herb baked stuffing
November 17, 2011 Remember yesterday, when I mentioned bottling up the scent of Thanksgiving coming from my kitchen, into a candle?
After spending half the day on this stuffing recipe, my hands smell like Thanksgiving, my face smells like Thanksgiving, the dogs smell like Thanksgiving.
I think I’ll pass on the candle.
Tomorrow I’m planning to make cranberry sauce, because I if I cook one more Thanksgiving-smelling recipe in a row, next Thursday is going to lose it’s luster.
Stuffing is my favorite dish on Thanksgiving.
Even the kind out of the bag is delicious, and I can never get enough.
I’m not a fruit-in-my-stuffing kind of girl, nor do I like the addition of nuts. My favorite is a bready, butter-soaked, herb stuffing.
When trying to think of how to create a gluten free version, I knew one thing. Frozen gluten free bread was not going to be the base. It’s expensive and really, not all that good. My idea was to make an herb quick bread, cube the bread, add the traditional mix ins, bake, and feast.
The first trial, as you can see above + below, was not the right texture. The bread was crumbly and not dense enough. It turned into a pile of mushy crumbs after the second bake.
Adjustments were made, and trials 2 + 3 went in the oven. One being a vegan version, photographed below.
While those were in the oven a 4th attempt was also in the works, just in case.
The second bread turned out much less crumbly with a thicker texture, thanks to the addition of 1 more egg. The loaf was cooled, then gently cut into cubes, and baked until brown.
The kitchen was in rare form today. One of the messiest days in quite some time. Maybe since my marathon of zucchini bread trials. But I knew the trouble would be worth it, once that spoonful of stuffing was lodged into my mouth!
No pile of crumbs to be found and extremely similar in taste to the real thing. The only real difference is the texture of bread, since it’s not loaf-style bread. If you like cornbread stuffing, you will definitely enjoy this.
With about 74 taste tests this afternoon, I couldn’t eat this again for dinner. Instead, I made 3 eggs, a smoothie, and broccoli covered in herbs + ghee.
Officially obsessed with ghee on day 2.
Herb Baked Stuffing [serves ~6 as a side dish]
Herb Bread
- 1 1/2c oat flour [certified GF if needed]
- 1/2c raw buckwheat flour
- 1c + 2T unsweetened almond milk
- 2 eggs
- 1T ground flax meal
- 3T sunflower oil
- 2T honey
- 1t baking powder
- 1/2t baking soda
- 1/2t salt
- 3/4t garlic powder
- 2t sage
- 1.5t parsley
- 1.5t thyme
- 1t marjoram
Stuffing Mixture
- 1c onion, diced
- 1c celery, diced
- 1/2c carrot, diced
- 1/4t salt
- 1t fresh thyme, chopped
- 1/2T fresh sage, chopped
- 1/4t black pepper
- 1.5T ghee
Topping
- 1.5T ghee, melted
- 3/4c veggie broth
- 2 eggs
- Preheat your oven to 350*
- Grease or line a 9x9 pan with parchment paper.
- In a bowl, combine all of the dry ingredients for the herb bread, and stir together.
- In another bowl, combine all of the wet ingredients, for the herb bread and whisk together.
- Pour the wet into the dry and stir until just combined. Be careful not to over stir.
- Pour into the pan and smooth out.
- Bake for about 30min, until a toothpick comes out clean. The top will be golden brown + cracked.
- Let cool completely and then carefully slice into 1” bread cubes.
- Turn your oven to 400* and place the cubes in a single layer on a baking sheet.
- Bake for about 15-20min, turning once, until golden brown with lightly crisped edges.
- While browning, chop the stuffing mixture vegetables and heat the ghee in a large pan over medium heat.
- Cook veggies, salt + pepper for about 8-10min, stirring frequently. In the last 2min, stir in the fresh sage + thyme.
- Grease a 9x9 [or similar size] baking dish, deep dish pie pan, casserole dish, etc. and add the browned bread cubes.
- Set your oven back to 350*
- Evenly disperse the sautéed veggies over top of the bread cubes.
