• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
A Mind "Full" Mom
  • ingredient
    • Pasta
    • Beef
    • Poultry
    • Pork
    • Seafood
    • Vegetarian
    • soups
    • burgers
  • course
    • Beverages
    • Appetizers
    • Breakfast
    • Lunch
    • Main Courses
    • Sides
    • Salads
    • Snacks
    • Desserts
    • Condiments
  • method
    • 30-Minute Meals
    • Grilling
    • Instant Pot
    • Slow Cooker
    • Air Fryer
  • All Recipes
    • Main Courses
      • Beef Recipes
      • Chicken & Turkey
      • Pasta
      • Pork
      • Seafood
      • Soup, Stew, and Chili
      • Vegetarian
    • Breakfast
    • Breads and Muffins
    • Desserts
    • Kid-Friendly
    • Salads
    • Side Dishes
    • Slow Cooker
    • Snacks
    • Pantry Staples
    • Allergy Friendly Recipes
      • Plant-Based
      • Gluten-Free
      • Dairy-Free
  • Instant Pot
  • 30-Minute Meals
  • Meet Kristen
  • Subscribe
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Instant Pot
  • 30-Minute Meals
  • All Recipes
  • Meet Kristen
  • Subscribe
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×

    Instant Pot Stuffing

    Budget Cooking Holiday Cuisine Instant Pot Instant Pot Side Dishes Real Food April 23, 2023 | By Kristen Chidsey | 7 Comments | *This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.

    Jump to Recipe
    Instant Pot Stuffing is the easiest way to make classic stuffing! Made with sauteed celery and onions and cubed bread, this Instant Pot Stuffing is rich, buttery, and saves you precious oven space when preparing a holiday meal.

    Made with sauteed celery and onions and cubed bread, this Instant Pot Stuffing is rich, buttery, and super easy to make.

    Stuffing in cake pan next to instant pot.

    Whether you call it stuffing or dressing, you are going to love this recipe for what I call bread stuffing made in the Instant Pot.

    This recipe has been inspired by my Papa's Old Fashioned Bread Stuffing, but instead of being baked in the oven, or stuffed into a turkey, this recipe is prepared in the Instant Pot and the results are spectacular.

    Why You Will Love Instant Pot Stuffing

    • Saves space in the oven. Even with two ovens, I have found myself running out of space to prepare a large Thanksgiving feast.
    • Avoid food poisoning. When you stuff a turkey or chicken with stuffing, you must ensure that your stuffing reaches 165 degrees F, according to the USDA. By the time the stuffing reaches a safe temperature, the turkey will be WAY OVER cooked. And there is nothing much worse than an overcooked turkey.
    • Incredibly moist. By using the moist heat of the instant pot, the stuffing turns out just as moist as if it were stuffed inside a bird.
    • The flavor is incredible. This recipe for Instant Pot Stuffing may sacrifice oven space and is faster to prepare, but it is still is everything you want when it comes to bread stuffing. It is simple, yet perfect.

    Notes on Ingredients & Equipment

    Ingredients for instnat pot stuffing labled on kitchen counter.
    • Bread: You can make stuffing with any bread you like, and this is a great time to use stale or dried out bread. I typically opt for white bread, as it reminds me of the stuffing served at my childhood Thanksgivings, and the mild flavor of the white bread does not overwhelm the delicate flavors in this recipe.
    • Butter: Use unsalted butter, or a vegan butter substitute if you need your stuffing to be dairy-free. I don’t suggest using oil in place of the butter, as the results would be a bit greasy, and we want a rich, buttery stuffing.
    • Celery & Onions: Not only will celery and onions add flavor to the stuffing, but they also will add texture to an otherwise softer dish.
    • Seasonings: This recipe for stuffing is kept really simple and is only flavored with salt, pepper, and dried thyme leaves.
    • Stock: You will need low-sodium broth or stock of some sort to make flavorful stuffing. I recommend using store-bought or homemade chicken stock, Instant Pot Chicken stock, turkey stock, or even vegetable broth.
    • 7-inch Heat-Safe Baking Dish: We are going to cook out stuffing using pot-in-pot, so you need to make sure you have either a 7-inch baking dish or bundt pan that fits inside your inner pot.

