Instant Pot Stuffing

The Thanksgiving and Christmas season has always been my favorite time of the year.

Not only it’s the warm & cozy comfort food + soup season, it’s also a wonderful time for us to reflect on our year, count our blessings as we celebrate with our loved ones! 😀

If you enjoy a traditional Thanksgiving dinner or Christmas dinner, a whole Turkey (or Turkey Breast) + Gravy, Cranberry Sauce, and Turkey Stuffing are a must!

The best stuffing is crusty yet fluffy & loaded with onion + celery crunch bits for extra mouthfeel. It’s also packed with tasty & comforting turkey flavors + aromatic herbs & spices.

It’s important to use the right ratio of ingredients + cooking method to ensure the stuffing doesn’t turn out too hard & dried, or soggy & mushy gooey soft.

Why should we make Turkey Stuffing separately?

USDA recommends cooking stuffing separately because food safety is the main concern.

If we’re cooking the turkey to 165°F, the stuffing can be undercooked in the cavity. When it comes to poultry, undercooking is no joke with salmonella and other bacteria!

But, if we cook the stuffing in the cavity to 165°F, the turkey will be overcooked – resulting in sad sandpaper-like turkey breast.

Time to make Comforting Tasty Stuffing in Instant Pot!

Step-by-Step Guide: Instant Pot Stuffing

First, let’s prepare ingredients for cooking stuffing in Instant Pot! 🙂

*Unsalted Turkey/Chicken Stock – Different brands or even different boxes of the same brand of salted turkey stock can differ in levels of sodium, so we prefer to develop recipes using unsalted turkey stock for more control & consistency on the dish’s flavor profile. Best if you can make your own stock.

Tools for Cooking Stuffing in Instant Pot

• Instant Pot Electric Pressure Cooker or Instant Pot Duo Crisp Air Fryer & Pressure Cooker
• Non-Stick Springform Pan
• Mixing Bowl
• Wooden Spoon

Preparation

First, cut one loaf of French bread into 1″ – 1.5″ cubes. 

*Pro Tip – Dicing the Celery: Use the tip of a knife to cut the celery lengthwise into 4 thin strips before chopping.

Optional: Dry Bread Cubes

*Pro Tip: Since fresh bread has a lot of moisture inside, for this recipe, use days old bread cubes so they can absorb as much yummy stock and seasonings as possible. If you bought a fresh loaf of French bread, put the bread cubes into the oven or airfryer to remove some of the moisture. 

First, place the bread cubes into an airfryer basket or oven tray.

*Note: We are using Instant Pot Duo Crisp‘s “Air Fry” function.

Then, place the air fryer lid on the Instant Pot Duo Crisp.

• Air Frying Method: Press “Air Fry” button, set the temperature to 275°F and cooking time to 45 minutes.

Be sure to give the bread cubes a few shakes half way through.

*Note – Oven Method: You can also do this in the oven with the same temperature and cooking time.

Saute Onions & Make Egg Mixture

Press “Saute” button to “Sauté More” function to heat up Instant Pot. It will switch to “ON” on the screen.

If you’re using Instant Pot Duo Crisp – press “Saute” button to “Saute Hi” and press “Start”.

Wait until it says “HOT” on the screen (takes roughly 8 minutes).

*Pro Tip: Make sure Instant Pot is as hot as it can be in order to induce a Maillard reaction.

First, add 3 tbsp unsalted butter (45g) in Instant Pot’s inner pot, then ensure the whole bottom is coated with butter.

Now, you can add the diced onions in Instant Pot, and saute for 3 minutes.

While the onions are sauteeing, beat 2 eggs in a large mixing bowl. Then, add 2 tbsp (7.5g) finely chopped parsley and 1 cup (250ml) unsalted turkey or chicken broth into the beaten eggs.

Saute Celery & Garlic

At this point, add diced celery, ½ tsp (0.9g) ground sage, ½ tsp (0.5g) dried thyme, and ¼ tsp (0.4g) dried rosemary in Instant Pot, then saute for 1½ minute.

Then, add minced garlic in Instant Pot, and saute for another 30 seconds.

Deglaze Instant Pot

*Note: There shouldn’t be much to deglaze.

First, pour 1.5 – 2 cups (375ml – 500ml) unsalted turkey broth in Instant Pot.

*Pro Tip: If you prefer a drier stuffing, use 1.5 cups turkey stock. If you prefer a more moist stuffing, use 2 cups turkey stock.

Deglaze by scrubbing all the bits off the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon.

Then, add 1 tbsp (15ml) regular soy sauce in Instant Pot, and give it a quick mix.

Now you can turn off the heat, then taste & season with salt & black pepper (for reference, we used 2 large pinches of kosher salt).

Combine Everything

Slowly pour the seasoned celery onion mixture into the large mixing bowl of egg mixture, then give it a quick mix.

Gently fold in the dried bread cubes, and make sure the bread cubes absorb all the turkey stock mixture.

Then, place everything into a cake pan that fits in your Instant Pot.

Pressure Cook Stuffing

Now, you’ll need to clean and dry the Instant Pot’s inner pot.

First, add 1 cup (250ml) cold water, and a trivet in Instant Pot.

Then, place the cake pan filled with stuffing on the trivet.

Close lid, then turn Venting Knob to Sealing position.

• Pressure Cooking Method: Pressure Cook at High Pressure for 12 minutes + 10 minutes Natural Release.

After 10 minutes of natural releasing, carefully turn the Venting Knob to Venting Position to release the pressure.

Once the Floating Valve drops, open the lid carefully.

The Instant Pot Stuffing is done! You can garnish and serve the stuffing or continue with the optional browning step.

Optional – Golden Brown Stuffing

First, place the air fryer lid on the Instant Pot Duo Crisp.

• Air Frying Method: Press “Air Fry” button, set the temperature to 400°F and cooking time to 8 minutes.

*Pro Tip: It will take roughly 6 – 8 minutes + preheat time. You can open the lid to check the progress on the Air Fryer Stuffing.

*Oven Method: Place the cake pan on the top rack of an oven, then use the broil function for a few minutes.

Serve Instant Pot Stuffing

Finally, garnish Instant Pot Stuffing with finely chopped parsley, then serve immediately.

Enjoy this deliciously comforting stuffing with the rest of your Thanksgiving or Christmas feast! :) 

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