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 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 two weeks ago was led by me!)
A fragrant dish of this gluten free stuffing will never not be on my holiday table from this day forward – it is side dish perfection!
Easy Gluten-Free Stuffing
I’ve always loved the idea of thwacking a huge scoop of stuffing next to my turkey and mashed potatoes at Thanksgiving, before drowning it all in gravy, but could never get past the texture of boxed stuffing. Like I said, spongy and wet while simultanesouly pasty and dry? Totally not the case with this super easy stuffing recipe that’s made with everyday ingredients – no box required.
Toasted gluten free bread cubes are tossed with sizzling Italian sausage, savory parmesan cheese, buttery vegetables, and more fresh herbs and garlic than you can shake a stick, then drizzled with just enough chicken 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. I love the combination of garlic, fresh herbs, sausage, and parmesan cheese. If you’ve ever had my Best Ever Wild Rice Stuffing then you know that parmesan is slightly surprising but must have addition to your stuffing. It creates little melty pockets in each scoop that are so, so yummy.
Best Gluten-Free Bread to Use
The good news is that making gluten free bread stuffing is as simple as using a gluten free loaf of bread in the mix instead of regular white bread. I tested this recipe using an 18oz loaf of Canyon Bakehouse Mountain White bread which I simply cut into 1/2″ cubes then toasted/dried out in the oven before tossing with the rest of the ingredients.
No need to cut off the crusts, no oil needed – just cube and bake! You can use whatever loaf you love or have on hand as long as it’s somewhere around 18oz (ie a little over a pound). The Canyon Bakehouse Mountain White holds up super well in this recipe though if you’re able to find it.
Make it Dairy Free
This gluten free stuffing can be made dairy free by using vegan butter to saute the vegetables, and dairy free parmesan cheese. I recently tried Forager vegan parmesan cheese and it totally tasted like the real thing! Also, be sure check that the gluten free bread you’re using is dairy free if not using the Canyon Bakehouse loaf I recommend.
Can I Make it Ahead of Time?
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 or so before baking like normal. Such a great time saver when you’re cooking a bunch of dishes for a big holiday meal and need to offload some of the responsibility a day ahead of time.
So what say you – will you give this gluten free stuffing a go this year?!
How to Make Gluten Free Stuffing
Start by toasting a loaf of gluten free bread. Cut the slices into 1/2″ cubes then place onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet and bake in a 350 degree oven until the cubes are dry and golden brown, 15-20 minutes, stirring halfway through. They don’t need to be rock hard like croutons — just dried out and golden brown.
Meanwhile, brown sweet Italian sausage in a large skillet over medium high heat then drain and set aside.
Put the skillet back over medium heat then melt butter inside. Once melted, add chopped celery and onion, season with salt and pepper to taste, then saute until tender. Add chopped fresh herbs including sage, thyme, and rosemary, plus tons of minced garlic, then saute until the mixture is extremely fragrant, another 2-3 minutes.
Everybody into the pool! Add the browned sausage, vegetable mixture, and toasted bread cubes plus freshly grated parmesan cheese to an extra large bowl then mix to combine.
Drizzle a mixture of whisked eggs and chicken broth or stock over the ingredients then stir until all the liquid has been absorbed. Scoop the stuffing into a 9×13″ baking dish, or divide the mixture between two medium-sized baking dishes like an 8×8″ or 9×9″, then cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes.
Uncover then bake for another 25-30 minutes or until the top is golden brown and sizzling. YUM, you guys! SO MUCH YUM!!!! So glad that we can now partake in and enjoy this classic Thanksgiving side dish, made gluten free (and palatable). Such a treat and so easy to make, too. I hope this Gluten Free Stuffing is a hit this holiday season, and for many more to come – enjoy!
More Gluten Free Thanksgiving Side Dish Recipes
- Gluten Free Green Bean Casserole
- Best Ever Wild Rice Stuffing
- Party Potatoes Deluxe
- Fall Shredded Brussels Sprouts Salad
- Gluten Free Dinner Rolls
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Gluten Free Stuffing with Sausage and Parmesan
Description
Gluten Free Stuffing with Sausage and Parmesan is exploding with fall flavor! This simple side dish is a must have for your holiday dinner table.
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 (I like Kirkland)
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Add 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 a couple of times. 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 then store in an airtight container.
- Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add sausage then brown (I prefer to leave the sausage in larger hunks vs breaking it down finely) and drain. Set aside.
- Place skillet back onto burner then turn heat down to medium. Melt butter then add onion and celery, season with salt and pepper, and saute until vegetables are tender, 8-10 minutes. Add garlic and fresh herbs then saute until very fragrant, 2-3 more minutes.
- Add cooked sausage and vegetable mixture to a very large mixing bowl then stir to combine. Add toasted bread cubes and parmesan cheese then mix to combine. Whisk egg and chicken stock together then drizzle half over the bread cube mixture. Stir until all the liquid has been absorbed then drizzle in remaining liquid and stir until all the liquid has been absorbed.
- Spray 2 medium baking dishes (8x8" or 9x9") or 1 large baking dish (9x13") with nonstick spray then divide stuffing mixture between baking dishes, or add to the large one. Cover with foil then 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 plastic wrap and refrigerate. Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before baking.
This recipe is courtesy of Iowa Girl Eats, http://iowagirleats.com.
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!