A Chef Proves You Don't Need Bread For Delicious Thanksgiving Stuffing

It's never too early to start planning and prepping for November's big holiday feasts. You can't leave things to chance, especially when it comes to something like stuffing. A traditional Thanksgiving day stuffing recipe generally contains bread, that is, if your mom or dad made it with this binding carb during your childhood. But that's the funny thing about traditions: While there are plenty of shared foods we gobble up on this holiday of gratitude, there are also plenty of unique dishes. Enter Chef Ian Coogan, Culinary Director at Motel Morris in New York City, who grew up eating stuffing that didn't contain bread but instead featured other star ingredients.

Chef Coogan exclusively told Daily Meal, "I grew up in a household that didn't consume a lot of bread, so the stuffing I had was meat- and veggie-based, featuring ground pork and veal, chestnuts, mushrooms, raisins or cranberries, and plenty of garlic and parsley."

For those who love the taste and smell of beautiful sage stuffing or the flavor expectations of classic cornbread stuff, this may seem odd, but bread-free stuffing can be a nice change if you want to give guests a gluten-free option. "It remains my preferred version to this day," added Chef Coogan.

Chef Ian Coogan's approach allows for a lot of creativity, but you might be wondering how to bind all the ingredients together to create that cohesive casserole-like texture that goes hand-in-hand with good stuffing. The good news is there are options. You could beat an egg to use as your binder or even mashed potatoes, which can serve as the glue for your ground meat, herbs, spices, nuts, and fruits. Mix it all together until it is nice and sticky before baking it in a pan. 

Are you making a veggie-based stuffing? Try mashing up garbanzo beans and beating an egg to create a pasty adhesive for your root veggies — think carrots and sweet potatoes — along with chopped onions, celery, garlic, and bake. Just remember to pre-cook your crunchier vegetables to avoid one of the 15 biggest mistakes everyone makes with stuffing. If you don't, they might not reach the consistency you like. If you are looking for a fun and festive way to present this side dish, try transforming your veggie-based stuffing into individual portions by making individual stuffing cups that your guests will love.