This gluten free stuffing recipe is loaded up with all kinds of nutrient dense vegetables like butternut squash, celery and brussels sprouts and tossed with dried cranberries and toasted pecans. It's perfect as a side dish or as a main course, as it's very nutritious and filling. Tangy, a little bit sweet, paleo, whole30 compliant and can be made vegan, too!
Bring this gluten free stuffing to Thankgiving, and you'll be treated like royalty all night!
Boy do I feel like I've basically showed up as fashionably late as possible to the Thanksgiving party. Luckily, I've come with a big pan of the best gluten free stuffing ever, so I *hope* you all can excuse my tardiness.
The past month has been a bit of a whirlwind, as I'm trying to juggle some very big changes in my / our lives. I could probably fill you in on what's going on, so here goes:
- We are in the process of trying to get pregnant (crazy, right?) but flipping exciting, too. This is something that we have been talking about for years on years (basically since we first started dating... no joke!) I can't believe we've finally started this chapter, wow.
- We've been doing a lot of research on moving to a different neighborhood. We'd both like to have a little bit of land and wouldn't mind taking on a bit of a fixer upper. We're planning to put our house on the market come spring... ahh!
- I'm completely rebranding The Movement Menu. I had the wonderful and talented Rachelle of Saevil Row create my new logo and some other brand identity work, and I cannot wait to share what I have coming up!
- Planning international travel for 2018. We were itching to visit Costa Rica with our good friends, but now that I'm trying to get pregnant, that area is off-limits. We're thinking about Japan, Spain & some other places within the United States like Colorado, too.
- Freelance work is booming. Not only do I create sponsored content in partnership with natural food brands, but I also work on product & lifestyle photography and recipe development in the natural food space as well. It is so darn busy, but I'm digging on it. Of course!
It's a lot, so I'm essentially trying to become some sort of juggling master.
A gluten free stuffing without any sort of bread? How could you?!
That being said,
I'm trying my best to keep the new recipe content coming. As I said, I'm a bit late with this fabulous gluten free stuffing recipe, but I showed up and it's freaking delicious!
Call me crazy, but I've never been a big fan of the stuffing at Thanksgiving dinner. I think it's because it was always dry or lacked real flavor or nutrients. That's why I wanted so desperately to come up with a recipe that defied the odds.
I knew I wanted something that was easy to make and could be served alongside any sort of protein and pair wonderfully with it. It's a big bonus that this stuffing can be made in ONE pan!
I love one pan / pot meals. There is something truly so magical about spending less time in the kitchen, dirtying up and *in turn* cleaning up multiple dishes.
A gluten free stuffing recipe that trumps above the rest!
I decided that butternut squash had to be the base of this recipe. I felt like if I used sweet potatoes, it might have gotten a little bit heavy. I wanted to make something that was filling but also light enough to be enjoyed as a side dish.
The pecans and cranberries are some real stunners in the gluten free stuffing. They add a perfect warmth and vibrancy to the dish that would otherwise be missing.
You can change up your vegetables if you'd like, but I do recommend sticking to the base of butternut squash and utilizing brussels sprouts somehow. You can try using dried cherries instead of cranberries or walnuts instead of pecans. Get wild!
What I also love about this is how easily the recipe can be made completely vegan. If you aren't into eating meat, omit the pork sausage and you've got yourself a gluten free AND vegan recipe. Winning!
So go ahead. Get real adventurous with your badass self and get to making this inspiring gluten free stuffing recipe for the entire friends and family crew. I think this recipe can luckily be enjoyed year round, since it's not a traditional "stuffing" so be sure to save it and add into the rotation. It's that good!
More recipes you may like:
Roasted Butternut Squash Salad with Kale
Gluten Free Stuffing Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 small or 1 large butternut squash peeled and cut into 1/2" cubes, about 4.5-5 cups
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- 1 1/2 cups brussels sprouts chopped
- 1 small onion diced
- 4 celery stalks chopped
- 1 pound pork sausage no sugar added
- 2 small apples or 1 large apple
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2/3 cup dried cranberries no sugar added
- 1/2 cup pecans
- sea salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and adjust the oven rack to the middle position. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. You will most likely need two baking sheets to fit all of the squash, so if you have two, prepare both!
- Toss butternut squash cubes with 1 tablespoon of avocado oil and sprinkle with sea salt. Transfer the squash to the baking sheets and spread in an even layer.
- Bake at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for about 30-40 minutes until they look lightly brown throughout. Be sure to give them a few tosses during the 40 minute time frame.
