5 from 43 votes
Prep Time : 20 minutes minutes
Cook Time : 1 hour hour 50 minutes minutes
Make your own gluten free stuffing for Thanksgiving, and it's sure to be a hit at the dinner table. It's even good as leftovers!
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Are you ready to make the best gluten free stuffing recipe you've ever tasted? A delicious turkey stuffing (or dressing) is an essential Thanksgiving staple, adding flavor and texture to turkey meat.
This particular recipe is a game-changer for anyone seeking the ultimate gluten free Thanksgiving stuffing. It’s so delicious and satisfying that even your non-gluten-free guests and family will ask for seconds!
Preparing homemade stuffing might take longer than using a prepackaged mix from the store, but the end result is much healthier and worth the effort. The flavors you'll experience are incomparable to anything you can buy off the shelf. But don't just take my word for it – let me show you how to make a delicious turkey dressing for your holiday table.
How to make the best gluten free stuffing mix, step by step
This recipe is a game-changer for anyone seeking the ultimate gluten free Thanksgiving stuffing. It's so flavorful and satisfying that it stands out as a star dish on its own, full of flavor and different textures.
The full recipe card is below, but before you get started, I have a few important notes to share to ensure your stuffing comes out just right. Choosing a suitable gluten free bread for this recipe is vital, and the method you use to toast it and mix it with the other ingredients is also crucial for getting a good-textured stuffing.
Important ingredients needed for a top-notch gluten-free stuffing recipe
My gluten free Thanksgiving stuffing recipe is a healthy alternative to store-bought dressings, often containing preservatives, artificial flavorants, corn syrup, soy proteins, and more.
My bread is made from all purpose gluten free flour, instant yeast, cream of tartar, kosher salt, a small amount of sugar and xanthan gum, egg, warm milk, apple cider vinegar, and unsalted butter.
You only need a few other ingredients – onions, celery, eggs, herbs, and your favorite gluten free chicken or vegetable stock – to pack a flavorful punch. I have a few variations to the recipe you can try for different flavors, and you can also substitute ingredients to make it dairy- or egg-free.
What's the best gluten free bread for stuffing?
The most essential ingredient in this gluten free stuffing mix is the gluten free bread. If you get the bread wrong, you may as well toss it away and start again. The best gluten free bread will hold onto tons of flavor and will never leave your stuffing soggy. When prepared and toasted just right, it will make a stuffing that’s slightly crisp on some edges, but otherwise tender and soft; it’s never mushy or hard.
In the hunt for the perfect gluten free dressing for Thanksgiving, I’ve used every type of gluten free bread possible – from the squishiest to the most crusty. I’ve made it with lean breads and enriched breads. Cornbread, too.
After testing and comparing, my favorite gluten free bread for the best Thanksgiving stuffing is my gluten free Japanese milk bread. It’s slightly enriched with an egg, some butter, a water roux for moisture retention, and milk, so it’s soft and tender.
My Japanese milk bread has a thick, bakery-style crust for texture variation. But it doesn’t have as much fat or sugar as my gluten free brioche, which tends to make the bread somewhat heavier and with too much of its flavor.
This milk bread is soft enough that, when I bake it in a low, 300°F oven for about 40 minutes, it dries out and toasts lightly—but doesn’t harden.
How to make gluten free stuffing
For such a flavorful side dish, this gluten free dressing recipe is so simple to make!
- You can begin by making my gf Japanese milk bread ahead of time and freezing it until you’re ready to make stuffing. Simply defrost it in the fridge before you need it and sprinkle it with some water.
- Prepare the Japanese milk bread on the day by cutting it into cubes or tearing it into rough pieces and toasting it dry. Dry-toasting this moist, enriched bread prepares it to absorb the flavors of the cooked vegetables and stock without turning mushy.
- Cook down tons of onions, celery, and all the right seasoning to deepen and enhance their flavors. Add two eggs and lots of flavorful chicken or vegetable stock to complete the dish.
