No need to skip out on Thanksgiving dinner stuffing anymore! This Low FODMAP Stuffing recipe is made with gluten free bread. It skips the ingredients that are not FODMAP friendly without sacrificing flavor. It is filled with cubes of bread, celery, leeks, and savory Italian sausage. The whole family will love this tasty stuffing or dressing - no matter what you call it.
Gluten free bread, by its nature, is already on the dry side; well it is true, which is exactly what stuffing needs! Dry, stale bread is needed to soak up the broth and spices without disintegrating the bread into complete mush. Toasting the bread cubes in the oven or leaving them out overnight will set them up for creating perfect stuffing.
Stuffing Ingredients
Variety of Gluten Free Bread - I used a white gluten free bread and a gluten free bagel. The density of the bagel added a different texture. My favorite gluten free bread is Canyon House white bread and bagels.
Italian Sausage - Find a brand that does not have gluten, garlic or onion listed in the ingredients. I have never had an issue finding a suitable option in the grocery store.
Celery - Essential ingredients for stuffing, but not too much to make sure it is within a safe FODMAP serving size. Celery is one of those tricky ingredients that seems innocent, but a safe serving size is very small.
Leeks - I love using these in place of typical used onions. Use only the green leek tips. When fried, leeks smell like onions.
Water Chestnuts - A perfect texture replacement for the celery.
Green Onions - Only the green tops of the green onions, also called spring onion tops, keep this low FODMAP.
Garlic Infused Olive Oil - Use an option that doesn’t have garlic pieces in it. I love this certified low FODMAP brand from Amazon, or there is an option at Trader Joe’s.
Dairy Free Butter - If you do not have this on hand, you can use more garlic oil or try avocado oil. It is used to fry the veggies.
Chicken Stock - Use a low FODMAP chicken broth option or a homemade stock. Another option is a low FODMAP chicken soup base with boiling water.
Eggs - Used to hold the stuffing together.
Kosher Salt and Ground Black Pepper - Adjust to your taste preferences. If the sausage is on the saltier side, you will want to add only a little. It is easier to add versus take out.
Dried Sage - Classic stuffing spice. It smells like stuffing when you open the jar.
Dried Thyme - Another classic option. Adds that herby flavor.
Dried Rosemary - A hearty spice option that adds a savory flavor.
Poultry Seasoning - This spice compliments the turkey or roasted chicken. I love the spice mix from Penzey’s. It does not contain garlic or onion.
Fresh Thyme and Fresh Sage - Used as a garnish and optional.
See the recipe card for the exact measurements and complete instructions. Selected ingredients are based on current serving sizes measured by the Monash FODMAP App at the time of publishing. As always, follow your gut and modify as needed.
Jump to RecipeStuffing Instructions
Dice the gluten-free bread and bagels into cubes with a serrated knife and a cutting board. I like to cut the bread into small pieces similar in size to Stove Top stuffing—roughly a quarter-inch cube.
On two sheet pans, cover with parchment paper for easy clean up. Divide the bread evenly in a single layer between the two. Drizzle the garlic olive oil over the bread and stir.
Toast the bread at 300 degrees F for forty-five minutes. Remove and allow the bread to cool. Increase the oven temperature to 350 degrees F if baking the stuffing immediately.
In a large skillet, fry the sausage over medium heat for 10-15 minutes or until no longer pink. Drain the sausage on a plate covered with paper towel.
While the sausage is frying, prep the veggies. Drain the water chestnuts and wash the celery. Celery should be finely chopped to distribute evenly throughout the stuffing for maximum impact.
Next up, fill a medium sized bowl with water. Slice the green part only of the leeks and place in a bowl filled with water. Swish them around in the bowl. Doing this will allow the dirt to fall to the bottom of the bowl. Let them sit in the bowl for a bit so the grit can fall to the bottom of the bowl.
In the same skillet used for the sausage, add the dairy free butter and allow it to melt. It is just fine to leave the brown bits left over from the sausage. It is flavor! Turn the heat up to medium-high, and add the celery. Allow the celery to saute for two minutes. Next, add the leeks, green onions, and water chestnuts and fry for another two minutes. The veggies should be soft but not mushy. Saute for a bit longer if they are still crunchy. Set aside.
In a small bowl, beat the eggs.
Combine the beaten eggs and the chicken stock in a medium-sized bowl.
In a large mixing bowl, add the cooled toasted bread cubes, sausage meat, celery and leeks, green onion tops, and spices. Stir until combined.
Next, pour half of the stock, egg mixture over everything in the bowl. Gently stir. It is okay if some of the bread breaks apart. Allow the bread to soak up the mixture a bit. Next, add the remaining stock and egg mixture and stir again. Not all liquid will be absorbed, but most of it should be. It prevents the soggy bread.
Grease a baking dish with cooking spray or use a thin coat of dairy free butter. Either use a 9x13 or two smaller 8x8 baking dishes. Pour the bread mixture into the pan(s). Cover with aluminum foil.
Bake in a 350 degree oven for 25 minutes. Remove the aluminum foil and bake for another five minutes or until the top is crispy and golden brown. Top with fresh herbs, such as parsley or sage.
Serve immediately and enjoy!
Pro Tip: If you are like me and hate seeing gluten-free bread go to waste, freeze leftovers all year long. Now is the time to take out all the gluten free bread tucked away in the corners of the freezer: Defrost, cube, and toast. If there is any freezer burn on the bread that is perhaps beyond its prime, the toasting in garlic oil will bring it back to life.
Ingredient Substitutions
Gluten Free Bread Cubes - Find already prepared gluten free bread cubes unseasoned at the grocery store. They are a perfect shortcut.
Sourdough Bread - If you can tolerate small amounts of wheat and have access to sourdough bread, feel free to use this option for the bread.
