This delicious grain-free stuffing recipe tastes just like the real deal. It is dairy free, gluten free and paleo and is a must-have for Thanksgiving.
Grain Free Stuffing
Ingredients
Method
- Make the bread the day before and let it sit outside on the counter to dry.
- Cut bread into small cubes and place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Bake in the oven on 300 Degrees for 20 minutes or until completely dry.
- Mince onion, garlic and celery. Mince rosemary, sage and thyme and set aside.
- Heat cooking oil in a medium sized pot over medium heat. Fry onion garlic and celery for a couple of minutes until slightly browned. Reduce temperature to medium/low and add rosemary, sage and thyme. Fry for a couple of minutes and stir occasionally.
- Add bread cubes followed by chicken stock and stir. Cook until all the liquid is soaked up by the bread cubes. If the bread cubes are too dry, add additional chicken stock.
- Enjoy!
Stuffing you can actually eat this Thanksgiving
What screams Thanksgiving more than stuffing? If you had to give up regular bread and are quietly sad about missing out on it this year, I have good news. This stuffing tastes like the real deal. It is grain-free, gluten-free, dairy-free and Paleo, and nobody at the table will know the difference.
The stuffing itself is quick. The part that takes a little planning is the bread. It is a three-step process: bake a grain-free bread the day before, turn it into dry bread cubes, then cook the stuffing on the stove. Totally worth it for a once-a-year occasion.
Step 1: the grain-free bread
For the bread cubes I use a cassava and arrowroot flour baguette. Otto’s Naturals, the cassava flour brand, has a really good baguette recipe on their website and that is the one I bake. Both flours are at Whole Foods and most health food stores. If you are dairy-free like me, swap the butter in their recipe for coconut oil.
I divide the dough into two smaller loaves. You do not need a baguette pan; the loaves come out a bit flatter, which does not matter at all once they are cubes. One loaf is enough for this recipe, so you get a second baguette to enjoy with dinner.
That baguette contains eggs and yeast, which makes the stuffing Paleo but not AIP elimination phase. For a yeast-free, egg-free AIP version I bake cassava biscuits instead and cube those. That biscuit recipe and the AIP stuffing built on it are in my holiday cookbook ENJOY.
Step 2: the bread cubes
Let the baguette (or biscuits) sit on the counter overnight to harden. The next day, cut it into slices and then into small cubes, crouton size. Spread them on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake at 300°F for about 20 minutes. They need to be completely dry, otherwise the stuffing turns to mush when the broth goes in.
Hot tip: Do not throw away the crumbs from cutting the bread. Freeze them and you have grain-free breadcrumbs for the next time you want to bread calamari or chicken.
Step 3: cooking the stuffing
Now the actual stuffing is very easy. Mince and fry the onion, garlic and celery in lard or avocado oil, add the rosemary, sage and thyme for a minute, then add the bread cubes and the chicken stock and cook until the bread has soaked up all the liquid. About 20 minutes total. If the cubes are still dry, add a splash more stock.
I make it on the stove on purpose. On Thanksgiving the oven is already full with the turkey and the roasted vegetables, and the stovetop version is ready right when you need it, so nothing sits around getting cold. Serve it with my mom’s special gravy.
Grain-free stuffing FAQ
Is this stuffing AIP?
The stuffing method is fully AIP: onion, celery, garlic, fresh herbs, chicken stock and a cooking fat. What decides it is the bread. The cassava baguette above has eggs and yeast, so it is Paleo and fine for anyone who has reintroduced eggs. For the elimination phase use an egg-free, yeast-free cassava biscuit for the cubes. Use avocado oil or lard, and skip any black pepper in the stock.
Can I use store-bought gluten-free bread?
Yes. A reader made it with a store-bought gluten-free loaf and loved it. Just know that most gluten-free breads are made with rice, sorghum or corn, so the stuffing is gluten-free but no longer grain-free or Paleo. Dry the cubes the same way.
Can I make it ahead?
Make the bread and dry the cubes up to three days ahead and keep them in a paper bag or an open container so they stay dry. Chop the vegetables and herbs the day before. Then the stuffing itself is 20 minutes on the day. Cooked leftovers keep for three days in the fridge and reheat well in a pan with a splash of broth.
Can I bake it instead of cooking it on the stove?
You can. After the bread has soaked up the stock, spread it in a baking dish and bake at 350°F for 20 to 25 minutes for a crispy top. I only do this when the oven happens to be free.
How many people does it serve?
One baguette makes about four side-dish portions. For a bigger table, bake both loaves into cubes and double the vegetables and stock.
More Thanksgiving recipes
- Mom’s special gravy (AIP) – made from the roasting juices, no flour
- Homemade cranberry sauce (AIP)
- Herb-roasted chicken (AIP) – if a turkey is too big
- Roasted sweet potatoes and Brussels sprouts (AIP)
- Butternut squash sweet potato soup (AIP)
- Delicious apple crisp (AIP) and more Paleo and AIP holiday desserts
To all my fellow people who cannot or do not want to eat grains: this Thanksgiving you can dig in just like everybody else and join in the fun without suffering the consequences later.
Now I would love to hear from you. Try the recipe and let me know what you think in the comment section below. And as always, don’t forget to tag me in your food pictures on Instagram. Happy cooking! ~Annika
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