- Bake the stuffing to perfection.
Perfecting your gluten free Thanksgiving stuffing
Honestly, it's difficult to get this recipe wrong as long as you follow the instructions step by-step.You can play with flavor a little, adjusting the seasoning and the veggies you add, and not have to worry about it not turning out beautifully.
It's simple and versatile, but there are still a few tips to help make sure your stuffing is flawless:
1. Select the gluten free right bread
We’ve already talked about what type of gluten free bread we want to use to make gluten free turkey stuffing, but it still bears repeating! Choose your bread wisely, and your stuffing can be the most flavorful side on your holiday table.
You want an enriched bread, made with some added fats and tenderizers. Your bread must also be one you can tear into rough pieces, but solid enough to hold up to all the moisture we add without becoming soggy.
2. Toast the bread low and slow
We’re using a loaf of bread that’s very soft inside with a thick, bakery-style crust outside. When we tear it into pieces, we expose that tender center, which we then dry out in the oven.
Toast the bread and dehydrate it in a low, 300°F oven—don’t bake it. It takes some time, but this is how we create just the right textured bread to absorb all the flavors we will add.
3. Check your bouillon and stock carefully
You have to be careful when buying bouillon and stock as many brands contain gluten. Unless the packaging specifically says that it's gluten free, I would avoid it.
I've got a Homemade Vegetable Bouillon Powder here that you can make in advance and store for when you need it.
I also strongly recommend choosing a high-quality stock that's rich and has good depth of flavor. Mean, watery stock that's little better than dishwater just won't cut it here.
4. Don’t skimp on the aromatics, herbs, and spices
Cook down two whole chopped yellow onions and a bunch of chopped celery with lots of herbs and spices. I like to use powdered vegetable bouillon, poultry seasoning (a blend of woodsy, earthy spices like sage, marjoram, and rosemary), and lots of good, dark chicken or vegetable stock.
I also really love this recipe with fresh or fresh-frozen herbs like sage and rosemary. You just can't beat the flavor of fresh herbs in this kind of dish, but remember that you'll need twice as much fresh as dried herbs.
5. Don't beat up your bread
When you mix the wet ingredients into the toasted bread chunks, don't be too forceful. Take it gently and steadily so you don't beat up the bread and cause it to break down too much.
6. Collect leftover pieces of the right gf bread all year
My children were never the type to refuse to eat the crusts, but sometimes there's an odd piece of Japanese milk bread or another appropriate gf bread that doesn't get eaten. l save and freeze all of those ends and slices of gluten free bread in a freezer-safe ziptop bag. Then, whenever I need gluten free breadcrumbs or stale bread for stuffing, I’ve got it ready to go.
How to store this gluten free stuffing
Leftover gluten free stuffing can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge to enjoy in the coming days. Zip-top bags work well here to stop the bread from losing its moisture. When ready, reheat the bread in the microwave or oven.
If it's been more than a couple of days and if it's lost some moisture, try adding some gluten free gravy if you have any left from the big day.
You can also store extra stuffing in the freezer for up to three months. Again, make sure it's in an airtight container. Transfer it to the fridge to defrost the day before you want to eat it. I recommend sprinkling it with water and baking it from here to help bring back its texture.
Creative twists on traditional gluten free stuffing
As long as you have the right type of gluten free bread and the correct proportions of eggs and stock, you can vary the flavors quite a bit. Whether you like sweet, meaty, or spicy, you can tweak this simple recipe to make your own family favorite.
Here are some suggested variations for my best gf stuffing:
Gluten free stuffing with cranberry and apple
When cooking the onions and celery, add two peeled, cored, and diced apples, and one cup of dried cranberries to the aromatics when you add the stock.
Gluten free sausage stuffing
Cook 1 1/2 cups of crumbled bulk sausage until it is no longer pink. Remove the cooked sausage and set it aside, leaving behind the grease.
Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and cook the aromatics, replacing the sliced onions with 1 cup of cleaned and sliced leeks.
