Vegan Chestnut Stuffing

Everyone is going to love this Vegan Chestnut Stuffing at the holiday table! It has savory veggies and herbs, a crispy crouton top, a moist and fluffy filling, and scrumptious chestnuts throughout! This side dish is so easy to make and with just a few simple ingredients!

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Everyone knows it’s all about the stuffing on Thanksgiving! I guess some call it “dressing.” Either way, your family and friends are in for a real treat with this gem.

It’s crispy, moist, fluffy, and herb-rich. It has a buttery, crunchy top layer with the most delicate filling, and the chestnuts give you something to chew on. Wait…. what? Chestnuts?

Yes! They are the main event that sets this glorious stuffing apart from all of the others!

Chestnuts are such a great addition to so many recipes, and this one is no exception! They have a nutty, meaty, earthy, chewiness, and sneak in some added nutrients. They are also great for snacking and salads if you have any extras.

One serving simply won’t be enough! The herb-rich aroma is incredibly mouthwatering, and the texture is just right. As with my Bread Pudding, I am in love with the idea of using simple, rustic ingredients to create a magnificent dish with so much history behind it.

One of the best parts about this stuffing is that so many diet types can enjoy it. It is meatless and uses flaxseed as an egg replacer. You can also swap the bread for gluten-free and use a little water for sautéing if you want to make it oil-free.

For more plant-based side dishes for this fall or winter, be sure to check out my Scalloped Potatoes, Mac and Cheese, Brown Gravy, Pumpkin Risotto, and Cornbread!

And if you’re on dessert duty for the holidays, you will love my Cherry Pie, Bread Pudding, Pear Crumble, and Apple Cake.

Reasons To Love This Stuffing

• Such a breeze to whip up
• Made with easy-to-find ingredients
• Can be made gluten-free with a couple of swaps
• Has no dairy and is a perfect vegetarian side dish
• Presents beautifully at Thanksgiving or Christmas Dinner
• It has the perfect amount of moistness while not being mushy

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Ingredients and Substitutions

• Bread – Absolutely any kind of bread works here. Some ideas include sourdough, French, Italian, Brioche, Ciabatta, Cornbread, gluten-free, etc. It just needs to be “day old,” meaning dry, stale, and hard. If yours is still fresh and soft, I have some tips down below for drying it out.
• Vegan Butter – Use any vegan butter that you have on hand for a comforting, buttery flavor. Alternatively, you can sauté the vegetables with oil, such as olive oil, or use 1/4 cup of water to make it oil-free.
• Celery – This gives a subtle crunch and classic stuffing flavor.
• Onion – I like to use yellow onion here, but others, such as white, sweet, or even shallots, would be great.
• Garlic – Fresh garlic cloves are my preference, but powdered or jarred garlic, “jarlic,” can work in a pinch.
• Chestnuts – Chestnuts are such a delightful autumn ingredient to use. Most grocery stores have them in the nut section. Look for chestnuts that are already roasted and peeled. You can even order them online.
• Broth – Any vegetable broth or a mix of bouillon with water works just fine here. You can also change it up by adding “no-chicken” broth. Be sure to check the ingredients here if you’re preparing a gluten-free stuffing.
• Flaxseed Meal – Ground flaxseed is what I use as an egg replacer. It thickens up in the broth and then helps to bind everything together while baking.
• Herbs – A combination of fresh herbs, including parsley, thyme, rosemary, and sage, take the flavors through the roof here. If needed, you can swap them for the dried versions. Just make sure to reduce the amounts by about 1/2 to 1/3 of what the recipe calls for.
• Seasoning – Just a little salt and pepper is all this needs for some extra depth.

How To Make Vegan Chestnut Stuffing

Here are some quick visual steps. Find the full recipe with exact measurements on the recipe card below.

Cut your bread into large cubes. If it isn’t already crusty, you can dry it out by baking the pieces in the oven for about 20 minutes or setting them out on the counter for several hours. More details on this are down below.

Whisk the veggie broth and flaxseed meal together in a large bowl. Set it aside for now as it thickens.

Sauté the onions and celery until the onions are slightly translucent. Then, add in the chestnuts, fresh herbs, garlic, and seasoning.

Stir as this mixture becomes aromatic.

Toasting the herbs and chestnuts is a great way to bring out their delicious flavors.

Stir the sautéed mixture into the large broth bowl.

Gently fold in the bread cubes until all of the liquid has been absorbed. If some of the bread pieces are still dry, you can add a little more broth as needed.

Dump the stuffing into an oven-safe dish, such as a 9×13 casserole dish, 2.5-quart baking dish, shallow braiser, small dutch oven, or a large cast-iron skillet.

Bake it for about 45 minutes or until you don’t see any visible liquid in the center of the stuffing. At this point, it should be a beautiful golden-brown color with some crispy, crouton-like pieces on top. Yum!

Let the stuffing cool for a few minutes to help it set and become sliceable. Although it’s also okay if you want to spoon it out while it’s piping hot.

This vegan chestnut stuffing is pretty amazing as is, but a ladle of my mouthwatering Vegan Brown Gravy will take it over the top!

Tips For Success

• Make sure your bread is dried out and hard. This is important because you want it to readily soak up the liquid, while not becoming mushy or soggy.
• Add a little more broth if needed after stirring in the bread cubes. This amount can vary depending on how dry your bread is. You want everything to be moist but not sopping wet.

How To Dry Out Your Bread

You’ll want to dry out your bread if it is still fresh and soft. It should be hard enough to knock on it. It isn’t stale enough if you can press it down with your fingers. Essentially, there are three options for creating stale bread.

1. Buy it a few days in advance. Leave it on the counter to dry out naturally as “day-old bread.”
2. Slice the loaf and set it out on the counter for several hours or even overnight.
3. Cut it into 1-inch cubes, spread them out onto a sheet pan, and bake them for 20-30 minutes at 250°F or until they’re crunchy.

Variation Ideas

• Make this stuffing gluten-free by using a loaf and broth that are absent of gluten.
• Swap the vegan butter for 1/4 cup of water when sautéing the vegetables for oil-free stuffing.
• Try it with other vegetables, such as leeks, carrots, or sweet potatoes.
• Sweeten things up with cranberries and apples.
• Make it hearty by sautéing some vegan sausage along with the onions.

Storage

Keep leftovers in a covered dish in the refrigerator for 4 days. Reheat them in the microwave at 30-second intervals or in the oven. This stuffing is actually so good the next day that I like to munch on it while it’s cold!

Make Ahead

This stuffing works wonderfully when prepared ahead of time! Simply follow all of the recipe steps up until the baking portion. At that point, cover it and refrigerate it. The next day, set it on the counter at room temperature while the oven is heating. Bake it as directed and enjoy!

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