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Vegan Cornbread Stuffing

This Vegan Cornbread Stuffing is chock-full of autumn flavors and will be a hit at your holiday table. The combination of sautéed aromatics, savory vegan sausage, tart cranberries, and rustic cornbread will have them going back for seconds. It's irresistible!
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings 8 people
Calories 392kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 1 batch vegan cornbread , cut into 1-inch cubes, about 7 cups
  • 4 cups artisan bread cut into 1-inch cubes (measured cubed)
  • 2 links vegan sausage , crumbled (optional)
  • 1-2 tablespoons avocado oil or preferred oil (to cook sausage)
  • 6 tablespoons vegan butter + more for greasing dish
  • 1 large onion , diced
  • 3 ribs celery , diced or sliced
  • 4 cloves garlic , minced
  • 2 tablespoons fresh sage , chopped (sub 2 teaspoons ground)
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme , chopped (sub 1 teaspoon dried)
  • 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary , chopped (sub 1 teaspoon dried)
  • 3 cups vegetable broth , reduced sodium (more if needed)
  • ½ cup dried cranberries
  • ½ cup fresh parsley , chopped
  • Salt and Pepper , to taste

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 °F (177 °C). (*If your bread cubes are already dried, you can skip this and the following step)
  • Spread cornbread cubes and artisan bread cubes onto a large baking tray or 2 smaller trays (don't overcrowd or they won't dry quickly). Bake until they are dry and toasted. About 25-30 minutes. Stir occasionally for even drying and watch carefully so they don't burn or get overly brown. Remove from oven, then let them cool. Now place them in a large mixing bowl and set aside. (See note for drying alternative)
  • Increase heat to 375 °F (190 °C). Lightly grease a 3-quart baking dish and set aside.
  • Heat oil in a large pan over medium heat. Once shimmering, add the sausage and cook until golden brown. About 2-4 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside on a paper-towel-lined plate.
  • Place pan back on the stove and melt the butter over medium heat. Add onion, and celery, then sauté until softened. About 5-6 minutes.
  • Add garlic, sage, thyme, and rosemary. Sauté for 30-60 seconds, until fragrant. 
  • Stir in only 1 cup of broth to combine. Remove from heat and add the mixture to the bowl of bread cubes. Gently toss to combine and let it rest for a minute. (the cornbread will crumble a little bit which is ok)
  • Now start slowly pouring another cup of broth over the cubes and toss gently to combine. Let it sit another minute before slowly adding the remaining broth or until moisture preference is achieved. The bread should be very moist, but not soggy, and there shouldn't be liquid pooling at the bottom.
  • Now add the cooked sausage, cranberries, parsley, salt, and pepper. Toss gently to combine. Taste for seasoning and add more if needed.
  • Place mixture into your prepared baking dish and wrap tightly in foil. Place in the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes until heated throughout. 
  • Remove foil and bake uncovered for 15-20 minutes or until lightly brown and crispy on top.  Let sit 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

  1. Cornbread: If you make my Vegan Cornbread for this recipe, I would omit the ¼ cup of cane sugar. I left the brown sugar in the recipe and didn't feel like it was too sweet. I think it complimented the dish well. However, you can reduce that to 2 tablespoons if preferred.
  2. Another way of drying your bread cubes is by spreading them out on a baking rack or sheet and leaving them out for 1-2 days to get stale. You can cover them with a thin tea towel. I usually use this drying method, so the task is out of the way, and I'll have less to do on the day I make the stuffing. 
  3. Artisan Bread - you can use any crusty bread that you prefer or even sandwich bread will work as long as it's not too soft like Wonderbread.
  4. The consistency of stuffing is all a matter of taste. Some people prefer it moist, almost bread pudding-like, and some people prefer a drier stuffing. So this is why the broth amount is just a guideline. Add more or less liquid according to your stuffing preference.
  5. Troubleshooting: If your stuffing seems dry after baking, you can remoisten it with a ½-3/4 cup of warm vegetable broth that's combined with 1-2 tablespoons of melted butter. Cover and bake for another 15 minutes then bake uncovered for 10 minutes if you want a crispy top. If the stuffing is over moistened, reduce the heat to 350 F. and cook it uncovered for a little longer. 
  6. I prefer the Field Roast Apple and Sage Sausages for this recipe because the flavors really seem to match, but any vegan sausages will work. You can also omit them if preferred. 
  7. Make Ahead - I usually make this recipe the day before. It can be fully prepared right up until the baking step. Just cover it tightly and store it in the fridge until you're ready to bake. 

Nutrition

Calories: 392kcal | Carbohydrates: 53g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 393mg | Sugar: 8g