Tex-Mex cornbread gluten free dressing
Replace the Japanese Milk Bread cubes with cubed Gluten Free Skillet Cornbread. Add 1 diced jalapeño pepper, ribs and seeds removed, and 1 seeded red bell pepper to the aromatics. After you add the stock, add 1 cup of frozen corn kernels.
Easy gluten free stuffing: ingredient substitutions
You can switch up this simple recipe to accommodate pretty much any dietary need. Just remember you may also need to tweak the bread recipe or choose a different bread, depending on the substitutions you want to make.
Gluten free, dairy free stuffing
To replace the dairy in this recipe, you’ll need to make a substitution for the butter, and leave out the cheese, which is optional anyway. In place of the butter, try using vegan butter (Melt and Miyoko’s Kitchen brands are best).
You’ll also need to replace the butter and milk in the bread recipe. See the recipe for my gf Japanese milk bread for that substitution information.
Gluten free, egg free stuffing
There are only two eggs in this recipe, but they do a lot of work helping to hold the stuffing together. Without eggs, the ingredients easily separate from one another.
You can try using one “chia egg” instead of each egg in the recipe. I make a “chia egg” by combining one tablespoon ground white chia seeds with one tablespoon lukewarm water, and allowing it to sit until it gels.
Gluten free Stuffing FAQs
Is stuffing gluten free?
Most classic stuffing, the mixes you buy in bags or boxes at the store, are not gluten free. That's because they contain bread cubes that are made with wheat flour.
Even those labeled “cornbread stuffing” contain gluten unless otherwise labeled — cornbread is more of a flavor name than an ingredient.
What's the difference between gluten free stuffing and dressing?
While there's technically a difference between the two, whether you use the word stuffing or dressing to describe the mixture of bread cubes, vegetables, and stock accompanying many turkeys on Thanksgiving is more likely to come down to where you live.
In the South, most people call this concoction with the savory flavor “dressing.” Up north, it tends to go by “stuffing.” In many regions, you can use either word, and people will know exactly what you mean. However, for purists, stuffing is the mixture that's cooked inside the turkey, while dressing is cooked to go beside it.
Does gluten free stuffing still taste good?
Of course! This gluten free Thanksgiving stuffing recipe produces stuffing that's more tender and flavorful than anything you'll buy on a shelf. From my choice of bread to the herbs and spices, these ingredients combine to create a dish that will easily outshine the others at your Thanksgiving table.
Does Pepperidge Farms have gluten free stuffing?
No, Pepperidge Farms does not have gluten free stuffing. Even its cornbread variety contains gluten, and at this time, the brand doesn't make any gluten free options.
Is Stove Top stuffing gluten free?
Despite being a staple around the holidays, traditional Stove Top stuffing is not gluten free — nor does the brand offer a gluten free stuffing among its many flavors.
Thankfully, you can make gluten free stuffing that tastes better than anything from a bag when you follow my easy recipe.
Can I use store-bought gluten free bread to make this stuffing?
Using store-bought bread or gluten free bread cubes in this recipe will definitely yield a tasty stuffing, but to achieve the same taste and texture I did, you need to use gf Japanese milk bread, which probably isn't readily available at the store.
Can I use old or stale gluten free bread in this stuffing recipe?
If you routinely bake your own gluten free bread, definitely hold on to those ends and stale slices. Store them in the freezer until you have enough for a batch of gluten free turkey dressing, and your efforts will never go to waste.
Can I use turkey drippings in this gf stuffing recipe rather than stock?
Yes, you can use turkey drippings in place of some or all of the chicken broth or stock. The drippings will result in an even deeper, more intense flavor — just be sure to mix the drippings with water to thin them out to the right consistency.
Can a vegan or vegetarian eat this gluten free stuffing?
If you replace all the dairy and the eggs, and you use vegetable stock instead of chicken stock—you have a recipe for gluten free vegan stuffing for your holiday table.
Can I cook this gf stuffing inside a turkey?
