My vegan stuffing starts and finishes in one skillet, from the stovetop straight into the oven, so I have one less dish to wash on Thanksgiving. Shiitake mushrooms stand in for turkey drippings, and green apple and toasted pecans give it sweetness and crunch. Once the bread is dry, it bakes in 30 minutes.
A vegetarian stuffing built on shiitake mushrooms
I didn’t want to add more dishes to an already crowded Thanksgiving, so this stuffing cooks in the same skillet from start to finish. The vegetables soften on the stove, the bread goes in, and the pan goes into the oven.
Turkey drippings are a big part of what makes traditional stuffing taste the way it does. Shiitake mushrooms fill that role here. They cook down with the onion, celery and carrot and make the broth deep and savory. Green apple adds a little tartness, and toasted pecans keep some crunch.
Spoon it inside my seitan turkey roast made with canned chickpeas, or serve it on the side.
What goes into this stuffing
Full ingredient list and detailed instructions in the recipe card.
- Day-old rustic bread holds its shape when it soaks up the broth. Sourdough or a couple of baguettes work well too.
- Shiitake mushrooms do the job of turkey drippings, so they’re the one ingredient I wouldn’t skip.
- A green apple is tart, so it adds sweetness without making the stuffing sugary.
- Vegetable broth binds everything and brings out the mushrooms. A flax egg works as a binder too.
Shruthi’s Top Tips
Tips for a crisp top and a soft middle
Dry bread and the right amount of broth matter most.
- Cube the bread the night before so it dries out. Forgot? Toast the cubes at 350°F for 5 to 8 minutes. They should still be soft inside.
- Add the broth a little at a time. You want the bread moist, not wet. Too dry and it crumbles, too wet and it turns to mush.
- Season boldly, and taste the broth mixture before the bread goes in. Out of thyme? Here are my classic thyme substitutes.
- Reheat leftovers with a splash of extra broth so they don’t dry out.
How to make vegan stuffing
Cube the bread and leave it out overnight to dry. When you’re ready to cook, heat the oven to 350°F.
- Toast the pecans in a large oven-safe skillet over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes, shaking the pan so they don’t burn. Set them aside.
- Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the skillet with the carrot, onion, celery and shiitake mushrooms. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring now and then.
- Add the remaining oil, the apple, garlic, sage, thyme, salt and pepper.
- Cook for 2 minutes, then pour in the vegetable broth and taste for seasoning.
- Stir in the bread cubes and pecans, cover the skillet with foil and bake for 20 minutes, stirring halfway through.
- Uncover and bake for 10 more minutes, until the top is golden and crisp. Rest for 5 minutes and top with parsley.
How to serve vegan stuffing
Whether you call it stuffing or dressing, it belongs next to my cranberry sauce made with orange juice and zest and a bowl of mashed potatoes. It’s hearty enough to hold its own on the plate. For the center of the table, here are my vegetarian Thanksgiving mains, plus the rest of my Thanksgiving recipes.
Variations
Use cornbread or gluten-free bread in place of the rustic loaf. For a nut-free stuffing, leave out the pecans or use sunflower seeds. Dried sage and thyme work if you don’t have fresh.
One-Skillet Vegan Stuffing with Apples and Pecans
Ingredients
- 1 lb white bread, cubed and dried overnight
- ½ cup pecans, toasted
- 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 carrot, small, diced
- 1 onion, small, diced
- 1 celery stalk, diced
- 1 cup shiitake mushrooms, roughly chopped
- 1 green apple, medium, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh sage, finely chopped or dried
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, replace with dried if needed
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup vegetable broth, plus an extra ½ cup
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare the bread a night before preparing this dish. Cut your bread into cubes and place it in a large bowl to dry out to turn it into stale bread (*See notes on how to make it quicker if you can't wait).
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF or 175ºC.
- If you haven’t toasted your pecans, do so by placing them in a large skillet over medium heat. Toast for 2 to 3 minutes, shaking the pan frequently to avoid burning. It’s ready once a roasted fragrance invades the kitchen. Reserve.
- Place a large oven-safe skillet over medium heat, and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil, carrots, onions, celery and shiitake mushrooms. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes.
- Add the remaining olive oil, apple cubes, garlic, sage, thyme, a good pinch of salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Cook for a further 2 minutes, and pour the vegetable broth. Taste for seasoning and adjust accordingly.
- Add the bread cubes and roasted pecans evenly, cover the pan with foil and bake in the oven for 20 minutes, stirring halfway through.
- After 20 minutes, carefully remove the foil and bake for a further 10 minutes to brown and crisp.
- Remove and let it cool for 5 minutes. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve.
Notes
- To make stale bread quickly, toast the cubes at 350ºF (175ºC) for 5 to 8 minutes. They should still be soft inside.
- Use a large oven-safe skillet, like cast iron, or cook in a regular skillet and move everything to an 8×11 baking dish to bake.
- Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Reheat leftovers with a splash of extra broth so they don’t dry out.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
