A Vegetarian Stuffing So Good No One Misses the Turkey Drippings

But worry not! I’ve crafted a Vegetarian Stuffing recipe that is every bit as flavorful with its toasty cubes of bread, colorful vegetables, an aromatic blend of herbs, and a rich vegetable broth.

This vegetarian stuffing is absolutely to die for and might just become your new staple Thanksgiving dinner recipe! All recipes are rigorously tested in our Nashville Test Kitchen to ensure they are easy, affordable, and delicious.

See this recipe in my Easy Thanksgiving Dinner for Beginners meal plan. “This is so full of traditional Thanksgiving flavor!

Everyone even non-vegetarians came back for seconds. If you want a vegetarian stuffing to please everyone this is it. My new go to!!”

tINA

Homemade Vegetarian Stuffing

I’m not joking when I say this vegetarian stuffing tastes just as hearty as the traditional version, and it all comes down to the simple ingredients I use. Caramelized mushrooms, sautéed vegetables, and plenty of herbs build the same cozy flavor you’d expect from a classic holiday stuffing.

A crusty French loaf gives the dish structure, soaking up a well-seasoned vegetable broth (I like using Better Than Bouillon because it’s affordable and adds great depth). Toasted walnuts bring a warm, nutty layer, and shredding the carrots helps them blend right into the mix.

Altogether, it creates a stuffing that’s every bit as satisfying without relying on meat.

Recipe Success Tips

• Use stale French bread. Slice your French bread and let it sit out for a day or two (loosely covered), so it dries out a bit. If you don’t have time to do that, slice it, spread it on a baking sheet, and let it crisp in the oven while it warms up.
• Make it vegan. This vegetarian stuffing can be easily made into a vegan stuffing. Simply substitute the butter in this recipe for a store-bought vegan butter, and you’re good to go!
• Make it ahead! Cooking Thanksgiving dinner can get hectic, so I always do as much prep ahead of time as possible. You can prep this vegetarian stuffing up to two days in advance. Prepare the recipe below, but stop after combining the sautéed vegetables and bread.

How to Make Homemade Vegetarian Stuffing Step-by-Step Photos

Prep the veggies: Start by prepping all of your vegetables (unless you’re a skilled multi-tasker, then you can prep them item by item as you add them to the pot to sauté).

Dice one yellow onion, mince 4 cloves garlic, finely dice 4 stalks celery, shred 2 carrots using a large-holed cheese grater, slice 8 oz. mushrooms, and roughly chop ¼ bunch parsley. Sauté the mushrooms: Add 3 Tbsp butter and the sliced mushrooms to a large pot.

Sauté the mushrooms over medium heat until they have released all their moisture and the edges begin to brown and caramelize. Add the aromatics: Add the minced garlic, diced onion, 1 tsp dried sage, 1 tsp dried thyme, some freshly cracked pepper, and about ¼ tsp salt to the pot. Continue to sauté until the onions are mostly soft and transparent.

Add the diced celery and sauté a few minutes more, then add the shredded carrots and sauté for just a couple minutes more. Toast the walnuts: While the vegetables are sautéing, toast ½ cup walnut pieces in a dry skillet.

Stir and cook them over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, or just until you start to smell a very nutty aroma. Remove them from the heat right away to prevent them from burning.

Season to taste: Finally, stir the remaining 3 Tbsp butter, the toasted walnuts, and a handful of the chopped parsley into the pot with the vegetables until the butter has melted. Taste the vegetable mixture and add more salt if needed. It should be well seasoned.

Turn the heat off under the pot and begin to preheat the oven to 350ºF. Toast the bread (if needed): If your bread is not fully stale (as mine was not), you can slice the bread, place it on a baking sheet, and put it in the oven as the oven preheats.

Let the bread cool before you cut it into cubes (more moisture evaporates as it cools). I used one large French loaf for this recipe, which yielded about 10 cups bread cubes.

Cut the cubes into ½-inch cubes. Combine: Stir the bread cubes into the pot with the vegetables, butter, and herbs. Stir well so that the bread absorbs some of that yummy butter.

Add 1½ cups vegetable broth to the pot, ½ cup at a time, stirring well each time before adding more (I use Better Than Bouillon). The bread cubes may break down and crumble a bit as you stir, but that’s okay.

The bread will not be fully saturated after all the broth is added. It will absorb even more moisture as it bakes.

Bake: Coat the inside of a 3-quart casserole dish (about a 9×13-inch) with non-stick spray, then pour the stuffing mixture into the dish. Spread it out evenly, then pat it down slightly.

Cover the dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 15 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and crispy. Garnish the homemade Vegetarian Stuffing with any remaining chopped parsley just before serving.

This recipe makes about 8 cups of stuffing. Aaaand I’m probably going to end up eating this Savory Vegetarian Stuffing all myself. #oops

Stuffing Flavor Variations

The best part about this vegetarian stuffing is that it is versatile.

You can add so many different ingredients to change the flavor. Here are a few fun flavor variation ideas:

• Try adding diced apples, cranberries, or butternut squash to the mix of vegetables.
• Swap out the French bread for something like day-old cornbread, croissants, or brioche. Try our cornbread dressing recipe if you’d prefer using cornbread!
• Use a different flavor broth. Try a vegetarian “chicken” flavor, mushroom broth, or even a miso broth.
• Sliced almonds, pecans, or chopped cooked chestnuts all work in place of the walnuts. You can also leave the nuts out for a nut-free version.
• Try adding different herbs and spices like poultry seasoning, turmeric, Cajun seasoning, or even curry powder.

Serving Suggestions

If you want to expand your vegetarian holiday table even more, try serving this stuffing with a show-stopping lentil meatloaf and a side of cranberry sauce. Other classic sides, like sweet potato casserole or mashed potatoes (I like these Instant Pot mashed potatoes because they’re SO hands-off), are also easy crowd pleasers.

And of course, end the meal with something sweet like chess pie!

Storage & Reheating

Let any leftover vegetable stuffing cool, then store it in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days, or freeze it for up to 3 months. Just note the texture might change after thawing.

To reheat a single serving, you can warm it in the microwave until hot. For larger portions, I’d cover the dish with foil and bake at 350°F until heated through, then uncover for a few minutes if you want the top to crisp up again.

Thaw frozen leftovers in the fridge overnight before reheating.