Gluten-Free Stuffing

This simple, classic, gluten-free stuffing has it all - moist and buttery bread cubes with those wonderfully crispy edges around the outside and that familiar combination of herbs that tastes just like the holidays (at any time of the year).

Raise your hand if stuffing with gravy is your favourite part of the holiday meal.

Yep, I knew a lot of those hands would be going up. Mine is right up there with you (as is the rest of my family's, as well).

Maybe it's because we don't have stuffing at any other time of the year, so it's pretty special (I don't buy boxed stuffing). Or maybe it's just because it just tastes so dang good. What's not to love about bread with lots of butter, a smattering of sweet onions and celery, and those delicate and tasty herbs? Or maybe it's just that perfect combination of creamy, comforting bread with lots of crispy, crackly edges. It's like a fancy dressed-up version of bread and butter.

And don't get me started on leftover stuffing! There's nothing better than finding a stash of it in the fridge when the holidays are over, to reheat and serve with a pool of silky gravy, a handful of turkey pickings, and some tart cranberry sauce. Absolute heaven.

How to Make a Great Gluten-Free Stuffing

Gluten-free stuffing is not that different from regular stuffing, barring that you will need to use gluten-free bread, of course. (Conversely, you can use this same recipe to make regular stuffing using non-gluten-free normal wheat bread.) It does work best if you can use a lighter type of gluten-free bread (not some of those dense, heavy kinds that crumble when you touch them). You can also use gluten-free hamburger or hot dog buns, or rolls. If you don't have easy access to good gluten-free bread, gluten-free waffles make excellent stuffing, too!

It's important to dry out the bread cubes so they absorb maximum amounts of that lusciously flavoured butter and broth. You can do this by spreading the cubes in a single layer in a couple of baking dishes and letting them air dry for a few days or up to a week. Or if you are short on time you can dry them in the oven (see the recipe notes below.

The other trick that helps keep the gluten-free bread cubes from getting too mushy is adding an egg in the liquid. I used to make my stuffing without eggs, but I now find that adding just one egg adds that little bit of extra binding power to help everything keep its shape. Many stuffing recipes use 2 eggs (probably 3 for the amount of bread cubes in this recipe), but that makes the stuffing more 'custardy' (like a strata), and we prefer a looser stuffing. But it's up to you - if you prefer it that way, then use more eggs.

I love using fresh herbs in gluten-free stuffing - they add such lovely flavour. (The song 'Scarborough Fair', with its chorus of 'Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme' keeps running through my head whenever I make my stuffing!) However, I've also made the stuffing many times using dried herbs, and it's great that way too. Try to use dried herbs that are crumbled rather than powdered, as the powdered ones tend to make the stuffing a darker colour (still the same delicious taste, though).

The Ingredients You Will Need:

• gluten-free bread - choose a lighter-textured bread, one that is not too dense or heavy. A mixture of white and whole grain bread makes for a tasty stuffing. Or you can even use gluten-free hamburger or hot dog buns. The bread needs to be cubed and then dried so that it has more capacity for absorbing the butter and stock. The weight of the bread is usually printed on the bag, to make for easy measuring.
• butter - lots of it! Hey, the holidays are no time to think about skimping. However, you can cut back a little bit, if you really want to. If you cut the butter down to ½ cup, you'll still have a great stuffing, just a little less rich.
• onions - add sweetness. Any kind or colour will do - yellow, white, even red.
• celery - adds brightness, and along with the onions, helps keep the bread from sticking together.
• sage, thyme, rosemary - add those classic stuffing flavours (especially the sage). Use fresh, if possible, but dried herbs (crumbled rather than powdered) work fine, too.
• parsley - fresh parsley has the best flavour (dried parsley is about as flavourful as dried grass). Italian or flat-leaved parsley is the most flavourful, but curly parsley is fine, too - just pack it a bit tighter in the measuring cup as it's quite fluffy.
• nutmeg - helps round out the classic stuffing flavours.
• salt and pepper - of course.
• chicken stock - flavour and moisture. This is what binds it all together. Use homemade chicken or turkey stock, (this instant pot chicken stock is also good) or a good quality premade stock.
• an egg - beating an egg into the chicken stock helps keep the gluten-free bread cubes from breaking up. Using one egg is just enough to bind the gluten-free bread and keep the cubes intact without being noticeable in the stuffing. If you prefer a more 'custardy' stuffing, use 2 eggs.

Add-Ins?

Yes, you can! Gluten-free stuffing is infinitely customizable. Choose one of these ingredients to add to your stuffing, or let your own imagination be your guide.

• You can add a small handful of raisins, dried cranberries, chopped dried apricots, or other dried fruits to the stuffing when you toss it all together.
• Stir in a handful of nuts (pecans or walnuts are good).
• Or replace 1-2 cups of the bread cubes with crumbled cooked chestnuts.
• Replace half of the bread cubes with cubed, dried cornbread.
• Or add some crumbled, cooked bacon or breakfast sausage to the stuffing - replace some of the butter with the fat from cooking the bacon or sausage, and omit the salt in the stuffing.
• Add some sautéed mushrooms to the stuffing, or other vegetables (like partially roasted squash or sweet potato cubes).

Gluten-Free Stuffing Freezes Well, Too

Gluten-free stuffing (or regular stuffing) can be frozen before it's baked, or after. You can prepare it fully, put it into the pan you'll be baking and serving it in (as long as it's freezer-safe), then cover it tightly with plastic wrap and put it into a large sealed freezer bag and freeze it for up to 3 months. To cook it you can either defrost it and bake it as per the instructions in the recipe, or bake it right from frozen. Remove the plastic, cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil, and bake it as per the recipe instructions but adding 15 minutes to the initial baking time.

Leftover stuffing can be refrigerated for up to 5 days and reheated in the microwave or oven. It's fantastic with leftover gravy (this Make-Ahead Gluten-Free Turkey Gravy is absolutely divine), layered onto a turkey sandwich, or turned into stuffing patties (mix the leftover stuffing with a beaten egg, shape it into patties, and pan-fry them).