In my eyes, there are a few essential elements of a good Christmas dinner, and stuffing is one of them (even if you've not actually got anything to stuff it into...).
So don't miss out - just whip up a quick batch of vegetarian stuffing to serve alongside your roasties, nut roast, vegetable side dishes, and whatever else you're serving up for Christmas dinner this year.
A lot of stuffing recipes are made with meat, so it can be tricky to figure out where to start when making a vegetarian stuffing. But don't be put off - this mushroom and chestnut stuffing is so easy. Seriously, so unbelievably easy.
You literally just need to throw a few ingredients in a food processor, and you're most of the way there. Sautéed mushrooms and onions, parsley, cooked chestnuts (I used the vacuum-packed kind, but tinned ones would work well too), and some bread to hold everything together - I used wholewheat bread, because I'm virtuous like that.
The mixture will end up fairly thick and dry - it looks a lot like stuffing, to be honest. You just need to transfer it to a baking dish, and throw it in the oven until it crisps up. Don't worry about smoothing it out on top - those nooks and crannies are the bits that are going to get extra crispy!
The great thing about this stuffing is that it's not particularly time-sensitive. There's so much going on when you're trying to cook a Christmas dinner that it can be tricky to make sure everything's ready to serve at the exact same moment. This vegetarian stuffing doesn't cause any problems, as it can be ready whenever you are. It doesn't really matter if it cooks for 30 minutes or for a full hour, it'll just be varying degrees of crispy!
The end result is a really, really tasty stuffing. It's soft and moist inside (the chestnuts are perfect for giving that lovely texture), but really nice and crispy around the edges, and it's full of flavour. Oh, and it loves gravy too - so make sure you have some on the table! I'll be sharing a gravy recipe next week, in case you're not prepared.
And there you have it! Easy peasy vegetarian stuffing.
📖 Printable Recipe
Mushroom and chestnut vegetarian stuffing
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Print Pin CommentIngredients
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1 small red onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 300 g mushrooms (~ 10 medium mushrooms)
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried sage
- 180 g cooked and peeled chestnuts, e.g. tinned or vacuum-packed (~ 1 cup)
- 100 g wholemeal bread (~ 2 inch thick slice of a large loaf)
- Small bunch fresh parsley
- Salt
- Black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 190°C (Gas Mark 5 / 375°F).
- Heat the oil in a frying pan, and add the diced onions, garlic and mushrooms. Cook over a medium heat for about 5 minutes, until the vegetables are soft and any excess liquid has evaporated.
- Transfer the vegetables to a food processor, along with the remaining ingredients. Season generously, and blitz until the mixture just comes together.
- Transfer the stuffing mixture to a baking dish, and bake for around 40 minutes, until crispy on top. Serve warm.
Nutritional information is approximate, and will depend on your exact ingredients. Please calculate your own nutritional values if you require accuracy for health reasons.
Note: Nutritional information is approximate, and will depend on exactly what ingredients you choose.
Herb fan says
Can you use fresh herbs (thyme, oregano and sage) instead of dried?
Becca Heyes says
Absolutely! Just chop them nice and finely, and remove any particularly tough stalks.
Sandra says
Hi, can you use this recipe to stuff a turkey?
Becca Heyes says
Hi, I'm afraid I'm a vegetarian so have never tried stuffing a turkey. Probably worth a try!
ROBIN says
This will be the third Christmas that I've made this stuffing and it's a hit every time!
I make it on Christmas Eve, store it covered in the fridge, then cook it on the day itself.
I find that spreading out the mixture in a wide shallow dish gives a greater surface area for extra crispy bits!
By the way, I'm not vegetarian.
Becca @ Easy Cheesy Vegetarian says
Thanks Robin, that's lovely feedback! :)
Morag Taylor says
Ok this freezes well froze it in small foul dishes before cooking, then defrosted about an hour and an extra ten minutes in the oven. Absolutely perfect. When I made it i was short of onion so added arib of celery just added to th overall flavour and texture. Definatly a keeper!!
Becca @ Easy Cheesy Vegetarian says
Awesome! Thanks for the feedback about freezing, that's really good to know :)
Tim says
This worked out really well, was super tasty and easy to make. I was was really low on ingredients so used 3 cup mushrooms and made up the rest with Shitakes. Went really well with our Christmas dinner. Even the baby was shovelling it away.
Becca @ Easy Cheesy Vegetarian says
Fab, thank you so much! Glad you enjoyed it :)
Karen says
Sounds perfect -just what I was looking for!
Can you assemble it and then freeze it? ie prepare in advance the next defrost and cook on Xmas day?
Becca @ Amuse Your Bouche says
I haven't tried freezing it I'm afraid, though I can't think why it wouldn't work? Or you could just prepare it a day or two in advance, keep it in the fridge, and just bake it on Christmas Day :)
Morag Taylor says
It does freeze, very well.
Oana@AdoreFoods says
Such an interesting idea to add chestnuts to stuffing. Looks really good and I am almost tasting the combination, Saving it to make it soon!
Marisa Franca @ All Our Way says
I love the addition of chestnuts in your stuffing. I don't know why we make it only during the holidays -- with something like your recipe it would make a perfect side throughout the year. Great recipe!!
Lesley @ Cheap Vegetarian Meals says
Oh Becca this looks absolutely perfect to serve with the nut loaf I have planned for our vegetarian Christmas at home this year (first time, so excited!). I've been searching for the perfect stuffing and I think I just found it!
Thanks for sharing :)
Becca @ Amuse Your Bouche says
Really hope you enjoy it Lesley, and your nut loaf too! Merry Christmas! :)