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    Home » Recipes » Christmas

    Vegan Stuffing with Sage

    Published: Oct 30, 2020 · Modified: Oct 27, 2022 by Kate Hackworthy · This post may contain affiliate links ·

    Jump to Recipe

    This easy Vegan Stuffing recipe is a tasty traditional holiday side dish made with simple ingredients. Sage and onion add loads of festive flavor and this vegan dressing can be turned into stuffing balls or be baked in a casserole dish. Perfect for vegetarian Thanksgiving or Christmas!

    Casserole dish of Vegan Stuffing with sage leaves on top.
    Vegan Stuffing with Sage

    For my family, Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner is alllll about the stuffing. We are most definitely a stuffing family.

    Some of my earliest memories of Christmas are my sisters and I prepping stuffing in the kitchen on Christmas Eve under the supervision of my parents.

    I love the flurry of Christmas dinner prep. Chopping, cutting, mixing and the air filled with the mingling scents of cinnamon and sage, pine and cloves.

    Growing up, I was the only veggie in my family, so I got my own vegetarian stuffing. Yay!

    This vegan recipe is similar to a traditional pork sage and onion stuffing, but completely meat free.

    I've been making this Vegan Stuffing for decades, and it couldn't be simpler.

    Whiz up breadcrumbs (or use bread cubes). Mix with dried sage, chopped water chestnuts and sauteed onion and celery. Moisten with vegetable stock, pile into a casserole and bake!

    Now, I see you side-eyeing me and wondering why the water chestnuts. Trust me.

    Water chestnuts are popular in Chinese cooking, so they seem unusual in a Vegan Stuffing recipe. But the sliced water chestnuts stay firm when cooked so they add a lovely texture compared to the soft veggies and breadcrumbs.

    If you can't get them, substitute some chopped nuts for a lovely texture, or just leave them out.

    We love the flavors of all the fresh herbs used around the holidays.

    Our favorite herb is sage because we can use it in a variety of different side dishes including in this easy vegan and vegetarian stuffing. You'll also love it in my Sage Gravy.

    Spoonful of vegetarian stuffing.

    Why You'll Love This Recipe

    The bread is easily whizzed up in a blender.

    You can use bread cubes instead.

    Customize the herbs and spices to your preferences. It's tasty with rosemary or thyme.

    This stuffing can be made into stuffing balls or baked right in a casserole dish.

    It’s an easy side to bring to a holiday party.

    Vegan stuffing can be prepped ahead of time.

    This is also vegetarian.

    Ingredients

    Breadcrumbs: This makes up the bulk of stuffing. You can blend up a loaf of bread or use bread cubes to save time.

    TIP: I save my bread ends (the kids won't eat them!) and put them into a bag in the freezer. Then, when I have lots, I whiz the frozen bread slices in the blender and then freeze the breadcrumbs to use in this stuffing and other recipes.

    Water Chestnuts: These are optional, but they really add a great flavor and texture to the mix. Find them in the Chinese aisle at the grocery store. Leave them out or substitute for traditional chestnuts or chopped nuts.

    Onion & Celery: These aromatic vegetables are responsible for that great homemade flavor.

    Dried Sage: The perfect herb for stuffing. Feel free to use dried or fresh and as little or as much as you prefer.

    Vegetable Broth: This gives the stuffing a more intense flavor and makes it lovely and moist.

    Salt & Pepper: Add these to season your stuffing just right. If your vegetable stock is salty, you might only want to add pepper.

    Step By Step Tutorial

    You'll be surprised just how easy it is to make vegan stuffing. Follow these simple steps for perfect vegetarian dressing.

    Follow this step-by-step photo tutorial, then scroll down to the recipe card for the full ingredients list and method.

    Collage: chopped water chestnuts, and pan of cooked onion and celery.

    If using water chestnuts, chop them roughly.

    Cook the celery and onion over a medium/low heat for 5 minutes or until soft, stirring often.

    Collage: bread chunks in a blender and breadcrumbs in a blender.

    If making breadcrumbs, whiz chunks of bread in a blender or food processor.

    Collage: Bowl of breadcrumbs, onion, celery and sage. All mixed in a bowl.

    Add the breadcrumbs, onion and celery, water chestnuts (if using), sage and pepper, and mix well.