    How to Make Stuffing in the Instant Pot

    • Cube up your bread of choice into 1-inch cubes and place it onto a sheet pan.
    • At this point, we need to dry out the bread so that it can absorb the butter and stock we will be adding the stuffing. To dry out the bread, you have two options. You can cover the sheet pan and with a clean kitchen towel and leave it out to dry overnight. Alternatively, you can toast the bread in a 350 degrees F oven for 10-15 minutes to dry out.
    • Once the bread is dried out, turn the Instant Pot to saute.
    • Add in the butter to the inner pot and let it melt.
    • Once the butter has melted, add in the diced celery and onion and saute the mixture until the onions begin to soften.
    • Once the onion becomes slightly translucent, add in the salt, pepper, and dried thyme leaves and saute for just a minute or two longer to toast the spices. Then turn the saute function off.
    Onions and celery sauteed in the Instant Pot.
    • Add in 1 cup of stock into the inner pot and scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the inner pot. Even though we are not cooking our stuffing directly in the inner pot, we want those browned bits off the bottom because they will add flavor to the overall stuffing and it will prevent a burn notice, that can happen even when cooking pot-in-pot with a dirty inner pot.
    • Add in the cubed, dried bread and give everything a good stir, adding more liquid if needed until the cubed bread is fully moistened. How much stock you need will really depend on how your bread is dried out, you want your bread to be fully moist, but not soggy. I typically use 1 ½ to 2 cups of stock.
    Bread stuffing mixed together inside pressure cooker.
    • Once combined, transfer the stuffing into a greased 7-inch baking dish.
    Stuffing Mixture in a cake pan.
    • Cover the pan tightly with foil.
    • Pour 1.5 cups of cold water into the inner pot of the instant pot. No need to wash out the inner pot at this time.
    • Place the metal rack or trivet in the inner pot and then place the pan on the rack.
    • Place the lid on the inner pot, and be sure the vent is sealed.
    • Set the cooking time to 20 minutes on high pressure if using a cake pan, or 15 minutes on high pressure if using a bundt pan.
    • Once the cooking time has elapsed, you can immediately release pressure by turning the vent knob from sealed to venting, or you can allow the pressure to release naturally on its own. This is one recipe it really doesn’t make much difference.
    • Remove the stuffing from the Instant Pot and remove the foil.
    Stuffing in cake pan after pressure cooking.
    • At this point, the stuffing is rather moist, which is exactly as it would be if it was stuffed in a turkey. However, if you like crispy, browned bits on your stuffing, pop the pan of stuffing under a preheated broiler for a few minutes, until golden. Alternatively, use an air fryer lid to brown the stuffing.
    Browned stuffing in cake pan next to instant pot and celery.

    Storage Instructions

    Before storing leftover stuffing, allow it to cool slightly. Cover your baking dish tightly with foil or plastic wrap or transfer the leftover stuffing to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Reheat individual servings in the microwave in 30-second intervals until warmed through.

    Step-By-Step Video

    If you learn better through video and visual presentation, be sure to check out my YouTube video for Instant Pot Stuffing.

    Thumbnnail for Instant Pot Stuffing on YouTube--says easiest stuffing.

    More Instant Pot Thanksgiving Recipes

    • Instant Pot Turkey Breast
    • Instant Pot Cranberry Sauce
    • Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
    • Instant Pot Green Beans
    • Instant Pot Pumpkin Cheesecake

    If you made this recipe for Instant Pot Stuffing, be sure to leave a comment and review below.

    Stuffing made in cake pan next to Instant Pot.

