Life

11 Vegan Stuffing Ideas

by Rachel Krantz

In my book, the only Thanksgiving food item that holds a candle to pumpkin pie is your classic stuffing. I mean, it's basically bread soaked in deliciousness — it's hard to go wrong. Luckily for vegans — and those of us who would simply like to indulge on Thanksgiving with foods that are healthier for us — vegan stuffing isn't exactly difficult to make. There are plenty of delicious vegan stuffing ideas out there to choose from.

Also great is the fact that in serving your guests vegan stuffing, they are more likely to feel full than "stuffed" — vegan food is simply easier for our bodies to process, which means more room for pie! (Seriously, I had my first all-vegan Thanksgiving last year, and while I ate a ton and was pleasantly full, I think it was the first time in my life I didn't feel stuffed in a sick way. It was awesome — and many of our guests noticed the same phenomenon as well.) If bread tends to get you bloated, fear not — there are plenty of gluten-free vegan stuffing ideas to choose from on here as well.

So as you're picking through the many vegan Thanksgiving dinner ideas out there, here's your standalone guide to vegan stuffing. Because bread soaked in deliciousness deserves its own article.

1. Kale And Shitake Mushroom Stuffing

A relatively traditional stuffing with mushrooms, sage, rosemary, and kale, this Love & Lemons stuffing should be a crowd-pleaser.

2. Squash Kale Stuffing With Sour Cherries And Pecans

Kellie's Food To Glow is a blog that specializes in healthier comfort food — and this squash stuffing appears to be just that. Just think how pretty it will look on the table, too! It's practically a centerpiece.

3. Poblano Cornbread Stuffing

Personally, I'm partial to cornbread, so the idea of this poblano cornbread stuffing from Love & Lemons has me drooling.

4. Cranberry Apricot Wild Rice Pilaf

For you gluten-free and/or healthier folks, this wild rice stuffing from Oh She Glows is about as fiber-filled of a stuffing as you can imagine, minus the bread.

5. Apple Chestnut Cornbread Stuffing

OK, back to cornbread. Apples and chestnuts add a real holiday flavor to this stuffing by May I Have That Recipe.

6. Quinoa Stuffing With Apple, Sweet Potato, And Hazelnuts

Another option for gluten-free people, this recipe from Family Fresh Cooking actually kind of looks like traditional stuffing, and is bound to be delicious with all that natural sweetness.

7. Simple Vegan Stuffing

This vegan recipe from Minimalist Baker stands out for including lentils, thereby making stuffing a complete meal in itself! Otherwise, it's a classic stuffing.

8. Lemongrass Stuffing

Just use vegan butter instead of dairy butter and this recipe is vegan! This I Am A Food Blog lemongrass stuffing sounds delicious and uniquely-flavored.

9. Quinoa Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

This recipe from Leslie Durso is full of fall ingredients like kale, cranberries, and sweet potatoes. It's another good gluten-free option that will present well as a side.

10. Gluten-Free Southern Cornbread Dressing

A yummy bread-y option for the gluten-free crowd, this stuffing from Kellie's Food To Glow looks absolutely beautiful.

11. "Lightened Up" Stuffing

A slightly healthier option for those who don't want to give up the bread, this Oh She Glows "lightened up" stuffing calls for cranberry-raisin bread — and the chef claims it is healthy enough to eat for breakfast. (Like we needed an excuse.)

Images: Courtesy of Blogs