Raise your hand if you’ve ever felt personally victimized by a dish of wet and spongy stuffing sitting across from you at the holiday dinner table?
(Hands raised and waving wildly here.)
Trust me when I tell you that you can let your guard down for my Gluten Free Stuffing with Sausage and Parmesan. This buttery, herby, equal parts crispy and tender gluten-free stuffing recipe will make a convert out of even the most die-hard stuffing haters — which, up until now, was led by me!
Gluten Free Stuffing
Toasted gluten free bread cubes are tossed with sizzling Italian sausage, savory Parmesan cheese, buttery vegetables, and fresh herbs and garlic, then drizzled with just enough broth to create a stuffing that’s creamy in the center and crispy on top after baking.
The amount of PURE FLAVOR in each forkful is indescribable beyond incredible! Definitely rivaling Party Potatoes Deluxe as my new favorite holiday side dish, and so good that it’s earned a spot on the Thanksgiving table beside my Best Ever Wild Rice Stuffing. Step aside, cranberry sauce!
Ingredients Needed
Scroll down to the recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
- Gluten free white bread – More on my recommendations below.
- Gluten free sweet Italian sausage – I like Johnsonville brand, which is gluten free.
- Butter – Feel free to use a plant-based vegan butter, like Earth Balance, to make this stuffing dairy-free.
- Yellow onion and celery – These provide slow cooked, cozy flavors.
- Salt and pepper – Freshly cracked pepper is best.
- Garlic – Adds lots of craveable flavor.
- Fresh sage, thyme, and rosemary – Since this side dish is for a special occasion, I like to splurge and use fresh herbs. If you need to sub in dried herbs, use 1/3 of the amount of fresh.
- Grated parmesan cheese – Adds SO much depth of flavor! Use a plant-based Parmesan like Violife for dairy-free stuffing.
- Eggs – Beat them lightly before adding to the recipe.
- Gluten free chicken broth or chicken stock – Or if you happen to have turkey stock or broth on hand, you can use that. Vegetable broth or vegetable stock also works!
What Is the Best Gluten-Free Bread for Stuffing?
Some stuffing recipes taste like mealy, mushy disappointment, but the key to getting it right is choosing a loaf of bread that stands up to being paired with a bowl of soup to sop up the broth. Is that specific? Yes, but for a good reason. A gluten-free bread that can’t stand up to soup will disintegrate in this stuffing.
Choose the right bread, use this recipe, and you’re guaranteed a winning Thanksgiving side dish!
I tested this recipe using an 18oz loaf of Canyon Bakehouse Mountain White bread which I cut into cubes then toasted in the oven before mixing with the rest of the ingredients.
No need to cut off the crusts, no oil needed—just cube and bake. It is perfection.
Try Wild Rice Stuffing
How to Make the Best Gluten-Free Stuffing
No disappointment! No weird spongy texture! Here’s how to make perfect gluten free stuffing.
Prepare. Coat 2 medium baking dishes (8×8″ or 9×9″) or 1 large baking dish (9×13″) with cooking spray then set aside.
Toast the bread. Preheat your oven to 350ºF then arrange a loaf of gluten free bread that’s been cut into 1/2″ cubes on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Toast the bread for 15 to 20 minutes, tossing a few times, until they’re dry and golden brown.
Cook the sausage. While the bread is in the oven, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the sausage then drain and set aside.
Sauté the veggies and aromatics. Return the skillet to the stovetop and reduce to medium heat. Melt butter inside then add the onion and celery. Season with salt and pepper then cook until the vegetables have softened, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir fresh garlic and fresh herbs into the pan then cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until fragrant.
Combine all of the ingredients. Transfer the cooked sausage and vegetable mixture to a large bowl with parmesan cheese and the toasted bread cubes. Whisk the egg and chicken stock in a separate bowl then pour half of it over the stuffing mixture. Stir until all the liquid has been absorbed then drizzle in the remaining liquid and continue to stir until the liquid is absorbed.
Bake. Transfer the stuffing mixture to the prepared baking dish(es) then cover with foil. Bake for 20 minutes then remove the foil and bake for another 25 to 30 minutes, or until the top of the stuffing is golden brown and feels dry to the touch.
Tips for Success
Here are a few simple tips for making the best gluten free stuffing of your life!
