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Vegetarian Cornbread and cranberry stuffing in a skillet

Vegetarian Cornbread and Cranberry Stuffing

The first time I had cornbread and cranberry stuffing, I fell in love. It was somehow richer than normal stuffing, but still soft and filled with earthy aromatics and punches of sweet cranberries. To date it was my favorite Thanksgiving stuffing, and I'm excited to recreate it with this vegetarian version. You can use whatever cornbread you like best, just make sure it can slice into nice big cubes.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings: 8 servings, 1 3.5-quart braising dish or one 9 by 13-inch pan

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 pounds of cornbread, about one 9-inch skillet, my preferred recipe is here: https://ventre-mince.today/skillet-cornbread-with-serrano-cilantro-dressing/%3C/span%3E%3C/li%3E%3Cli class="wprm-recipe-ingredient" style="list-style-type: none;" data-uid="1">1/2 cup dried cranberries
  • 1/2 cup hot water
  • 1/4 cup pecans
  • 3 ounces scallions
  • 2 large celery ribs
  • 3-4 large rosemary springs
  • 4 thyme sprigs
  • 8 tablespoons salted butter
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • Diamond Crystal kosher salt
  • Freshly cracked black pepper
  • 6 ounces, or 2 links, vegetarian sausage brand of choice
  • 3 eggs
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream

Instructions 

  1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F.
  2. Cut the cornbread into 1 to 2-inch cubes, scatter the cubes onto two half sheet pans. Roast in the oven for 15-20 minutes, flipping halfway through, until the cubes are dried out.
  3. In a small bowl, add 1/2 cup of cranberries. Pour 1/2 cup hot water over them and set them to the side to soften.
  4. Chop up the pecans and set aside. Thinly slice the scallions and celery and set aside. Remove the rosemary leaves and thyme leaves from their stems.
  5. In a large skillet over medium heat, add the 8 tablespoons of butter. Let the butter melt, then add the rosemary, thyme and pecans. Toast for 3-4 minutes, until the pecans are fragrant and the rosemary is curling. Scoop the herbs and nuts out of the pan and into a large bowl, but leave the butter behind.
  6. Add the 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil to the pan along with the scallions and celery. Cook for 8-12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have softened. Season with salt and pepper. During this time, break up the vegetarian sausage into crumbles, drain the cranberries, and in a small bowl, whisk together the eggs and heavy cream.
  7. Next add the sausage to the pan and cook for 5-6 minutes or until it has taken on some light browning. Turn off the heat.
  8. In the bowl with the herbs and nuts, add the dried cornbread cubes, the cooked vegetables and sausage, the drained cranberries, and the egg mixture. Stir gently to just combine. The cornbread may start to crumble in this step, don't worry about it, but don't overmix it until it is mush. Try to gently get everything combined.
  9. Pour this into a baking dish or braiser. Roast covered for 30 minutes, then uncovered for another 30 minutes. Pull it out when it is golden brown and serve warm.
Serving: 0.5cupCalories: 357kcalCarbohydrates: 27gProtein: 6gFat: 25g