My uncle Allan makes the best stuffing. Hands down. The best. I was a bit shocked the first time I attended a Thanksgiving hosted by someone other than my Aunt and Uncle. Their stuffing was different. What the heck. Thank goodness I’ve created a paleo stuffing that is reminiscent of his. 
the best ever paleo stuffing might just be the best stuffing ever, period.
Everyone’s got that one Thanksgiving dish, right? The one that has to be on the table. If missing, you get all pouty and you might even sulk, because whoever spent the past four days cooking neglected to take the time to make the dish that you look forward to all year.
The nerve.
For me, it’s stuffing. I don’t even really care what animal is at the center of the table. I’ve never gotten all that excited about squash or sweet potatoes. Mashed potatoes are always delicious, but it would be a gross exaggeration to say that I get excited about them.
There are, apparently, a gazillion different takes on stuffing (or dressing, if it’s not actually stuffed inside the bird. I still call it stuffing. I don’t care what Martha says. Dressing goes on salad.) There’s the sourdough variety, I’m sure a popular choice here in my beloved San Francisco.
I did for a moment ponder the idea of making a version with a loaf from Bread SRSLY– the best gluten-free sourdough in all the land. (Update: I later did just that, and you can find that recipe HERE) I also considered making Allan’s recipe with gluten-free cornbread. That’s what I did last year, and it was incredible.
But then I got a message from my friend Johnny, asking for some Paleo Thanksgiving pointers. He was comparing Paleo stuffing recipes, none of which looked like the one I love, and can’t have Thanksgiving without. It felt like a challenge I had to accept.
In true compulsive recipe developer fashion, I was in the car in about 15 seconds, list in hand. I could already smell Thanksgiving.
Print
Best Ever Paleo Stuffing (Dressing)
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 75 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
- Yield: 8-10 servings
- Category: Thanksgiving
- Method: saute, bake
- Cuisine: American
Description
It’s sweet, it’s savory, it’s technically a side dish but could easily be the main course.
Ingredients
1 pound ground pork
2 cups diced onions
2 cups diced bell peppers
4 cups (about 1 pound) diced mushrooms
2 cups diced apples
8 oz fresh cranberries
1 cup toasted chopped pecans (optional)
~ 2 T duck fat, bacon fat, butter, or coconut oil. (I used duck fat)
1 T fresh rosemary, minced
1 T fresh thyme, minced
2–3 leaves fresh sage (or 1/2 t dried)
sea salt
4 eggs
1/4 cup chicken or turkey stock
2 T coconut flour
Instructions
- Prepare all of your ingredients and preheat your oven to 350°F.
- Melt about 2 teaspoons of your fat of choice in a large cast iron or stainless skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add the pork and cook until it just browns, 3-4 minutes. Add a pinch of salt and remove with a slotted spoon and place in a large bowl. Pour off excess liquid from your skillet and add another teaspoon of fat.
- Turn the heat down to medium and add the onions. Sauté until golden brown and soft, 6-8 minutes. Add to the bowl with the pork.
- Add another teaspoon of fat, and sauté bell peppers for 4 minutes, stirring often. Add to the bowl with the other ingredients.
- Throw in yet another teaspoon of fat, turn the heat up to medium-high, and add the mushrooms. Sauté for about 3 minutes, stirring often. Add to the bowl with the other ingredients.
- To the large bowl, add the apples, pecans, cranberries, herbs, and a good pinch of salt.
- In a medium bowl, beat together the eggs, chicken or turkey stock, and coconut flour. Add a pinch of salt if you’re stock isn’t salted.
- Pour the liquid into the large bowl and mix.
- Pour the whole thing into an oven safe casserole and bake for one hour.
- Allow to cool for 10 minutes before eating. It will firm up a bit.
Notes
Why on earth am I making you sauté all of the vegetables separately? Two reasons:
- It’s a lot of stuff, you probably don’t have a pan that fits it all.
- If you cook it all at the same time, you’ll wind up steaming, not sautéing.
Keywords: Thanksgiving, stuffing, dressing, paleo
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Rebekah says
Wow, that looks amazing! Wish my husband liked stuffing like this…he’s a “classic” guy (bread, onions, celery, herbs). But I might have to make this for me!
Susan says
I wonder if this would be as good with sausage instead of “pork”, if ykwim?
zenbellyblog says
There is so much flavor from the other ingredients, I’m not sure… It won’t be bad by any means, but I’m guessing that sausage would lend itself better to a simpler recipe. Let me know how it turns out if you try it!
Susan says
Well, I already bought the plain ground pork – I’ll trust your judgement before I start tweaking. 🙂 Thanks again for all of your recipes!
Ginger says
Have you ever used this to stuff the turkey?
zenbellyblog says
No, I don’t like stuffing the turkey and find that both the turkey and stuffing come out better when you cook both separately.
Rachael Gonzalez says
After viewing several paleo stuffing recipes I am making this one! Thanks for your genius once again 🙂
Angela says
How many people does this recipe serve?
zenbellyblog says
I cooked it in a pan that’s about 12″x8″. As part of a Thanksgiving spread, where everyone takes small amounts of everything, I’d say you could about get 8-10 servings out of this. If I make it again soon (which I plan to) I will give you a more accurate answer!
