Vegetarian Stuffing

Not just for Thanksgiving, this hearty vegetarian side can be enjoyed any time of year.

When I was in my early twenties and living in Los Angeles, most of my friends and I were too broke to fly home for Thanksgiving. So we started a fun Friendsgiving tradition where we’d all gather for a big and bountiful potluck dinner. Everyone got assigned a dish to bring, and mine happened to be stuffing. I had never made stuffing from scratch before, but since it was my favorite Thanksgiving side, I was determined to make it as good as or better than the recipe my family made back home. After a lot of experimenting, I finally landed on a version that I loved, and it turned out all my friends loved it, too. Henceforth, I became known as the “stuffing queen” and was requested to bring my famous stuffing every year to our Friendsgiving gathering.

I’ve come up with a lot of iterations in the years since then, adding in various veggies or trying different types of breads. This vegetarian stuffing recipe is definitely one of my favorites. It’s hearty, savory, and super delicious. The herbs, onion, and celery give it that classic stuffing taste, while the addition of carrots adds a bit of sweetness, and the garlic adds a rich depth of flavor. Also, since it contains veggie broth and eggs, you don’t ever have to worry about your stuffing being dry. It’s honestly so good that I like to make it any time of the year, not just on Thanksgiving.

Whenever my kids smell this stuffing baking in the oven, I don’t have to call them twice when I say dinner is ready. This dish is a definite crowd-pleaser that you’ll want to add to your recipe box, whether you’re whipping it up for a big Friendsgiving or Thanksgiving meal or you’re serving it for dinner in the middle of the week.

Is This Vegetarian Stuffing Healthy?

With a medley of vegetables and herbs, there’s a lot to like about the nutritional profile of vegetarian stuffing, as it contains a variety of vitamins and minerals. However, it also has bread, butter, and eggs in the recipe, which are high in fat and calories. Therefore, it’s best to enjoy vegetarian stuffing in moderation.

If you’d like to avoid dairy, you could use a plant-based butter or olive oil instead of regular butter. And to cut down on sodium, you could use a low-sodium veggie broth. For a gluten-free version, swap out the bread with a gluten-free bread.

What’s The Difference Between Stuffing And Dressing

While both names refer to the same dish, some argue that it should be referred to as stuffing if it’s stuffed and roasted inside the turkey. And it should be called dressing if it’s served in a separate dish on the side. However, nowadays, the name of the dish typically comes down to what region of the United States you’re in. It’s generally called stuffing in the Northeast and Pacific Northwest and dressing in the South and some parts of the Midwest. Each region may have their own signature version, such as oyster dressing in the South or sausage, apple, and cranberry stuffing in New England, but they all commonly contain dried bread, herbs, onions and celery, butter, and broth.

Serving Suggestions

Obviously, vegetarian stuffing is a great side dish to have during Thanksgiving dinner alongside other classics like Mashed Potatoes, Roasted Brussels Sprouts, and Corn Pudding. But it can also be paired with other dishes any time of year, including Brown Sugar Pork Chops, Slow-Cooker Beef Brisket, and Baked Chicken Breast. Of course, if you want to keep the whole meal vegetarian, that’s easy to do, too. Try pairing this stuffing with a hearty soup like Mushroom And Leek Soup or Lentil Soup.

Recipe