    Instant Pot Stuffing

    Made with sauteed celery and onions and cubed bread, this Instant Pot Stuffing is rich, buttery, and saves you precious oven space when preparing a holiday meal.
    5 from 5 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Side Dish
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Pressure Build-Up & Drying out Bread: 12 hours hours 15 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 12 hours hours 45 minutes minutes
    Servings: 8
    Calories: 222kcal
    Author: Kristen Chidsey

    Ingredients

    • 1 pound bread
    • 4 tablespoons butter plus more for greasing pound
    • 1 cup minced onion about 1 large onion
    • 1 cup diced celery about 2-3 stalks of celery
    • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
    • ½ teaspoon black pepper
    • ½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves not ground thyme
    • 1 ½ to 2 ¼ cups low-sodium chicken stock
    Prevents your screen from going dark while preparing the recipe.

    Instructions

    • Cube the bread into 1-inch cubes and spread it out evenly in a single layer onto a sheet pan.
    • To dry out the bread, you have two options. You can cover the sheet pan and with a clean kitchen towel and leave it out to dry overnight. Alternatively, you can toast the bread in a 350 degrees F oven for 10-15 minutes to dry out.
    • When ready to prepare the stuffing, turn the Instant Pot to saute and add in the butter and let melt.
    • Once the butter has melted, add in the diced celery and onion and saute the mixture until the onions begin to soften about 3-4 minutes.
    • Once the onion is softened, add in the salt, pepper, and dried thyme leaves and saute for just a minute or two longer to toast the spices. Then turn the saute function off.
    • Add in 1 cup of stock into the inner pot and scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the inner pot.
    • Add in the cubed, dried bread and give everything a good stir, adding ¼ cup more stock as needed, until the bread is fully moistened, but not soggy.
    • Grease a 7-inch cake pan or 7-inch bundt pan with butter. Transfer the stuffing mixture to the pan and cover tightly with foil.
    • Pour 1.5 cups of cold water into the inner pot of the instant pot. Place the metal rack or trivet in the inner pot and then place the pan on the rack.
    • Place the lid on the inner pot and be sure the vent knob is sealed. Set the cooking time for 20 minutes on high pressure if using a cake pan, or 15 minutes on high pressure if using a bundt pan.
    • Once the cooking time has elapsed, you can allow pressure to release on its own or carefully do a quick release of pressure.
    • Remove the pan of stuffing from the inner pot and remove the foil.
    • To achieve a browned, golden exterior, pop the pan of stuffing under a preheated broiler for 3-5 minutes, until golden. Alternatively, use an air fryer lid to brown the stuffing.

    Equipment Needed

    • Electric Pressure Cooker (6 or 8 quart)
    • 7 inch cake pan

    Notes

    Bread: Use any type of bread you like; wheat bread, white bread, rye, cranberry walnut bread, or a mixture of bread. Even gluten-free bread will work well in this stuffing recipe. 
    Butter: If you need this recipe to be dairy-free, use vegan butter, not oil. 
    Storage: Allow the stuffing to cool slightly, then cover the baking dish tightly with foil or plastic wrap or transfer the leftover stuffing to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Reheat individual servings in the microwave in 30-second intervals until warmed through. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 222kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 516mg | Potassium: 213mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 234IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 92mg | Iron: 2mg
    Liked this Recipe? Tag me Today!Snap a picture and tag #amindfullmom on Instagram - I would love to see!
    « Peanut Butter Buckeyes
    Muddy Buddy Cookies »

    About Kristen Chidsey

    Hi, I am Kristen, creator of A Mind "Full" Mom. I believe that making a wholesome family meal does not need to be hard or expensive! I love nothing more than to share with you delicious solutions for your hungry family.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Leave a Reply Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




      This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    1. Shelly

      November 18, 2022 at 9:57 am

      5 stars
      Delish so good as is. Next time wanted to do crumbled sausage with mushrooms like my mom used to make. How would I incorporate this? Thank you so much

      Reply
      • Kristen Chidsey

        November 18, 2022 at 2:38 pm

        I am so happy to hear you enjoyed, Shelly! I would recommend sauteeing the sausage with the onions and celery until nearly cooked through. Add the mushrooms and saute for another 5 minutes or the mushrooms soften and the meat is fully cooked. Then proceed with the recipe as written!

