Let’s talk turkey stuffing. Like the word implies you stuff it in something, but we all know stuffing has become a separate dish by itself and can be prepared outside of a turkey.
The stuffing I am sharing with you today is nearly 16 years old and has only been adapted slightly over the years.
I had never made a turkey before moving to Nicaragua. I had to learn everything about turkey preparation head over heels when our hotel guests asked if I could prepare them a Thanksgiving dinner. Not even knowing what Thanksgiving (exactly) was, I started researching just a couple of days before the day. I bought a huge turkey and came up with some sides (sweet potato mash and roasted carrots among others). After collecting several stuffing recipes and ideas I started creating my own stuffing. I was looking for one recipe that could be turned into a vegan dish easily, so I didn’t have to make 2 completely different dishes. I learned long before, that when you prepare food for guests at a hotel, you at least need a vegan option on hand.
15 years later it is still my go-to recipe for both Thanksgiving and Christmas. And the vegan recipe is only slightly different from the ‘carnivore’s’ and is as great. Believe me!
What is in this stuffing?
- green apples
- dried cranberries
- a pinch of pumpkin spice
- pecans
- onions
- celery
- garlic
- bread cubes; which can be gluten free. Just make sure you use a sturdy type of bread
- sage
- thyme
- oregano
- orange zest and juice
- and sausage which I replace with quinoa (and often times small white beans) in the vegan version
- almond meal is sprinkled on the stuffing that is prepared outside of the turkey in a casserole. And (optionally) I sprinkle nutritional yeast on the vegan stuffing for more depth of flavor.
How to prepare this stuffing for Thanksgiving or Christmas?
… or any other occasion… why not right?
fry sausage/ prepare quinoa
I always start by cubing and frying the sausage. If I am (also) making the vegan version, I prepare the quinoa (and the beans) at this stage as well. It is important that the water the quinoa (and the white beans) is prepared in, is well seasoned (add salt or use vegetable broth). You might even want to prepare the beans ahead of time since they take a long time (like the day before or just use canned white beans or omit).
cube bread
While frying the meat/preparing the quinoa and beans, I cube the bread and add them to a medium size mixing bowl. I usually go for 1×1-inch cubes. I then toss the cubes with butter/vegan butter/olive oil.
add the rest of the ingredients
For the stuffing with meat I add onions, celery and garlic to the browned meat and I cook them until they are tender. I then pour them all over the bread cubes and I add the apple, nuts, zest, cranberries, pumpkin spice and other seasoning to taste, tossing again and again until well mixed. Lastly I add a few table spoons of orange juice just enough to moisten the mixture a bit (making sure not to get it soggy).
For the vegan stuffing I brown the onion, celery and garlic in a bit of olive oil until they are tender. I add the mixture to the bread cubes and toss again and again until well combine. I then add the prepared quinoa, beans, apple, nuts, zest, cranberries, pumpkin spice and other seasoning and I repeat the tossing. Also here I add a few table spoons of orange juice just enough to moisten the mixture a bit (the juice from the oranges used for the zest).
stuff the turkey or add to a oven dish
The stuffing is ready so now I stuff it in the turkey or transfer it to an oven dish and sprinkle with almond meal (and optionally also some nutritional yeast on the vegan stuffing).
The casserole I bake for 35-45 minutes until just crispy along the edges. What I usually do is make a lot, so I have enough to stuff the turkey and have 1 extra casserole dish of meat stuffing and vegan stuffing in another casserole.
This stuffing is a (vegan) crowd pleaser; full of holiday flavors and adjustable to all diets. Our whole family loves it and I hope you do too. It is
wholesome – versatile – quick & easy to make – and so delicious
We will be stuffing our turkey with it this Thanksgiving and probably have an extra side dish of it next to our herb (sweet) potato mash, roasted carrots and poached pears. Oh, and these cute little pumpkin buns. Want to come to our Thanksgiving celebration? There will be plenty of food!
Stuffing
My family's stuffing recipe. Very easily made vegan and as delicious (some might even say it is better!). Use it to stuff your turkey or as a separate dish on your Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner table.
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Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 15 minutes mins
Oven time (in casserole not inside turkey) 35 minutes mins
Total Time 1 hour hr
Course Main Course, Side Dish
Servings 12 large servings
Calories 390 kcal
Equipment
Casserole dish
Ingredients
- 2 lbs sausage (whatever type you like. I used italian sausages but I have used mexican chorizo before as well) (omit if vegan)
- 1 cup quinoa (cooked and seasoned) (optional if you are using sausage/ you are not making vegan stuffing)
- 1 cup small white beans (optional)(cooked and seasoned)(optional if you are using sausage/ you are not making vegan stuffing) (make ahead of time from dried beans or use canned)
- 1 loaf (whole wheat) bread (cubed)(use a sturdy robust bread. You can use gluten free bread as well)
- ½ cup butter (or use margarine/vegan butter/olive oil)
- 2 large onions (chopped)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 8 stalks celery (diced)
- 2 large green apples (peeled and cubed)
- 1½ cup pecans (chopped)
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- 2 oranges (zest and juice)(or use 1 big lemon and 1 orange)
- 1-2 tbsp seasoning (to taste) (sage, pepper, thyme, oregano, tarragon, parsley.. whatever you have on hand and like. I used sage, thyme and oregano)
- 1 tsp pumpkin spice!! (to taste)
- salt and pepper (to taste)
- 2 tbsp almond meal (to sprinkle on stuffing that will be baked outside a turkey)
- 1-2 tbsp nutritional yeast (optional)(for sprinkle on the vegan casserole)
Instructions
AHEAD OF TIME: If you are using white beans and you are making them from dried beans, make them ahead of time. They need quite some time (2 hours?). So maybe even make them the day before. Make sure to season the water the beans are cooking in.
Preheat your oven to 360F/180C.
Meat: Start by cubing and frying the sausage if you are not make the vegan version.
Vegan: If you are (also) making the vegan version, prepare the quinoa at this stage (as well). It is important that the water the quinoa is prepared in, is well seasoned (add salt (and seasoning) or use vegetable broth).
While frying the meat/preparing the quinoa, cube the bread and add them to a medium size mixing bowl. Go for 1×1-inch cubes. Then toss the cubes with butter/vegan butter/olive oil.
Meat: For the stuffing with meat add onions, celery and garlic to the browned meat and cook them until they are tender. Add to the bread cubes and toss. Add the apple, nuts, zest, cranberries, pumpkin spice and other seasoning to taste, tossing again and again until well mixed. Lastly add a few table spoons of orange juice just enough to moisten the mixture a bit (making sure not to get it soggy) and stir to combine.
Vegan: For the vegan stuffing brown the onion, celery and garlic in a bit of olive oil until they are tender. Add the mixture to the bread cubes and toss again and again until well combined. Now add the prepared quinoa, beans, apple, nuts, zest, cranberries, pumpkin spice and other seasoning and repeat the tossing. Add a few table spoons of orange juice just enough to moisten the mixture a bit (the juice from the oranges used for the zest) and stir to combine.
The stuffing is ready. So now you can use it to stuff your turkey or transfer it to an oven dish and sprinkle with almond meal (and also some nutritional yeast on the vegan stuffing).
If you don't stuff it in your turkey, but prepare it seperately, bake it in the preheated oven for 35-45 minutes until crispy along the edges.
Notes
Calories for vegan stuffing: 390 kcal per large serving from casserole
Calories for meat stuffing: 527 kcal per large serving from casserole
Nutritional information:
the information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Keyword Christmas, Thanksgiving
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