Angela says
Thanks! Perfect for our thanksgiving!
Loren Considine says
Could I make this ahead and reheat?
zenbellyblog says
I think so. The reason I didn’t put it in the make ahead and freeze section on my Thanksgivukkah guide is because I haven’t tried it. So I’m not 100% sure what freezing it will do to the texture of the veggies in it. But if I were to guess, I’d say it should be fine!
Loren says
I was thinking just a day ahead and putting it in the refrigerator. Just looking to cut down on the actual stuff I have to make on the big day.
zenbellyblog says
You can make almost everything ahead. Check out the schedule I put together, it might be really helpful!
Loren Considine says
Thanks!! I’m excited to try this! Happy Thanksgiving!
Chef Art says
Love it. Prepping is an act of love.
SWH says
Okay, why do you drain off the pork fat instead of just using it to saute in?
zenbellyblog says
You could do that… I find that ground meat tends to render somewhat watery fat, so not as good for browning the ingredients you put in next. But not a bad thing, either!
SWH says
I did a trial run of this recipe tonight and the flavor is fantastic … I am wondering if the finished product is as you intended… I can’t tell from your photo but my egg mixture ended up at the bottom of the casserole dish and cooked like a souffle of sorts at the bottom…so when I servie it, it definitely has egg components throughout…is that as you intended?
zenbellyblog says
The egg acts more as a binder, than something that is apparent in the end result (when I made it, anyway) Did you mix it with the coconut flour before stirring it into the meat mixture?
SWH says
Yes, I did mix it as instructed … and now it’s totally perfect. I thought maybe I used too big of a casserole dish (13 x9) but now I don’t think it matters. It was just my initial freak-out straight out of the oven/straight into the dish. Mixing it a bit, it all incorporated well and it truly is a keeper, delicious, & addictive. Thank you!
Wendy says
I’m wondering about turning this into a main dish by adding an additional pound of ground pork. Other than needing to adjust the seasonings, would there anything else to worry about?
Ona says
How many does the recipe feed?
zenbellyblog says
As a Thanksgiving side dish with a lot of other stuff, probably 6-8 easily!
Leslie says
The heck with Thanksgiving, this will be a yummy breakfast to just have on hand, made in individual containers to heat up and go! Thanks! can’t wait to try it!
Diana says
My family would revolt if we didn’t have our southern cornbread ‘dressing’. So instead I am going to make this for thanksgiving breakfast along side some eggs. Yum!
Amanda says
Any possible substitutes for the mushrooms? The recipe sounds good, but the ‘shrooms, I can’t stomach and it happens to be a major ingredient, so can’t really omit them. Maybe zucchini?
zenbellyblog says
I’d just omit them! They’re there to add a mushroom flavor, but there is enough other stuff in the recipe that it will still taste great. Once they’re cooked down, they don’t really add much bulk to the overall dish.
Joan S says
I need to substitute out the mushrooms, too. I like the flavor but not the texture of mushrooms. I was thinking of adding small cubes of yellow squash? Also, I read somewhere there is mushroom in a powder format that might be good to sprinkle in if you are okay with the flavor.
Thanks for sharing your recipe. I love trying new things.
zenbellyblog says
You could definitely add squash. this stuffing has so many flavors that there’s plenty of room for improvisation! Mushroom powder would be a great addition for extra umami! Thanks, Joan 🙂
Laura says
I made this for Thanksgiving yesterday, with a few tweaks to make it more like my mom’s stuffing, and it was fabulous! My major subs were celery for green pepper, pork breakfast sausage instead of ground pork and only used fresh sage, no other herbs. I also added chestnuts. Sooo good! I didn’t even miss my bread stuffing. Thank you!
Rocio says
What apples would you recommend?
zenbellyblog says
Any are really fine! I like using a firmer variety, so they hold together when cooked. Pink lady, Grannny Smith, Honeycrisp… Or whatever variety is on sale, since this stuffing requires quite the ingredient list! 🙂
JAF says
Found this on my hunt for paleo thanksgiving side dishes and it looks fantastic…wondering if you think adding butternut squash is possible? Thank you
zenbellyblog says
Definitely! If you cube it really small it should cook evenly with everything else. Let me know how it turns out if you try it 🙂
Jamie says
Do you think this could be prepared ahead of time, up to the point of putting it into the oven and then baking it when it’s time? I am doing all of my cooking a day or two before Thanksgiving, because we host it here and it starts at noon, so there just isn’t time to cook everything that morning AND look presentable. So I was thinking of doing everything ahead of time and keeping it in the fridge until that morning. I don’t want to cook it completely ahead, I still want it to be fresh out of the oven. Maybe wait to add the egg/flour mixture until time to bake or do you think it would be fine if I added it all?
zenbellyblog says
Yes you can definitely prepare it ahead of time and cook it the day of! You can add the egg + flour ahead of time, too. Have a great Thanksgiving!
