Ingredients
2 loaves gluten free bread (each about 12 oz.)
8 tbsp. butter, divided, plus more for buttering baking dish
2 onions, chopped
4 stalks celery, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tbsp. freshly chopped sage
1/2 tbsp. fresh thyme leaves
1/2 tbsp. freshly chopped rosemary
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/4 c. freshly chopped parsley, plus more for garnish
2 c. gluten free low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
Preparation
Step 1Tear or slice bread into cubes and leave out overnight to dry out. (Alternately, place bread on baking sheets and bake at 200º for 20 minutes.)Step 2Preheat oven to 350º and butter a 9"-1x-3" baking dish. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt 3 tablespoons butter. Add onion and celery and cook until soft and fragrant, 8 minutes. Stir in garlic, sage, thyme, and rosemary and cook until fragrant, 1 minute more. Season with salt and pepper. Step 3Stir in remaining 5 tablespoons butter and parsley. Step 4Place bread in a large bowl and add skillet mixture and chicken broth. Step 5Transfer mixture to prepared baking dish and cover with foil. Bake until cooked through, 45 minutes, then remove foil and cook until bread is golden, 15 minutes more. Step 6Garnish with parsley and serve.
Some packaged gluten free breads could use some help in the flavor department. If you’d like to add meat, use half a pound of ground sausage (or remove half a pound from fresh sausage in casings) and brown it in a skillet, then transfer it to a plate and continue on with step 2 in the recipe. Add the cooked sausage to the bowl with the bread in step 4. Spiced sausages like andouille or chorizo are great flavor boosters. We like to use stale bread in stuffing recipes, as it reduces the risk of sogginess and helps ensure the top gets super crispy. If fresh bread is all you’ve got, cut or tear it into bite-sized pieces, spread on a sheet pan, and dry out the bread in a 200º oven for 20 to 30 minutes. Any extra toasted bread can be crushed into gluten-free breadcrumbs! The key to a great stuffing is nailing the balance of liquid and bread needed to make the stuffing moist without having it fall apart and turn to mush. Gluten free bread responds differently to added moisture than breads that contain gluten. This means that swapping gluten free bread into your favorite stuffing recipe without adjusting the added liquid could result in a mushy mess. To combat this all-too-common problem, add your chicken broth to the bread and skillet mixture in 3 to 4 batches. After each addition, give the stuffing mix a good stir, then let it sit for 1 to 2 minutes. Continue adding the broth until the mixture is moist but not wet and starts to gently clump together. You may not need all of the broth. If you add it all and end up with a pool of broth at the bottom of the bowl, add a bit more bread to balance it out. Not feeling the classic Thanksgiving vibes? Go the opposite direction and make a batch of Beer Cheese Stuffing. You can easily sub in gluten-free bread for the French bread. Made this? Let us know how it went in the comment section below!