    Collage: bowl of stuffing with vegetable stock added, and stuffing in a casserole dish.

    Add the vegetable stock and stir to combine. It will be damp but not soggy.

    Spoon into a baking dish (I use a 6 inch round casserole) and bake for 30 minutes or until the top starts to brown. Note: don't pack the stuffing in.

    Tips 

    You can use a blender or food processor to make the bread crumbs fast and easy.

    You can easily double this recipe for larger groups, but make sure you usee a larger casserole pot, or cook it in two.

    If you want to save time, use store-bought bread cubes.

    Make sure you don’t pack the mixture into the dish, just spoon it in.

    Instead of baking it as a casserole, roll the mixture into balls and bake on a baking sheet.

    Serving Suggestions

    Add any leftover vegetarian stuffing to mushroom caps for Stuffed Mushrooms. 

    Goes great next to a Whole Roasted Cauliflower.

    Make these Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Balsamic Glaze as a complimentary side dish.

    Top the stuffing with some chopped Rosemary Maple Spiced Nuts.

    Variations

    Add some fresh rosemary or thyme to this easy side dish.

    Throw in some sliced mushrooms to saute with the celery and onion.

    You can use vegan butter in place of olive oil in this recipe.

    Use Vegan Cornbread in place of the bread for a cornbread stuffing.

    Add mixture to a muffin tin for stuffing muffins that look great on a holiday dinner plate.

    Add some fresh or dried cranberries for a hint of sweetness and color.

    Special diets

    To Make it Gluten-Free: Use a loaf of Vegan Gluten Free Bread as the base.

    Storage 

    Make ahead: This vegan stuffing can be made ahead of time. Follow all of the steps except baking and store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Let it come to room temperature before baking or increase the cooking time another 5-10 minutes if right out of the fridge.

    Storage: Cooked vegetarian stuffing should be cooled completely and stored, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave or oven until warmed through.

    Freezing: Once the stuffing is baked, it can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Once ready to reheat, you can cook straight from frozen in a 350 degree oven covered for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until heated through.

    Serving spoon coming out of a dish of vegan stuffing (dressing).

    FAQs 

    What Brand Of Stuffing Is Vegan? If you’d like to skip the homemade stuffing, there are a few brands that make vegan stuffing mix including Pepperidge Farms and Arrowhead Mills. Make sure you read your labels!

    What Can I Substitute For Eggs In Stuffing? This vegetarian stuffing does not require any eggs or binding ingredient since it is spooned into the dish and not packed. In other vegan stuffing recipes, you will find that egg replacer, flax eggs or even apple sauce is used in place of eggs.

    What’s The Difference Between Stuffing and Dressing? Although these terms have become interchangeable, it's usually called stuffing when it is cooked inside a turkey, duck or chicken. Dressing is usually made outside of the bird. This is therefore actually a vegan dressing, but we always call it stuffing!

    You’ll Love These Holiday Side Dishes

    Stuffing is a traditional Thanksgiving or Christmas side dish. It's perfect alongside these other tasty sides!

    Green Beans Almondine

    Easy Mushroom Tart

    Maple Roasted Carrots With Cayenne

    Mini Bundt Chestnut Loaf With Sage Gravy

    Get the recipe

    Veggie Desserts Cookbook by Kate Hackworthy

    Check out the Veggie Desserts + Cakes cookbook on Amazon

    Casserole dish of vegan stuffing with sage on top.

    Easy Vegan Stuffing With Sage

    Kate Hackworthy | Veggie Desserts
    This easy vegan stuffing recipe is the best side dish that uses simple ingredients. It has a great bold sage flavor and can be turned into stuffing balls or be baked in a casserole dish. Perfect for a holiday party for Thanksgiving or Christmas!
    5 from 9 votes
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    Prep Time 5 mins
    Cook Time 35 mins
    Total Time 40 mins
    Course Side Dish
    Cuisine American, British
    Servings 6
    Calories 338 kcal

    Equipment

    • Frying pan
    • mixing bowl
    • casserole dish
    • Oven

    Ingredients
     

    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 2 stems of celery chopped
    • 1 onion diced
    • 4 cups (230g) breadcrumbs (approx 8 slices makes 230g/4 cups)
    • 1 cup (140g) water chestnuts chopped (optional)
    • 1 ½ tablespoons dried sage
    • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
    • 1 ¼ cups vegetable broth vegetable stock

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat oven to 350F/175C.
    • Heat the oil in a pan over a medium/low heat, add the celery and onion and cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes or until soft but not browned.
    • Add to a large bowl with the breadcrumbs, water chestnuts (if using), sage and pepper, and mix well.
    • Add the vegetable stock and stir to combine. It will be damp but not soggy.
    • Spoon into a baking dish (I use a 6 inch round casserole dish) and bake for 30 minutes or until the top starts to brown.

