in a variety of ways! Cut your bread cubes smaller if you prefer your stuffing to be more like a pudding; keep them large if you like it chunkier (as I do). Feel free to add in other veggies, such as carrots, mushrooms or squash. And finally, add in your favorite fresh herbs if you have them handy! Enjoy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Need More Vegan Thanksgiving Recipes?

• Vegan Chicken Pot Pie – Not a traditional Thanksgiving dish, but would be a hit on any holiday dinner table!
• Perfect Vegan Mashed Potatoes – One of the most necessary Thanksgiving sides ever.
• Vegan Pumpkin Pie – A classic for the dessert table that’s super easy to throw together.
• Vegan Pecan Pie – The OTHER classic dessert everyone needs to have!

Classic Vegan Stuffing

This classic vegan stuffing recipe is a must on my Thanksgiving table! The key is a good vegan butter and chicken-style bouillon.

5 from 5 votes

Print Pin Rate

1x2x

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 55 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes

Servings: 10 servings

Author: Sarah Sullivan

Video

Equipment

• rimmed baking sheet to dry out bread
• large skillet
• large mixing bowl
• 9×13" baking pan or 3 quart casserole dish

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 ¼ pound sturdy bread (French, Italian or sourdough) torn or cut into 1" pieces and dried (about 10-12 cups)
• ▢ 2 ½ cups vegan chicken-style broth plus more as needed
• ▢ 1/2 cup vegan butter 1 stick
• ▢ 2 cups finely diced onion about 1 large white or yellow onion
• ▢ 2 cups finely diced celery about 3-5 ribs
• ▢ 4-6 cloves garlic minced
• ▢ 2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
• ▢ 1 tablespoon fresh sage finely chopped
• ▢ 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
• ▢ 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary finely chopped
• ▢ salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Dry the Bread

• Ideally the night before, tear or cut the bread into roughly 1" pieces. Tearing creates craggy edges which crisp up nicely in the oven. Spread the pieces on a rimmed baking sheet, tent loosely with foil, and let them sit out overnight to dry.
  1 ¼ pound sturdy bread (French, Italian or sourdough)
• Short on time? Spread the bread in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet and bake at 300°F for 30-45 minutes, until dried out. Timing varies by bread, so keep an eye on it.

Make the Vegan Stuffing

• Prep: Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×13" baking dish or 3-quart casserole dish.
• Make the broth: If you're using a vegan chicken bouillon that comes in paste or cube form, dissolve in in just boiled water to prepare the broth.
  2 ½ cups vegan chicken-style broth
• Sauté the veg: Melt the vegan butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add in the diced onions and celery and sauté until very soft, about 8-10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes more, until fragrant. Stir in the poultry seasoning and fresh herbs, and cook for about 30 seconds.
  1/2 cup vegan butter, 2 cups finely diced onion, 2 cups finely diced celery, 4-6 cloves garlic, 2 teaspoons poultry seasoning, 1 tablespoon fresh sage, 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, salt and pepper
• Toss the bread: Transfer bread cubes to a large mixing bowl. (You can mix directly in your pan if using a big Dutch oven or a deep sauté pan). Pour the onion mixture over the bread cubes. Make sure to scrape in all the butter. Toss to combine.
• Moisten the stuffing: Pour in vegetable broth a little at a time, gently tossing after each addition, until the bread is evenly moistened (but not soggy). Crustier loaves soak up more broth, while lighter breads need less. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
• Bake: Transfer to prepared pan and cover with foil. Bake for 35 minutes. Uncover and bake 10-15 minutes more, until as golden and crispy on top as you like.

Notes

Chicken-style broth recommendations: Chicken-style broth gives this stuffing its classic savory flavor. My favorites are Edward and Sons Not Chick’n Bouillon Cubes and Better Than Bouillon Vegetarian No Chicken Base. Dissolve either one in just-boiled water before using.

Regular veggie broth: It’s sweeter and less savory than the chicken-style broth. Add 1 tablespoon soy sauce (or tamari for gluten-free) to boost the umami, then taste and adjust before seasoning with salt.

Optional Just Egg: If your family’s stuffing always had eggs, you can whisk in 1/2 cup Just Egg into the broth before adding it to the bread. This is an *optional* addition which will bind the stuffing together a little more and give it a slightly custardy texture.

Make ahead: The bread can be dried up to 3 days ahead of time and stored in an airtight container until ready to use. To assemble the stuffing the day before, prepare it through step 5 and then cover and refrigerate overnight. Let it sit out at room temperature for about 30 minutes before baking.

Nutrition

Calories: 244kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 594mg | Potassium: 195mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 679IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 98mg | Iron: 2mg

The nutrition information provided on Sarah’s Vegan Kitchen is an estimate and is offered for general informational purposes only. Values will vary depending on the specific brands and amounts used.