This Vegan Stuffing with Garlic and Herbs is a Thanksgiving classic that's both simple and delicious! Crusty bread cubes are tossed with savory leeks, onions, celery, and fresh herbs, then baked to golden, crispy perfection.
Traditional stuffing is basically bread chopped into cubes, combined with onions and herbs, then covered in a stock and baked until golden and crispy. It's typically made with sausage, broth, butter, and sometimes egg.
But fortunately, it's simple to make a vegan stuffing that tastes just as flavorful and delicious.
We are using vegan butter, lots of garlic, fresh herbs, and vegetable stock for flavor. As well as cornstarch to thicken and bind.
It's the perfect Thanksgiving side that’ll have everyone coming back for seconds!
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Ingredients
Buttery, garlicky, and packed with fresh herbs, this stuffing recipe is a must-have for any vegan Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner.
Bread: Stuffing is best made with day-old bread to prevent sogginess, and we’re also toasting the bread until it’s crisp and dry. You can use sourdough, Italian loaf, or French bread—anything hearty and crusty. Just avoid using soft, white sandwich bread.
Vegan Butter: I used Trader Joe's vegan butter.
Vegetables: Leeks, onions, celery, and garlic are sautéed until soft and starting to brown. Don't skip this step— it adds flavor!
Fresh Herbs: Fresh herbs like parsley, rosemary, and sage are added and contribute to a ton of flavor. Thyme would also be delicious!
Cornstarch: This will act as a binder since we are not using eggs. You only need two tablespoons and it's tossed with the bread cubes before adding the broth.
Salt and Pepper: Be careful not to over-salt the stuffing, as both vegetable broth and vegan butter contain salt. A pinch here and there is usually enough, but if you're using low-sodium broth and unsalted butter, you may need a bit more.
Vegetable Broth: A lot of flavor comes from the vegetable broth— use a high quality broth like Better than Bouillon.
Dried Cranberries: Optional but adds a hint of sweetness.
See recipe card for quantities.
Helpful Equipment
For this stuffing recipe, I recommend a 9x13” casserole dish.
A few options I love include: this beautiful Ceramic Baking Dish or a Ceramic Dish Set— can't have enough, especially during the Holiday season.
How to Make This Recipe
Stuffing is a classic Thanksgiving side dish for a reason!
It's buttery, comforting, with a mix of rich, herby, and slightly salty notes. Enjoy it with your favorite Thanksgiving mains and sides.
The full written recipe can be found in the recipe card below.
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Cut the bread into 1-inch cubes and arrange them in a single layer on a parchment lined baking sheet. Toast in the oven for 10 minutes, then toss and continue baking for another 10-15 minutes, or until the bread is crisp and dry.
Step 2: Melt the butter in a large pan over medium high heat. Add the onion and sauté for 5 minutes or until soft.
Step 3: Add the leeks, celery, and garlic to the onions and season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Continue to cook for an additional 7-10 minutes or until soft and starting to brown.
Step 4: Place the bread cubes in the greased pan and toss with cornstarch, fresh herbs, and a pinch of salt and pepper.
Step 5: Add the cooked vegetables and toss everything together. Start to pour the vegetable broth in ½ cup increments, stirring to combine each time. The bread should be moist, but there shouldn’t be any liquid pooling at the bottom once it’s fully mixed.
Step 6: Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 30-40 minutes, or until golden brown.
Note: If the top starts to brown too quickly, loosely cover it with foil again. If it’s not browning enough, switch to broil and cook until crispy and golden—keep a close eye on it as broiling can burn it fast!
Substitutions & Variations
Feel free to get creative and customize this vegetarian stuffing recipe to your taste!
It’s a perfect base for adding ingredients like vegan sausage, apples, mushrooms, and more.
Bread: Use a crusty day-old loaf like sourdough, french, or Italian. I don't recommend using white sandwich bread. Alternatively, you can use day-old cornbread.
Make it gluten-free: Use your favorite gluten-free bread. Keep in mind that this will require different amounts of vegetable broth.
Add protein: Vegan sausage is a great addition for extra flavor.
Serving Ideas
Hearty, savory, and full of fresh herbs, this vegan stuffing pairs well with all your favorite Thanksgiving staples.