Sausage Options - Swap out the Italian sausage for a sweet Italian sausage if you want add a sweet note. Or use bulk ground pork and make your own sausage.
Stuffing Variations
Stuffing with Cranberries - Add ¼ cup of dried cranberries before baking. It will add a touch of sweetness and color. Monash University has tested dried cranberries to be safe at one tablespoon per meal.
Stuffing with Walnuts - Add ½ cup of chopped walnuts. Adding walnuts will add another texture, and it is absolutely delicious. Walnuts have been tested by Monash University at 10 nut halves per meal.
Vegan Stuffing - Omit the sausage and eggs. Use a vegetable stock in place of the chicken stock, and use a dairy free butter or olive oil spread to saute the veggies.
Storing Leftovers
Keep any stuffing leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days. To reheat, you can zap it in the microwave for 2 minutes or until heated through. Another option is to reheat in the oven at 350 degrees F. Leave the baking dish out of the refrigerator while the oven heats up to temp, and then place it in the oven. Cover with tinfoil and warm until heated through.
Can I freeze stuffing leftovers?
Yes! Stuffing freezes beautifully and lasts for two months. Fully defrost the cooked stuffing and reheat in a 350 degree F covered until heated through.
How Far In Advance Can I Make Stuffing?
This stuffing recipe allows certain steps to be done in advance to make life easier. The entire recipe can be made the day in advance, covered with aluminum foil, and stored in the refrigerator. Allow the baking dish to sit at room temperature for thirty minutes before placing it in the oven.
Gluten free bread can be toasted up to four days in advance and kept in an airtight container.
Sausage can be fried and frozen weeks in advance and defrosted the night before the stuffing needs to be assembled.
Celery, Leeks, and Water Chestnuts can be chopped and sauteed the day before assembling the stuffing.
Then the only step that remains is beating the eggs and adding them to the chicken stock and adding it to the bread, sausage, and sauteed veggies. Gently stir and then bake.
More Low FODMAP Thanksgiving Recipes
- Cranberry Sauce
- Mashed Potatoes
- Gravy
- Green Bean Casserole
- Swedish Meatballs with Dairy Free Sauce
- Pumpkin Soup
- Pumpkin Pie
FAQs
Celery contains Mannitol, the M of the F-O-D-M-A-P. If you have passed the mannitol phase in the elimination phase and know you can tolerate more than what Monash University Food App has tested safe at 10 grams feel free to consume more. As with all things on the low FODMAP diet, it is always about serving size. A great swap for celery in stuffing is water chestnuts.
The quick answer is no. In reviewing the ingredients listed on the box of Stovetop Stuffing Chicken flavor, it contains the fructans: wheat, and onion. As for fructose, it has high fructose corn syrup, plus many ingredients I cannot pronounce, let alone spell.
Low FODMAP Stuffing
Ingredients
- 10 Cups Cubed Gluten Free Bread
- 2 Tablespoons Garlic Oil
- 1 pound Italian Sausage without gluten, garlic or onion
- 3 Tablespoons Dairy Free Butter or Butter
- ¾ cup Celery Chopped
- 2 Cans of Water Chestnuts Sliced
- 1 cup Leeks Green Tops
- ½ cup Green Onions Tops Only
- 3 cups Chicken Stock Low FODMAP Version
- 2 Eggs
- 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons Dried Sage
- 1 teaspoon Dried Thyme
- 1 teaspoon Dried Rosemary
- ½ teaspoon Poultry Seasoning
- ½ teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
- Fresh Thyme
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
- Dice the gluten-free bread and bagels into quarter-inch cubes with a serrated knife on a cutting board.
- On two sheet half sheet baking pans, cover with parchment paper for easy clean up. Divide the bread evenly in a single layer between the two. Drizzle the garlic olive oil over the bread and stir. Coating the bread in garlic oil.
- Toast in the 300 degree F oven for 30 minutes. Remove and cool.
- Increase the oven temperature to 350 degrees F.
- In a large skillet, fry the sausage over medium heat for 10-15 minutes or until no longer pink. Leave larger pieces of sausage for a meatier stuffing. Drain the sausage on a plate covered with paper towel.
- While the sausage is frying, prep the veggies. Drain the canned water chestnuts and wash the celery. Using a sharp knife and a cutting board, chop the celery into fine dice.
- Chop the tops of the green onions with kitchen shears or a knife on a cutting board.
- In the same skillet used for frying the Italian sausage, melt the dairy free butter.
- Once the butter melts, add the celery. Cook over medium heat for two minutes. Next add the sliced leeks and green onions. Cook over medium heat for five minutes or until they become softened.
- In a small bowl, beat the eggs with a fork.
- In a medium bowl, combine the beaten eggs and the chicken stock.
- In a large bowl, add the cooled bread cubes, cooked sausage, and sauteed veggies. Next, add the dried rosemary, thyme, sage, poultry seasoning, salt and pepper.Pour half of the stock egg mixture over everything in the bowl. Gently stir. It is okay if some of the bread breaks apart. Allow the bread to soak up the mixture a bit. Next, add the remaining stock and egg mixture and stir again. Not all liquid will be absorbed, but most of it should be. It prevents the soggy bread.
- Grease a baking dish with cooking spray or dairy free butter. Either use a 9x13 or two smaller 8x8 baking dishes. Pour the bread mixture into the pan(s). Cover with aluminum foil.
- Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes. Remove the tinfoil and bake for 15 minutes or until the top is crispy and golden brown. Top with fresh herbs, such as parsley or sage.
- Serve warm and enjoy! Store leftovers in an airtight container and enjoy within four days. Stuffing can be made a day in advance and stored in the refrigerator.
Notes
Nutrition Information
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