Grain free stuffing is exactly what you need to complete your paleo Thanksgiving table! It’s made with my grain free sandwich bread (low carb blender version here). With the crispy top and the soft, moist interior that you expect from a stuffing, it is just as satisfying as the “real” thing.

I wasn’t sure if I was going to get this recipe in under the wire but my new oven was installed just in the nick of time. Aren’t we excited? Or is just The Royal We (i.e. me) excited? Don’t answer that.

Back to the urgent matter at hand: although I’m sure you have probably already planned most of your Thanksgiving menu, if there is any wiggle room at all, you really, really have to at least consider putting this grain free stuffing on the table.
Grain Free Stuffing or Grain Free Dressing?

Actually, I recently learned that this dish is technically grain free dressing, not grain free stuffing. I always thought the different names were due to regional colloquialisms or something, but it turns out there is actually a true difference: if it’s not stuffed inside a bird, it isn’t stuffing. It’s dressing. MIND: BLOWN. Right?

Regardless of what you call it, or stuff it in – a bird or a pan – or dress with it, or whatever, this recipe is so easy to make. It doesn’t require a million different ingredients, or tedious mixing of herbs and spices. All you need is salt, pepper and herbs de Provence spice mix (which I know you already have on hand from this recipe and this one) and you’re good to go.

This recipe can also be adapted so many ways:

• Make it vegetarian: use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
• Avoid added sugar: it’s tough to find unsweetened dried cranberries, so you can easily use the same amount of dried cherries (Trader Joe’s has dried bing cherries with no added sugars or anything else) or raisins
• Not a fan of pecans: try walnuts instead
• Make it nut free: use pepitas (pumpkin seeds) in place of pecans
• Make it stuffing: eliminate the eggs and stuff it into your bird

You can save some time by making the loaf of bread in advance, or make the whole thing in advance (keep it tightly wrapped in plastic in the refrigerator), and then warm it in the oven covered in tinfoil. Er, remove the plastic wrap first – but you already knew that. I only mention it because there is nothing worse than absentmindedly melting a layer of plastic on top of a mouthwatering dish of Thanksgiving stuffing. Unless, of course, you have a backup pan of dressing. 😉

Continue to Content

Grain Free Stuffing

Yield: 12 servings

Prep Time: 45 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Grain free stuffing is exactly what you need to complete your paleo Thanksgiving table! It's made with my grain free sandwich bread (low carb blender version here). With the crispy top layer and the soft, moist interior that you expect from a stuffing, it is just as satisfying as the "real" thing.

Print

Ingredients

• 1 loaf grain free sandwich bread, or gluten free bread of choice, cut into small cubes
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup minced onions or shallots
• 1 head of celery, about 2 cups, chopped small
• 2/3 cup dried cranberries
• 1 cup raw pecans, roughly chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 tablespoons herbs de Provence spice mix
• 2 cup chicken broth
• 3 large eggs, beaten

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Lightly grease or spray a 7.5"x11" baking pan and set aside.
2. Spread the bread cubes in a single layer on a dry cookie sheet or large baking pan. Bake them for 30 minutes until deep golden and very dry. Set them aside to cool.
3. Preheat the oil in a large skillet. Saute the onion until translucent, then add the celery. Toss several times until celery has softened, then add the cranberries, pecans, salt, pepper and herbs de Provence. Mix thoroughly. Cook for 3-4 more minutes.
4. Transfer the cooled bread cubes to a large mixing bowl. Pour the onion-celery-herb mixture over the bread and gently fold them together.
5. Whisk together the chicken broth and beaten eggs, then pour the broth-egg mixture over the bread mixture, and toss to combine.
6. Turn the stuffing into the prepared baking dish and spread into an even layer. Don't worry if there is a little extra liquid; make sure that gets into the baking pan, too. 
7. Bake for 45-60 minutes until crispy and golden on top and no liquid remains at the bottom of the pan.

Notes

• If buying chicken broth, look for a low sodium variety. But first, check out how easy it is to make your own!
• Make it vegetarian: use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
• Avoid added sugar: it's tough to find unsweetened dried cranberries, so you can easily use the same amount of dried cherries (Trader Joe's has dried bing cherries with no added sugars or anything else) or raisins
• Not a fan of pecans: try walnuts instead
• Make it nut free: use pepitas (pumpkin seeds) in place of pecans
• Make it stuffing: eliminate the eggs and stuff it into your bird
• If the top begins to brown too much, just loosely tent the pan with a piece of tin foil.
• This recipe was slightly updated Nov 2018.

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave me a comment and rating, or tag me on Instagram using @nora_acleanbake or #acleanbake!

This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you click through and purchase a product, A Clean Bake receives a small commission. All proceeds go toward continuing to bring you delicious, healthy recipes every week, and this does not affect the price you pay. Thanks for supporting A Clean Bake!