Vegetarian Stuffing Recipe (+ Make Ahead Instructions)

This vegetarian stuffing recipe is made using thick cubes of baked sourdough bread and flavorful vegetables. Perfect for making ahead to save precious time on the big day!

As Thanksgiving gets closer and my recipe idea list gets longer, I decided to whip together one of my favorites: vegetarian stuffing. I’ve made a lot of stuffing dishes in my life, but it wasn’t until creating this vegetable bread stuffing that I knew was onto something.

Did you know stuffing isn’t a standard vegetarian/vegan dish? Most regular recipes use chicken broth as the liquid base, and eggs as a flavor enhancer. Lucky for us there’s an easy swap: vegetable broth and loads of veggies! Just like that, you have a vegan stuffing that everyone will love.

Vegetarian Stuffing Ingredients

This easy stuffing recipe features ingredients chosen to make this a dish filled with as much flavor as possible. We’ll start off with a mix of veggies and mushrooms, followed by many different seasonings, and tying it all together with delicious sourdough.

• Sourdough Bread: The bread can make or break a stuffing recipe! Go for something guaranteed to be delicious by using sourdough bread (or check out our list of bread types here for more ideas). You’ll need 1 large loaf, amounting to about 10 cups of cubed bread.
• Olive Oil or Butter: Either olive oil or butter can be used to cook the mushrooms and coat the bread cubes. You’ll need 4 tablespoons, divided.
• Mushrooms: Mushrooms add a great savory flavor and texture to stuffing. Be sure they’re sliced or chopped prior to sautéing! (guide to cutting mushrooms this way)
• Veggies: Onion, celery, and carrots bring loads of flavor while helping this vegetable stuffing pair well with your other Thanksgiving dishes.
• Flavor Makers: Garlic, parsley, sage, and thyme ensure this stuffing won’t be passed up.
• Salt & Pepper: No recipe is complete without them! They bring out all the flavors of the veggies, so don’t skip them!
• Nutmeg: Finish up the seasonings with ¼ teaspoons of ground nutmeg.
• Vegetable Broth: And finally, you’ll need 2 cups of veggie broth.

How to make vegetarian stuffing

This Thanksgiving stuffing is one of those magic recipes where the prep time required is 5 minutes. You read that right, only 5! You’ll also need an hour of hands-off cook time, but trust me, the wait will be worth it! (And I totally won’t judge if you find yourself crouched in front of the oven, watching the sourdough reach that magical golden brown color.)

Step 1: Prep the bread
Cut the bread into 1 inch cubes. Spread them onto a baking sheet, cover with a clean towel, and let sit on the counter overnight, until stale. This step is important to the finished texture of the bread stuffing, preventing the bread from getting soggy when cooked.

For a quicker alternative, place the baking sheet with the bread cubes in the oven while it preheats to dry to them out.

Step 2: Cook the veggies
Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C). Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil or butter in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the mushrooms, cooking until they sweat out their moisture and become soft, about 5 to 7 minutes.

Add the onion, celery, carrots, and garlic, cooking until the veggies are soft, about 10 more minutes.

Step 3: Assemble the ingredients
In a large bowl, drizzle the remaining butter (melted) or oil over bread cubes, tossing to coat. Add the cooked veggies, parsley, and spices, tossing again to combine.* Drizzle in the broth and briefly stir to combine.

*If you’re making this dish ahead of time, stop at this point and transfer it to the fridge. When you’re ready to bake, stir in the broth and bake as instructed.

Step 4: Bake the stuffing
Transfer the mixture to a greased casserole dish, optionally brushing it with melted butter or oil to create a more golden crust. Tightly cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake for an additional 20 minutes, or until the top is golden and crispy.

Thanksgiving vegan stuffing variations

I mentioned in the ingredient list that you can use butter in place of olive oil, and chicken broth in place of veggie broth. But there are a few other variations that you may be interested in trying!

Onions: First up, you can use either white or red onion in place of yellow. White will add a more pungent flavor, whereas the red onion will provide more of a savory taste.

Breads: You can also swap out the sourdough bread for your favorite type, like Italian! Follow the same steps for cubing, letting it sit out, and cooking.

Make Ahead Stuffing

Thanksgiving is a busy day, so making this stuffing ahead of time is a lifesaver! To prep this veggie stuffing in advance:

1. Follow instructions until step 3. Stir everything together but don’t stir in the broth!
2. Cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours
3. When ready to bake, stir in the broth and proceed with the recipe

Recipes to pair with vegetable bread stuffing

If you’re making this yummy stuffing as part of your Thanksgiving lineup, I can guess that you’re probably on the hunt for some more festive recipes (and maybe even beverages, like this Pomegranate Holiday Sangria). To help you out, I’ve gathered a few of my favorites and listed them below. Enjoy!

• Butternut Squash Risotto
• Vegan Green Bean Casserole
• Ultimate Whole Roasted Cauliflower
• Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Crumble and Meringue
• Cranberry Brie Bites (& more!)
• Stuffed Acorn Squash
• The BEST Cranberry Sauce