The Best Vegetarian Stuffing Ever

Stuffing has always been my favorite Thanksgiving side, even back when the only version I knew came from a box. This vegetarian stuffing recipe, which I’ve been perfecting for about 15 years, mimics the salty, herbaceous flavors of the store-bought stuff, but it’s actually a deeply flavorful, rustic (and eggless) bread pudding made with crusty baguettes, seasonal vegetables, and plenty of fresh sage.

To really build the flavor (and keep anything from getting too mushy), ingredients are added in stages, and the sage goes in at two different times. Things do move quickly, though, so it’s best to chop everything before you begin. Baguettes are harder to cut or tear when stale, so do that part a day or two ahead if you can. Alternatively, fresh bread pieces can be dried on a baking sheet on your oven’s lowest setting until hard but not brown.

The best thing about this vegetarian stuffing recipe—other than the two sticks of butter—is that it’s incredibly forgiving. Think of the measurements as more of a guide than gospel, but when in doubt, go with more instead of less: more sage, more onions, more apples, even more butter. If you’d rather your vegetarian stuffing resemble the boxed kind, everything can be cut or torn into smaller pieces. You can go with bigger chunks of bread, too, but you could end up with some leftovers when you incorporate the wet and dry elements at the end. Either way, I like to hold on to a few pieces of bread to dip into the vegetable mixture and check for seasoning as I go.

Click over for all of our Thanksgiving dinner advice, or hop over here for more stuffing ideas.