    Video

    Notes

    You can use a blender or food processor to make the bread crumbs fast and easy.
    This recipe can be doubled, but make sure you have a larger casserole pot.
    If you want to save time, use store-bought bread cubes.
    Make sure you don’t pack the mixture into the casserole pot, just spoon it in.
    Instead of baking it as a casserole, roll the mixture into balls and bake on a baking sheet.
    Try these other Christmas and Thanksgiving side dishes:
    Green Beans Almondine
    Maple Roasted Carrots With Cayenne
    Parmentier Potatoes
    Make ahead: This vegan stuffing can be made ahead of time. Follow all of the steps except baking and store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Let it come to room temperature before baking or increase the cooking time another 5-10 minutes if right out of the fridge.
    Storage: Cooked vegetarian stuffing should be cooled completely and stored, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave or oven until warmed through.
    Freezing: Once the stuffing is baked, it can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Once ready to reheat, you can cook straight from frozen in a 350 degree oven covered for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until heated through.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 338kcalCarbohydrates: 60gProtein: 10gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 737mgPotassium: 247mgFiber: 5gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 194IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 150mgIron: 4mg

    The nutritional information provided is approximate and can vary depending on several factors, so is not guaranteed to be accurate. Please see a registered dietician for special diet advice.

    Tried this recipe?Mention @kateveggiedesserts or tag #veggiedesserts! I love seeing your recreations.

    More Christmas Recipes

    • Glazed Apricots
    • Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Goat Cheese
    • Honey Sriracha Brussels Sprouts
    • Pumpkin Snickerdoodles
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Judith

      October 06, 2022 at 6:02 pm

      5 stars
      Soooo tasty! I love the addition of the water chestnuts.

      Reply
    2. Soniya

      December 13, 2020 at 12:15 am

      5 stars
      Oh wow! This was so delicious.

      Reply
    3. Marlynn

      November 02, 2020 at 3:42 pm

      5 stars
      Such a fantastic vegan stuffing! I love the rich flavor that sage adds to this dish.

      Reply
    4. Priya

      October 31, 2020 at 5:05 pm

      5 stars
      Thanks for sharing this vegan family recipe! I will be making it tonight!

      Reply
    5. Angela

      October 30, 2020 at 4:14 pm

      5 stars
      This is a great stuffing recipe. The water chestnuts add a crunch that is unexpected and wonderful.

      Reply
    6. Shelley

      October 30, 2020 at 2:57 pm

      5 stars
      Can I tell you a little secret? The stuffing is almost always one of my very most favorite parts of Thanksgiving dinner. Truly! But, I'm always trying to find vegan recipes for my sister-in-law. This is just perfect! Oh - and I LOVE the suggestion of turning it into stuffing balls, too!

      Reply

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    Kate Hackworthy in the kitchen

    Hi, I'm Kate, a journalist, author and multi-award-winning food blogger. I hope you enjoy my vegetarian and vegan recipes. About Me

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    Check out my Veggie Desserts Cookbook, full of tasty desserts with vegetables!

    Kate Hackworthy in the kitchen

    Hi, I'm Kate, a journalist, author and multi-award-winning food blogger. I hope you enjoy my vegetarian and vegan recipes. About Me

    Collage of press logos.

    Popular recipes

    • The BEST Easy Red Lentil Dahl
    • Easy Naan Bread Recipe (yeast-free)
    • Mini Baked Potatoes
    • Easy Lentil Soup

    Easter Recipes

    • Easter Rice Krispie Nests
    • Italian Easter Bread (Pane di Pasqua)
    • Mushroom Wellington
    • Nut Roast

    My cookbook

    Veggie Desserts and Cakes Cookbook cover.

    Check out my Veggie Desserts Cookbook, full of tasty desserts with vegetables!

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