- Heat a very large skillet (preferably about a 10-12" cast iron pan) over medium high heat and add the 2 tablespoons of avocado oil. Add in the chopped brussels sprouts and cook for 8-12 minutes, stirring frequently until fork tender. Add in the onions and celery and cook for another 4-5 minutes until soft to the touch.
- Add pork sausage to the pan and use a heavy wooden spoon to break it into small pieces. Cook for several minutes until light brown throughout. Lower the heat down to medium-low.
- Add in the apples and toss to combine. Add the seasonings and give everything a nice stir. Cook for another 2-3 minutes and remove the pan from the heat.
- Once the butternut squash has finished cooking, turn down the oven temperature to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Gently fold the butternut squash into the rest of the stuffing mixture and toss to combine. Stir in dried cranberries and pecans. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 minutes until everything looks set. Keep a close eye on it and make sure nothing gets too toasty or overcooked.
- Adjust sea salt and black pepper if needed and serve with fresh parsley garnish if you'd like. Enjoy!
Notes
- If you aren't into eating meat, omit the pork sausage and you've got yourself a gluten free AND vegan recipe. Winning!
Nutrition
Hi! I’m Monica – recipe developer, matcha addict and lover of all things chocolate, kombucha and any & all puns. I am also the blogger, real food lover, & bonafide hustler behind the blog ‘The Movement Menu.’ I’m so excited to welcome you to my happy space, where my appreciation of creative recipes and healthy & mindful eats come together to inspire you to live a healthy, balanced life.
Probably one of my favorite recipes ever. It’s always a hit, even with my “not healthy” friends!
You are seriously the SWEETEST, friend.
Can I just say - I got hooked on this last year ... it became my comfort food throughout the winter months.
Going to friend’s house for this year’s Thanksgiving and had to do some serious digging to find this recipe - but I found it !
Thank you for a most excellent dish !!
This seriously makes me SO HAPPY!
This looks SO amazing! Love that it's gluten free. Right up my alley! 🙂
Right? It's such an easy and delicious recipe!
Omg!! This stuffing was amazing!! The family devoured it and we are having it for Thanksgiving day! Along with the butternut avocado salad and the pumpkin pie!! So excited I found your site!! Can't wait to try more of your recipes!!
Hi Stephanie, you are so sweet. Thank you so much for your kind words!!! I hope you have an incredible Thanksgiving!! If you have any free time, if you could rate the recipe at the bottom of the post, using the 5-star system- this helps me out TREMENDOUSLY. Thanks again lovely.
Love all the ingredients in this one and love that you've created what looks like it will be an extremely tasty gluten-free stuffing!
It's such a winning ingredient combo. I love making this stuffing year-round!
That looks like a terrific side dish! Love butternut, and then everything else just adds so much flavor!
Exactly! I'm a huge fan 😉 Thanks Anne.
I LOVE how you put this recipe together! I really like exploring different types of stuffings and dressings and this one looks so delish!! I'm gluten free so I'll be making this one at our house!
Amanda, I'd be honored if you did. Please do let me know what you think!
Saving this! I love the use of vegetables and the contrast between sweet and savory, not to mention the pecans. This stuffing has my name on it;)
Tina, it's a definite must-try! 🙂
This would be so perfect! Wonderful recipe to try and all the best for all the plans!
Thank you so much 🙂 I hope you get to try it sometime!
I love that this is naturally gluten free. I love squash so this would work perfect for our family. Would use beef instead of pork sausages. Love the addition of apples and pecans. Sounds so yum.
This looks like a filling and tasty dish!
I live these one pot recipes! And it looks so delicious! I am definitely making it (without the pork chops!).
Good luck with all the exciting things happening right now!
Lots of love,
You can totally make it without ground pork! Thank you so much for the compliment 🙂 🙂
Oooooh my goodness - this stuffing looks AMAZING! Love all the great veggies you added to it!
Thanks so much. It's definitely loaded up!
You are one incredibly busy blogger. It's exciting that you have so much work, and to think that this time next year, you will have a baby. I'm excited to learn more about your plans for the movement menu.
I love this recipe, and I have several friends who are gluten free. This is the perfect combination of flavors, and I'm very excited to try it, but in our house, we will be using chicken sausage. Thanks for the great recipe.
We have no idea if we will have a baby this time next year 😉 but I really appreciate your optimism- that's os sweet! I think it would pair VERY nicely with chicken sausage. If you do end up making it, I'd love to hear how it turns out!
This recipe looks SOOOO good. I love that it's naturally gluten-free and Paleo. Right up my alley and it fits in with the recipes I'm looking to make this Thanksgiving. 🙂
That makes me so happy to hear. I hope you LOVE it!