This Vegan Cranberry Pecan Stuffing is the side dish you need for a truly delicious Thanksgiving meal. Simple to make, easily gluten free and kid friendly.
Thanksgiving is just around the corner and I've got a great side dish to add to the table. This Vegan Cranberry Pecan Stuffing is full of flavor and satisfying texture. It goes well with a vegan roast and all the other traditional sides served.
This Sweet Potato Casserole also makes an excellent addition to the table along with my Brussels Sprouts Gratin. Every great meal ends with dessert so be sure to check out this Cardamom Pumpkin Pie too.
Ingredients
This recipe is made with simple ingredients commonly found in the pantry. For the bread, you want to use a heartier style bread so it doesn't get too soggy. We like to use French bread as it holds up well.
- bread
- non dairy butter
- onion
- celery
- salt and pepper
- dried cranberries
- pecan pieces
- flat leaf parsley
- flax eggs
- vegetable broth/stock
- sage, optional
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
The process for making this stuffing is basically like any other. Start with toasted bread cubes, add all the ingredients and coat then bake until lightly browned and crisp on the top.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Cut bread into ½ -1 inch cubes. Spread cubes in an even layer on a large baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes or until lightly toasted. Lightly grease a casserole dish and set aside. Prepare flax eggs and set aside.
Next, chop onion and celery. Melt butter over medium heat, add onion and celery. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Sauté for 5-10 minutes until softened. Add cranberries and pecans and cook 1-2 minutes longer. While that cooks, chop parsley and sage if using, set aside.
Transfer baked bread to a large bowl. Add onion mixture, flax eggs, parsley and broth and toss to thoroughly coat the bread. Transfer to the prepared casserole dish.
Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 325 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove foil and continue to bake for 15 minutes longer until slightly crisp on the top.
Hint: Bread cubes can be toasted 1-2 days ahead of time. You can also use store bought bread cubes available around this time of the year.
Substitutions
- Nuts - instead of pecans, you can use sunflower seeds to make this nut free.
- Bread - use gluten free bread to make this gluten free.
Variations
- Cornbread - try toasted cornbread cubes instead of French bread or do a mix of both!
- Deluxe - sauté mushrooms or vegan sausage to add to the mix.
Equipment
You don't need any fancy equipment to make this stuffing.
Storage
Store leftovers in an air tight container in the fridge. Good for 2-3 days.
Top tip
Don't skip toasting the bread! If you're using fresh bread you really want to dry it out in the oven before tossing with the other ingredients. This will make sure the bread can stand up to the broth and you won't end up with mushy stuffing.
If you try this recipe, I'd love to know how it turns out! Leave a comment below or snap a pic and tag it @weelittlevegans on Instagram so I’ll be sure to see it!
This Vegan Cranberry Pecan Stuffing is the side dish you need for a truly delicious Thanksgiving meal. Simple to make, easily gluten free and kid friendly.
- 6-7 cups hearty bread such as French bread, cut into ½ to 1 inch cubes
- 2 flax eggs - 2 tablespoon ground flax seeds + 4 tablespoon water
- 3 tablespoon non dairy butter + more to grease baking dish
- ½ onion, chopped
- 1 cup chopped celery
- ¾ cup chopped pecans
- 1 cup dried sweetened cranberries
- ¼ cup chopped Italian parsley
- 1 tablespoon fresh sage, finely minced or ribbons optional
- 1 cup vegetable broth/stock
- ¾ teaspoon salt *see note below
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
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Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Set aside a large baking sheet.
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Cut bread into ½ -1 inch cubes. Spread cubes in an even layer on a large baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes or until lightly toasted.
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Prepare flax eggs by whisking together 2 tablespoon ground flax seeds and 4 tablespoon water. Set aside to thicken.
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Lightly grease a casserole dish and set aside.
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Melt butter over medium heat, add chopped onion and celery. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Sauté for 5-10 minutes until softened.
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Add cranberries and pecans and cook 1-2 minutes longer. While that cooks, chop parsley and sage if using, set aside.
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Transfer baked bread to a large bowl. Add onion mixture, flax eggs, herbs, broth and remaining salt and pepper Toss to thoroughly coat the bread. Mixture should be moist, but not too wet. Transfer to the prepared casserole dish.
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Cover dish with aluminum foil and bake at 325 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove foil and continue to bake for 15 minutes longer until crisped on the top.
Note about salt: I use homemade unsalted broth so the amount listed in recipe is a good amount. Use less if your broth is salted, about ½ teaspoon should be right.
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