Publised on 26/08/2024. Last Updated on 06/12/2024 by Richard
Crispy and fluffy vegan sausage stuffing packed with herby flavour and meaty sausage pieces. Ideal for thanksgiving or any plant-based holiday feast! Make with homemade sourdough or vegan cornbread for a next-level side dish!
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Ah, Vegan Sausage Stuffing. A recipe that holds a special place in my heart. This isn’t your grandma’s traditional stuffing (no disrespect to grandma), but it’s close enough to make her question her ways! It’s rich, savory, herby, and just that perfect level of crispy on top with a pillowy, flavorful center. The smell of fresh sage and rosemary wafting through the kitchen? Instant holiday vibes, my friend.
The first time I had any kind of Sausage Stuffing was at my first Thanksgiving with friends in California. Picture this: a table filled with a bunch of twenty-somethings who barely knew their way around a turkey, much less a vegan turkey. Somehow, by divine intervention or pure desperation, someone had made a stuffing that blew my mind, as well as vegan creamed corn and roasted sweet potatoes. It was all about the bread cubes soaked in veggie broth, sautéed onions, and garlic cloves, with some fresh herbs like sage and rosemary thrown in for good measure. It was my first bite of what I’ve come to know as the best vegan stuffing – so good I swore to recreate it every year since. And let me tell ya, this version is the one.
So, if you’re looking to add some plant-based magic to your Thanksgiving table or holiday dinner table, you’ve come to the right place! Whether you’re whipping this up for a vegan Thanksgiving dinner with vegan gravy and dinner rolls, or just a random Tuesday (hey, I don’t judge!), this Vegan Sausage Stuffing is guaranteed to be a crowd-pleaser.
The Ingredients
Alright, let's talk ingredients. No, you don’t need anything too fancy, but you do need a few key things to make this Vegan Sausage Stuffing really shine. If you’re short on time and wanna get cooking ASAP, scroll to the bottom for the full recipe card with the precise quantities!
Flaky Sea Salt and Black Pepper: To season, of course. Don’t skimp on the black pepper – it’s key to adding depth.
Bread Cubes: Start with day-old bread or even stale bread – the dryer, the better. Sourdough bread, white bread, or even a loaf of Italian bread will do. You could even make this a recipe gluten-free by using gluten-free bread if that's your jam.
Vegan Sausage: Any brand of vegan sausage will work here, but Beyond Sausage or Tesco's Cumberland Style Vegan Sausages are my top choices. The plant-based sausage adds that meaty texture you want in a stuffing.
Vegan Butter: Little vegan butter goes a long way. It adds richness and makes the top of the stuffing crispy and golden brown. A total must-have.
Yellow Onion: Yellow onion gives a sweet, aromatic base to the stuffing.
Fresh Herbs: Fresh sage, rosemary, and parsley give this stuffing its herby goodness. I use a mix of fresh and dried herbs to cover my bases!
Garlic Cloves: Because garlic is life. It’s sautéed along with the onions and vegan sausage, infusing the whole thing with flavor.
Vegetable Stock (or Veggie Broth): Keeps the stuffing moist. You could also use low-sodium vegetable stock if you’re trying to cut back on salt.
Cornstarch: This acts as a thickener, helping the Vegan Sausage Stuffing hold together nicely.
How to Make this Recipe
Okay, enough talk. Here’s how you actually make this deliciousness happen. As always, full recipe is at the bottom of the page.
- Preheat your oven and toast those bread cubes if they’re fresh. Skip this step if using stale bread.
- Sauté your vegan sausage crumbles in a large frying pan until browned.
- Toss in your onions, garlic cloves, and celery. Cook until soft.
- Add in your fresh herbs like sage and rosemary, salt, and pepper.
- Stir in the toasted bread pieces and veggie broth.
- Mix everything up in a large bowl, pour it into a casserole dish, and bake until golden brown and crispy on top.
Boom! You’ve got yourself a traditional stuffing with a vegan twist. If you’re feeling fancy, you can dot the top with a bit more vegan butter to make it even crispier. Trust me, it’s worth the extra calories.
How to Customize this Recipe
You do you, boo! Here are a few ways to make this stuffing your own:
- Gluten-Free Option: Swap out the bread cubes for gluten-free bread to make this recipe gluten-free. Just make sure your brand of vegan sausage is gluten-free too.
