Sourdough Stuffing (Vegan, Make-Ahead Dutch Oven Recipe)
This sourdough stuffing bakes up with a crisp, golden top and a soft, savory center. The mushrooms, mixing, and baking all happen in one Dutch oven with no butter, eggs, or sausage. Tangy sourdough cubes soak up a miso-seasoned stock, deeply browned cremini mushrooms carry the richness, and fresh sage, thyme, and rosemary make it taste like Thanksgiving. It is an easy vegan stuffing that nobody at the table will think of as the vegan option.
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Dry the bread in a low oven, brown the mushrooms while it dries, soften the onion and celery, then toss everything together in the same pot and bake. Two things decide how it turns out: the bread has to be fully dry so it drinks up the stock without going mushy, and the mushrooms have to brown until the pot is dry. It also holds a day in the fridge, which makes it an easy make-ahead stuffing.
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love This Sourdough Stuffing
- Pin It For Later
- Ingredients and Substitutes
- How This Vegan Stuffing Gets So Much Flavor
- Baking Sourdough Stuffing in a Dutch Oven
- What Is the Difference Between Sourdough Stuffing and Dressing?
- What to Serve With Sourdough Stuffing
- FAQs
- Vegan Sourdough Stuffing With Mushrooms and Herbs
Why You'll Love This Sourdough Stuffing
- One pot does the cooking. The mushrooms, aromatics, mixing, and baking all happen in the Dutch oven, so this Thanksgiving stuffing leaves one less dish to wash.
- It works for everyone at the table. With no eggs, dairy, or meat, this vegan sourdough stuffing covers plant-based guests, egg allergies, and dairy-free kids without a separate side, and it is hearty enough that it never reads as the meatless stuffing on the side.
- The texture holds up. The top and edges crisp against the hot pot while the center stays tender and scoopable. The sourdough gives it a hearty texture without making it feel heavy, which is the difference between homemade stuffing and the boxed kind.
- The flavor comes from technique. Browned mushrooms, white miso, and a splash of white wine give this mushroom sourdough stuffing a deep, savory taste without any meat. When I made it, my family went straight for the crispy browned top and the mushroom and herb flavor, and nobody missed the meat.
- It frees up the day itself. As a make-ahead stuffing, the whole pot can be assembled a day ahead and baked while the turkey rests.
Pin It For Later
Ingredients and Substitutes
- Sourdough bread. Use a sturdy loaf that is at least a day old, since dry bread is what keeps stuffing from turning to mush. A good crust keeps its shape after soaking, which is what gives homemade sourdough stuffing its texture and sets stuffing with sourdough bread apart from the soft, bagged kind. A loaf of homemade sourdough bread, like this same-day sourdough bread baked a day or two ahead is ideal, while soft sourdough sandwich bread gives a softer, more bread-pudding-like result. Leftover rosemary and sea salt focaccia can replace up to half the sourdough for a richer, herbier stuffing.
- Cremini mushrooms. They brown well and give mushroom sourdough stuffing a deeper taste than white button mushrooms do. Their flavor also stands up to sage and rosemary, which makes them the natural choice for a mushroom stuffing with herbs. For a wild mushroom stuffing, swap in some shiitake or oyster mushrooms and slice everything to the same thickness so it browns evenly.
- White miso. It seasons every bread cube from the inside and does the job butter does in a traditional stuffing.
- Dry white wine. It lifts the browned bits off the bottom of the pot and adds the acidity that keeps a rich side from tasting flat.
- Olive oil. It replaces butter in the pot and on top, where it crisps the bread. Butter swaps in tablespoon for tablespoon for a vegetarian stuffing recipe.
- Fresh herbs. Sage leads, with thyme and rosemary behind it; that trio is what makes a sage stuffing taste like Thanksgiving. Fresh herbs for stuffing taste brighter than dried, and the parsley stirred in at the end keeps this herb stuffing from tasting dusty. Dried herbs work at about a third of the amount; add them with the garlic so they bloom in the oil.
How This Vegan Stuffing Gets So Much Flavor
In a vegan sourdough mushroom stuffing with no sausage, the mushrooms carry most of the flavor, so they get the most attention. Cooked in two batches, they have room to sit in a single layer and brown. Crowd them into the pot, and they steam instead. Leave them alone for the first few minutes, then keep cooking until the liquid they release has evaporated and the edges turn deep brown. The soy sauce goes in at the end, where it glazes the mushrooms rather than stewing them. When I made this, each batch took about 9-10 minutes in total, and neither one steamed; they were deeply browned and dry before I moved on to the onion and celery.
