Baking pears with gluten free and vegan stuffing makes for a unique and healthier holiday side! Plus, they’re delicious, and it’s a gorgeous way to serve traditional holiday dressing.
FYI: I’m partnering with Little Northern Bakehouse to bring you this sponsored recipe post. Thanks for supporting the brands that help me to keep bringing you nourishing recipes!
Pears are quite “pearfect”. Are the not? 😉 Soft, but not too soft; sweet, but not too sweet. Plus, baking pears gives them a sweet touch, and with vegan and gluten free stuffing inside, it makes for a beautiful presentation! Not to mention, nearly everyone is familiar with baked apples, but using pears makes this such a unique idea!
If you plan to have a small Thanksgiving gathering, this is a perfect idea, because everyone can have an individual pear.
I mean, anyone can make traditional Thanksgiving stuffing and bake it in a casserole dish, right? But sometimes, it becomes soggy after it sits in the casserole dish for a while. Baking a smaller portion into each piece of fruit keeps the stuffing perfectly moist.
About vegan / gluten free stuffing
One of the keys to the deliciousness of this recipe is using a heartier gluten free bread for the vegan stuffing.
Gluten free sprouted grain breads are perfect for this. But, let’s be honest… Some brands of gluten free bread are dry and taste like, umm… cardboard.
When you’re serving dinner to people who aren’t normally gluten-free eaters, the texture and taste of the bread should be as close as possible to “the real thing”.
That’s why I use Little Northern Bakehouse sprouted 7-grain bread . I’ve tried SO many brands over the years, and I can honestly say this…
The Little Northern Bakehouse breads truly taste like regular bread!
By the way, you can check out the entire product line on the Little Northern Bakehouse website.
There’s no reason to sacrifice flavor just because it’s gluten free. Can I hear an AMEN?!
Baking pears vs eating pears
Just like apples, there are pear varieties that are best for eating and others for baking.
Although this recipe doesn’t call for a lot of filling in the stuffed pears, you still want to be sure that the fruit won’t fall apart as it bakes in the oven.
The best pears for baking are varieties with firm flesh and thicker skin.
I recommend using either red pears or green Bartlett pears. Both varieties have firm flesh that will hold up to the heat of the oven.
How to make stuffed pears
This recipe is easy peasy to make. First, make the gluten free stuffing. Then prep your baking pears. After that, fill them up, bake and serve!
INGREDIENT NOTES + SUBSTITUTIONS
- gluten free/vegan seed bread (Little Northern Bakehouse)
- vegan butter or oil
- white onion– scallion or shallot will also work
- celery stalks
- cloves of garlic– you’ll be mincing or chopping the garlic, so if you like shortcuts, feel free to use prepared minced garlic
- fresh rosemary– if you have a hard time finding it sold alone, you can buy a package of fresh poultry herbs and there should be rosemary sticks included
- dried thyme
- slivered almonds– feel free to omit for a nut-free option
- dried or fresh cranberries– fresh cranberries may be tough to find, so feel free to use pomegranate arils
- vegetable stock
- 5-6 medium baking pears– best choices are green Bartlett or red
- maple syrup (optional)- this adds a bit of sweetness to compliment the tart cranberries
- crushed candied nuts (optional)
1. MAKE THE VEGAN STUFFING
- Toast the gluten-free bread cubes. This takes about 15 minutes at 350°F. To prevent burning, flip the cubes over halfway through the cooking time.
TIME SAVING TIP
To save time, toast the bread up to 2 days ahead of time and keep it at room temperature in an airtight container or Ziploc bag
- Saute the vegetables, then add the herbs and spices. If you’re using fresh cranberries, you’ll add them to pan with the fresh herbs. Otherwise, you can stir in the dried cranberries or pomegranate arils when the veggies finish cooking.
- Add toasted bread to the cooked vegetable mixture. Then, pour the vegetable stock on top, being careful not to over saturate the bread.
2. CUT AND CORE THE PEARS
Next, slice the pears in half and use a paring knife to cut a circle in the middle of the core. Scoop out 2-3 tbsp of pear from each half, leaving a hole approximately 1/4 cup in size. Place pear halves in a large casserole dish or on a baking sheet.
3. FILL AND BAKE PEARS
NOTE
Depending on what type of pear you use (red pear vs Bartlett) the cooking times will vary. Red pears take 3-4 minutes longer to cook than green Bartlett.
4. GARNISH AND SERVE
Remove baked pears with stuffing from the oven and garnish with fresh herbs and/or optional crushed candied nuts
Print
Baked Pears with Vegan and Gluten Free Stuffing
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 8–10 pear halves 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Baking pears with gluten free and vegan stuffing makes for a unique and healthier holiday side! Plus, they’re delicious, and it’s a gorgeous way to serve traditional holiday dressing.
Ingredients
- 5 cups (7 slices ~ 30g each) diced vegan seed bread (Little Northern)
- 1 tbsp vegan butter or oil
- 1 cup onion or shallot, chopped
- 1 cup celery stalks, chopped
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 2 rosemary sticks, leaves only
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1/3 cup slivered almonds
- 1/2 cup fresh cranberries or pomegranate arils (or 1/3 c dried cranberries)
- salt and black pepper, to taste
- 1 1/4 cups (12 oz) vegetable stock
- 4–5 medium pears (green Bartlett or red)
- Optional topping: crushed candied nuts and/or fresh thyme
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Dice the bread into small cubes and place on a baking sheet.
- Bake bread for 15 minutes, flipping halfway through cook time. Remove from oven and set aside in a large bowl.
- Add butter to a pan and turn heat to medium. Add onion, celery, and garlic; sauté for 5 minutes, or until fragrant and onions are translucent.
- Add in the thyme and rosemary and cook for an additional 3 minutes. If using fresh cranberries, add them as well. If using dried cranberries, mix in later with bread.
- Place toasted bread in the pan with cooked celery onion herb mixture. Pour the vegetable stock on top, being careful not to over saturate the bread.
- Add salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
- Next, slice pears in half. Using a paring knife, cut a circle in the middle of the core. Scoop out 2-3 heaping tbsps of pear from each half, leaving a hole approximately 1/4 cup in size. Place pear halves in a large casserole dish or on a baking sheet.
- Add 1 tsp lemon juice to the center of each pear, then fill each pear with 1/4 cup of gluten free stuffing. NOTE: You might have extra.
- Season with salt and pepper, then bake in the the oven for 25 to 30 minutes,* rotating the pan halfway through cooking time. (see notes)
- Remove baked pears with stuffing from the oven and garnish with fresh herbs and/or optional crushed candied nuts.
Notes
Depending on what type of pear you use (red pear vs Bartlett) the cooking times will vary. Red pears take 3-4 minutes longer to cook than green Bartlett.
- Category: sides
- Method: oven
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: half pear with stuffing
Keywords: baking pears, baked pears, gluten free stuffing, vegan stuffing, stuffed pears, healthy holiday sides
Alright my friends, I think we’re ready for the holiday season, one that may seem a bit different, but still comforting and delicious. As always, please let me know if you have any questions about these recipes. We’re always here to help!
Keep up with the compassionate, fun-loving Little Northern Bakehouse on Facebook & Instagram! They are full of gluten free recipe inspiration!
Cheers!
LC
