Instant Pot Stuffing Recipe

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Instant Pot Stuffing recipe comes together quickly and easily. This traditional side dish is savory and packed with flavor and texture and compliments all the other fixings served for your big meal.

top view close up of serving bowl of instant pot stuffing next to red potatoes

Why This Recipe Works

The first time I joined my husband’s family for a Thanksgiving meal, I was in complete disbelief about the size of the pile of stuffing Dan heaped onto his plate. It was the biggest pile I had ever seen! He loves his stuffing!

Since learning this about him, I’ve experimented a bit with different types and flavors and also different cooking methods.

Since I’m mildly obsessed with my Instant Pot, combining the two was inevitable this year. I love the idea of freeing up kitchen space by allowing sideline recipes to cook without nudging other recipes out of the oven or off the stove.

This recipe was 100% experimental because I’d never attempted pressure cooking anything like this before. I was pleasantly surprised to discover it had a delicious outcome!

50+ Make-Ahead Recipes For Your Holiday Table

Do you feel overwhelmed just thinking about planning a holiday menu? Then you anticipate the exhaustion that comes after the meal has been eaten?

Within each recipe in this ebook are tips for making the recipe ahead of time to open up space for the people you’re excited to spend the holiday with. Sample menus included, along with mouth-watering photos and tried-and-tested recipes!

Recipe Ingredients

Ground sausage – Replace the sausage with your choice of ground meat. Turkey, chicken or beef taste great, too! Or consider using chopped cooked bacon or ham to make it super flavorful.
Celery – This veggie adds a nice crunchy texture to your stuffing.
Mushrooms – Both button mushrooms or baby bellas are delicious!
Yellow onion – A strong flavored onion that is tempered with the bread in this recipe.
Dry bread cubes – Bread, cornbread, bagels, anything that’s on the “stale” side works wonderfully. Follow the instructions below to turn bread stale!
Chicken broth – If you have turkey broth on hand, replace chicken broth with it.

How To Make Instant Pot Stuffing Recipe

Step 1

Set Instant Pot to saute. Cook 1 pound of sausage until it is no longer pink. Add the celery, mushrooms, onion, salt and pepper.

sausage, mushrooms, celery and onions in Instant Pot

Cook for 3 minutes, or until fragrant.

Step 2

Scrape bits from the bottom of the pan with a spoon. Add the bread cubes and pour 1 can of chicken broth and 1/2 cup of water over the top. Give the mixture a stir, making sure the bread absorbs some of the liquids in the pot.

Bread pieces on top of veggies in Instant Pot

Step 3

Cover and cook on high pressure (pressure cook setting) for 2 minutes. It will take the pot approximately 15 minutes to build up pressure before it begins cooking. Do a quick release.

Step 4

When cook time is up, remove the lid and transfer to a serving dish. Serve immediately!

Close up of cooked stuffing in Instant Pot

Recipe Notes

Be careful not to stir the mixture too much before cooking. If the bread cubes get pushed down all the way to the bottom of the pot, they will get squished by the other ingredients and will become mushy. You’ll want the bread to absorb some of the liquids in the pot, but not be entirely covered.
Add 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme or sage to the mixture, if desired!

Stuffing Topping Options

In addition to the traditional ingredients (bread cubes or crumbs, celery, onion, butter and spices such a sage, salt and pepper), consider adding any or all of these to your next batch!

Chopped toasted pecans or walnuts.
Dried fruit such as cherries, blueberries, cranberries or raisins.
Diced apples or pears.
Finely chopped cauliflower, broccoli, Brussel sprouts or carrots.
Finely chopped kale!
Cubed butternut squash or sweet potatoes.

What Is The Difference Between Stuffing and Dressing

The only difference is that technically “stuffing” is stuffed and cooked inside an animal’s cavity such as a turkey. So technically, you’re looking at some delicious pressure cooker dressing!

Serving bowl filled with instant pot stuffing sitting next to Instant Pot

How To Make Day Old Bread For Stuffing

If you don’t have the time to set your bread out to dry for a day or two, consider speeding up the process by using your oven! Place the bread cubes in single layer on a baking sheet. Bake in a 300-degree oven for 45 minutes or until the pieces are totally dried out.

Mac and Cheese Recipes for Thanksgiving – 13 Delicious Ideas!

Mac and cheese is a Thanksgiving staple! Read on for some scrumptious mac and cheese recipes for Thanksgiving that you can make this year! You’ll find a ton of options to choose from in this roundup.

Yellow bowl of stuffing sitting next to plate of potatoes and asparagus

FAQ About Stuffing

Should you use eggs in stuffing?

Eggs can be used in stuffing but they are not the most common binding ingredient and keep ingredients mixed together. Broth is more common but eggs would make the dressing more fluffy.

What is the difference between stuffing and dressing?

Stuffing is a mixture of ingredients placed inside another food and then cooked. Dressing would be then cooked similarly but in a pan.

What is traditional stuffing made of?

The base of any good stuffing is dried herbs and seasoned bread cubes. From there, there are a lot of great ingredients to be added, depending on the preparer’s preference.

How do you know when dressing is done?

The dressing should soak up the liquid used to cook it and turn golden brown on the top if it’s cooked in a pan. If you are making stuffing, then it’s done when the food it’s inside is done being prepared.

Can you freeze stuffing?

Yes, you can freeze stuffing. It will last about 3 months in an airtight container.

Delicious Thanksgiving Side Dishes

This is my Mom’s Mashed Potatoes recipe. It is the BEST and goes great with any main dish, any time of year. You’ll never need another mashed potato recipe again!

This is the BEST Homemade Cranberry Sauce! It is super easy to make and way surpasses the canned version in flavor. This will be a delicious addition to your Thanksgiving or holiday table!

This Classic Sweet Potato Casserole is great on your Thanksgiving table. Filled with a delicious sweet potato mixture and topped with crunchy pecans and marshmallows.

This is the Best Green Bean Casserole for your table! It is a traditional holiday staple, yes, but also great any time of the year as a delicious side dish.

Best Recipes To Make In An Instant Pot

The list of recipes you can make in an Instant Pot is endless! It can cook soup, chili, pasta, meat, potatoes, veggies, cake, beans and so much more. Here are a few of my favorite Instant Pot recipes:

Cook perfect, tender Chicken Breasts in the Instant Pot every single time! Start with thawed or frozen to create the most delicious chicken you will ever make.
Make comforting, hearty Goulash in your Instant Pot! This American version of Goulash could not be easier or more delicious. Perfect easy dinner any night of the week!
Chicken Noodle Soup – Make this classic in the Instant Pot! Using a pressure cooker will save you time and will produce the most perfectly cooked soup you’ll ever taste.
Chili made easy in your pressure cooker is THE BEST! This recipe is the absolute perfect comfort food. It is jam-packed with flavor, texture, color and a tiny bit of spice. Perfect dinner or party food!
Chicken Tor t illa Soup is the BEST! It tastes like it’s been cooked low and slow all day long. Throw it together for your next family dinner OR your next big gathering.

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