        Reply
    2. Cee

      November 23, 2021 at 10:40 pm

      Where do I find a 7” pot. How high should it be? I am anxious to try this recipe.

      Reply
      • Kristen Chidsey

        November 24, 2021 at 6:25 am

        Hi Cee! You can use a 7x3 or 6x4 pan. I use this one, which you can purchase off Amazon.

        Reply
    3. Lynn Ferguson

      November 23, 2021 at 7:26 pm

      5 stars
      I made this tonight and it was DELICIOUS!! So easy and soooo yummy!!

      Reply
    4. Hanna

      November 14, 2021 at 10:14 pm

      ooooh, what a great idea! This looks amazing! I can't wait to try it!

      Reply
    5. Lisalia

      November 14, 2021 at 9:45 pm

      5 stars
      I'm so happy to find this instant pot stuffing recipe. Because all my other cooking methods will be in use (crockpot, oven, stove top burners, and air fryer.) This is PERFECTLY timed and exactly what we need. Thanks for this recipe!

      Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    Instant Pot Stuffing is the easiest way to make classic stuffing! Made with sauteed celery and onions and cubed bread, this Instant Pot Stuffing is rich, buttery, and saves you precious oven space when preparing a holiday meal.

    Meet a Mind "Full" Mom

    A Picture of A Mind"Full"Mom

    Hi! I'm Kristen. I want to welcome you into my kitchen and my REAL, imperfect life. Let me share with you tips and tricks to help you make healthy eating a reality for your family in the chaos of life and on the constraints of a budget. Read more

    Instant Pot Favorites

    • jar of plain yogurt next to instant pot
      Instant Pot Yogurt
    • Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs Sliced Open on cutting board
      Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs
    • Instant Pot Pot Roast sliced up on white platter with carrots and potatoes.
      Instant Pot Pot Roast
    • Whole seasoned chicken on trivet inside inner pot.
      Instant Pot Whole Chicken
    • Bowl of Cold Start Yogurt
      Instant Pot Cold Start Yogurt
    • Inner pot of instant pot filled dried beans
      Instant Pot Beans
    • How to use the instant pot as a slow cooker
      How to Use Your Instant Pot as a Slow Cooker
    • 4 chicken breasts cooked inside instant pot.
      Instant Pot Chicken Breast (Fresh or Frozen)

    Reader Favorites

    • Bowl of creamy coleslaw made with shredded green cabbage.
      Easy Homemade Coleslaw
    • Homemade Chicken Tenders on platter.
      Homemade Chicken Tenders
    • Baked Instant Pot Sweet Potato on white plate topped with pat of butter.
      Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes
    • Chili seasonings labled on wooden board
      Chili Seasoning Recipe
    • 3 Salmon Fillets on green plate topped with limes.
      Easy Baked Salmon
    • Instant Pot Chicken Wing being dipped into ranch dressing.
      Instant Pot Chicken Wings
    • Latte in glass mug with coffee beans on the counter.
      Easy Homemade Latte Recipe
    • Creamy and Cheesy Chicken and Rice in yellow casserole dish
      Creamy and Cheesy Chicken and Rice

    Footer

    Instant Pot Stuffing is the easiest way to make classic stuffing! Made with sauteed celery and onions and cubed bread, this Instant Pot Stuffing is rich, buttery, and saves you precious oven space when preparing a holiday meal.

    Featured on:

    Websites AMind"Full"Mom has been featured on

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Work with me

    DISCLAIMER: THE SITE DOES NOT PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE AND IS FOR INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY. IT IS NOT INTENDED TO BE A SUBSTITUTE FOR PROFESSIONAL MEDICAL ADVICE OR TREATMENT. AFFILIATE LINKS TO PRODUCTS I GENUINELY LOVE ARE OFTEN INCORPORATED IN MY POSTS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT.

    Copyright © 2020 · A MIND "FULL" MOM