Best Gluten-free Paleo Keto STUFFING RECIPE with Sausage, Fruit and Pecans (2024)

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Best Gluten-free Paleo Keto Stuffing with Sausage, Fruit and Pecans is THE best stuffing recipe, hands down. Bring this savory treat to your holiday table and watch it disappear before the stuffings made with gluten. You’ll love the classic ingredients and wonderful flavors. This recipe is also Whole30 and GAPS-friendly.

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How we created Best Gluten-free Paleo Keto Stuffing recipe …

My 19-year-old daughter loves stuffing and had a tough transition when she was little to grain-free holidays. But getting her to cook with me changed all that. She loved being in the kitchen and innovating new recipes. Among our fun collaborations was this grain-free stuffing! It combines our favorite elements from the best stuffing recipes, with optional additions. She’s all grown up now, but it’s fun for us to remember that we created this recipe together. Since then, we’ve brought it to so many holiday gatherings, and it’s always the favorite stuffing recipe on the table. I hope your family loves it too.

Ingredients in Best Gluten-free Paleo Keto Stuffing with Sausage, Fruit and Pecans

THE THREE ESSENTIALS

Great grain-free stuffing is accomplished by three key players: cauliflower, coconut bread cubes & sausage.

We’ve tried other breads over the years, and this basic Coconut Bread Loaf still wins in stuffing; it’s the best!

Everything else plays the supporting roles: broth, melted butter or coconut oil, sautéed onions, pecans, dried fruit (omit for Keto and Low Carb), celery, herbs and sea salt. The herbs in stuffing are really important, so be sure to include them.

Fresh fruit is optional: I like to add sliced fresh or frozen cranberries for the color, texture and flavor they add. And some years (not Keto), I add chopped apples to the sautéed onions and celery. Stuffing allows you to add your favorites and omit what you don’t prefer.

Dietary considerations when making stuffing

Holiday gatherings can be difficult when you choose a restricted diet. My goal is always to create enough great recipes for our own family that we don’t mind missing out on the dishes others make.

At one point, we weren’t eating a lot of nuts, dried fruit or onions in our house. We had FODMAP issues, AIP recommendations (no nuts), and candida to keep at bay (no dried fruit!). We’re better now and can eat these foods, but this recipe is for almost everyone — with food sensitivities in mind.

For Keto and Low Carb, it is easy to leave out the dried fruit. This recipe has 6 grams net carbs for a big serving. If you eat lots of other dishes for your holiday meal, you can enjoy a smaller portion for only 3 grams net carbs.

For Low-FODMAP, omit the cauliflower and onions. Add extras of the other ingredients if you want, to make up for it.

Your health is unique. This stuffing recipe is a canvas on which to add or subtract your favorites, keeping in mind your unique food choices.

How to store leftover Best Gluten-free Paleo Keto Stuffing

Cover well, and refrigerate for up to 4 days.

To freeze, cut into single serving-size pieces. Place each serving on a square of parchment paper in a casserole dish with rubber lid (or similar freezer-safe dish). Freeze for up to 3 months.

To defrost, remove the number of servings you plan to eat. Cover and refrigerate overnight before reheating, or cover in the oven (so it doesn’t get too dried out or dark), and reheat for 30 minutes.

How to reheat leftover stuffing

Leftover stuffing is a favorite for many. To rehea t stuffing, place a single serving on a lightly greased oven-safe plate (just rub a little fat on the plate). Heat in a 325-degree Fahrenheit oven for about 15 minutes, until heated through to the center.

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5 from 19 votes

Best Gluten-free Paleo Keto Stuffing with Sausage, Fruit and Pecans

Best Gluten-free Paleo Keto Stuffing with Sausage, Fruit and Pecans is THE best stuffing recipe, hands down. Bring this savory treat to your holiday table and watch it disappear before the stuffings made with gluten. You'll love the classic ingredients and wonderful flavors. This recipe is also Whole30 and GAPS-friendly.

Prep Time45 minutes mins

Cook Time30 minutes mins

Total Time1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Course: Side Dish

Equipment

saute pan
saucepan
oven
casserole dish

Ingredients

1 loaf coconut bread (click link for recipe), or other grain-free loaf, cut into 3/4" cubes
1 head cauliflower chopped into small flowerettes
2 yellow onions chopped (omit or reduce to 1 onion for Keto)
8 stalks celery sliced thinly
1 pound sausage raw links or bulk sausage, spiced is fine (Italian etc; just make sure the ingredients do not contain sugar or other additives)
1 cup bone broth (click link for recipe)
½ cup butter , coconut oil or lard + 4 T. more, melted, unsalted
2 teaspoons dried thyme
2 teaspoons dried sage
1 teaspoon sea salt and more for sautéeing (see recipe Method below)
1 teaspoon white pepper
1 cup pecans , chopped and/or 1 cup dried fruit, diced: pears, apricots, apples, persimmons (omit for Keto). Optional, (sprouting raw pecans technique here).
1 cup fresh fruit sliced cranberries or chopped apples. If you use chopped apples, you can add them to the sauté pan after 15 minutes of cooking the onions and celery. If used, fold fresh cranberries in at the same time as the bread cubes. Optional.

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
Grease a large casserole dish, 9" X 13" approximately, with some flexibility for size variations.
Melt 2 T. butter or lard in a large skillet. Add the cauliflower and 1 tsp. sea salt. Sauté over medium-low heat, stirring intermittently, for 20 minutes.
Remove the cauliflower to a large mixing bowl and repeat the sauteing step with the onions and celery: add 2 additional tablespoons butter to the large skillet. Add the chopped onions and celery and 1 tsp. sea salt. Sauté over medium-low heat, stirring intermittently, for 20 minutes. If too much liquid evaporates, place a lid over the veggies to create steam.
Meanwhile, place the sausage links (if using) into a saucepan of salted water and simmer for 12 minutes.
Remove the sausages, allowing them to cool slightly.
Then chop them into small pieces and add the pieces to the mixing bowl of sauteed cauliflower.
(Alternately, if you bought bulk sausage, not links, sauté it in a heavy bottomed pan, breaking it up with a spatula, over medium heat. Cook until the pink center is just gone. It will continue to cook in the oven. Add ½ sea salt to the pork while it is cooking, only if it is unseasoned bulk pork.)
Add the sautéed onions and celery, too, to the mixing bowl.
Add the melted butter, bone broth, spices, salt and pepper.
Add the bread cubes and optional ingredients.
Fold the ingredients together, somewhat lightly, but thoroughly. Pour the stuffing into the prepared dish.
Bake in preheated oven until golden brown on top and heated through, about 30 minutes.