(Note: this post was originally published on November 17, 2022. It has since been updated with a few tweaks.)
Say goodbye to boring, brown stuffing recipes filled with heavy ingredients. This vegan wild rice stuffing is colorful, vibrant, bursting with flavor, easy to make, and also happens to be gluten-free. It celebrates some of fall's most special ingredients: chewy wild rice, succulent caramelized onions, fragrant fresh herbs, sweet apples, and tart cranberries. Just don't be surprised if it steals the show at your holiday meal!
If you follow an alternative diet or if you're hosting guests who do, it's important to note that traditional stuffing is not friendly for plant-based or gluten-free eaters. But regardless of whether you're plant-based or not, this vegan gluten-free stuffing puts the classic version to shame. It's bursting with a dynamic mixture of flavors, textures, and colors that you'll want to come back to again and again throughout the fall and holiday season.
Traditional holiday stuffing is decidedly not friendly for alternative diets; it usually contains meat products such as chicken broth, generally utilizes bread made from refined flour, and sometimes contains dairy. But don't worry, I have a healthy stuffing recipe that's fresher, more colorful, and more delicious than the classic.
In order to make vegan gluten-free stuffing, I've omitted the animal-based ingredients in favor of autumnal flavor powerhouses like fresh herbs and apple cider. Instead of bread, this plant-based stuffing recipe uses chewy, hearty, fiber-rich wild rice. Unlike classic stuffing, which is heavy, brown, and can easily become soggy, this vegan wild rice stuffing is loaded with different textures and flavors.
This vegan stuffing recipe is bursting with all of the season's greatest gifts, as well as one unexpected ingredient. It features hearty wild rice, lots of fall herbs, juicy apple, and tart cranberries. It's a symphony of sweet and salty flavors as well as chewy and crunchy textures.
The unexpected ingredient? Macadamia nuts. My friends at Mauna Loa Macadamias asked me to work on a macadamia stuffing recipe and I was immediately smitten with the idea. Although pecans or walnuts might be more traditional, both can get soggy. Macadamias, on the other hand, have a decadent buttery flavor and maintain their crunch, even after re-heating.
You may have noticed that I listed this recipe in the "main course" category of the blog. This stuffing is satisfying and hearty, and it even has some protein and healthy fats thanks to the macadamias. Paired with roasted veggies or a big harvest salad, it makes for a great fall dinner.
That said, this vegan wild rice stuffing can be enjoyed in a myriad of ways. Serve it as a healthy Thanksgiving side dish or stuff it into roasted squash for a stunning plant-based centerpiece. Mix it into salads for extra texture or meal-prep it as a satisfying fall lunch. The recipe makes enough for 3-4 main courses, 6-8 hearty sides, or 10-12 small sides, although you can certainly double it to feed a crowd or to have leftovers.
Good news: this vegan Thanksgiving recipe is make-ahead friendly. You can cook the rice and prepare up through step 5 several days in advance. Store the rice mixture in a sealed container in the refrigerator. When ready to serve, transfer it back to a skillet and start at step 6: add the macadamias and apple, cooking for just several minutes to bring the flavors together and soften the apple. If needed, add another splash of apple cider to the rice to moisten it. Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with fresh fall fruits.
Here's what you'll need for this vegan gluten-free stuffing recipe, as well as some thoughts, tips, and possible substitutions. If you make any substitutions, I'd love to hear about it in the comments section below.
Doesn't this comforting, whole food vegan stuffing seem perfect for Thanksgiving or any fall occasion? It has such a cozy and decadent feel, yet is made with simple ingredients that are actually good for you. We're saying goodbye to the refined grains, chicken broth, and butter that are in many stuffing recipes, instead celebrating the harvest season's greatest gifts like wild rice and fall fruits.
Whether you eat plant-based or not, you're going to love this vegan gluten-free stuffing. With its bright colors, beautiful textures, and iconic fall ingredients, it's sure to be the star of your holiday table.
It makes me so happy to hear from you and see your creations! Please leave a comment below and let me know what you think about this recipe. If you post a photo on Instagram, hashtag #TheRogueBrusselSprout and tag me (@TheRogueBrusselSprout) in the post text so that I'm sure to see it.
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Disclosure: This recipe has been developed through a paid partnership with Mauna Loa Macadamias. However, all opinions and thoughts are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that keep The Rogue Brussel Sprout running.
Filled with Thanksgiving flavors, this vegan wild rice stuffing is much healthier than classic stuffing. It features chewy wild rice, crunchy macadamias, sweet seasonal fruits, and aromatic fall herbs.
Did you make this recipe? Did you make substitutions? How did you serve it? Any helpful tips? Please share your thoughts, since these insights are really useful to both me and to other readers.
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