• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Karissa's Vegan Kitchen logo

  • Recipes
    • Appetizers
    • Breakfast
    • Lunch
    • Dinner
    • Side Dishes
    • Dessert
    • Snacks
    • Soup
  • About
    • Work With Me
    • Contact
  • eBooks
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipe Index
  • Popular Recipes
  • Search By Meals
  • Search By Ingredients
  • Search By Holidays
  • eBooks
  • Free Vegan Beginner's Guide
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » Holidays » Thanksgiving

    Easy Vegan Stuffing

    Published Nov 25, 2020 · Updated Sep 11, 2022 · 35 Comments

    4.0K shares
    • Share
    • Tweet

    This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share some commission. See my disclosure policy.

    JUMP TO RECIPE

    This vegan stuffing is incredibly easy to make and only requires a handful of ingredients + seasoning. A classic Thanksgiving side dish turned vegan-friendly!

    A helping of vegan stuffing on a plate with fresh thyme.
    Jump to:
    • How-To Video
    • Ingredients
    • Best Bread for Stuffing
    • Prep Ahead
    • Recipe
    • Comments

    Stuffing is my happy place. Bread and delicious fall flavors...it can't get any better than that in terms of comfort food.

    My mom always makes stuffing with sausage in it. I used to LOVE it. Of course, since going vegan, I've had to discover new ways to cook. And guys, you can totally make stuffing without any meat or dairy so easily and it'll taste just as good (without the heartburn later.)

    There are no nuts and no odd ingredients like apples or cranberries - just a basic simple stuffing recipe with celery and onion and toasted bread and amazing seasoning.

    A scoop of stuffing on a wooden spoon.

    How-To Video

    Ingredients

    Reminder: The full, printable recipe can be found in the recipe card below.

    • Bread: You'll need 8 cups of cubed bread, which is about 1-1.5 loaves. More info about the bread is in the next section.
    • Vegan butter: For sauteeing. You can also use oil.
    • Onion and celery: Classic ingredients for stuffing.
    • Garlic: Use fresh cloves for the most flavor.
    • Sage and thyme: These traditional Thanksgiving spices are a must!
    • Vegetable stock/broth: You can buy this in a carton or make your own using vegetable bouillon.
    • Salt and pepper: To taste. The amount of salt add will depend on how salty the vegetable stock you used is.
    Bread cubes on a baking sheet.
    Toast bread cubes in the oven.
    Onions and celery sauteing in a pot.
    Prepare the celery and onion.
    Toasted bread cubes and celery mixture in a baking dish.
    Add to stuffing along with vegetable broth.
    Stuffing ready to bake in a dish.
    Bake.

    Best Bread for Stuffing

    1. A more firm bread works best - softer types of bread squish when you cube them and they also tend to be super mushy after baking the stuffing, and not in a good way. I like using french bread right from the bakery at the grocery store. If you use a sandwich-loaf-type bread, I recommend sticking it in the fridge so it firms up.
    2. Using two different types of bread adds some additional flavor and just feels more fancy. I like a simple wheat and white bread combination. My mom loves using potato bread.

    While toasting your bread, sauté the celery and onion.

    Adding the sage and thyme to your sauté pan helps those seasoning really shine through - don't skip this step!

    The amount of vegetable stock you mix in with your stuffing will vary depending on the bread type and just how toasty it got when toasting.

    You don't want the stuffing to be dripping wet in stock, but you definitely don't want it to be too dry, either. You have added enough liquid when the bread pieces are no longer dry throughout. Keep adding a little at a time, mixing, and tasting.

    Bake until crunchy on top!

    Closeup of dressing in a baking dish.

    Prep Ahead

    The best way to make the stuffing ahead of time is to prepare the recipe all the way up until baking. Instead of baking, store the prepared stuffing in the fridge for up to 3 days. When you're ready to heat it, bake in a 375°F oven for 35-40 minutes, or until warmed and crunchy on top.

    Enjoy this stuffing as a side dish with Whole Roasted Cauliflower or this Vegan Holiday Tofu Roast.

    Vegan dressing on a plate with fresh thyme.

    Did you enjoy this recipe? Please leave a comment and a ⭐ star review below!