- Whisk together the “topping” ingredients [making sure the butter is not hot or it will cook the egg] and pour over top of the bread cubes. If you have a measuring cup with a spout, that works well, or drizzle with a spoon.
- Bake, covered for 25min.
- Bake, uncovered at 400* for another 5+ minutes, until the top is crisp, remove from the oven + serve.
Substitutions/Comments: Sub 2T butter instead of ghee, where 1.5T ghee is called for. Buckwheat flour can be ground in a blender or spice grinder from raw buckwheat groats [not Kasha]. Oat flour can be ground from oat groats, steel cut oats, or rolled oats into a fine flour.
For the vegan version: Instead of 2 eggs + 1T flax, use 3T ground flax instead. Also increase the milk to 1 1/4c. Instead of honey use brown rice syrup or maple syrup. Bake time may increase by 3-5min. Done when a toothpick comes out clean. Sub 2T Earth Balance instead of 1.5T ghee, when called for. For the topping mixture, use 1c veggie broth + 2T Earth Balance and leave the eggs out. The stuffing will taste the same without the eggs, but just won’t gel together.
With having to bake the bread first, this recipe is a bit time intensive.
But the extra effort is worth it for Thanksgiving. Or for tomorrow. Just not tomorrow in my kitchen.
But maybe Saturday?
And a little behind the scenes action for you. I was catching the light from the window to my left and using a large piece of matte board to bounce the light back onto the food. Keeping the shutter speed around .5 seconds, and using my tripod, allowed me to shoot without much light coming in.
The plate of bread you see on the right, was trial #4. Recipe coming soon!
Cannot wait to change things up and make a fruity cranberry sauce tomorrow!
See you again soon.
Ashley
Recipes, bread, stuffing, thanksgiving in gluten free, seasonal 
Reader Comments (50)
I am not into stuffing. I know, crazy. But if anyone could get me to be at all inclined to try it, your pics and recipe have done so. My hubs would go ga-ga for this if I made it for him :)
Stuffing is my fav! Right next to mashed. This.looks.amazing.
This looks fantastic...it would blow my MIL's stuffing out of the water! I better try it , but keep it to myself...she'd be a little jealous :)
Usually I am not a stuffing gal but I think this stuffing can turn any stuffing hater into a stuffing lover!!! Props to you for all of the cooking you went through! :)
I love stuffing! It has always been one of my favorite Thanksgiving dishes. However, I like a little fruit in mine along with all the savory, herby goodness. Maybe some cranberries or apples!
I love the same flavors as you do for stuffing - this looks great! I actually made myself a loaf of bread over the weekend to prepare for thanksgiving. I did freeze it, but I'm going to thaw it out and toast it just like you did. I actually like when my stuffing is a little bit mushy though!
first of all, i have those c + b magnetic measuring spoons.. total lifesaver, they're almost impossible to loser. secondly, this stuffing looks insanely delicious. stuffing is my absolutely favorite t-giving side dish... will have to give this a try! thanks for the photo tips :)
I've never been that big on stuffing either, but since I started blogging last year, I've come across some awesome recipes (like yours) that have made me fall in love with it. Like you, I'm not a big fruit and nuts-in-the-stuffing kinda gal, but give me herbs and hearty bread, and I'm in heaven. Sounds great Ash! :)
Wow this looks incredible! I made this gluten free stuffing using millet for Canadian thanksgiving in October and it was certainly tasty but now I wish I was more ambitious and went for actual gluten free bread stuffing! Oh well, there's always Christmas right? ;)
This recipe would be perfect to make for one of the ladies I am cooking for! I think she would love it - and so would I. The behind the scenes pictures are so fun to see too! Thanks
YUM!! A cranberry sauce sounds delicious with it..have a great day!! :)
Awesome, Ashley -- just awesome. This recipe looks a little time intensive, but absolutely worth it!!
Gah! I'm SO excited for stuffing!! This looks delicious :)
I love stuffing! It's my favorite and your loos delicious, a diffrent spin on typical stuffing!
I've never loved stuffing, but this definitely makes me want to give it another shot.
