This easy vegetarian cornbread stuffing is flavorful, moist, and soft inside, yet crispy and golden on top.
Vegetarian Cornbread Stuffing
This easy vegetarian cornbread stuffing is flavorful, moist, and soft inside, yet crispy and golden on top. This stuffing is packed with toasted cornbread, savory celery and onions, sweet dried cranberries, and fresh thyme, and is all mixed with vegetable stock. It is easy to make ahead of time and can even be prepped a day in advance.
Ingredients
- 4 cups cornbread cut into 1-inch cubes
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup onions finely chopped
- 1 tbsp garlic minced
- 1 cup celery chopped into 1-inch pieces
- 2 cups cauliflower cut into 2-inch florets
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme finely chopped
- 1 tbsp salt
- 1/2 tbsp ground black pepper
- 1 cup vegetable stock
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 1 egg beaten
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Evenly arrange cubed cornbread onto a large sheet pan. Transfer into the oven while the oven is preheating and keep it in the oven for a total of 20 minutes. This helps the cornbread dry out and become crunchy. If your cornbread has already been dried out, then skip this step.
- Heat oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat for 2 minutes until the oil is hot and starts to sizzle and shimmer. Add onions and garlic and sautéfor 2 minutes until fragrant.
- Add celery and cauliflower and sauté for 5 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft. Season with thyme, salt and pepper. Stir well to combine.
- Remove the skillet and allow the vegetable mixture to cool down to room temperature, about 10 minutes.
- Add in beaten egg, vegetable broth, and dried cranberries and stir to combine. Add toasted cornbread and gently fold it in with a spatula.
- Transfer the skillet into the oven and bake for 25 minutes until the cornbread becomes golden brown. Alternatively, you can transfer everything onto a large casserole dish or sheet pan and bake.
Notes
How to customize: You can easily customize this stuffing with other ingredients. Try adding pecans, walnuts, apples or pears. For a non-vegetarian option try adding in some sliced sausage.
How to toast cornbread: The cornbread used in this recipe needs to be toasted or dried out. Otherwise, you will end up soggy stuffing. You can easily toast the cornbread in the oven while it is preheating, or you can let it dry out on the counter overnight.
How to make stuffing in advance: You can prepare this cornbread several days in advance. Prepare it up until the point where you add the cornbread. Do not add in the cornbread. Cover tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to one day in advance. When ready to bake, place the stuffing on the counter and allow it to come to room temperature. Then, gently fold in the toasted cornbread and bake according to recipe instructions.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