    Recipe

    Easy Vegan Stuffing

    Karissa Besaw
    This vegan stuffing is incredibly easy to make and requires only simple ingredients. A classic Thanksgiving side dish turned veg-friendly.
    4.85 from 125 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 15 mins
    Cook Time 30 mins
    Total Time 45 mins
    Course Side Dish
    Cuisine Vegan
    Servings 8 servings
    Calories 261 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 8 cups cubed bread
    • 2 tablespoons vegan butter or oil (see notes on sautéing with vegetable stock)
    • 1 medium yellow onion chopped
    • 3 medium celery stalks chopped
    • 4 cloves garlic minced
    • 1 teaspoon dried sage
    • ½ teaspoon dried thyme
    • 2-3 cups vegetable stock
    • salt and pepper to taste

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat oven to 350°F.
    • Spread the bread cubes out on a baking sheet (or two if needed.) Toast for 15-20 minutes, stirring/flipping halfway, or until crunchy.
      8 cups cubed bread
    • In the meantime, saute the celery and onion in the vegan butter until the onion is translucent. Add in the garlic, sage and thyme and saute for an additional 2 minutes.
      2 tablespoons vegan butter, 1 medium yellow onion, 3 medium celery stalks, 4 cloves garlic, 1 teaspoon dried sage, ½ teaspoon dried thyme
    • In a large dish, mix together the toasted bread and the celery mixture. 
    • Add the vegetable stock until the bread is re-moistened. Add a little at a time to avoid a mushy stuffing.
      2-3 cups vegetable stock
    • Add salt and pepper to taste.
      salt and pepper to taste
    • Bake at 375°F for 25-30 minutes or until the top is golden and crunchy. Serve warm!

    Video

    Notes

    • 8 cups of cubed bread is about 1 loaf of bread.
    • The best type of bread to use a crusty, firm bread like french bread.
    • Prefer not to use vegan butter or oil? Here are some tips on no-oil sautéing.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 261kcalCarbohydrates: 45gProtein: 9gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 701mgPotassium: 181mgFiber: 4gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 266IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 123mgIron: 3mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    More Thanksgiving

    • Garlicky Sautéed Green Beans
    • Vegan Blueberry Pie
    • Easy Vegan Pie Crust
    • Vegan Cranberry Pistachio Cheese Ball
    4.0K shares
    • Share
    • Tweet

    about karissa

    About Karissa

    Hey! I’m happy you’re here! My name is Karissa and I’ve been cooking up delicious vegan food since going vegan in 2016. Not vegan and just want to eat more plants? We don't judge - everyone is welcome in our kitchen. Read more...

  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • Reader Interactions

    Comments

      leave a comment Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




    1. Tammie says

      November 23, 2021 at 2:01 pm

      Thoughts on making this without using thyme seasoning or an alternate if someone is allergic to that herb?

      Reply
    2. Amber says

      November 22, 2021 at 9:11 pm

      Hey I already purchased pre made dried bread crumbs (dressing bread) from bakery, will this work for this recipe? Thanks!

      Reply
      • Karissa says

        November 23, 2021 at 11:24 am

        Yes, you can use those. You'll likely need more of the broth/stock though.

        Reply
    3. candy says

      November 10, 2021 at 1:38 pm

      can Imake it ahead and freeze it?

      Reply
      • David Besaw says

        November 14, 2021 at 10:55 am

        Probably not the best idea - the bread would get quite soggy.

        Reply
    4. Nadine says

      May 16, 2021 at 9:07 pm

      What if you want to roll the stuffing into the "meat"? Do you still fry everything or do you just put it raw into the turkey and then steam and bake? I'm just a little confused.

      Reply
    5. Breanna says

      March 31, 2021 at 11:37 am

      5 stars
      Made this for my family and I'm the one who was never able to cook and I BLEW them away with this incredibly easy recipe to follow. Now I'm required to make this at ever family holiday. This recipe is a life saver and SO good

      Reply
    6. Harmony says

      November 28, 2020 at 7:18 pm

      4 stars
      This was tasty but ended up WAAAY too soggy. I used David's Killer Bread as suggested, and started with 2 cups of veggie broth since the recipe says 2-3 cups. Sadly it was way too much. Next time I'll start with 1 cup and slowly add from there.

      Reply
      • Karissa says

        November 29, 2020 at 10:49 am

        Hi, Harmony! I suggest using a hearty bread like a french loaf next time.

        Reply
    7. Alexandra says

      November 24, 2020 at 10:31 pm

      Hi
      Have you ever added mushrooms?

      Reply
      • Karissa says

        November 25, 2020 at 8:58 am

        I haven't as I'm allergic, but you absolutely could! Just saute some up along with the onions/celery.

        Reply
    8. Sue says

      November 28, 2019 at 11:30 am

      Thank you for this recipe! It was perfect-simple to make & used ingredients I already had. I used up a few rolls I had in the freezer for awhile

      Reply
    9. Rachael Norton says

      November 23, 2019 at 2:27 pm

      How many loaves of daves bread did you use for 1 batch?

      Reply
      • Karissa says

        November 23, 2019 at 2:37 pm

        1 loaf.

        Reply
      • Renee Simmons says

        June 26, 2021 at 8:16 pm

        I Will start but,Not at this very momment.Still on the fence about some things.How to cook vegan cooks.Making bake goods.Cause not a baker.So do have easy bake goods that,I can do.And the taste how make it taste good to my liking. Those are a few of my concerns for now thank you.

