Specked with fresh herbs, apples, cranberries, and pecans, everyone will love this flavor-filled stuffing - and nobody will guess its little secret: it's vegetarian, vegan, AND gluten-free! Plus, the addition of protein-rich quinoa gives this hearty stuffing main-dish cred - perfect for those that prefer to skip the turkey.
Yield: 8
Ingredients
2tablespoonsolive oil + more for greasing the baking dish + more for drizzling over the top
1large yellow onionfinely chopped
2stalks celerychopped [about 1/2 cup]
2medium Granny Smith applespeeled and diced
2medium cloves garlicpeeled and finely minced
2tablespoonsfresh thyme leavesminced
1teaspoonkosher salt + more to taste
1/2cupdry-ish white wineI like Sauv Blanc for both cooking and drinking; Chardonnay would work well too
4cupslow-sodium vegetable broth
2cupsuncooked wild rice blend*I prefer a blend of 50% wild rice and 50% brown rice
1cupuncooked quinoarinsed well
1 1/2cupsdried cranberries
1cupraw pecanschopped
1/2cupchopped fresh Italian parsley + 1/4 cup more for topping after baking
1/4cupfresh sage leavesminced
Instructions
Place a large pot over medium heat. Add the oil. When hot, add the onions and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the apples, garlic, thyme, and salt. Cook, stirring frequently, for one more minute. Stir in wine, then add broth. Bring to a boil. Stir in the wild rice blend and reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer, covered, until the rice is tender, about 35 minutes. Stir in the quinoa and cover again. Cook until the quinoa is tender, about 15 more minutes. Stir in the cranberries, pecans, 1/2 cup parsley, and sage. Taste and add additional salt if desired. Remove from heat.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Rub a large (9-inch x 13-inch is best) casserole dish with a little olive oil. Lightly scoop the rice mixture into the casserole dish, lightly mounding it instead of mashing it down.
Bake until golden brown, 25-30 minutes. Drizzle with a little more olive oil and sprinkle with remaining chopped parsley. Serve.
Notes
Wild Rice/Gluten-Free Note
Some wild rice blends contain pasta, so if you need a 100% gluten free stuffing, please be careful about the blend you choose!