LauraN says
Sounds wonderful but I can’t eat eggs. Can I leave them out or substitute something like flax?
zenbellyblog says
Sure. The eggs are just to hold it all together a bit, along with the coconut flour. It’s just for texture purposes, so it will still be delish if you leave them out! I’m not sure how flax would work, if it binds with coconut flour when baked the way eggs do?
JAF says
Added the butternut and it was delicious! I microwaved it about 5 minutes before tossing in the the bell peppers to make sure it would cook enough. Thank you for this recipe!
zenbellyblog says
Awesome I’m so glad you loved it!
mom2one01 says
Thank you! I was thinking of adding butternut as well! 🙂 This helps! I wonder if roasting the butternut for a bit beforehand would render more flavor? I also have to omit the mushrooms. 🙁
Carol says
This was my first time making a Paleo Thanksgiving and I am totally beholden to you for your delicious, creative recipes. The “Best Ever Paleo Stuffing” was really aptly named. Before Paleo I used to think I made a pretty decent stuffing and was skeptical about making one gluten-free. Yours made converts not only of me but my guests too! Your schedule was a life-saver: I followed it faithfully and for once, didn’t stress over things being cooked and on the table simultaneously. Thanks to you it just came together. Thank you for a Thanksgiving I was able to enjoy!
zenbellyblog says
So glad to hear it, Carol, thanks so much! 🙂
Kathryn says
hi, you mentioned a schedule in a previous comment. I don’t see it, could you point me in right direction pls? I’d also like to make as much as possible ahead of time. Thanks!
zenbellyblog says
Hi Kathryn! I think the schedule that’s referred to is the one I did last year, when Hanukkah and Thanksgiving were in the same week… It’s in two columns though if you’re just looking to follow the Thanksgiving part! It’s here:
Ellen MOSHIER says
Making this now – but I have no idea if you cover it to cook..??
zenbellyblog says
Nope! uncovered
2014ritchie says
I make a very similar stuffing. It is amazing. Definitely worth trying!
Kathryn says
Hi, our family is looking forward to this dressing! Mouth-watering. One of us cannot eat coconut, however, as well as anything nuts. Bummer! What else could be substituted for the 2 T coconut flour? Think of making the whole thing, or maybe a little extra, then scooping out a little bit for my mom-in-law, baking that separately, with a little egg & rice flour in her dish. Anyway — thanks for your amazing dishes. We love EVERY SINGLE recipe of yours. (My spouse is a longtime co-owner of Other Avenues, even!)
zenbelly says
Thanks so much! For the flour, I would just add a different flour, it’s just to hold it together a little bit. You could use rice or arrowroot or any other starch that you can all eat! Coconut flour is more absorbent than other flours, so I’d use more of whatever you use, around 1/4 cup. That’s so cool about OA! Have a great Thanksgiving!
Rosita says
I was impressed by how much this recipe yielded. It’s so nice to have a lower carb dish with all the amazing flavors of a good stuffing. I did sub celery for the bell pepper. For me, it needed extra salt and maybe I would increase the sage and rosemary next time. This is a real keeper that I’m grateful to have, thank you!!
zenbelly says
Glad you liked it! And it definitely does make a lot. .
Rachel says
Do you have a recipe for corn bread? I seem to be failing. I would ideally want something I can use for a sandwich. I thought maybe cassava flour would help, so I came here first.
zenbelly says
I don’t have one published, but have made it using a regular recipe and cassava flour. I can’t remember the exact ratio I used but tend to go light on cassava compared to AP flour since it is so absorbent. So if a recipe calls for 1 cup of flour, I’d use half cup of cassava and maybe 2-4 tablespoons of tapioca or arrowroot. Sorry that’s not anywhere near exact but hopefully gets you going in the right direction!
Linda Zanyk says
I am traveling but want to take this so if I made ahead then reheated in slow cooker since oven space limited, what do you think?
Also cooking sweet potato and apple dish that calls for 1/4 cup bourbon but want dish to be alcohol free, what would you replace with?
Thanks so much. Can’t wait to try the stuffing.
zenbelly says
Should be fine reheated in the slow cooker, just make sure to give it long enough in there.
You can use apple juice instead of bourbon.
Diane Rubenstein says
Simone,
Do you think I could turn this into AIP by using something other than green peppers and using gelatin for an egg substitute and just eliminating the other stuff not on AIP. It sounds too yummy to have to wait till next Thanksgiving to try!
zenbelly says
hi, yes! There are so many flavors in this, you can definitely leave our the peppers and anything else that’s not AIP.
Patrizia says
Omg this looks and sounds delicious! Would it be ok to use a different type of flour? If so, which do you recommend? Coconut is not my friend lately… thank you!!
★★★★★
zenbelly says
yep it’s just to absorb some of the liquid, so any flour or starch should work! Cassava would be good, or whatever has been nice to you lately 🙂
Alene says
I have to have cornbread in my stuffing. It’s a law! So, I think I will adapt this for a gf, rice free cornbread stuffing recipe. It sounds so good!
zenbelly says
This recipe is adapted from the old school corn bread version I grew up eating. Definitely do it!