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.
Prep Time15 minutesmins
Cook Time15 minutesmins
Pressure Build-Up & Drying out Bread12 hourshrs15 minutesmins
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℉ oven for 10-15 minutes to dry out
When ready to prepare the stuffing, turn the Instant Pot to saute, 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. This is one recipe it won't make a difference if you do a quick release or natural 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.
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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. Seasoning: Feel free to omit the thyme and add in 1 teaspoon of poultry seasoning. 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.