Ahhh stuffing. I think it is my all time favorite Thanksgiving fare. I have always been one to crave breads over sweets. Garlic bread and stuffing are my craving comfort foods for sure. My love affair with stuffing began when I was a kid when we would drive up to Portland from Southern Oregon for Thanksgiving at my Aunt and Uncle’s house. My Aunt is a fabulous cook – extremely sophisticated flavors, very adventurous and skilled in both technique and palette. I appreciate this very much now as an adult and LOVE to enjoy cooking with her and hearing about her most recent recipes and Michelin star restaurant visits – but as a kid, I had much simpler tastes.
My Aunt has always cooked Thanksgiving dinner for over 20 people, and had a full table of fabulous dishes and great company. I wanted one thing and one thing only…Stovetop Stuffing. Like, from the box. Have you ever had Stovetop before? It’s like the Ramen Noodle cup, or Kraft Macaroni and Cheese of Thanksgiving. In the middle of all the T-Day hubbub, as a young kid… I would take my box of Stovetop, sneak off into the garage and cook it on the outdoor stove they had next to the garage fridge. Pure bliss.
Fast forward to owning a bakery and cooking school, all gluten free… and I knew I had to do it. I had to create a gluten free version of my beloved Stovetop. It took quite a bit of trial and error but here it is! I added an extra spin on it to accommodate a crockpot preparation, but you can absolutely make it all on the stovetop (see modifications). This recipe was even published in the Oregonian a few years back, and was also part of our Thanksgiving Favorites cooking class we hosted at our bakery in Hillsboro, as well as my more recent cooking demos at Natural Grocers. I hope you make and love it! It is part of our Thanksgiving every year – and I don’t have to make it in the garage 🙂 .
Happy Thanksgiving!
xo
Crockpot Stuffing
This stuffing is flavorful and delicious, extremely easy to make - and allergy friendly!! Woohoo! Plus this recipe solves two common Thanksgiving struggles: 1. Not having enough burners and oven space to cook everything and have it all come out warm at the same time. 2. Not having enough ‘make ahead’ recipes so you aren’t in the kitchen nonstop.
Ingredients
- 5 cups gluten free bread, cut into 1" cubes (about 11 standard slices, or one loaf_
- 1 small onion, diced
- 8 ribs celery, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 1/4 cups vegetable stock
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried rosemary
- 1 tbsp dried thyme
- 1 tbsp garlic salt
- 2 tbsp mayonnaise optional
Instructions
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Place the bread cubes on a baking sheet, spread out evenly. Bake at 375°F for 10-20 minutes or until bread is dry and slightly toasty.
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In the meantime, place all of the other ingredients in the crockpot and stir to combine.
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When the bread is finished getting toasty, transfer the cubes to the crockpot and stir everything together.
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Cook on high for 2-3 hours, or until you have reached the desired texture. After 2 hours, the stuffing will be warm and cooked but not as ‘mushy’ as it will be closer to 3 hours. Your choice . . . both delicious!
Modifications
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Make on the stovetop: Sauté the onion, celery, herbs, olive oil and salt until soft (5-8 mins). Add the vegetable stock, mayo, egg and toasted bread cubes and stir together. Simmer and stir so the mixture doesn’t stick to the bottom for 10-15 minutes and fluff with a fork.
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You may need to add extra broth or adjust seasonings at the end. Recipe varies greatly depending on the bread used. I like to use the Brown Rice Bread from the freezer section (made by Food For Life).
Make Ahead Tips
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You can easily prepare the bread cubes a few days ahead. You can also make the whole dish ahead and reheat slowly in a crockpot or stovetop before serving.
