This gluten-free quinoa stuffing combines savory herbs, butternut squash, cranberries and pecans for a hearty and flavorful Thanksgiving side.

I love a traditional Thanksgiving table, but I also like putting a healthier spin on the classics, and this quinoa stuffing is one I have been making for years! It hits all the same notes as the stuffing you grew up with—the sage and thyme, the celery and onion, the toasted pecans on top, just built on quinoa instead of bread. That makes it naturally gluten-free and vegan, which matters when you are feeding a crowd and someone at the table cannot eat wheat.

That said, this is a dish for the modern Thanksgiving table. Isaac, my husband, is a traditional stuffing loyalist, so I usually make my sourdough stuffing alongside it and everyone gets what they want.

Ingredients Needed for Quinoa Stuffing

• quinoa – rinse it before cooking, since the natural coating on quinoa is bitter and rinsing takes about ten seconds. Any color works, though white quinoa gives you the fluffiest texture here.
• yellow onion, garlic and celery – the aromatic base that makes this taste like actual stuffing. Do not skip the celery, since it is doing a lot of the traditional flavor work.
• butternut squash – adds sweetness and body. Buy it pre-cubed to save yourself the peeling and chopping, which is what I do when I am cooking for a holiday.
• baby bella mushrooms – they bring a savory, almost meaty depth that keeps a meatless stuffing from tasting thin. Cremini and baby bella are the same thing.
• vegetable broth – used to steam the squash and pull the flavors together.
• vegan butter – gives the vegetables their richness.
• fresh sage – the single most important seasoning in any stuffing recipe. Fresh is worth it here and dried will not give you the same thing.
• pecans – toasted on top in the oven, which is where a lot of the texture comes from.
• dried cranberries – little pockets of tartness against the savory herbs.

Find the full ingredient list with measurements in the recipe card below.

How to Make Quinoa Stuffing

Step 1: Cook the quinoa with the water and bay leaf until fluffy and all the liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Remove the bay leaf.

Step 2: Sauté the onion, garlic, and celery in butter until softened, then add the mushrooms and cook a few minutes more.

Step 3: Add the squash, broth, and seasonings. Cover and cook 5 minutes, then uncover and simmer 10 minutes more until the squash is fork tender and the broth has mostly evaporated.

Step 4: Combine the quinoa, vegetable mixture, and cranberries in a large bowl. Transfer to a 9×13 dish, top with pecans, and bake at 375°F for 20 minutes until the pecans are toasted.

What to Serve With Butternut Squash Quinoa Stuffing

This is a Thanksgiving side first, but it earns a spot on the table year round. Here is what I put next to it:

• Main dish: If you are doing a plant-based Thanksgiving, my lentil loaf is a great main to serve this with. It also works alongside roast turkey or air fryer turkey breast if you are going traditional.
• Other sides: It sits comfortably alongside my healthy green bean casserole, sweet potato casserole, and healthy cranberry sauce.
• Something fresh: A shredded kale and brussels sprout salad cuts through everything else on the plate, which a holiday table badly needs.
• As a weeknight main: Outside of the holidays, add a fried egg or some roasted chickpeas and it becomes dinner. This is how most of the leftovers get eaten in our house.

How to Prep and Store Quinoa Stuffing

• Make ahead: Cook the quinoa and the vegetable mixture up to two days in advance and store them in separate airtight containers in the fridge. When you are ready, combine with the cranberries, transfer to the baking dish, top with pecans, and bake as directed.
• Fridge: Cool completely, then store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave or covered in a 350°F oven until warmed through.
• Freezer: Freeze baked and cooled stuffing for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat covered so the pecans do not burn. The texture softens slightly but it holds up well.

Frequently Asked Questions