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This 9-ingredient stove top stuffing is incredibly easy to make. Skip the boxed stuffings and go for this! It’s vegan, oil free, absolutely delicious!
This stuffing recipe is a twist on the classic. It’s vegan and oil free! This means no butter (or vegan butter for that matter) was used. But don’t worry, there is still plenty of flavor! You won’t even notice it’s gone!
Why I love stove top stuffing
I’ve made stuffing in the oven for YEARS but it’s just so time consuming. Juggling to make everything for a Christmas or Thanksgiving dinner is stressful enough, but using precious oven space for a side dish? No thank you. I’d rather save that precious oven space for my Lentil Loaf.
That’s why in recent years I’ve switched to making stuffing on the stove. Not only is it faster, but it can be made in advance and reheated the day of.
Ingredients
This recipe requires on 9 ingredients that you most likely already have on hand:
- whole grain bread (I like Ezekiel Sprouted Grain Bread)
- yellow onion
- celery
- dried sage
- dried thyme
- salt
- black pepper
- low-sodium vegetable broth
- lentils (I used canned to save even more time)
How to make
You’ll want to prepare you bread the night before. Cut your bread into cubes and set it in a large bowl on the counter to dry out. You want it to be the texture of day old bread—noticeably dry but not rock hard.
If you forgot to dry out your bread you can bake it in the oven at 400°F (205°C) for about 5 minutes until crispy and golden. If they are still soft, bake for an additional minute or two.
In a nonstick pan over medium heat, add the onion and celery using a tablespoon or two of water or broth at a time to keep it from sticking. The onion should “sweat” out excess moisture so that it doesn’t stick but if the pan is looking dry add more water or broth as needed. Cook until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes.
Add the sage, thyme, salt, and black pepper to the pan, stirring for a minute until fragrant.
Mix in the broth and lentils followed by the bread, tossing gently to combine. Remove from heat and cover for 10-12 minutes until soft.
A thing to note
I like a heartier bread in general but if you’re using a softer bread like white bread, feel free to reduce the broth. I would start with half the broth and add more as needed until you reach your desired consistency.
Make Ahead
You can prepare this stuffing ahead of time to save time the day of. Simply add a splash of vegetable broth as need and reheat on the stove or bake at 400F (205C) for 10-15 minutes until heated through.
Storing Leftovers
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Single servings can easily be reheated in the microwave.
Want more holiday recipes? Check out this post with 7 Hearty and Healthy Thanksgiving Recipes that will go perfectly with this stuffing!
The BEST Stove Top Vegan Stuffing
Method
- Stovetop
Ingredients
- 9-10 cups whole grain bread dried, sliced into 1/2 inch cubes
- 1 small yellow onion diced
- 4 stalks celery diced or a little less than 1 cup
- 1 teaspoon dried sage
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- salt and black pepper to taste
- 2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth *
- 1 cup lentils cooked (I use canned, drained and rinsed)
Instructions
- The night before, cut your bread into cubes and place in a large bowl to dry out. You want it to be the texture of day old bread—noticeably dry but not rock hard. If you forgot to dry out your bread you can bake it in the oven at 400°F (205°C) for about 4-5 minutes until crispy and golden; set aside.
- In a nonstick pan over medium heat, add the onion and celery using a tablespoon or two of water or broth at a time to keep it from sticking. Cook until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Add the sage, thyme, salt, and black pepper to the pan, stirring for a minute until fragrant.
- Mix in the broth (*if you are using a softer bread you made not need as much broth, start with 1 cup and add more as needed) and lentils followed by the bread, tossing gently to combine. Remove from heat and cover for 10-12 minutes until soft.
Notes
Nutrition
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This is a perfect stuffing for the whole family to enjoy.
Thanks so much, Andrea!
This was so delicious. I made it today! It was approved by my entire family! I am adding it to the rotation! YUMMMM
I am so happy to hear that, Cindy! So glad everyone enjoyed it!
Love how easy this recipe is. It’s perfect for our family!
Thank you, Shadi! I’m so glad!
Oh yum! All that flavor sounds incredible and so much better than the boxed version. Definitely perfect for the upcoming holidays.
Thanks, Tara! Yes, it’s perfect for the holidays 🙂
This looks so good. I could eat something like this all day!
Oh me too 🙂 Can’t have too much stuffing!