Classic Thanksgiving sides: Almond Milk Mashed Potatoes, Vegan Gravy, Sweet Potato Casserole, and Vegan Green Bean Casserole.
Vegetable sides: Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Carrots, Roasted Brussels Sprout and Sweet Potato Salad, or Vegan Mashed Sweet Potatoes.
Tips & Tricks
These tips will help you make a flavorful, well-seasoned stuffing that’s hearty and satisfying.
Use stale bread. Fresh bread can get too soggy, so use day-old bread. We will also be toasting it.
Choose a crusty bread for best results. Sourdough, French, or Italian loaf are great options.
Be mindful not to over-salt the stuffing, as both vegetable broth and vegan butter already contain salt. A pinch here and there should be enough, but if you're using low-sodium broth and unsalted butter, you may need to add a little more.
Don't skip the herbs! Fresh herbs make a big difference in flavor, but dried herbs are fine too. Just use about half the amount called for with fresh herbs.
Add the vegetable broth gradually, as you might not need it all. You want the bread to be moist, not soggy. It shouldn't puddle in the bottom of the casserole dish.
Bake your stuffing until it’s golden brown on top. If it starts to brown too much before it’s fully heated, cover it loosely with foil to prevent burning.
Storage
Storage: Thankfully, stuffing tastes delicious as leftovers! Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
Reheat: Cover with foil and warm it up in the oven at 350ºF until hot or simply warm individual portions in the microwave or air fryer.
Freeze: Let it cool completely, then store in an airtight container. Thaw overnight in the fridge and bake to reheat.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can use sourdough, French bread, Italian bread, whole grain, or even gluten-free bread. Just make sure it’s sturdy enough to hold up when mixed with the broth.
You can cook the stuffing a day ahead, let it cool, and store it in the fridge. Simply reheat it the next day. Alternatively, you can prep everything to make assembly quicker day-of including cubing the bread and chopping the veggies.
This recipe uses cornstarch to help bind the stuffing. Eggs are not needed!
Herbs are what give stuffing its classic flavor, but if you don’t have them, you can use dried herbs. I wouldn't omit them all together though.
Yes, you can freeze vegan stuffing. Let it cool completely, then store in an airtight container. Thaw overnight in the fridge and bake to reheat.
More Thanksgiving Recipes
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Recipe
Classic Vegan Stuffing
Ingredients
- 12 cups Cubed Sourdough or French Bread day-old is best
- ¼ cup Vegan Butter
- 1 medium Onion diced
- 2 Leeks thinly sliced
- 1 ½ cups Diced Celery
- 3-5 Garlic Cloves minced
- 2 tablespoons Fresh Parsley
- 2 tablespoons Fresh Rosemary
- 2 tablespoons Sage
- 2 tablespoons Cornstarch
- Kosher Salt see note
- Black Pepper to taste
- 2 ½ cups Low-Sodium Vegetable Broth
- ⅓ cup Dried Cranberries optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Grease a 9x13” casserole dish and set it aside.
- Cut the bread into 1-inch cubes and arrange them in a single layer on a parchment lined baking sheet— I used two baking sheets. Toast in the oven for 10 minutes, then toss and continue baking for another 10-15 minutes, or until the bread is crisp and dry. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
- Melt the butter in a large pan over medium high heat. Add the onion and sauté for 5 minutes or until soft.
- Add the leeks, celery, and garlic to the onions and season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Continue to cook for an additional 7-10 minutes or until soft and starting to brown.
- Place the bread cubes in the greased pan and toss with cornstarch, fresh herbs, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Add the cooked vegetables and toss everything together.
- Pour the vegetable broth in ½ cup increments, stirring to combine each time. Continue until all the broth is incorporated— you may not need to use it all. The bread should be moist, but there shouldn’t be any liquid pooling at the bottom once it’s fully mixed.
- Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 30-40 minutes, or until golden brown. If the top starts to brown too quickly, loosely cover it with foil again. If it’s not browning enough, switch to broil and cook until crispy and golden—keep a close eye on it as broiling can burn it fast!
- Remove from the oven and top with additional fresh herbs and dried cranberries. Cool slightly and serve. Enjoy!
Notes
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