Cheddar Pumpkin Stuffing

With sautéed apples, cheddar cheese and pumpkin puree, this vegetarian stuffing is sure to be a welcome addition to any Thanksgiving menu.

While her version was delicious and holds such great memories, it’s been fun to play around with different flavors and my own vegetarian friendly combinations to spice it up a bit.

This pumpkin-cheddar stuffing may in fact be my favorite vegetarian stuffing so far!

Stale bread works best when making stuffing of any kind, so try to use a loaf that is at least a day old. I also like to cut the bread into cubes a day in advance, which helps them get even a little more stale and cuts down on prep time on Thanksgiving Day.

Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 onion diced
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 2 small apples peeled, cored and diced
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh sage leaves
• 1 ½ teaspoons minced fresh thyme leaves
• 1 approximately 10-ounce loaf stale crusty bread, cut into ¾-inch cubes
• ¾ cup shredded cheddar cheese 3 ounces
• ¾ cup pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie filling
• ½ cup vegetable broth
• 1 large egg

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Spray a large (3-quart) casserole dish with an oil mister and set aside.
• Add the olive oil to a medium skillet set over medium heat. When hot, add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until it starts to soften, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds, until fragrant. Add the apples and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the salt, pepper, sage and thyme. Pour into a large bowl and add the bread cubes and cheese.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, broth and egg until combined. Pour it over the veggies, bread and cheese and toss until everything is combined and the pieces are evenly coated.
• Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish and cover with aluminum foil. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove the aluminum foil and bake until the top is golden brown, about 20 more minutes more.

Nutrition