Vegan Rye + Sourdough Thanksgiving "Turkey" Stuffing
Difficulty: 3/5 (5 being hardest)
Spice Level: 1/3 (3 being spiciest)
Prep & Cook Time: 80 minutes
Servings: 8
The Challenge: Vegan Stuffing
Vegan stuffing. Oh yes. Stuffing is so darn tasty isn't it.
But...the reality is its not remotely vegan. It is almost always made with chicken broth, stuffed into a turkey, includes lard or other meat parts. Yuck! So, I wanted to eat good this Thanksgiving. I had to make a vegan rendition.
The key to making a good stuffing is get dry bread. I know it sounds odd, but what I have found is if you cube your bread and set it out the night before it is the perfect consistency. From there, I like to include a set of veggies that are sauteed in some vegan butter. You can mix and match these, but I like yellow onion, celery, and some orange pepper. I used asparagus in this one but consider that optional.
The other really great addition is some toasted walnuts and pepitas/pumpkin seeds. This adds a nice crunch and element to the dish.
The other crucial part to stuffing is baking in two segments. Bake it first to cook it. Bake it uncovered to crisp the stuffing on the top and get that crunchy exterior that everyone will love.
Believe me - they won't know its vegan!!
Let's get into it.
Vegan Stuffing
- 5 cups of sprouted rye bread, small cubes
- 5 cups of sourdough bread, small cubes
- 2 tbl vegan butter
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 1 cup of celery, diced
- 1/2 cup orange pepper, diced
- 1/2 cup asparagus, diced (optional)
- 1/3 cup walnuts, chopped
- 1/3 cup pumpkin seeds
- 3 cups vegetable broth
- 1 tsp sage
- 1 flax egg (1 tbl flaxmeal + 3 tbl water)
- 1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano or 1.5 tsp fresh
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme or 1.5 tsp fresh
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1 tsp garlic salt
Equipment You'll Need:
Cutting Board . Sharp Cutting Knife . Measuring Cups . Measuring Spoons . Large Bowl . Casserole Pan . Parchment Paper . Large Frying Pan
Before You Cook:
- Wash and cut all fresh ingredients
- Place bread cubes out in a bowl for at least 4-5 hours to dry out (overnight is even better)
- Preheat oven to 350F + line a glass 9x13 or larger pan with parchment paper (or foil)
1. Place butter in a large pan and warm for 60 seconds. Place the onion, celery, and pepper in pan. Cook for 5 minutes over medium heat until turning transulcent.
2. While that cooks, toast the walnuts and pumpkin seeds in a dry pan for 4-5 minutes on medium heat, rotating fairly often.
3. Place the saute veggies, breadcrumbs, and toasted nuts/seeds into a large bowl and mix well. Next add in broth and spices. Mix well. It should be moist but not too moist. If you like your stuffing really moist add a bit more broth.
4. Place the stuffing mixture in a glass pan lined with parchment. Then add the stuffing mixture and cover with parchment paper. Place in the oven for 45 mintues, take the top parchment paper off, and bake for another 10-15 minutes to crisp up.
5. Serve the stuffing and enjoy!