- Add Some Sweetness: Try throwing in some dried cranberries, chopped dried apricots or even a spoonful of apple sauce for a sweet-tart twist. It’s unexpected but so good.
- Spice It Up: If you like a little heat, add some crushed red pepper flakes or diced jalapeños to the onion mixture while sautéing. It gives the stuffing a bit of a kick.
- Change the Herbs: Not a fan of rosemary? Swap it out for thyme. Don’t have fresh sage? Dried will do in a pinch. Play around with your favorite fresh herbs!
What to Serve with This Vegan Sausage Stuffing
Wondering what side dishes to pair with this vegan sausage stuffing? I gotcha. Here are some perfect pairings:
- Vegan Roast Potatoes: Crispy, golden brown perfection to go with that stuffing.
- Vegan Roast Beef: Because you need something hearty alongside your stuffing.
- Dairy-Free Mashed Potatoes: Creamy, buttery, and dreamy.
- Vegan Chicken: For those who like to keep it classic.
- Vegan Yorkshire Puddings: A UK fave, perfect for soaking up all that extra gravy.
- Vegan Roast Turkey: No explanation needed. You gotta have a turkey on Thanksgiving!
Vegan Sausage Stuffing FAQs
A: Absolutely! Just make the stuffing, cover it tightly in an airtight container, and pop it in the fridge. When you’re ready to serve, bake it until heated through and golden brown.
A: Yep! This stuffing freezes beautifully. Just make sure it’s fully cooled before freezing. Store it in an airtight container for up to a month. To reheat, bake from frozen at 350°F until warmed through.
A: You sure can. Just swap the regular bread for your favorite gluten-free bread and check your vegan sausages for gluten to make this recipe gluten-free. It works like a charm!
A: Of course! Any brand of vegan sausage will work here. I’ve tried Field Roast, Tofurky, and Plant Chef, and they’re all great.
So there you have it, folks – the best vegan stuffing you’ll ever make. This Vegan Sausage Stuffing is everything you want on your Thanksgiving menu: crispy on the outside, soft and flavorful on the inside, and bursting with all the traditional stuffing flavors we know and love. Be sure to take some pics of your Vegan Sausage Stuffing and tag me @schoolnightvegan on social media—I’d love to see your creations!
Looking for a delicious Thanksgiving dessert? Check out my Vegan Pumpkin Pie, My Vegan Pecan Pie or my Peach Cobbler. Happy cooking, friends!
Vegan Sausage Stuffing
Equipment
- Large Skillet or Large Frying Pan
- Casserole Dish
- oven
- Aluminium Foil
Ingredients
- 400 g bread cut into small cubes (ideally stale)
- 150 g vegan butter
- 400 g vegan sausages chopped into small pieces
- 1 large onion finely chopped
- 2 stalks celery finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic peeled and finely minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh sage finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon dried sage
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch cornflour
- Pinch of flaky sea salt and ground black pepper
- 700 ml vegetable stock/broth boiling hot
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 300 °F (fan/convection). If using fresh bread, spread the bread cubes on a baking sheet and toast in the preheated oven for 10-15 minutes, or until slightly crispy. If using stale bread, skip this step. Once baked, change the oven temperature to 350 °F.400 g bread
- Remove from the oven and set aside. In a large skillet or frying pan, heat half of the vegan butter over medium heat. Add the chopped vegan sausages and cook until browned, about 5-7 minutes.150 g vegan butter, 400 g vegan sausages
- Add the onion, celery and garlic, and sauté for about 8-10 minutes, until the vegetables are softened. Remove from the heat. Stir in the herbs, cornstarch, salt and pepper and transfer to a casserole dish. Mix in the bread cubes.1 large onion, 2 stalks celery, 2 cloves garlic, 2 tablespoons fresh sage, 1 teaspoon dried sage, 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, Pinch of flaky sea salt and ground black pepper
- Slowly pour over the boiling hot vegetable broth/stock. Dot the top with the remaining vegan butter.700 ml vegetable stock/broth
- Cover with foil and bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 15 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and crispy.
- Remove from the oven and let it cool for a few minutes before serving.
Kris
Simple and it'll knick you socks off
Richard Makin
oh lordy this was satisfying to eat! So nutty and meaty
CK
Cant wait ot try this for thanksgviing. Had it for dinner this sunday and it was wonderful.