Cranberry Stuffing With Vegan Sausage
by Tracy Shaw
If you are looking for the perfect stuffing to make this holiday season, look no further than this homemade stuffing with cranberries and vegan sausage. While this post is sponsored by US Cranberries, all opinions and the recipe are our own.
Stuffing is one of those sides that just screams holiday family gatherings. Stuffing is comforting, delicious, and made to be enjoyed with your loved ones. And that’s why we created a new stuffing recipe for you to try this year.
I have made stuffing for holiday meals for years. I used to be one of those “everything but the kitchen sink” kind of stuffing creators, if it’s in my refrigerator it was going in the stuffing. Squash, jalapenos, fruit, bacon, sausage, you name it!
Then, a few years ago I had the opportunity to go Thanksgiving dinner shopping with Curtis Stone. Yes, the Chef Curtis Stone. It was the experience of a lifetime and one I will never forget. He was so nice, so friendly and as we walked around the grocery store he shared his holiday stuffing recipe with me.
From that day on, I was no longer a “everything but the kitchen sink” stuffing creator, I am now a “I’m inspired by a famous chef” stuffing creator.
One thing I learned from him was simplicity. Let those ingredients really shine through, there’s no need to use 15 different items, let the main ingredients be the stars. Let your guests taste the flavors. Let them savor each bite. After all, isn’t that what the holidays are all about? Savoring the moments.
Speaking of savoring, let me tell you about this savory Cranberry Stuffing with Vegan Sausage. First things first, it’s delicious. Seriously, you gotta try it. And who says you can only eat stuffing around the holidays? I recommend making this Cranberry Stuffing With Vegan Sausage whenever the day calls for something comforting and flavorful. In fact, it was the perfect side dish to our slow cooker cranberry meatballs.
Cranberry Stuffing With Vegan Sausage Key Ingredients
- Fresh bakery bread
- Fresh or frozen cranberries
- Vegan sausage
- Sweet onion
- Green onions
- Celery
- Garlic
- Thyme
- Orange
- Dry white wine or cooking wine
- Low Sodium Chicken broth
- Eggs
- Butter
How To Make Stuffing With Cranberries and Vegan Sausage
First, you will brown your vegan sausage and then you saute those beautiful vegetables. Once they are nice and fragrant, you will add in those colorful cranberries. Can you just imagine how amazing your kitchen is going to smell when you are making this Cranberry Stuffing?! Now it’s time to prep the stuffing mixture. Once ready, toss it in the oven and patiently wait for your next favorite side dish to be ready.
Why Cranberries?
Well, cranberries are the ultimate holiday fruit. That beautiful deep red color is the perfect addition to just about every holiday dish and drink in my opinion. But why did I add cranberries to this stuffing recipe? Cranberries are naturally tart, making them a perfect pairing to stronger flavors, like the onions and celery. They balance each other out quite nicely actually. Not only do cranberries look beautiful and taste great, but they have many health benefits. Cranberries are a good source of vitamin C, vitamin E, and vitamin K. Plus, cranberries are very low in sodium and are cholesterol and saturated fat free.
Vegan Substitutions
- Use 6 tablespoons of olive oil instead of butter
- Use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth
- Leave out the eggs, but you may have to add in additional vegetable broth for moisture
When we made this stuffing recipe it was ready just as the kids were coming home from school. The kids had a few friends with them, and when they all walked into the house they mentioned how good everything smelled. And instead of walking to the pantry or refrigerator to look for that perfect after school snack, everyone wanted stuffing! So, I can officially say that this Cranberry Stuffing recipe is also kid-approved 😉
Cranberry Stuffing With Vegan Sausage FAQs
Q: How long does it take to make this vegan cranberry stuffing?
A: The total prep and cook time is about 1 hour and 20 minutes.
Q: Can you make this stuffing gluten-free?
A: Yes, use gluten-free bread in place of regular bread for a gluten-free version.
Q: What can be used instead of white wine?
A: Chicken or vegetable broth can be substituted for the white wine.
Q: Does the stuffing need to be baked after assembling?
A: Yes, baking the stuffing helps the flavors meld and the bread to get crispy on top.
Q: Can fresh cranberries be substituted for frozen?
A: Absolutely, fresh cranberries can be used in place of frozen in this recipe.
Q: How long will leftover cranberry stuffing last?
A: Leftover stuffing will keep 3-4 days refrigerated in an airtight container.
Now, let’s get cooking shall we?
Thanksgiving Stuffing With Cranberries and Vegan Sausage
Equipment
- Stove
- Oven
Ingredients
- 1 loaf Fresh bakery bread sliced. We used french bread
- 1 cup Fresh or frozen cranberries we used frozen
- 7 oz Vegan sausage
- 1 large Sweet onion diced
- 5 Green onions diced
- 5 Celery stalks diced
- 6 Garlic cloves minced
- 6 sprigs of Thyme
- Orange cut into quarters
- 3/4 cup Dry white wine or cooking wine
- 22 oz Low Sodium Chicken broth 1 1/2 cans
- 2 Eggs
- 8 tbsp Butter 1 stick
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray 13×9-inch casserole dish.
- Spread bread on large, baking sheets. Bake for about 15 minutes, or just until dried but not browned. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
- While the bread is cooling, heat a large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add vegan sausage and cook thoroughly. You want it to be in crumbles. Transfer the cooked sausage to a plate.
- Once the bread is cool, break it into cubes and place in a large bowl. I used my hands, feel free to use a knife if you prefer.
- Add onions to same skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 3 minutes, or until tender. Add celery and thyme and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 4 minutes, or until onions are translucent.
- Stir in garlic and cranberries and continue cooking, stirring often, for about 6 minutes, or until vegetables begin to brown. Add cooking wine and cook for about 4 minutes, or until wine has evaporated but vegetables are still very moist.
- Add broth, squeeze in the juice from the orange slice, and butter, bring to a simmer, and simmer until liquid is reduced by half.
- Stir green onions into vegetable mixture. Add vegan sausage crumbles, 1 tsp. salt and ½ tsp. pepper, and mix well.
- Pour mixture into the large bowl with the bread; remove and discard thyme stems. Mix in eggs. Spread stuffing in prepared baking dish and cover with aluminum foil.
- Bake for 50 minutes, or until stuffing is heated through and puffed. Remove foil and bake for about 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve hot.
As a vegan, this was the perfect substitution for traditional stuffing. I hosted the dinner and everyone was impressed!