Salt goes in at every stage: each batch of mushrooms, then the onion and celery, then a final adjustment after the bread soaks. Because this is a stuffing without eggs, the soaked mixture is safe to taste before it goes in the oven, which is not true of a classic stuffing made with raw egg. Let the bread soak for the full 10 minutes before judging it. A soaked cube should be moist all the way through but still hold its shape. If it tastes flat, add salt; if there are dry pockets, add stock a little at a time. That check matters more than any exact measurement, since the salt in the bread, stock, and miso varies from brand to brand.
Baking Sourdough Stuffing in a Dutch Oven
A 7-quart enameled cast iron pot is what makes this an easy sourdough stuffing recipe and a true Dutch oven stuffing. The same pot browns the mushrooms on the stovetop, bakes the stuffing in the oven, and holds it in the fridge overnight for the make-ahead method. Bare cast iron is not a good fit for that last step, since a night in contact with moist stuffing can rust the pot and leave a metallic taste. The heavy walls crisp the sides of the stuffing the way a casserole dish cannot, and the lid does the job of foil. The stuffing sits about 3½ inches deep, so it bakes covered first to heat through, then uncovered to crisp the top.
Level the mixture gently rather than packing it down. Loose cubes leave gaps for steam to escape, which is how the top gets crunchy while the center stays soft. Once it comes out, the pot holds heat for about 30 minutes with the lid on, which helps when the turkey and gravy are still coming together.
A 9x13-inch baking dish also works and turns it into a more traditional stuffing casserole. Cover it with foil for 25 minutes, then uncover and bake another 20 to 25 minutes. The layer is shallower, so there is more crisp top in every scoop.
What Is the Difference Between Sourdough Stuffing and Dressing?
Traditionally, stuffing is cooked inside the bird and dressing is baked on its own. By that definition, this recipe is technically a vegan sourdough dressing, since it never goes near the turkey. Many families, especially in the South, call any baked bread dressing by that name, while most of the country says stuffing either way. The method and ingredients are the same whichever name your family uses, so for anyone wondering how to make sourdough dressing for Thanksgiving, this doubles as a sourdough dressing recipe.
What to Serve With Sourdough Stuffing
Sourdough stuffing for Thanksgiving sits happily next to a roast turkey or a vegan main, and it pairs well with Thanksgiving side dishes that bring color and acidity to a rich plate. Honestly, I would happily eat a big bowl of it as a main, with just a salad on the side.
- A classic Thanksgiving plate needs one of these sweet potato casserole recipes, which cover everything from marshmallow-topped to pecan crumble.
- A roasted beet salad with goat cheese adds brightness to a table of vegetarian holiday dishes; leave off the cheese for vegan guests.
- These air fryer sweet potato recipes free up oven space while the stuffing bakes.
- Thanksgiving finger foods keep everyone happy while the pot is in the oven.
- One of these gluten-free Thanksgiving desserts finishes the meal without much extra work.
- For a potluck, this stuffing travels in its pot and fits right into these Friendsgiving food ideas.
FAQs
Yes, and it works as a make-ahead herb stuffing in two ways. The bread cubes can be dried up to 3 days ahead and stored airtight at room temperature. Or assemble the Dutch oven stuffing in an enameled pot through the soaking step, cover, and refrigerate up to 1 day. Let it sit out for 30 minutes, drizzle ¼ cup extra stock over the top, then bake covered for 40 minutes and uncovered for 30. The bread keeps absorbing stock overnight, which is why the extra splash goes on before baking. I baked it from the fridge this way after an overnight rest, and the top came out golden and crisp while the inside stayed moist.
Baked stuffing freezes well for up to 3 months. Thaw it overnight in the fridge, then reheat covered at 350°F for 25-30 minutes, adding a splash of stock if the edges look dry.
In a stuffing without eggs, fully dried bread absorbs more stock than fresh bread, and that extra stock is what binds the cubes as they bake. The result is scoopable rather than sliceable, with a soft center and crisp top. If any dry pockets remain after soaking, a little more stock fixes them.
