This is a traditional style Instant Pot Stuffing recipe. The popular Holiday side dish, also referred to as dressing (though we have always called it stuffing!) made in the electric pressure cooker, is delicious and customizable. Add your favorite ingredients to make this the best Thanksgiving side dish recipe, or for any occasion!
Instant Pot Stuffing
I am picky about my Thanksgiving Holiday stuffing. I like it moist, but not mushy, and I do not like a dry stuffing! I call those croutons! I found a method that gives me my stuffing wish list, and saves me space in the oven for the turkey!
Making Instant Pot Stuffing is a great solution to the oven space thing, but it also makes for a stuffing that doesn’t get dried out in the oven.
Some people like to get a crust on the top of their stuffing, and to do that you would just pop it under the broiler for a few minutes until you get the desired amount of crust. I’m not a crust girl.
When my mom would stuff the turkey, I was the kid who dug way into the cavity to spoon out the mushiest portion! Yummy!
It actually turns out to be a perfect consistency. I like to add gravy to mine after I dish it up and let it get all gooey and even more yummy!
This Instant Pot Stuffing recipe is easy to make your own just by adding in the ingredients you like in your stuffing. Toss the bread cubes with the broth mixture, then your add-ins (here I used dried unsweetened cranberries and walnuts) and the broth/veggie mixture.
Instant Pot Cornbread Stuffing
Instant Pot Cranberry Sauce
Instant Pot Turkey Breast
Instant Pot Pumpkin Cheesecake
Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
Instant Pot Candied Yams
Instant Pot Bone-in Ham
Instant Pot Stuffing is the perfect Holiday side dish. Make this stuffing in your electric pressure cooker.
- 12 oz Dry Cubed Seasoned Stuffing* (1 bag or box) I prefer Pepperidge Farm Herb Seasoned
- 1/2 cup Butter
- 1 med Sweet Onion, diced
- 1 cup Celery, diced
- 1 tsp Rubbed Sage, dried
- 1/2 tsp Kosher Salt (or 1/4 tsp table salt)
- 1/4 tsp Pepper
- 2 cloves Garlic, pressed or finely minced
- 1 1/2 cups Turkey Broth (use 2 cups for a more moist result)
- 1 1/2 cups Water, for the pressure cooker
- 1/2 cup Dried Cranberries, unsweetened
- Raisins
- 1/2 cup Walnuts or Pecans, roughly chopped
- 1/2 cup Apple, diced
- 1/2 cup Mushrooms, chopped
- 1/2 cup Bacon, cooked, chopped
Pour stuffing cubes into a large mixing bowl. Mix in any of the optional ingredients you choose to use (pictured is dried cranberries and walnuts). Set aside.
(This step can also be done on the stove, using a skillet. I prefer doing it all in one pot) Set Instant Pot to Sauté function (Less/Low heat).
Add butter, onion, and celery. Cook, stirring frequently, until vegetables soften.
Add sage, salt, pepper, and garlic. Cook until fragrant, stirring constantly (about 30 seconds).
Add broth and stir. Let mixture just come to a simmer, then Cancel the sauté mode.
Using pot holders, remove the inner liner with the broth mixture from the Instant Pot and pour the mixture carefully over the stuffing cubes.
Toss together the stuffing cubes and broth mixture until well combined.
Rinse out the inner liner, dry it, and set it back in the pressure cooker base. Add 1 1/2 cups of water to the inner liner pot.
Transfer stuffing to a sprayed 2 quart stainless or aluminum cooking pan (metal works better than glass in this case). I use my ekovana Stackable Stainless pan, or my Fat Daddio's 7"x3" Push Pan.
Gently pat the stuffing into the pan. Don't pack it in there too tightly. Spray a piece of foil and cover the pan tightly, crimping the edges.
Set the pan on a trivet/rack with handles and put them into the pot.
Close the lid and lock into position. Set the Steam Release Knob to the Sealing position (not on the Ultra).
Press the Pressure Cook/Manual button or dial. Then use the +/- to choose 20 minutes (use the dial on the Ultra).
After the cook cycle ends, let the pot sit and naturally release pressure for 5 minutes. Then manually release the remaining pressure, either by turning the Steam Release Knob to Venting, or on the Ultra, press the button.
When all of the pressure is out of the pot and the pin in the lid drops, open the lid and use pot holders to very carefully lift the rack and pan out of the pot.
Set on a cooling rack and keep covered until you are ready to serve. Or, turn on your broiler to 375 degrees (F) and set the pan under it for a few minutes to brown the top.
*If you use unseasoned bread cubes, increase sage to 2 tsp, and double the salt. You might also like 1/2 tsp of Poultry Seasoning.
Resources to Make This Recipe
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
Sandy, Try chopped up water chestnuts. They give it an incredible little crunch.
Hi Linda, what a great idea! Thank you for the suggestion.
Do you have suggestions about making it beforehand and heating it up in the oven when you’re ready? I want to use the Insta, but I need to make it before the event. Any tips on heating it? Add some more broth? Heat, then broil? Thanks!
If you are going to use the oven to reheat it, I would probably just make it in the oven to begin with. If you make it in the IP, you can also reheat it in the IP on the Steam setting for 5 minutes. It may need more broth, and that will depend on how moist it is when you go to reheat it.
I made this tonight and it came out perfect! I did use 2 cups of chicken broth. Thank you for such great recipes!
That’s great, Beverly! Thank you for your review!
Can this be doubled? Would it change the cook time?
It can be doubled, if you have a large enough pan. I would increase the cook time by 10 – 15 minutes. It depends on how densely you pack it (try not to pack it too mard).