- Adjusting the moisture level. If you prefer a drier stuffing, cut the amount of chicken stock or broth down to 1-1/2 cups. As written, this recipe is moist in the center and crispy on top.
- Get a head start. You can toast the bread several days ahead of time. Cool the bread cubes, then store in a gallon-size Ziplock bag or other airtight container.
- Make it meaty. Rather than breaking the sausage into little bits, I like leaving it in bigger chunks to add more texture and flavor to the stuffing.
Make-Ahead Instructions
The extra amazing part about this recipe is that it can be assembled a day ahead of time. Follow the recipe up to the point of baking, then cover and refrigerate. Let the baking dish sit at room temperature for 30 minutes then bake according to the recipe instructions.
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
Wrap leftovers in the baking dish, or transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for 3 to 4 days. Reheat a scoop in the microwave, or cover the baking dish with foil and reheat in a 350ºF oven until warmed through.
Can This Recipe Be Frozen?
Absolutely! Freeze leftover gluten-free stuffing in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Let thaw in the refrigerator then reheat according to the instructions above.
More Gluten Free Thanksgiving Side Dish Recipes
- Gluten Free Scalloped Potatoes
- Gluten Free Green Bean Casserole
- Best Ever Wild Rice Stuffing
- Gluten Free Cornbread Stuffing
- Party Potatoes Deluxe
- Fall Shredded Brussels Sprouts Salad
- Gluten Free Focaccia
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Gluten Free Stuffing
Description
Gluten Free Stuffing is a simple yet flavor-packed side dish that's a must-have for your holiday dinner table. Nobody would ever guess it's gluten free!
Ingredients
- 18oz loaf gluten free white bread, sliced into 1/2" cubes (I like Canyon Bakehouse Mountain White)
- 1lb gluten free sweet Italian sausage (I like Johnsonville)
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 3 stalks celery, finely chopped
- salt and pepper
- 4 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
- 2 Tablespoons minced fresh sage
- 1 Tablespoon minced fresh thyme
- 1 Tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
- 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 2 eggs, whisked
- 2 cups gluten free chicken stock or broth
Directions
- Spray a 9x13" baking dish, or 2 medium-sized baking dishes (like 8x8" or 9x9"), with nonstick spray then set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Add the bread cubes to a parchment paper lined baking sheet then spread into an even layer and bake until toasted and dried out, 15-20 minutes, stirring halfway through. The bread cubes don’t need to be rock hard like croutons, but should be dry and golden brown. Can be done several days ahead of time. Cool completely then store in an airtight container.
- Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage then brown (I prefer to leave the sausage in larger hunks vs breaking it down finely) drain, and set aside.
- Place the skillet back onto the stove then turn the heat down to medium. Melt the butter inside then add the onion and celery, season with salt and pepper, and saute until the vegetables are tender, 8-10 minutes. Add the garlic and fresh herbs then saute until very fragrant, 2-3 more minutes.
- Add the cooked sausage and vegetable mixture to a very large mixing bowl then stir with a spatula to combine. Add the toasted bread cubes and parmesan cheese then stir to combine.
- Add the egg and chicken stock or broth to a small mixing bowl then whisk to combine. Drizzle half the mixture over the bread cube mixture then fold until all the liquid has been absorbed. Drizzle in the remaining liquid the fold until all the liquid has been absorbed.
- Scoop the stuffing mixture into the prepared baking dish then cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover then bake for an additional 25-30 minutes or until the top is golden brown and crispy. Scoop onto plates then serve.
Notes
- If you prefer a drier stuffing, cut the amount of chicken stock or broth down to 1-1/2 cups. I wouldn't call this stuffing recipe excessively moist, but if you don't like a soft center, cut back to 1-1/2 cups.
- You may assemble this dish a day ahead of time. Follow instructions up to the point of baking then cover with foil and refrigerate. Let the baking dish sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before baking.
This recipe is courtesy of Iowa Girl Eats, http://iowagirleats.com.
Photos by Ashley McLaughlin
This is fantastic! We just found out we are hosting for Thanksgiving and my husband was looking for a recipe like this.
