Homemade Fruit Stuffing (gluten free + vegan)
This easy homemade fruit stuffing recipe that everyone will fall in love with! Filled with fruit, vegetables, and delicious herbs, this gluten free and vegan recipe is a new family favorite. Top 14 free.
This fruit stuffing is hearty, moist, and packed full of flavor! It’s just the way a stuffing should be, slightly crispy on the outside, and soft and delicious on the inside.
Free from: wheat, gluten, dairy, casein, eggs, fish, shellfish, soy, sesame, peanuts, tree nuts, coconut, corn, and more
Contains: celery
Almost 20 years ago, my sister became a vegetarian and threw the holidays into chaos. Since we no longer could make our beloved sausage stuffing, we invented this new, fruit and veggie filled stuffing. From that first Thanksgiving 20 years ago to now, this recipe has become a family favorite.
Even better? It is made with just 11 simple ingredients.
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Ingredients
This stuffing uses fruit and veggies as the star of the show. Fresh apples, dried cranberries, and carrots and celery are the foundation of this dish. But you could also add some chopped butternut squash for even more veggie power!
In addition, you’ll also need:
- Onion or shallots
- Fresh and dried herbs
- Veggie Stock
- Gluten free bread cubes
Best Bread for Stuffing
If you aren’t gluten free, you can totally use your favorite bread crumbs from the store.
However, if you are avoiding wheat/gluten, then we need to take an extra step and make our own. Thankfully, making homemade stuffing cubes is super simple.
You’ll want to make sure that you find a hearty gluten free bread. Here are some of my favorites:
Best Gluten Free Bread: Canyon Bakehouse Heritage Style Whole Grain,
Best Gluten Free Egg Free Bread: Katz Gluten Free Egg Free Bread
Homemade Gluten Free Bread: Gluten Free Bread
How to Make Bread Crumbs
Making bread crumbs for stuffing couldn’t be easier!
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 350F.
Cut the bread into cubes about ½ inch in size. Place on the baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes, or until the bread is dried out and toasty!
Instructions
Begin by making your breadcrumbs if you need.
First, chop up your onions (or shallots), carrots, celery, and garlic. In a skillet on the stove over medium heat, place the olive oil. Saute the veggies until the onions are translucent, about 7 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool.
Next, chop up the apples into bite sized pieces. Place them in a large bowl with the prepared bread crumbs and dried cranberries.
Carefully, add the onion mixture to the bowl with the breadcrumbs. Mix it all up! Add the herbs, pour the stock in, and give everything a good mix to evenly distribute the ingredients.
Give this a taste to make sure it is flavorful to your liking, adjusting the salt if you need. Some stocks are more salty than others so this is dependant on your tastes.
Transfer the stuffing to an 8×10 baking dish. Cover it with foil, making sure to leave one corner uncovered to allow for steam to escape.
Bake for 35-45 minutes or until the stuffing looks toasted on top. You can remove the foil covering the last 10 minutes of baking to ensure the bread gets toasted.
That’s it!
FAQ
Can I cook this inside the turkey?
No. This is a stuffing recipe that is made to be baked separately. Additionally, it wouldn’t be vegan if baked in a turkey.
Do I need an egg in this?
Nope! This stuffing doesn’t have as much stickiness as other stuffings do. I personally enjoy that.
Can I make this in advance?
Yes! I always make this recipe the day before Thanksgiving and bake it the day of.
To make this in advance: Make the recipe right up until the point of baking. Cover it with foil and set inside the fridge overnight. The day you want to make it, add an additional ½ cup to 1 cup of veggie stock to help rehydrate the stuffing. Bake an additional 10 minutes when baking from chilled.
How to Store
This stuffing keeps best in the fridge in a sealed container. It will last up to 3 days before the bread turns and doesn’t become as enjoyable to eat.
I don’t recommend freezing this recipe.
More recipes to love
Pumpkin pie, pumpkin muffins, sausage stuffing, chickpea casserole
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Equipment
- cutting board
- knife
- baking tray
- Saute pan
- mixing bowl
- mixing spoon
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- baking dish
Ingredients
- 6-8 slices gluten free bread cubed and toasted
- ½ onion
- 2-3 cloves garlic
- 3 carrots large
- 3 celery stalks
- 3-5 apples
- ⅓ cup dried cranberries
- 2 cups vegetable stock
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon dried sage
- ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon fresh sage optional
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Cube slices of gluten free bread into ½ inch cubes. Place on your prepared baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes or until the bread is nice and crispy. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
- In a large skillet over a medium heat on the stove, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Cook the diced onions, carrots, celery, and garlic until the carrots are soft and the onions translucent, about 7 minutes.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine bread, cubed apples, cranberries, and herbs. Add the cooked onion mixture and give it a good mix. Finally, pour the stock over top and mix fully.
- Transfer stuffing to a baking tray and cover with foil, leaving one corner uncovered to allow steam to vent.
- Bake for 30-45 minutes. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
