Thanksgiving Vegan Stuffing: How to Make a Simple Vegan Dressing Vegan Side Dishes Holidays

Stuffing is traditionally made with butter or, worse, margarine and chunks of white bread. Enough said? And enough to make you feel truly stuffed at a Thanksgiving dinner. This way healthier holiday stuffing alternative from Health Coach Institute is loaded with protein from lentils and fiber from whole-grain bread and – it's vegan as the recipe replaces egg with flax seeds and butter or margarine with olive oil.

You’ll need:

• 1 large loaf whole-grain bread or 2 small baguettes, cubed and set out to dry overnight (9 cups loosely packed)
• 3/4 cup uncooked green lentils
• 3 tablespoons olive oil or vegan butter (or use a mix of both)
• 1/2 cup white onions, diced
• 3/4 cup celery, diced
• salt and pepper
• 3 – 3 1/2 cups vegetable broth (plus more for cooking lentils)
• 1 flax egg (1 tablespoon flaxseed meal plus 2 1/2 tablespoons water)
• 3/4 teaspoon dried sage or 1 1/4 teaspoon fresh sage, chopped

Here’s how to make it:

1. The night before, cube your bread and set it in a large bowl to dry out. You want it to be the texture of day-old bread, noticeably dry but not rock hard.
2. The day of, if you haven't already cooked your lentils, do so now by thoroughly rinsing 3/4 cup lentils in cold water, then adding to a small saucepan with 1 1/2 cups veggie broth or water. Cook over medium-high heat until a low boil is achieved, and then lower to a simmer and continue cooking uncovered for 20-30 minutes. Set aside.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line a 9×13-inch pan (or comparable sized dish) with foil or spray with nonstick spray. Also prepare flax egg and set aside.
4. Sauté onion and celery in the olive oil or vegan butter and season with a bit of salt and pepper. Cook until fragrant and translucent, about 5 minutes. Set aside.
5. To the bowl of bread, pour most of the broth then add the remaining ingredients (sage, cooked veggies, flax egg and lentils) and mix with a wooden spoon. The key is to make sure it is about the consistency of a meatloaf. If it's too dry, add more broth and mix again. If it's gotten too wet, add more bread.
6. Transfer to the prepared pan and cover with foil. Bake for 45 minutes. Then remove the top layer of foil so the top can brown. Increase heat to 400 degrees F and bake for another 10-15 minutes or until the top is well browned and crisp.
7. Remove from oven and let cool slightly before serving. Leftovers reheat well in the microwave or oven, though best when fresh.