Food safety is of paramount importance whenever you’re working with raw meat. According to the Cleveland Clinic’s website, it’s safe to eat dressing cooked inside a raw bird if you take certain precautions.
Don’t add the stuffing ingredients until right before cooking. And make sure to test the dressing itself with an instant read thermometer and cook it until it reaches at least 165°F.
Can I make this stuffing ahead of time?
Yes! You can make the recipe through the first, covered, bake of Step 11 in the recipe card below.
At the point in the cooking process, the stuffing ingredients have been fully prepared and combined. They’ve also been baked for 30 minutes covered in foil, so they’ve been kept really moist.
At this point, remove the dish from the oven and allow it to cool to room temperature—while still covered in foil. That way, it won’t dry out.
After it’s come to cool room temperature (it will take some time), remove the foil. Cover your make ahead gluten free stuffing with freezer-safe wrap (Glad Press n Seal works particularly well) and freeze.
The day before you intend to serve the dish, defrost it in the refrigerator overnight. Remove it from the refrigerator and finish baking it, uncovered, according to the remaining recipe instructions.
What are your gluten free stuffing mix recommendations?
I get it: When you're hustling and bustling to get food on the Thanksgiving dinner table, you may not want to think about adding gluten free stuffing from scratch to your list. Here are some prepackaged gluten free options that are worth trying for your next holiday meal if you're really pressed for time:
– Aleia's Savory Stuffing Mix
– Gillian's Gluten Free Homestyle Stuffing Mix
– Trader Joe's Gluten Free Stuffing Mix
Embracing a gluten free Thanksgiving
Whether you're cooking for gluten-intolerant family members or just want to try something new, this gluten free stuffing recipe is one you won't want to miss.
If you’re just starting your gluten-free journey, I have hundreds of tried-and-tested recipes for you to enjoy. I also have a comprehensive guide to a gluten free diet – Going Gluten Free – where I share some of the top benefits of embracing a gluten free lifestyle and some tips for navigating store-bought products.
You can also sign up for my weekly newsletter or online cooking courses, or download my eBooks and meal plans, and a whole range of additional helpful content.
How to make the best gluten free stuffing, step by step
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Gluten Free Stuffing for Thanksgiving | An Easy, Savory Dressing
Make your own gluten free stuffing for Thanksgiving, and it's sure to be a hit at the dinner table. It's even good as leftovers!
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour hour 50 minutes minutes
Bread-baking time: 1 hour hour
Total Time: 3 hours hours 10 minutes minutes
Yield: 5 servings
Author: Nicole Hunn
Ingredients
- 1 pound Gluten Free Japanese Milk Bread See Recipe Notes
- 2 tablespoons (42 g) extra-virgin olive oil
- 6 tablespoons (84 g) unsalted butter chopped
- 2 large yellow onions peeled and diced
- 2 cups chopped celery from about 6 stalks celery
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons powdered gluten free vegetable bouillon homemade vegetable bouillon powder or store-bought
- 2 tablespoons poultry seasoning
- 2 (100 g (weighed out of shell)) eggs at room temperature
- 1 ½ cups (12 fluid ounces) vegetable or chicken stock
- 1 ounce Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese shredded (optional)
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 300°F. Grease well a 9-inch x 13-inch baking dish and set it aside.
First, tear the gluten free bread into roughly 1-inch pieces. Place them on a rimmed baking sheet.
Place the baking sheet in the center of the 300°F oven, and bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until dried out and lightly browned. Stir at least once halfway through baking, to ensure even baking. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
While the bread is cooling, cook the aromatics. In a medium-size, heavy-bottom saucepan, heat the butter and olive oil over medium heat until the butter is melted.
Add the onion, celery, salt and pepper, powdered bouillon, and poultry seasoning, and stir to combine.
Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions and celery are fork-tender (about 10 minutes). The vegetables shouldn’t be mushy or even browned.
Increase the oven temperature to 350°F.
