Much Ado About Stuffing

The simple alternative is to replace the bread cubes in your wild rice stuffing with a gluten-free version. Since my exploration started, when gluten-free bread was gritty, heavy, and tasteless, I initially took a different route. This is where the wild rice came in.

Wild rice has a nutty flavor with the added texture of the outer hull. It mixes well with the richness of the mushrooms, fresh sage, pecans, and caramelized leeks. This dish pairs perfectly with the mushroom gravy and can be used to stuff the turkey or baked in a dish of its own.

Ingredients for Wild Rice Stuffing

• 1 cup cooked wild rice
• 1.5 cups gluten-free dried bread cubes
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 cup chopped leeks
• 2 cups chopped mushrooms (shitake, portobello, or your favorite)
• 2 garlic cloves, pressed or chopped
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley
• 1/4 cup sage
• 1/8 cup thyme
• 1 cup mushroom or vegetable broth
• pink sea salt and fresh ground pepper

Instructions for Wild Rice Stuffing

1. Pre-cook wild rice as directed. Prepare your gluten-free bread by cutting the slices into cubes, arranging on a baking sheet, and putting in your oven at 250 degrees until completely crisp.
2. Thin slice the white and pale green of the leek, chopping the circular pieces into smaller bits. Saute in olive oil until cooked through with a slight brown tint to caramelize. Add mushrooms and garlic to the pan. With additional oil, cook through. Add chopped celery into pan and cook to soften.
3. Add wild rice, bread cubes, pecans, parsley, sage, and thyme into the pan. Mix well then slowly add the broth, incorporating into stuffing until all bread cubes are soft with the broth. Add more broth or water if needed. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Stuff turkey or pour mixture into a baking pan and cover with foil. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 15 minutes to toast the top of your stuffing.

I have one more gluten-free Thanksgiving recipe to share tomorrow, so stay tuned! ~ Lia and team