I used to despise stuffing, but unfortunately for my waistline, it's one of those things I grew to love. That's a lot of time in the kitchen you spent! Thanks for testing it for us! ;)
Looks fabulous!!!
Stuffing is by-far my favorite part of the Thanksgiving meal. This looks wonderful! Thanks for your photography expertise, I love seeing the setup!
Stuffing is my favorite part of THanksgiving and my biggest splurge. My mom makes a butter ridden, sausage filled, (god that sounds dirty!) fruity and nut stuffing that's worth every calorie. Although, I love the looks of this one. Maybe I should try making it throughout the year as a healthy version :)
Last year I made a crock pot stuffing that was FULL of butter and amazing. I may try that with this bread recipe....mmm
You're welcome!
Thank you Gena. That means a lot!! Yes, a bit time intensive, but even just the herb bread alone is delicious!
Hope she enjoys it!! I'll have another similar recipe, where you put the celery/carrots/onion IN the bread! Stuffing BREAD! :)
That sounds like a fabulous spin on stuffing!! I'm a huge millet lover!
They are the best!!!! :)
I'm sure your stuffing will be amazing!! When I was talking about the frozen GF bread, I meant the store bought kind...it's just never that great! :) I like when the top of stuffing is crispy and the layer below is mushy. yummm
I was wondering if it would be possible to make a delicious gluten-free stuffing. Thanks for sharing! I personally don't like nuts or fruit in my stuffing, either. Why cover up the butter/bread part of it with anything extra? :)
We're on the same page!
Wow! That's quite the 'scientific' experiement you had going there! So glad it finally worked out for you! I know the dilemma well...even though my son can have wheat...there is not a bread out there that is not dairy,egg,sesame and peanut/tree nut free that I can use for stuffing. I therefore, bake our own bread. Your vegan version could be an alternate for us. If we were to use regular flour...would the amount of flour be equal? Thx! susan H.@ the food allergy chronicles
I mean, I'll still take a candle :) I can never get enough stuffing!
Mmmm, stuffing is my fav thing too. My dad and I go through so much of it!
Oh Thanksgiving, what a consuming holiday, but it definitely pays off. I made a batch of stuffing just a few nights ago and it was gone in an instant! There's just something about it that nobody seems to be able to resist. Yours looks great! I especially love how large the croutons are. Have you ever tried a cornbread stuffing? I haven't, but I'm planning to make one this year!
Mmmmmm this looks heaaavn'ly Ashley!! :D And the pics are just too gorgeous. I want to try making these!
I love ghee too. Myentire child was infused with the aroma and comfort of it! My husband thinks that he doesn't like it, but he seems to love the brown rice I make...maybe it's time to disclose the ghee factor to maim!
Sorry...childhood. However, considering tht I am pregnant, it's also entirely true that my child will likely emerge infused with it too!
Love both comments you made. ;) Yay ghee!
Thanks so much Ellie!!!
Actually, no!! But I want to try it for sure. I LOVE cornbread!!
Haha, thanks! The thing is, with subbing in wheat flour, is that since there is gluten in regular flour, you probably wouldn't need as much flax and both the flour change and lessening the flax would effect the amount of liquid needed. I would think you could get away with 1T flax, but I'm not sure how much liquid would be needed. Sorry I can't be of more help!
OK I am completely ghee intrigued now!
That recipe looks awesome, I'm afraid I won't have time to make a homemade bread for my stuffing. It's just so much better when its *all* from scratch
Oh man this looks so good and spot on with the flavours! Nice work. I'm so glad you didn't use the gluten free bread...it just wouldnt be the same at all. Can I come over for Thanksgiving? heh
Stuffing is the best part of the meal. I love your version!
(Also, I had lunch with someone who is GF yesterday and they were complaining about not having a stuffing to eat at Thanksgiving. I told her to come to your site. I knew you'd have something awesome up your sleeve!)
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Yumm stuffing is my favourite too! Yours looks amazing and now I want to make stuffing asap.
I'm so glad you agree. :) Thanks for passing along my blog!
Of course you can!!!
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