This veggie-packed, healthy Cauliflower Stuffing features all of the flavors of traditional stuffing but it won’t leave you feeling stuffed. It’s the perfect allergy-friendly side dish for holiday meals, and like other stuffings, the flavor is even better the next day.
Everyone is Welcome at Our Table
It’s no secret that we have an incredible love of sharing food and connecting over meals, especially during the holidays when we come together with family and friends, old and new. Now aside from the usual family dynamic stressors, we realize that for many, food can be a significant source of stress, too.
With all the diets, allergies, preferences, and sensitivities that guests bring to the table, it’s hard to find a dish that can please them all. We know you can relate, so that’s why we put a delicious low-carb twist on our popular Sweet Potato Unstuffing – so everyone can dig in and pile their plates high.
Not only is this low-carb Cauliflower Stuffing allergy-friendly (no gluten, grains, dairy, soy, or eggs), but it’s vegan and Whole30-friendly, too. Nut allergy? No problem, swap the pecans out for some pumpkin seeds, or leave them out entirely.
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Healthy Cauliflower Stuffing Ingredients
- Brussels sprouts
- Riced cauliflower – (Use fresh, not frozen) Look for riced cauliflower or ‘cauliflower rice’ in the produce section of your local store or make your own using our How to Make Cauliflower Rice tutorial
- Carrots
- Celery
- Mushrooms – White or cremini mushrooms will work. But feel free to use your favorite.
- Onion
- Garlic
- Apple – Any apple will work but we like Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, Gala, and Braeburn apples for this dish
- Oil – We recommend using olive oil or avocado oil
- Thyme – Use fresh or dried
- Rosemary – Use fresh or dried
- Sage – Use fresh or dried
- Dried cherries or cranberries – Use unsweetened dried cranberries for a Whole30-friendly option
- Pecans – Replace the pecans with toasted pumpkin seeds (pepitas) for a nut-free option or leave them out if desired
- Salt and Pepper
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How to Make Healthy Cauliflower Stuffing
First step: Preheat the oven to 375℉.
Second step: Combine all of the ingredients (except dried fruit and pecans) in a greased 9×13-inch baking dish. Toss until everything is mixed well. Next, cover the baking dish tightly with foil.
Third step: Bake, covered, for 30 minutes. Remove foil, stir, then bake for an additional 10-15 minutes longer or until vegetables are tender. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper as desired. Lastly, stir in the dried fruit and toasted pecans just before serving.
Can I make this cauliflower dressing ahead of time?
You sure can! If there’s anything we love, it’s making your life in the kitchen easier. This dressing recipe may be made up to 2 days in advance and reheated by placing it with a few tablespoons of water or broth in a slow cooker set to LOW, stirring occasionally until warmed through (or place baking dish, covered with foil, into a 350℉ oven until heated through). Reserve the dried fruit and nuts to be added just before serving.
Alternatively, you can combine all of the vegetables together and store them in a large zip-top bag or another container with a lid in the fridge for up to 2 days. When it’s time to cook, transfers the veggies to a baking dish and proceed with the recipe as written.
Healthy Cauliflower Stuffing Helps You Leave Room for Pie
Because we know you want a dab of this and a dab of that all the way down the buffet line, we kept this veggie-packed low carb stuffing nice and light so you’ll have plenty of room for pie!
We also kept it simple – just one dish required and it can be made up to 2 days in advance and reheated when it’s time to eat.
More Holiday-Perfect Side Dishes You’ll Love
- Sweet Potato “Unstuffing”
- Healthy Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecans
- Maple Mashed Sweet Potatoes
- Balsamic Roasted Vegetable and Quinoa Salad
- Parmesan Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon
Healthy Cauliflower Stuffing
Ingredients
- 2 cups Brussels sprouts, quartered (about 8 oz.)
- 16 oz. riced cauliflower (fresh, not frozen)
- 2 medium carrots, chopped
- 2 celery ribs, sliced
- 16 oz. cremini mushrooms, sliced
- 1 small yellow onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 medium apple, cored and diced
- 3 Tbsp. olive or avocado oil
- 1½ tsp. fresh thyme (or ½ tsp. dried)
- 1½ tsp. fresh rosemary, minced (or 1 tsp. dried, lightly chopped, or crushed)
- 1½ Tbsp. fresh sage, minced (or ¾ tsp. dried)
- ¾ tsp. salt
- ½ cup dried cherries or cranberries*
- ⅓ cup pecans, chopped and toasted (optional, omit for nut-free)
- Salt & black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375℉.
- Combine all of the ingredients (except dried fruit and pecans) in a greased 9×13-inch baking dish. Toss until everything is mixed well.
- Cover baking dish with foil.
- Bake, covered, for 30 minutes. Remove foil, stir, then bake for an additional 10-15 minutes longer or until vegetables are tender.
- Taste and season with additional salt and pepper as desired. Stir in dried fruit and toasted pecans just before serving.
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Notes
*Use no-sugar-added dried cranberries for Whole30
NOTE: This dish may be made up to 2 days in advance and reheated by placing it with a few tablespoons of water or broth in a slow cooker set to LOW, stirring occasionally until warmed through (or place baking dish, covered with foil, into a 350℉ oven until heated through. Reserve dried fruit and nuts to be added just before serving.
Nutrition Information
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 137
- Fat: 9g
- Sodium: 262mg
- Carbohydrate: 13g
- (Fiber: 4g
- Sugar: 6g)
- Protein: 4g
Dietary
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Photo Credit: The photos in this blog post were taken by Jess of Plays Well with Butter.
Looks good will try it
Hope you enjoy it!
Do you cook the cauliflower rice prior to putting it in the dish.
Hi! You do not need to cook the cauliflower rice before adding it to the dish. Hope you enjoy this recipe!
This was amazing! I did add in a link and a half of chicken sausage, because I had it left over from making regular unstuffing for the family. After I browned the sausage I did do a quick saute of the onion and cauliflower rice. I used dried cherries for the fruit and a tablespoon of poultry seasoning for the seasoning. I think next time I will leave out the Brussels Sprouts – I am a fan of them, but they didn’t really add to this dish for me. But the rest of the flavor and texture – felt like I was eating a decadent stuffing!
So great to hear you enjoyed this recipe! And thanks for sharing the additions you made and the changes you’ll make the next time this recipe is on your menu! 🙂
How would you use this stuffing in an acorn squash?
Would both be baked separately, then combined?
Can’t wait to try this!
I would bake them separately then add the stuffing to the acorn squash halves. My preference is to cut the squash in half, brush it with a little oil or melted butter, then roast it cut-side down on a baking sheet until tender. That way the cut edges get a little browned and caramelized on the edges for a lovely presentation.
Thank you… this will definitely be on our table this Thanksgiving.
Wishing you many blessings.
Same to you, Margie!
This is SO good! Great alternative to traditional stuffing!
It takes a bit to make it, but is definitely worth is and it makes a LOT! I froze half for another day.
I’d add a tad more salt next time and maybe more apples. I used pepitas instead of pecans and they were great!
★★★★★