It’s no secret that stuffing is a favourite at the Thanksgiving dinner table. This Pumpkin Cranberry Stuffing has a flavour profile that perfectly encompasses the fall season! It’s a dish that most I look forward to eating all year!
Growing up in a Portuguese family though, the Thanksgiving classics that we all know and love, including stuffing, were never part of our tradition. Now that I’m older with a more experienced palette, I have come to realize how delicious these dishes are and will no longer be negotiable during this season!
In an attempt to get the rest of my family on board, I like to bring a new Thanksgiving dish to our gathering every year! Since stuffing is so easy, customizable and hard not to love, this year I felt inspired to create an updated stuffing recipe using roasted pumpkin, fresh cranberries, and Silver Hills Sprouted Bread. I just know this dish will win them over!
Unlike my other stuffing recipe this version is entirely meat and dairy-free, making it the perfect plant-based addition to any Thanksgiving spread. What may lack ingredients certainly does not lack in flavour, and the best part is that it’s a dish that everyone can enjoy. The roasted pumpkin acts as a hearty and filling substitute for meat, while the cranberries provide that sweet tartness and aromatic flavour. To top it off, I ended up adding in some warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg and a touch of maple syrup and wow, it’s like fall in a dish.
Sprouted High-Fiber Bread
No stuffing would be complete without the perfect bread though, which is why I chose to use Silver Hills Bakery sprouted bread for this recipe. Not only does it soak up all of the stuffing’s flavours to make the most classic, moist and fragrant stuffing, but also provides extra nutritional value in comparison to using regular bread. The sprouting process of Silver Hills Bakery bread makes the nutrients more readily available, lowers the gluten and antinutrients, and has a lower glycemic index, making it easier to digest. Their bread is also made from organic, non-gmo ingredients, making this dish HealthNut friendly!
Join me in impressing your guests this Thanksgiving with this healthy Pumpkin Cranberry Stuffing! What dish are you looking most forward to this Thanksgiving? Do you have any family traditions? Let me know in the comments below!
Fun fact: I used to not like pumpkin pie (shocking, I know!) until I created my own healthy version and now I’m converted. I guess I just never liked the overly sweet store-bought versions. You can find my Easy Healthy Pumpkin Pie recipe here, or try these Healthy Pumpkin Pie Squares that are gluten-free and dairy-free!
Giving extra thanks to Silver Hills this season for sponsoring this blogpost and supporting the HealthNut Community!
If you make this recipe, be sure to share a photo on social media and tag me @healthnutnutrition and #healthnuteats so that I can see your creations!
Recipe
Pumpkin Cranberry Stuffing
Ingredients:
- 1 loaf Silver Hills, Sprouted Organic Heritage Grain Big Red's Bread™ cut into chunks
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 small onion diced
- 4 cups pumpkin peeled and chopped
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 2 ribs celery sliced
- 2 cups . cremini mushrooms chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp fresh rosemary chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh sage chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme chopped
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 2 tbsp unsalted plant based or regular butter melted
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Lightly grease a baking dish (I used a 9 x 9 x 2 inches pan).
- Cut loaf of bread into 1-inch cubes, leaving crusts on. Spread into an even layer on one large baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes until bread is lightly toasted and dry throughout.
- Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the olive oil, onion, pumpkin, maple syrup, cinnamon and nutmeg and cook for 10 minutes. Stirring often until the pumpkin has softened slightly and the onions are transplant and fragrant.
- Next, stir in the celery, mushrooms, garlic, season with salt and pepper and continue to cook for another 10 minutes until the pumpkin is fork tender (not mushy). Stir in the rosemary, sage and thyme and cook for another minute. Remove from heat and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, add in toasted bread chunks, vegetable broth, melted butter, pumpkin mixture, cranberries and gently toss to coat. Pour the stuffing mixture into your prepared baking dish.
- Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 35-40 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking for another 10-15 minutes or until the stuffing is golden on top. Serve warm as a side to your Thanksgiving dinner, drizzled with gravy.
Leave a comment
Should I cook it before I refrigerate – then warm the next day to serve?
Can this be made ahead of time
Yes you could definitely make this recipe ahead of time!
Yumm! Can’t wait to try making this recipe for thanksgiving this year!