Oh perfect!! I just know it’ll be a hit – happy Thanksgiving!
it is the day after Thanksgiving, and as I sit eating my fav leftover sandwich, I absolutely had to come back to bow down! THANK YOU! this recipe is truly superb. I am newly GF due to a medical issue, and have a foodie little cousin who is GF from Crohns, and my mom from a gluten allergy. I went on a hunt for a gf stuffing closest to my grandmother’s we all love so much. yours was the obvious choice and I’m so glad it was! it is aromatic, delicious with such great flavor profiles, and has a perfectly crispy brown top, that with the first bite “gluten free” is no longer the first descriptors used! truly a 10/10 !I only made a few small changes, I used 1/2 Aldi classic white bread, and 1/2 Schar GF Sourdough…and to pre toast the cubes I filled my air fryer basket with them and set it to 350 for 8 min, at 4min I tossed and flipped the basket of bread cubes..they came out perfect! the only other small change from the recipe for me, was that I left a full sprig of rosemary in with the veggies while they were cooking, that I removed once combining with the sausage…beyond that I followed the recipe quite closely! definitely a keeper and I’ve already had both gfs ask for the recipe as well as 2 others who loved it! a must try for sure!
Soooo glad this recipe was a winner for you and your family, Nicole! I am thrilled that the taste wowed!!
Would this recipe still turn out well if it was sage breakfast sausage, rather than Italian flavored?
This was very tasty indeed. I personally have never used sausage or cheese in my stuffing, tho I know people do. This is definitely the best gluten free stuffing I’ve had in my 10 years as a gluten free eater. Like another comment, I went ahead and used an oat based sandwich bread for its agreeable texture. You could taste the mild oat flavor but I think it fit fine. For comparison sake i will be making this again with a regular white gluten free loaf. I was also wondering if I could use this recipe for a wild rice blend stuffing?
Also cooked up some leftover stuffing cakes and fried eggs for breakfast today. Delicious!
I made this for Thanksgiving, turned out decent. The parmesan does give a somewhat unidentifiable savory flavor profile. I added a half teaspoon of lea & perrins Worcestershire sauce for a similar purpose. I think I still need to find the best bread for the job, and not over hydrate and underbake. If I can do that, then this recipe is almost perfect. Definitely the tastiest gluten free stuffing I’ve ever had. The wheat eaters at dinner were surprised it was gluten-free. I had a great Thanksgiving dinner all around, but next day this was the dish I kept thinking back to and anticipating the leftovers.
I made this for Thanksgiving this year. I doubled the recipe because my family LOVES dressing. It was an excellent recipe and I will be making it going forward.
This recipe is almost identical to my husband’s grandmother’s iconic holiday stuffing, minus the gluten.I tried it out this year for Thanksgiving, and nobody could tell the difference!I added 1 cup of chopped pecans and decreased the liquid just a little bit. It was amazing! Thank you for sharing.
I’m allergic to eggs, are they necessary, or is there something else I can use?
Hi Connie! The eggs keep the stuffing together, otherwise it would be a very loose mixture. You could try using 2 flax eggs in the chicken egg’s place!
Kristin, could this be made without the sausage? Would I need to make any adjustments to the recipe?
Hi Susan! You could up the amount of vegetables just to give the stuffing more heft, and maybe reduce the broth slightly, but other than that it should still work well!
Thanks Kristin!! Anxious to try it!
Finally, a gluten-free stuffing recipe! This sounds interesting. I have 2 questions regarding the flavor- does the garlic and parmesan flavor pair well with traditional Thanksgiving flavors? Like say, a Thanksgiving leftovers sandwich, or a Thanksgiving leftovers bowl. Secondly, I would also like to try this recipe with my family’s favorite gluten-free bread, which is made of oat flour. How do you think the oat flavor will do in this recipe?
I know, right?! SO GOOD!
The garlic-parm flavors work well with traditional Thanksgiving flavors – there’s tons of fresh herbs in there and you won’t necessarily be able to say, “that has parm in it!” It more provides a very savory and decadent flavor. I think the oat bread would be just fine in here! The recipe halves very well so you could do a small trial run before Thanksgiving if you have time. :)
Canyon Lakes is the best! I’ve made stuffing with it before and even my gluten-eating friends couldn’t tell the difference.
100%! I would never ever know this was gluten free if I hadn’t made it myself!