I adore stuffing. Especially the leftovers. For years, I did’nt make the effort to create a gluten free version. Too much trouble when everyone else was eating wheat, so many dishes to prepare already, and this one just for me. But deprivation was never my strong suit, and eventually I gave in.
I have to confess, producing a really good stuffing was a tiny bit difficult. The best stuffing starts with the right bread choice. I opted for cornbread because it has more flavor and a really nice texture, which is harder to get using rice based breads. Some rice breads may end up being a soggy mess. Plus I needed to stay away from yeast, so a quick bread made with baking powder was in order. Using a quick bread also makes preparation fast and easy. Since I’m already cooking for an army, ease of preparation is a must. After a couple tries, I finally got it right and the results were gratifying.
I’m glad I persisted because half my family has now gone gluten free and they all love stuffing as much as I do. Too bad, because now there won’t be lots of leftovers for me!
Gluten Free Cornbread & Herb Stuffing
Makes about 8 cups prepared stuffing (enough for a 12# turkey)
Cornbread Ingredients:
2 cups cornmeal
3/4 cup Gluten Free All Purpose Flour (recipe)
1 TBS baking powder
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups milk
2 eggs, lightly beaten
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine all the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Then add the oil, milk and eggs. Stir lightly until just combined. Allow batter to stand for about 3-5 minutes to absorb the liquid. Pour batter into a greased 9″ X 13″ baking pan and bake 20-25 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the bread to cool completely. Turn the bread out onto a cutting board and cut into small crouton size cubes about 1 inch square.
When your bread cubes are done you are ready for the next step.
Stuffing Ingredients:
6 TBS butter
3/4 cup chopped onions (about 1/2 large onion)
1 1/2 cups chopped celery (about 3 ribs)
1 tsp poultry seasoning
2 tsp rubbed sage
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp salt or to taste
1 cup chicken broth
Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped celery and onions, cover and saute on medium low heat until vegetables are transparent.
Meanwhile, transfer the bread cubes to a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle with poultry seasoning, sage, black pepper and salt (see note below about salt). When the vegetables are done, pour them over the bread cubes and toss everything together until the bread is thoroughly coated with the spices and butter. Now pour the chicken broth over the bread and toss again. Your stuffing is ready to put in the bird! If you prefer, you can put the stuffing in a buttered casserole dish, cover with a lid or foil, and bake at 375 degrees for about 20-30 minutes or until heated through.
Cook’s Notes: Dairy free stuffing may be made by using rice or coconut milk in the bread and dairy free margarine in place of the butter. I like the Earth Balance brand which is non-hydrogenated and tastes very good. Chicken broths vary in how much salt they contain, so add the broth and taste before adding the salt.
I like to prepare the stuffing the night before and let the flavors mellow. Then I stuff the turkey the next morning. Do not stuff the turkey until you are ready to put it in the oven. Stuffing made the night before should be stored in a tightly sealed bag or container in the refrigerator until ready for use.
Get our BAKING BOOK (Hint: there’s a FREE holiday recipe sampler attached to the book!).
You can also follow us on Facebook for more divine holiday recipes!
Happy Gluten Free Thanksgiving!
Leave a Reply