Butternut Squash Stuffing Recipe- Running on Real Food

About this Stuffing

If you’re looking to try something new for your holiday menu, how about roasted butternut squash stuffing for a twist on the classic Thanksgiving side dish?

This recipe features traditional stuffing flavours like thyme, sage, apple, onion and celery with soft but crispy sourdough bread. The roasted butternut squash adds a hint of sweetness that pairs well with the tart apple and fresh herbs.

Not only will this stuffing make your home smell amazing, it’s sure to be a favourite part of your Thanksgiving dinner or any other holiday meal.

Serve your homemade stuffing with mains like stuffed butternut squash or chickpea loaf or more sides like mashed potatoes, green beans, gravy and Brussels sprouts.

Ingredient Notes

Please note the full ingredient list is located in the recipe card at the bottom of the post. This section covers notes on each ingredient and any substitutions.

• Butternut Squash: You’ll need 1 small to medium-sized butternut squash or about 5-6 cups cubed. You can use frozen butternut squash cubes but I’d recommend using fresh. You can substitute another variety of squash or try sweet potato.
• Olive Oil: You can use olive oil or another other cooking oil for roasting the squash.
• Bread: I like sourdough bread for stuffing but something like brioche or challah bread or any kind of crusty bread is also nice. In a pinch any bread works and you can also use gluten-free bread if needed.
• Butter: Use any brand of plant-based butter. If you’re not vegan you can use regular butter.
• Onion: You can use white or yellow onion.
• Celery: You’ll need 4-5 stalks of fresh celery.
• Apple: Use a tart green apple variety such as Granny Smith.
• Garlic: You’ll need 3 cloves of raw garlic.
• Fresh Sage: This stuffing really shines with fresh sage and thyme but you can substitute 2 tsp dried sage and 1 tsp ground thyme for the fresh herbs if needed.
• Fresh Parsley: You’ll need fresh parsley.
• Broth: Any vegetable broth you enjoy works. You can use carton broth, homemade vegetable broth or mix up some bouillon.
• Nuts: It’s optional to sprinkle your stuffing with chopped pecans or walnuts. I like pecans over walnuts but both work. They add a bit of nutty flavour and crunch.

Step 1: Prepare the Bread

You have two options for preparing the bread for your stuffing. Cube the bread and then:

1. Spread it out on a baking sheet and leave it out overnight, uncovered, to dry it out.
2. Spread it a single layer a baking sheet and bake for about 10 minutes at 300 F until lightly crisp and a little golden. Be careful not to burn it!

Quick Note: Do not skip this step or your stuffing will be mushy. Bread that’s been left out uncovered for a day is ideal, though if you haven’t prepared in advance, the oven method works well. You want the bread to be a bit hard and crunchy.

Step 2: Roast the Squash

Preheat the oven to 400 F and start preparing the butternut squash. To prepare the squash:

1. Cut the stems off the top and bottom so it’s flat on either end.
2. Peel the squash then cut it in half crosswise so you have the top half and bottom half.
3. Cut each piece in half lengthwise.
4. Scoop the pulp and seeds out of the bottom half.
5. Cube the squash.

The recipe calls for 5 cups of cubed squash which is roughly a small to medium-sized squash. You can use a bit more or less if you like. The amount doesn’t have to be exact.

If you have extra squash, you can use it in a soup or salad like this roasted squash salad or slow cooker butternut squash soup.

Step 3: Saute the Aromatics

Once the squash is in the oven, chop your onion, celery, apple, garlic and fresh herbs.

Melt the butter in a large skillet or pot. Once melted, add the onion, garlic, celery and apple and cook those for 7-8 minutes until they’re softened.

Add the fresh sage and thyme and cook for another 1-2 minutes.

Quick Note: If you have a Dutch oven, you can use that to saute as it will be big enough to mix the stuffing in. If you do not have a large pot, you can use any pan to saute then transfer everything to a mixing bowl to mix the stuffing in step 4.

Step 4: Mix the Stuffing

You can either mix the stuffing up in the pot if it’s large enough or transfer everything to a large mixing bowl to combine.

Combine the roasted butternut squash, bread and vegetable mixture, along with 1.5 cups of the broth and mix well.

Taste and season with more salt and pepper. Note that some vegan butters and vegetable stocks are saltier than others, so taste and season as you proceed through the recipe.

After you’ve mixed it up, assess the amount of broth needed. The stuffing should be completely moistened but not soaking or soggy. We’re going to add more broth in the final step before baking.

Grease a 9×13-inch casserole dish then add the stuffing to the dish. Drizzle with more broth and sprinkle with the pecans, if you’re adding them.

Step 5: Bake the Stuffing

Cover the dish with foil and bake for 25 minutes then remove the foil and bake for another 20-25 minutes until the bread is browned and crispy on top.

Variations

• Add up to 1/2 cup dried cranberries when you mix everything together.
• Try the same volume of leeks as a substitute for onions or try a mixture of both.
• Roast 1-2 cups quartered Brussels sprouts with the squash.
• Add up to 1 cup cooked wild rice or a wild rice blend.
• Add 1-2 cups thinly sliced mushrooms with the onions.
• For classic stuffing try this easy vegan stuffing recipe.

Making Ahead

• You can dry out the bread 1-2 days ahead. If the bread is ready but you’re not ready to cook yet, store the bread in a sealed bag or container until you’re ready.
• You can cook the onion mixture 1-2 days and advance and store it in the fridge.
• You can bake the stuffing ahead of time, cover with foil then reheat in the oven at 350 F for 10-15 minutes before serving.
• You can assemble the entire casserole, up until the point of baking, then cover and place in your fridge tightly covered for 1-2 days. Remove from fridge 45 mins before baking (to come to room temperature). 

Storing

• Store leftover squash stuffing in the fridge for up to 4 days.
• It can be stored wrapped in the casserole dish or transfered to an airtight container.
• Reheat stuffing in the microwave in individual portions or in the oven at 350 F for about 10 minutes until heated through.