Sweet Potato “Unstuffing” (Made without Bread)

If you love stuffing but are looking for something a little different from the norm, possibly a stuffing made without bread, or a stuffing option that you can serve to guests who may eat gluten free, dairy free, and/or vegan, then this is it! Your Thanksgiving table is about to get even more delicious with this colorful and delicious Sweet Potato Stuffing. It comes together with a variety of winter vegetables, toasted pecans, dried cherries, apples, mushrooms, and herbs that represent the flavor of stuffing that we all love. This unique take on stuffing is perfect if you’re looking for a lighter side-dish option to serve, a vegetable heavy side dish, or simply something new and fun to try.

The recipe was originally published November 18, 2016; Updated November 11, 2022.

A thanksgiving Side Dish for everyone

This Sweet Potato Stuffing recipe will elevate your Thanksgiving menu in a way you didn’t think was possible. The delicious combination of plant-based ingredients comes together to create a full-flavor and healthy stuffing side dish. But you don’t have to wait for Thanksgiving to enjoy it. You could also serve it for a weeknight dinner or side. Just add your favorite protein for a meal that will satisfy.

Ingredients to Make Sweet Potato Unstuffing

Here’s what you need to bring this amazing tasting and wonderful smelling stuffing to your table!

• Sweet potato – a hearty, starchy vegetables that add color and nutrition
• Carrots – an every day veggie that add great texture
• Brussels sprouts – a cruciferous vegetable that’s perfect for roasting
• Celery ribs – a common ingredient in stuffing that adds a nice crunch
• Mushrooms – we love the addition of mushrooms in this recipe, But if mushrooms aren’t for you, you can omit them
• Yellow onion
• Garlic cloves
• Apple – adds a lovely touch of sweetness
• Fresh thyme – may substitute dried thyme
• Fresh rosemary – may substitute dried rosemary
• Chili powder
• Avocado oil or olive oil
• Dried cherries – may substitute dried cranberries
• Pecans – use any favorite nut, or omit for a nut-free stuffing

Find the ingredients list with exact measurements in the recipe card below.

How to make Sweet Potato Stuffing

After you get all of the vegetables and apple chopped, this recipe comes together quick with these basic steps:

1. Combine the ingredients: In a large baking dish add all of the ingredients (except for the cherries and pecans). Toss the ingredients with your favorite oil (we recommend avocado oil or olive oil).
2. Bake the unstuffing: Cover the baking dish with foil and bake. At 20 minutes into the baking time, remove the foil and add the pecans and dried cherries. Then bake an additional 20-25 minutes.
3. Garnish and serve: Once the vegetables are nice and tender and starting to turn golden brown, the Sweet Potato Stuffing is ready to serve. Garnish with fresh herbs if you desire. If you need to keep the stuffing warm while you prepare the rest of the meal, transfer it to a slow cooker and set it on warm until the meal is ready.

For the complete directions, ingredient amounts, and nutrition analysis that lists calories, protein, carbohydrates, fiber, sugar, sodium per serving, scroll down to the recipe card below.

When to serve Sweet Potato Stuffing

We think this bread-free stuffing is a great choice for many occasions, including:

• Thanksgiving – a must-make recipe for your holiday meal. It’s flavorful, it’s delicious, and a recipe that all will be surprised to enjoy similar to our Parmesan Roasted Acorn Squash
• Weeknight side-dish – Sweet Potato Stuffing pairs great with pork or chicken, making it a nutritious and tasty weeknight meal
• Special dinner – Have a fall or winter dinner date or special occasion meal with friends or family coming up? Make this Sweet Potato Stuffing and impress everyone at the table. Tip: It’s also great for serving to guests who may have special dietary needs, such as avoiding gluten, dairy, eggs, or meat.
• Meal prep – we even love this recipe for meal prep because it reheats nicely. Portion it out into individual servings (we love these meal prep containers) and add cooked chicken to round out the nutrition in your meals. Simply reheat and eat throughout the week. Trust us, you’ll be looking forward to your lunch!

Sweet Potato Stuffing: Easy Substitutions To Fit Your Dietary Preference

This recipe is naturally gluten free, grain free, dairy free, egg free, vegetarian, and vegan. You can also make it nut free by simply omitting the nuts.

Make this recipe nut-free by using pumpkin seeds instead of pecans (or simply omit the nuts)

Pin now to make later!

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The photos in this blog post were taken by Rachel Cook of Half Acre House.

For ultimate success, we highly recommend reading the tips in the full blog post above. All photos and content are copyright protected. Please do not use our photos without prior written permission. If you wish to republish a recipe, please rewrite the recipe in your own unique words. Link back to the source recipe here on The Real Food Dietitians. Thank you!