It bakes best in the pot, where it gets crisp edges. If it goes inside the bird as turkey stuffing, it absorbs the turkey juices, so it is no longer vegan, and the center of the stuffing has to reach 165°F on an instant-read thermometer before it is safe to eat.
This sourdough stuffing recipe with herbs and mushrooms is the rare homemade Thanksgiving stuffing that can be made a day early, baked in the pot it was mixed in, and served to every guest at the table. If you tried this Vegan Sourdough Stuffing Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below.
Equipment
- 7-quart enameled cast iron Dutch oven
- 2 rimmed baking sheets
Ingredients
For the bread
- 1½ pounds sourdough bread cut into ¾-inch cubes, about 14 cups.
For the mushrooms and aromatics
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil divided: 2 tablespoons for the mushrooms, 3 for the aromatics, 3 for the top.
- 1½ pounds cremini mushrooms sliced
- 1-1½ teaspoons kosher salt divided
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 medium yellow onions diced
- 4 celery ribs diced
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 3 tablespoons fresh sage chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- 2 teaspoons fresh rosemary chopped
- ½ cup dry white wine
For soaking
- 3-3½ cups low-sodium vegetable stock warmed
- 2 tablespoons white miso
- ½ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley chopped
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
Dry the bread
- Heat the oven to 325°F. Spread the bread cubes over 2 rimmed baking sheets and bake for 25-30 minutes, stirring halfway, until dry and crisp at the edges but not browned. Start the mushrooms while the bread is in the oven.
- When the cubes are dry, take the baking sheets out and leave the bread on them to cool. Raise the oven to 375°F.
Cook the mushrooms and aromatics
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in the Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add half the mushrooms in an even layer and cook without stirring for 5 minutes. Add ¼ teaspoon of salt, stir, and cook for 4-5 minutes more until deeply browned and dry. Transfer to a plate.
- Repeat with 1 more tablespoon of oil, the remaining mushrooms, and ¼ teaspoon of salt. When the second batch is browned, return the first batch to the pot, add the soy sauce, and stir for 30 seconds. Transfer all the mushrooms to the plate.
- Reduce the heat to medium. Add 3 tablespoons of oil, the onions, celery, and ½ teaspoon of salt. Cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent.
- Add the garlic, sage, thyme, and rosemary and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Pour in the wine and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Simmer for 2 minutes until almost all the liquid has evaporated. Take the pot off the heat.
Mix and soak
- Whisk the miso into the warm stock until smooth.
- Add the dried bread, mushrooms, parsley, and pepper to the pot and toss well. Pour 3 cups of the miso stock over the bread, tossing as you pour. Let it sit for 10 minutes.
- Taste a soaked bread cube. If it tastes flat, add up to ½ teaspoon more salt and toss. If you still see dry pockets, add up to ½ cup more stock. (For make-ahead, stop here, cover, and refrigerate.)
Bake
- Gently level the stuffing in the pot without packing it down. Drizzle the remaining 3 tablespoons of oil over the top.
- Cover with the lid and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake for 25-30 minutes more until the top and edges are golden and crisp. Let it stand for 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Make ahead: Dry the bread cubes up to 3 days ahead and store them in an airtight container at room temperature. Or assemble in the Dutch oven, cover, and refrigerate up to 1 day. Let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes, drizzle ¼ cup extra stock over the top, then bake covered for 40 minutes and uncovered for 30 minutes.
- Pot type: Use enameled cast iron. Bare cast iron should not hold moist food in the fridge overnight, since it can rust and give the stuffing a metallic taste.
- No Dutch oven: Bake in an oiled 9x13-inch dish covered with foil for 25 minutes, then uncovered for 20-25 minutes.
- Keeping warm: The pot holds heat for about 30 minutes out of the oven. Keep the lid on until serving.
- Freezing: Freeze the baked stuffing for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat covered at 350°F for 25-30 minutes.
- No wine: Use ½ cup stock plus 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar.
- Keeping it vegan: Check the bread label, since some sourdough contains milk or honey. Some wines are clarified with animal products, so look for one labeled vegan. Use soy sauce, not Worcestershire, which usually contains anchovies.
- Butter option: Swap butter for olive oil, tablespoon for tablespoon. It is no longer vegan but still vegetarian.