Transfer the vegetable mixture to a large, heat-safe mixing bowl. Add the cooled toasted bread cubes, and mix to combine.
Whisk together the eggs and stock until smooth. Add the egg mixture to the large mixing bowl, and toss carefully to coat. Add the optional shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano, and mix gently until just combined.
Transfer the mixture carefully to the prepared 9-inch x 13-inch baking dish. Press it gently into an even layer. Cover the baking dish securely with aluminum foil.
Bake at 350°F for 30 minutes. Uncover, and continue to bake until the eggs are set and the stuffing is golden brown all over (about another 30 minutes).
When it’s done, the stuffing will feel relatively firm when pressed gently with a finger in a thick portion. The top edges will be crisped but not dark. Serve warm.
Notes
Note: I used 2/3 of the loaf made using that recipe. You could use the whole loaf, and increase all the other remaining ingredients in the recipe by 1/3. You’ll need to bake the stuffing in a larger casserole dish.
Originally published on the blog in 2014. In 2021, recipe enhanced a bit; photos, video, and text mostly new; in 2022, text resources added.
Print Pin Save
Gluten Free Stuffing for Thanksgiving | An Easy, Savory Dressing
Make your own gluten free stuffing for Thanksgiving, and it's sure to be a hit at the dinner table. It's even good as leftovers!
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour hour 50 minutes minutes
Bread-baking time: 1 hour hour
Total Time: 3 hours hours 10 minutes minutes
Yield: 5 servings
Author: Nicole Hunn
Ingredients
- 1 pound Gluten Free Japanese Milk Bread See Recipe Notes
- 2 tablespoons (42 g) extra-virgin olive oil
- 6 tablespoons (84 g) unsalted butter chopped
- 2 large yellow onions peeled and diced
- 2 cups chopped celery from about 6 stalks celery
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons powdered gluten free vegetable bouillon homemade vegetable bouillon powder or store-bought
- 2 tablespoons poultry seasoning
- 2 (100 g (weighed out of shell)) eggs at room temperature
- 1 ½ cups (12 fluid ounces) vegetable or chicken stock
- 1 ounce Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese shredded (optional)
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 300°F. Grease well a 9-inch x 13-inch baking dish and set it aside.
First, tear the gluten free bread into roughly 1-inch pieces. Place them on a rimmed baking sheet.
Place the baking sheet in the center of the 300°F oven, and bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until dried out and lightly browned. Stir at least once halfway through baking, to ensure even baking. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
While the bread is cooling, cook the aromatics. In a medium-size, heavy-bottom saucepan, heat the butter and olive oil over medium heat until the butter is melted.
Add the onion, celery, salt and pepper, powdered bouillon, and poultry seasoning, and stir to combine.
Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions and celery are fork-tender (about 10 minutes). The vegetables shouldn’t be mushy or even browned.
Increase the oven temperature to 350°F.
Transfer the vegetable mixture to a large, heat-safe mixing bowl. Add the cooled toasted bread cubes, and mix to combine.
Whisk together the eggs and stock until smooth. Add the egg mixture to the large mixing bowl, and toss carefully to coat. Add the optional shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano, and mix gently until just combined.
Transfer the mixture carefully to the prepared 9-inch x 13-inch baking dish. Press it gently into an even layer. Cover the baking dish securely with aluminum foil.
Bake at 350°F for 30 minutes. Uncover, and continue to bake until the eggs are set and the stuffing is golden brown all over (about another 30 minutes).
When it’s done, the stuffing will feel relatively firm when pressed gently with a finger in a thick portion. The top edges will be crisped but not dark. Serve warm.
Notes
Note: I used 2/3 of the loaf made using that recipe. You could use the whole loaf, and increase all the other remaining ingredients in the recipe by 1/3. You’ll need to bake the stuffing in a larger casserole dish.
Originally published on the blog in 2014. In 2021, recipe enhanced a bit; photos, video, and text mostly new; in 2022, text resources added.
