You might think it would be difficult to make your traditional stuffing for Thanksgiving gluten-free. However, it's actually not difficult at all.
In fact, you've got numerous options. Interesting gluten-free stuffing recipes range from traditional bread stuffing to less-traditional alternatives, such as cornbread and wild rice stuffing. Or, if you're pressed for time, try a ready-to-make complete stuffing mix.
Some of these recipes call for specific homemade breads. However, if you don't do your own gluten-free bread baking, you can substitute slightly stale bread crumbs from any gluten-free bread. You also can buy cubed gluten-free bread that's ready-made for stuffing — Whole Foods' Gluten-Free Bakehouse offers one option.
Regardless of your needs, this list should provide some good ideas for gluten-free Thanksgiving stuffing. Once you add the spices and bake the turkey, it's quite possible that your guests will never even notice the stuffing isn't based on "traditional" gluten bread.
1. Herbal Bread Dressing Recipe
© Teri Gruss
This traditional dressing, from About.com's Guide to Gluten-Free Cooking, tastes just like stuffing ought to taste. It combines gluten-free bread (use the recommended rosemary bread, or just plain GF bread cubes), eggs, butter, fresh herbs and onions.
This is a fairly complex recipe (for stuffing, that is), and it takes some time to pull together. Just remember to use a gluten-free chicken broth (either make your own or use pre-made bouillon cubes, which come in handy as gluten-free Thanksgiving ingredients).
2. Wild Rice Stuffing Recipe
If you're interested in making a less traditional, more unusual stuffing, this wild rice stuffing recipe from About.com's Guide to Home Cooking might fit the bill. It combines wild rice, sausage, mushrooms, cranberries and walnuts into a truly flavorful stuffing.
To make this recipe gluten-free, you'll need to buy gluten-free sausage — if you can't find GF pork sausage, you can substitute Applegate Farms' Sweet Italian Sausage, which is gluten-free. You'll also need to double-check your wild rice package — once or twice, I've found wild rice mixes that have included gluten grains in them.
3. Cornbread Dressing Recipe
© Teri Gruss
Cornbread dressing is traditional in some parts of the country for Thanksgiving. Of course, even if it isn't traditional where you are, you might want to use this recipe (another winner from About.com's Gluten-Free Cooking site) just because you like cornbread — I do.
If you've already got the stale cornbread, plus a few ordinary bread crumbs, this recipe shouldn't take you too long to pull together. Just make sure your dried spices are gluten-free (I prefer McCormick's brand), and to use a gluten-free chicken broth (many stores offer gluten-free options, or you can use bouillon cubes).
4. Aleia's Gluten-Free Stuffing
If you prefer the ease of working with a mix, you may want to try Aleia's Gluten-Free Stuffing Mixes, which come in either plain or savory. The mixes contain white rice flour, tapioca flour and potato flour, plus milk, eggs and yeast.
You'll still have to do a little work to pull the mix together — each box contains a recipe that calls for adding onions, carrots, celery, butter and gluten-free chicken stock. However, these mixes still should save you some time on Thanksgiving morning. You can buy them online or in stores in the northeastern states.
