Filled with multigrain goodness, dried and fresh fruits, nuts, and warm, toasty seasonings, this savory homemade stuffing is perfect for Thanksgiving and/or Christmas dinner.
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What's the Story Behind this Recipe?
I've been making some version of this savory, aromatic Thanksgiving dressing since I was a teenager. Inspired by an old Mother Earth News recipe, it never fails to please.
While this stuffing is naturally vegetarian (and easy to adapt for vegans) we don't make it every year because it ticks those boxes. We make it every year because it's totally delicious!
This tasty dressing recipe can be baked alone as a traditional stuffing casserole, used to stuff a pumpkin, turkey, or other holiday main, or even made into individual stuffing muffins!
What Goes into this Stuffing Recipe
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
★ Bread cubes: You will need a whole loaf (or almost a whole loaf) of hearty, whole grain bread (about 1½ pounds).
We always make this stuffing with either Dave's Killer Good Seed Bread, or a hearty honey-wheatberry bread.
★ Dried fruits: We usually use a mixture of golden raisins and dried cranberries. Other fruits that work well are chopped dried apricots, peaches, and figs.
★ Nuts: The recipe lists walnuts and Brazil nuts, but you can use other nuts as desired. Pecans, pine nuts, and hazelnuts (filberts) are all good substitutes.
★ Onions: Use a sweet or yellow onion for this recipe.
★ Apples: Use any good baking apple. We tend to like the sweet-tart varieties for this stuffing; Braeburn and Honeycrisp work particularly well.
★ Mushrooms: Use regular white, or button, mushrooms. Crimini mushrooms will also work.
★ Wine: The best choice is probably a dry chablis. That said, I've made this stuffing using everything from a Reisling to plain white grape juice. It always turns out.
★ Butter: Use real butter.
★ Eggs: Use large eggs. Add an extra egg if your eggs are smaller.
★ Sage: Fresh sage is in season during the holidays, so if you can use fresh, do so.
How to Make the Best Vegetarian Stuffing
Toast Bread
Toast the bread slices one at a time in the toaster or on a tray in the oven. Do not stack the slices as they cool.
When all the toasted bread has cooled, cut it into ½- to ¾-inch cubes. Set aside.
Sauté Vegetables
In a small bowl, combine the dry herbs and spices. Set aside.
Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat until bubbly. Sauté onion over until translucent; 8-10 minutes.
Add chopped celery and sliced mushrooms, and cook 5 minutes more. Season with a pinch of salt as the mushrooms begin to release their juices. Remove from heat.
Mix Dressing
In a large mixing bowl, combine the sautéed vegetables, bread cubes, herb and spice mix, chopped apples, nuts, and dried fruits. Toss gently to combine, and set aside.
In a large skillet, heat remaining butter over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in wine.
Slowly drizzle the butter mixture into the beaten eggs, whisking as you do.
Pour the garlic sauce over the stuffing mix and toss gently to coat.
If the mixture seems too dry, mix a little more liquid in: wine, water or vegetable stock all work fine.
Bake
Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C).
Pour the dressing mixture into a greased casserole dish.
Bake prepared stuffing for 35-45 minutes, or until the bread cubes on top begin to brown and crisp. (Internal temperature should reach at least 165°F | 74°C.)
FAQs & Expert Tips
Vegetarian Thanksgiving Ideas
This multigrain stuffing recipe is the one we use to make our delectable oven-roasted Stuffed Pumpkin, a distinctive vegetarian holiday main dish and a beautiful centerpiece for your Thanksgiving or Christmas meal.
- Gochujang Roasted Brussels Sprouts
- Grammi's Carrot Pineapple Jello Salad (Sunshine Salad)
- Orange-Spiced Cranberry Sauce
- Triple Ginger Pumpkin Pie
- Nana's Old-fashioned Pumpkin Gingerbread
My mother, who had deep Southern roots, used to say that stuffing is cooked inside something (i.e., as in a turkey, or a pumpkin), while dressing is cooked on its own (as in a casserole). The two can have identical ingredients. This thinking seems to be in agreement with most modern dictionary definitions as well.
In the US, however, the distinction between the two seems to be more about regional lines than preparation techniques; with most folks in the North referring to it all as stuffing, while most Southerners and Midwest natives refer to it as dressing.
To adapt this recipe for vegans, start by using a vegan bread. Replace the butter with vegan butter or coconut oil, and use ½ cup plain or vanilla soy yogurt or 2-egg equivalent of your favorite egg replacer for the two eggs. That's it.
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Multigrain Stuffing with Fruits & Nuts
Equipment
- 1 large mixing bowl
- 1 large casserole dish or other vessel for cooking the stuffing
Ingredients
- 1½ teaspoons dried oregano
- 20 leaves fresh sage chopped; or 1½ teaspoons dry sage
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon fresh nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon salt plus additional as needed
- ½ teaspoon fresh ground pepper or white pepper
- ½ cup butter
- 1 large onion chopped
- 1 cup diced celery
- 1½ cup sliced mushrooms ~4 ounces
- 20 slices whole grain bread toasted and cubed
- 1 large apple chopped
- ½ cup walnuts finely chopped
- ¾ cup Brazil nuts finely chopped
- ¾ cup golden raisins or a mix of dried fruits; raisins, dried cranberries, chopped dried apricots, etc.
- 2 whole eggs
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 cup white wine or white grape juice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C).
- Toast the bread slices one at a time in the toaster or on a tray in the oven. Do not stack the slices as they cool.When all the toasted bread has cooled, cut it into ½- to ¾-inch cubes. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, combine the sage, oregano, cinnamon, nutmeg, cumin, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
- Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat until bubbly. Sauté onion over until translucent; 8-10 minutes.Add chopped celery and sliced mushrooms, and cook 5 minutes more. Season with a pinch of salt as the mushrooms begin to release their juices. Remove from heat.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the sautéed vegetables, bread cubes, herb and spice mix, chopped apples, nuts, and dried fruits. Toss gently to combine, and set aside.
- In a small skillet, heat remaining butter over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in wine.Slowly drizzle the butter mixture into the beaten eggs, whisking as you do.
- Pour the garlic sauce over the stuffing mix and toss gently to coat.If the mixture seems too dry, mix a little more liquid in: wine, water, or vegetable stock all work fine.
- Pour the dressing mixture into a greased casserole dish and gently press it in. Bake prepared stuffing for 35-45 minutes, or until the bread cubes on top begin to brown and crisp. (Internal temperature should reach at least 165°F | 74°C.)
Notes
- Use a vegan-friendly bread.
- Replace the butter with soy vegan butter or coconut oil.
- Replace the 2 eggs with either ½ cup plain or vanilla soy yogurt or 2-egg equivalent of your favorite egg replacer.
Nutrition
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.
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