Gluten Free Stuffing Products for Taste Test
We are nine days from Thanksgiving and I don’t know about you but I am really getting into Fall cooking mode. Right now my eyes are set on stuffing –a.k.a. dressing– a.k.a. The food that can be the most challenging part of your Thanksgiving meal.
Back in the day when Emma was first diagnosed with celiac disease in 2000, there were no stuffing options out there. The best I could do was cut up some bread and try and figure out how to make it myself. A big challenge for me is failure. When it comes to the holiday meal, in my mind failure is not an option. So I never tried because it seemed so daunting. Luckily, a few years after her diagnosis, my mom came up with a great wild rice dressing recipe, and that is what we have had each Thanksgiving ever since.
But now we have some options that take the work out of making gluten free stuffing for Thanksgiving. On Monday I set out to make four different gluten free stuffing mixes that could be cooked in under an hour. So how did they fare?
Finished Gluten Free Stuffing
Rudi’s Gluten Free Stuffing
Rudi’s Gluten Free Stuffing
Rudi’s Gluten Free Stuffing Mix wins the award for quickest stuffing to make. It is a new product this year. Similar to the Stove Top Stuffing from your pre-gluten free days,with this product you literally melt butter and boil water. Then you put the stuffing mix in and it is ready in 5 minutes.
It was fluffy and easy to make. Anyone could make this. However, it lacked some flavor. If you were willing to play with it a little, maybe add some spices or pre-cooked carrots, celery and onions it could be better.
I purchased this from Fresh and Natural Foods in Shoreview, Minnesota for just over $5.00. This probably could serve four large servings or six modest servings.
Grandma Ferdon’s Gluten Free Dressing
Grandma Ferdon’s Gluten Free Sage Dressing
Grandma Ferdon’s Dressing wins for easiest stuffing. It was already made up in the freezer section of the store. All I had to do was put it in a pan and heat it up.
It was my least favorite in terms of taste. It had flavor, but not a flavor I cared for.
This product is mostly found in the Upper Midwest. It was around $7.00 and could probably only feed 2-3 people.
Glutino Gluten Free Corn Bread Stuffing Mix
Glutino Gluten Free Corn Bread Stuffing Mix
Glutino Gluten Free Corn Bread Stuffing Mix wins for best corn bread stuffing ( it was the only corn bread stuffing) and came in second overall for this taste test. This box was a free item sent to me to try by Glutino. I had never had corn bread stuffing before so I expected it to be an adventure for my taste buds.
This stuffing mix required eggs, celery, onions, butter and chicken broth ( I also added carrots). It was good. It was easy. It was also done in about 25 minutes.
I thought a corn bread stuffing would be sweeter. Am I missing something? I thought it would not be as savory. Truth be told, if I didn’t know it was a cornbread mix, I never would have guessed it come dinner time.
This mix filled a small glass pan and would feed 4-6 people in my opinion. I do not have a price on the Glutino product. Sorry, since it was sent to me, I did not think to check the store for that when I was shopping. But I think you should expect the $5-8 range.
Aleia’s Gluten Free Stuffing
Aleia’s Savory Gluten Free Stuffing Mix
Aleia’s Savory Stuffing was the overall winner. It was what I pictured and tasted as a good, flavorful, savory stuffing mix. It was equally as much work as the Glutino mix and included ingredients: celery, onion, carrots, olive oil, butter and chicken broth.
I think these added ingredients helped push this to the top. My celiac daughter, who really has not had a bread stuffing before also chose this as her top pick. She asked me to freeze it and serve it on Thanksgiving in addition to the wild rice stuffing (that I will incidentally slave over for an entire day).
This stuffing mix could feed 4-6 people in my opinion. The price was also in the $7.00 range.
Wrap up
I hope this information helps you in time for your Thanksgiving holiday. The store I went to had plenty of supply, but I wouldn’t wait too long.
Tags: celiac, dressing, gluten-free, mix, stuffing, Thanksgiving
November 19th, 2013 at 9:40 am
Where did you purchase the Aleia’s GF Stuffing?
November 19th, 2013 at 9:41 am
Thanks! I’ve been looking for a good ready-made GF stuffing.
November 19th, 2013 at 9:54 am
I found it at Fresh and Natural in Shoreview, MN. But they do have a searchable “retail locations” on their website if that is not a good location for you. http://www.aleias.com/retail_loc.html
November 19th, 2013 at 10:43 am
Williams Sonoma has a Gluten free stuffing and I wonder how it would compare with the above.
November 19th, 2013 at 12:23 pm
I have never been one to use packaged stuffing mixes, but it’s great to have gluten-free for those who want them. I prefer the ‘Southern style’ ‘dressing’ that has cubes of corn bread and white bread along with poultry type spices, onions, celery and sage, with no carrots. Over the years, I have modified mine to exclude meat and add dried cranberries or raisins.
I was always the one bringing dressing to family gatherings, so I simply substituted gluten free breads.
November 20th, 2013 at 9:38 am
I’m going to be picking up some Aleia’s for our T-day dinner!
November 23rd, 2013 at 4:53 pm
http://www.gilliansfoodsglutenfree.com/products/product_info.php?products_id=65
THIS ONE!!!
October 15th, 2014 at 8:16 pm
I just moved from MN to AZ and was worried about where I was going to find a good stuffing mix.
I always used Down in the Valley from Valley Natural Foods and I LOVED IT!!! I was going to try the Whole Foods version this year, but I might try the Aleia’s this year. Thanks for the recommendation!!
Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!
Kim
October 16th, 2014 at 9:34 am
Best of luck to you! I hope the info helps!
October 27th, 2014 at 8:54 pm
I recommend trying Rudi’s again, but don’t follow the directions! I was just searching for it online to make sure I will find it again this year. I made it last year like I would have made the pepperidge farms mix, with celery, onions, chicken stock, and breakfast sausage. It was delicious! I got more and used it like breadcrumbs in meatloaf and meatballs. Hoping Costco will carry it again.
November 11th, 2015 at 11:23 pm
Great, so helpful, thanks. Joss
November 18th, 2015 at 8:37 pm
Can Glutinos be done on the stove top instead of the oven? It is the only one on this list that is readily available where I live but I do not have an oven available for Thanksgiving.
November 21st, 2015 at 8:37 am
I am not sure Christoph, it might be worth a call to the company. Another option, if you have time, is to make it this weekend, freeze it and reheat it on Thursday.