Kat with a K: Vegetarian Stuffing and Gravy?

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November 06, 2007

Vegetarian Stuffing and Gravy?

Food and cooking

I've been thinking about Thanksgiving, and what I would and wouldn't be able to eat, and what I actually cared about. I quickly realized that I never really liked turkey, even when I ate meat, so that's no loss. I do like stuffing and gravy, though. (And most of the rest of the meal is pretty veggie-friendly.) So I've decided that I should make and bring some vegetarian stuffing and gravy - enough to share, of course, and if no one else wants it, I guess I'll have lots of leftovers. Yum. I want to try a few different options so I know that what I bring actually tastes good. Anyone have any favorites? I have a few options from various cookbooks, but it's always nice to know of personal recommendations.

My criteria:
1. Relatively easy-to-find ingredients.
2. Not terribly long to make or kitchen-hogging, as I'll probably be doing this at my mom's house Thanksgiving morning and bringing it to my aunt's, and my mom will likely be cooking something to bring as well. (Hi Mom! Mind if I share the kitchen? I'll call you tonight to talk about it!)
3. Not mushroom-centric. I don't like mushrooms. I'm considering trying to get over this, as 98% of vegetarian options in restaurants, for one thing, involve mushrooms. So... a few mushrooms are okay, but nothing completely mushroom-flavored.
4. Bonus points if the stuffing involves mostly whole grains.

I'll let you know what I try and how it works!

Posted by Kat at November 6, 2007 07:52 AM

Comments

It's pretty easy to make a vegetarian sage-onion stuffing, if you like that style. Start with a whole-grain bread loaf or two, depending on how much stuffing you want to make. I have taken to baking the bread myself (in a machine) and adding the sage right into the dough, rather than sprinkling it on afterward. But obviously either route works. Saute an onion and a few sticks of celery. I like butter for stuffing, but you can fiddle with oil instead -- but I'd use canola, not something stronger like olive oil. Meanwhile, cook up a cup of wild rice. It takes about 45 minutes to crack open the kernels. Mix the bread, the rice, the onion and celery and sage, pat it into a casserole, you can add an egg if you want for a little firmness if you're not vegan, douse with vegetarian broth, cover and bake. Take the cover off in the last 15 minutes to crisp up the top.

I add mushrooms to this stuffing, but don't much taste them between the nuttiness of the wild rice and the sage in the bread.

I bet there are lots of vegetarian stuffing options on google. Let us know what catches your eye.

Posted by: Jody at November 6, 2007 10:40 PM

I have a really good vegetarian stuffing recipe that I used when I did Thanksgiving a couple of years ago. (My dad's a vegetarian.) I'll see if I can track it down for you.

Posted by: KnitPrincess at November 7, 2007 04:35 PM