Vegan Cornbread Stuffing

Why This Cornbread Stuffing Is a Favorite Holiday Side Dish

• A lighter version of a classic. Because it’s vegan, this cornbread stuffing is a little lighter than a traditional stuffing. And yet, it’s still rich, tasty, and popping with flavor.
• Versatile. This stuffing is a perfect match to everything from mashed potatoes to cranberry sauce and vegan shepherd's pie. No matter what you put on your plate, it's the best side!
• Easy to prepare. You can bake your cornbread from scratch, or use your favorite store-bought vegan cornbread if you have it. Making this stuffing is as easy as sautéing the ingredients, then combining everything in a dish to bake.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Make sure to check out the recipe card at the bottom of the page to find the exact quantities for this vegan cornbread stuffing.

• Cornbread – Bake it yourself or buy it from the store. I link to my vegan pumpkin cornbread in the recipe card, but I think this stuffing would turn out just as great with classic vegan cornbread or my butternut squash and sage cornbread.
• Olive Oil – Or another cooking oil, like avocado oil, for sautéeing.
• Celery, Shallot, and Garlic – Our aromatic veggies that build the flavors in the stuffing. If you don't have shallots, go ahead and use a mild yellow or white onion instead.
• Mushrooms – You can use any type of mushroom for this stuffing. Basic button mushrooms work perfectly in this dish, as do shiitakes. All mushrooms have an earthy flavor, and I love the savoriness it brings to the cornbread.
• Herbs – Fresh sage, thyme, and rosemary, to complement the pumpkin in the cornbread. If you use dried herbs instead, you'll need about ⅓ of the amount of dried herbs as fresh.
• Almond Milk – Make sure it's unsweetened. You can swap almond milk with oat, soy, or another unsweetened, unflavored dairy-free milk if needed.
• Vegetable Broth – I recommend low-sodium vegetable broth or stock, as it's easier to adjust the stuffing's seasonings to taste.

Can I Use Another Kind of Bread?

Sure. If you don't have cornbread, you can prepare this stuffing with another gluten-free, vegan bread, such as quinoa bread or similar. The stuffing won't have the flavor from the pumpkin in this case.

How to Make Cornbread Stuffing

This is a pretty straightforward recipe for a rich and savory homemade stuffing. Follow the steps below.

• Dry the cornbread. Do this step the day before making your stuffing. Let the cornbread sit out overnight, uncovered, so that it dries out slightly. Similar to making French toast, this stuffing comes out best when it's made with dry, day-old bread.
• Cut the bread into cubes. The next day, preheat the oven to 425ºF while you cut the cornbread into 1-inch cubes. Add the bread cubes to a bowl.

• Sauté. Add the shallots, garlic, and celery to a hot pan with oil. Sauté over medium heat until the garlic is fragrant, and add the mushrooms and herbs. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and cook the veggies for 6-7 minutes, or until the mushrooms are tender.

• Combine. Add the sautéed veggies to the bowl with the cubed cornbread. Then, pour in the milk and vegetable broth and stir to combine.

• Bake. Now, spread the stuffing mixture into a 9×13-inch baking dish. Bake the cornbread stuffing at 425ºF for 15-20 minutes, until the top is golden brown. Remove the stuffing from the oven, and serve!

Tips for the Best Vegan Stuffing

• Let the cornbread properly dry out. You want to make sure that the vegan cornbread is pretty dry before making the stuffing. The drier it is, the more flavor it will be able to absorb, while still holding its texture. If the cornbread isn’t dry enough from sitting out overnight, you can dry it out in the oven. 
• Use good, fresh herbs. The herbs are the subtle star of this dish, as they make the fall flavors stand out. Try to use fresh herbs, and use ones that are in good shape, not old or flimsy.
• Tent if necessary. If you notice that the cornbread is browning too quickly in the oven, tent the baking dish with aluminum foil while the stuffing finishes baking.

What to Serve With Vegan Cornbread Stuffing

This stuffing is a staple at my holiday table, served alongside Thanksgiving dishes like sautéed green beans, sweet-savory roasted butternut squash, and this roasted veggie quinoa salad. My vegan alternative to a classic turkey is crispy baked tofu, or a filling and festive main, like this stuffed acorn squash. And for dessert, I'll never pass up a slice of vegan apple crumble pie!

How to Store 

• Refrigerate leftovers. You can store vegan cornbread stuffing in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
• Reheat. Reheat the stuffing in the oven or in the microwave. 
• Freeze. Freeze cornbread stuffing in an airtight container for up to 2 months. You can reheat it straight from the freezer in the oven. 

More Vegan Side Dishes

• Roasted Winter Vegetables
• Vegan Creamed Spinach
• Honey Roasted Carrots
• Butternut Squash Quinoa Salad
• Green Bean Almondine