This grain free stuffing tastes just like the glutenous version, but is heavy on the veggies, and comes in cute muffin shapes for perfect personal portions!
Do you call it stuffing or dressing? Hailing from the Northeast, my family refers to it as stuffing, but whatever you choose to call it, it’s a necessary item at any holiday feast.
Growing up I always requested the infamous “stuffing in a box,” and my mom would break out the Pepperidge Farm and whip me up my favorite stuffing. She would also make an “adult” version with cranberries, and maybe some apples and sausage, but I liked the good old simple kind. It was light and fluffy, bursting with herb and buttery flavors and I loved it!
As I grew up, my taste buds did too. I’ve tried all the other fancy adult stuffings, and I like them, don’t get me wrong, but I still have a special place in my heart for the boxed version. For the holiday season this year I wanted to make a healthy grain free stuffing that fell somewhere in the middle between the adult and child version; a stuffing that everyone at the table will enjoy! This recipe is loosely adapted and inspired by the Rachel Ray version- which are great! I also included a link in the recipe section to Grain Free Stuffing from Danielle Walker at Against All Grain (awesome blog! great recipes!), and her’s includes a recipe to make your own bread.
Stuffin’ Muffins {Grain-Free & Gluten-Free}
- 1 loaf of almond bread (7.5” x 3.5”, I used Simple Mills Artisan Bread Almond Flour Mix Or make your own-Recipe from Against All Grain:/ (Will yield around 4 cups of ¼” bread cubes., cut into cubes)
- 3 macintosh apples (¼”, peeled and diced into cubes)
- 2 cups of turnip (¼”, peeled and diced and roasted*)
- 2 cups of celery root (you may substitute parsnip, or do 4 cups of either turnip, parsnip,or celery root, ¼”, peeled and diced and roasted*)
- 2 ribs of celery (chopped)
- 1 yellow onion (diced)
- 1 ½ cups to 2 cups of chicken or veggie broth
- 2 eggs
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 bay leaf
- ¼ cup of fresh parsley leaves (chopped)
- 2 tablespoons of poultry seasoning
- salt and pepper to taste
- Place the bread cubes on a cookie sheet and dry them out in the oven at 200 degrees for about 15-20 minutes, or until they are dry like bread crumbs.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
- Place the diced turnip and celery root on a greased cookie sheet or roasting pan, and coat with olive oil (I used a mister) and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Roast the root veggies for about 45 minutes, or until fork tender and golden brown on the edges.
- Meanwhile heat a large skillet over medium high heat, and add the 4 tablespoons of butter and the bay leaf.
- Add the onions and celery, and cook a few minutes until translucent.
- Add the apples and seasonings (poultry seasoning, salt, pepper).
- Cook for about 5 minutes or until all the ingredients are softened.
- Turn off the heat, then add the dry bread cubes and roasted root veggies, and mix.
- In a separate bowl whisk 1 ½ cups of broth and 2 eggs (use 3 eggs if your eggs are not large).
- Pour the egg and broth mixture evenly over the bread and veggie stuffing and mix to coat evenly. The broth should moisten the mixture, but do not add so much that it become soggy.
- To test the consistency see if you can make a ball of stuffing in you hand that will hold its shape. If it doesn’t add additional broth until it does hold its shape.
- Grease a muffin tin generously with butter.
- Scoop the stuffing into the muffin tin and compact it tightly by pressing down with your hand so it will take the muffin shape and hold together.
- Bake in the oven at 375 degrees for about 15-20 minutes, or until golden and crisp on top.
- Remove and allow to cool for best removal.
- Use a knife to loosen the muffin by running it along and down the sides. (I found it best to loosen the edges with the knife, then I used a fork to lift up the muffin out of the tin.)
- If needed you can them place them on a pan to reheat in the oven.
- *Additional tips- It may be best to bake one muffin as a test to make sure they hold shape before you bake the entire batch. If you are having trouble getting the muffins to hold shape upon removal, make sure they are cooled first, try adding more broth or an additional egg to the mixture, and make sure you compact the stuffing tightly into the greased muffin tin.
