Stuffing! The absolute highlight of Thanksgiving, without a doubt. It’s truly undeniable that stuffing makes the entire meal and is what everyone is really looking forward too. It’s seems so backwards that most people probably never eat stuffing outside of the Thanksgiving meal + leftovers, especially since it is so universally beloved!

I’ve made cornbread stuffing before (UGH to DIE for), but typically I stick to the instant Stove Top stuff (see exhibit A) because it’s so tried and true. No complaints about Stove Top here, but I figured it was high time I try my own take on stuffing, particularly with Thanksgiving right around the corner.

I’m calling this a stuffing casserole because it includes carrots and sausage, which are not typical stuffing ingredients. I added those ingredients because I wanted to eat this as a stand alone dish with enough substance and nutrition to make it acceptable. 😂 I think I succeeded, but please see for yourself!

Ingredients
7-8 slices peasant bread, torn into small 1 inch cubes
2 Tbsp olive oil, separated
1 yellow onion, diced
1 carrot, peeled and diced
2 celery stalks, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 vegan sausage, diced
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
salt
1 tsp poultry seasoning
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth, plus more if desired

Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place torn bread cubes onto a baking sheet and toast in the oven until lightly golden. Meanwhile, in a skillet over medium heat, add 1 Tbsp olive oil, onion, carrot, and celery, and saute until softened. Add garlic and a pinch of salt, and saute another 1-2 minutes. Next, add the sausage and parsley and saute until everything is warmed through. In a large bowl, combine toasted bread cubes, vegetables/sausage, poultry seasoning, salt to taste, and then drizzle 1 Tbsp olive oil and vegetable broth over the stuffing mixture. Carefully toss mixture to evenly incorporate the broth. If it seems too dry, add more broth. It should be moist but not completely mushy. Pour into a lightly greased casserole dish and cover with tinfoil. Bake for 25 minutes and then uncover for an additional 15 minutes. Serve immediately.

Serves 4