        Reply
    10. Teri says

      November 19, 2019 at 10:40 pm

      Do you chop the garlic?

      Reply
      • Karissa says

        November 20, 2019 at 10:29 am

        Yes!

        Reply
    11. Kimberly says

      November 08, 2019 at 10:37 am

      Hello! Which brand of bread do you use?

      Thank you!

      Reply
      • Karissa says

        November 09, 2019 at 9:23 am

        Some brands I have used for this stuffing are Dave's Killer Bread, Simple Truth, and Private Selection.

        Reply
    12. Dianne says

      October 26, 2019 at 2:05 pm

      What brand of veggie stock do you use?

      Reply
      • Karissa says

        October 26, 2019 at 8:02 pm

        Sometimes I buy the Simple Truth brand (I believe it's a Kroger brand) but I also make it with veggie bouillon (Better Than Bouillon brand). More cost-efficient that way!

        Reply
    13. cathi says

      December 13, 2018 at 6:01 am

      I'm confused about preparing the day before. I thought you were saying it could be made the day before, then REheated the next day. Then it seemed you said to wait and bake it the day of. Could you clarify? Thanx!

      Reply
      • Karissa says

        December 15, 2018 at 2:25 pm

        Sure! I changed my method this year, and found that it's better to wait to bake the day of. Assemble it in the casserole dish the day before - but stop before adding the stock. Cover and put it in the fridge. The next day, add the stock and bake it. In other words, follow steps 1-3 the day before, then steps 4-6 the day you are ready to eat it.

        Reply
        • Kelly Huntt says

          November 23, 2021 at 9:16 pm

          Hi Karissa, if following steps 1-3 the day before, should the (toasted) bread also be stored in the fridge? Thanks!

    14. amanda schuman says

      November 19, 2018 at 10:07 pm

      Hi! This looks great, roughly how many people does it serve?

      Reply
      • Karissa says

        November 20, 2018 at 9:54 am

        About 8.

        Reply
    15. Mia Winter says

      November 19, 2018 at 4:34 pm

      5 stars
      This recipe is AMAZING! I make it a few times a year and it's so good that if hardly makes it to the table before it is gone.

      Reply
    16. Polly Levinson says

      November 18, 2018 at 10:38 am

      Hi Karissa,
      Your recipe looks amazing - but question: we have someone coming to Thanksgiving who's sensitive to garlic... do you think this recipe will work without the garlic? Or is there a substitute ingredient you'd recommend? Thank you!

      Reply
      • Karissa says

        November 18, 2018 at 10:56 am

        Yes, it will absolutely work without the garlic! There will still be lots of flavor coming from the seasonings.

        Reply
    17. Leslie Mitchell says

      November 08, 2018 at 6:00 am

      Peace and blessings! How many servings is this delicious looking recipe?

      Reply
      • Karissa says

        November 20, 2018 at 10:26 am

        About 8 servings.

        Reply
    18. Becca says

      November 13, 2017 at 1:19 pm

      Hey there. This recipe sounds great, I was wondering how much in advance you could make this stuffing and what could be the methods of re-heating it? Thank you!

      Reply
      • Karissa says

        November 16, 2017 at 9:33 am

        Hi, Becca! I always make it the day before and then reheat covered at 375 degrees for 30 mins, and then another 10 mins uncovered. Yours might need more or less time depending on the dish you use.

        2018 UPDATE: I now recommend assembling the dish (follow steps 1-3) and stop before adding the stock. Then follow the remaining steps the day you are ready to eat.

        Reply
        • Erin says

          November 21, 2018 at 7:02 am

          Can’t wait to make this for Thanksgiving! If I prepare it in advance, should I bake it first or wait until the next day?

        • Karissa says

          November 21, 2018 at 1:12 pm

          I now recommend baking it the day of. Don't add the veggie stock until you are ready to bake, but you can do everything else the day before.

    Primary Sidebar

    hey there!

    Welcome to Karissa's Vegan Kitchen! I’m happy you’re here! My name is Karissa and I’ve been cooking up delicious vegan food since going vegan in 2016. Not vegan and just want to eat more plants? We don't judge - everyone is welcome in our kitchen.

    • Fluffy Vegan Pancakes
    • Easy Vegan Ranch Dressing Recipe
    • The Best Fudgy Vegan Brownies
    • Baked Vegan Mac and Cheese
    • Impossible Burger Meatloaf
    • Easy 5-Minute Vegan Gravy

    Footer

    Image says "featured on..." then includes company logos of Finding Vegan, healthline, VegNews, PETA, Runner's World, LiveKindly, Prevention, Woman's Day, Shape, Buzzfeed, and MSN.

    COPYRIGHT © 2022 KARISSA'S VEGAN KITCHEN · Privacy Policy & Disclosures · Contact