Does anyone have any tried-and-tested stuffing recipes that are festive, pork free and NOT sage & onion please?

[CharminglyOdd]

Getting a bit worried as I work away during the week so I need to start using my weekends for stocking the freezer. We usually have two stuffings but as my sister is GF that takes care of one (which will have pork in it) and I need to make the other. Dad won't eat onion but I can either ignore that or hide it by not making something obviously containing onion (hence avoiding sage and onion). Has also got to be nut free as my DM is allergic and cooking it inside the bird would end up with a lovely A&E trip on Christmas Day :)

OTOH it's the first Christmas at mine and DP's (new - we move in next week!) house so I am trying to change the traditions a little and do something a bit different with new flavours. I love fiddly cooking. Does anyone have any ideas please?

In order of importance, food preferences are:

• nut free
• pork free
• onion free (not that fussed about this one)
• GF if it's a natural side-product, not if I have to use substitutions (DSis is perfectly happy with me only providing one she can eat)

Going to work now so I'll check back this evening - thank you!

Bump... anyone please?

Are chestnuts nuts?

You could make the non sausagemeat stuffing with GF breadcrumbs to make it OK for your DSIS. A basic stuffing is just bread, onion, herbs and some hot water to bind it all together, plus salt and pepper. You can add whatever you like to this. I like fresh herbs which give a good, but less overpowering flavour than dried. I've seen recipes with finely chopped fruits like dried apricots, finely chopped fried mushrooms, fried bacon or pancetta, orange or lemon zest etc.

My stuffing is just the basic above with bacon bits and crumbled vacuum packed chestnuts (unfortunately not much help to you) but I would keep it simple, if you have too many flavours they tend to compete with each other a bit.

Thank you both :) I have spoken to Mum and she says that chestnuts are okay if she eats literally a teaspoonful (she has varying reactions depending on what nut it is - peanuts are a hospital-immediately job) so I may do a chestnut one as we never had it growing up.

Thanks girly for the basic recipe - the other thing I am considering is orange peel, cranberries and some kind of herb mixture with the GF bread.

Nigella's gingerbread stuffing is amazing and ticks (most of) your boxes:

gingerbread stuffing.

Can be made in advance and cooks seperately from turkey if you want.

Second Nigella's gingerbread stuffing. Delicious, seasonal and puts a bit of spice in your dinner.

Southern cornbread stuffing, American style? You could omit the onions and sage, and still have a flavorful stuffing.