Crazy easy Instant Pot sausage stuffing in less than 1 hour. No more fighting for oven space to make a flavorful stuffing for your Thanksgiving feast!
Oh my goodness, you guys, I thought I’d never say this, but man, do I love stuffing! Or is it a dressing?
Regardless of which term you use, I have to say I have a winner stuffing recipe for you.
In the past years, I’ve never cooked stuffing myself. And I always asked someone to bring it to the dinner. Because I was always like “meh, it’s just a stuffing”… Plus, I don’t have an oven room to make one anyway, since we never stuff our turkey. I’m sure you can relate to this.
Well, since I’m so obsessed with my Instant Pot, I decided to explore this idea of cooking sausage stuffing in an electric pressure cooker. It took me *only* 5 test runs many tests and re-tests to confirm this stuffing is legit!
Notes from recipe testing:
Last year (2017), I created this recipe in my older Instant Pot, which is now discontinued. I was able to cook my stuffing straight in its stainless steel insert without any issue. However, thanks to my readers’ feedback, I learned that this recipe didn’t work in newer Instant Pot models.
Sooo I got a new Instant Pot (<- this exact model) and re-created the recipe. Now this Instant Pot sausage stuffing recipe is fool-proof!!!
We’re using Pot-in-Pot cooking method using this stackable steamer insert pans. And because we’re using both pans, we can make a full batch of stuffing, enough to feed a crowd! Yay!!!
Here’re step by step photos to walk you through the process.
We’ll cook the sausage and vegetables in the stainless steel insert first.
Then add the hot sausage mixture over the dry stuffing bread, so the bread softens a little bit.
Meanwhile, we’ll whisk the eggs and chicken stock together and then pour it over the bread and sausage mixture.
And lastly we’ll divide the stuffing into 2 stackable steamer pots and place them in Instant Pot.
Note. I did place the lid over the top inserted pot after I placed the stacked pots in the Instant Pot.
Oh and I’m happy to report no one protested an excessive amount of stuffing. Because we use the leftovers in this delicious leftover stuffing breakfast casserole.
Instant Pot Sausage Stuffing
Ingredients
- 1 lb Italian sausage removed from casings (I used mild Italian sausage)
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 large onion chopped (about 1 ½ cups)
- 4 medium celery ribs chopped (about 1 ½ cups)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon dried sage
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves finely chopped
- 10 cups 10oz/300gr plain stuffing bread (Note 1)
- 1 cup 240ml chicken or turkey stock, divided
- 3 large eggs
Instructions
- Place the stuffing bread in a large bowl. Set aside.
- Set the Instant Pot* to sauté.
- Add the sausage and cook it, breaking it up, until cooked, about 10 minutes. (If sausage is sticking too much, add ¼ cup of water.)
- Transfer the sausage onto a plate.
- Add butter into the Instant Pot.
- Once butter is melted, add onion and celery and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Stir in the seasonings and parsley and cook for an additional minute.
- Stir in the sausage. Then transfer the mixture into the bowl with stuffing bread. If possible, cover it, so that bread gets warmed up and softens.
- Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together eggs and chicken stock.
- Pour it over the bread and sausage mixture and toss to combine.
- Replace the stainless steel insert back into the Instant Pot. Place a trivet and pour at least 1 cup of water.
- Divide the stuffing into 2 stackable insert pans and place it on the trivet in the Instant Pot. (If you're using these stackable insert pans, then you don't need a special handle, as it comes with one. But if you're using different pan, make a handmade sling using a foil.)
- Close the lid, make sure it's in sealing position. Set the Instant Pot to Manual, high pressure, 20 minutes.
- Do a quick release, and carefully remove the inserted pans.
Tips & Notes
Nutrition
This recipe was originally published on November 8th, 2017.
Made yesterday. Delicious! With a few caveats. :-). The BROTH ingredient says “divided”, but there was nothing about that in the instructions. My assumption was the whole mix being divided into two pans.
Step 12. I do happen to have that set of pans. However, no matter what trivet I tried, the stack was too tall. I relied on the stack’s own micro-trivet (feet).
I thought I was going to have too much as I had over 10oz of bread and added mushrooms. But it all fit without forcing and wasn’t mushy. Turns out, I like my stuffing a little mushy and more cohesive. LOL! The end result was TASTY but a little dry. Not sure if I should have upped the broth-egg mixture or added some of the turkey juices. Notes for next time. 😉
Stuffing = Inside the bird. Dressing = outside the bird. Hybrid? = Dressing in the casserole or sheet pan, with the bird cut in half and layered over it to bake.
Mine also said “Burn” So I emptied the pot, cleaned the bottom, and put the stuffing back in. Within 2 minutes, the stuffing had burned again. I added more liquid and tried again, and it still burned. So I had to cook it in the stove.
Thanks for that recipe – it helped with my “all Instant Pot Christmas” (except for the turkey). However, my stuffing was just one big pile of mush. I used my own bread that was completely dried out for days on the counter which I then also heated for 1 hour at 200 for good measure, and I see that your ‘homemade’ bread pieces also turned to mush. I’ll try it again sometime but with croutons instead, as I can’t imagine “plain stuffing bread” being any drier to start off with than my own.
What a genius way to make stuffing!
Yes, it’s so convenient!!! Thanks, Shawn!
I attempted to make this twice, and both times I got a “burn” before it came to pressure! I even added a cup of extra broth! Any suggestions?
Oh no, Haley. What do you mean you got a “burn”? Did it start burning on the bottom before it start counting down? Are you using Instant Pot, or different brand of electric pressure cooker? And what size is your pressure cooker?
It was coming to pressure and then the word “burn” appeared on the screen. I have a six quart IP . When I opened it there was some stuffing burnt to the bottom of the pot. So I just put what I could save into a pan and baked it. The flavors were great though!
That’s so weird, Haley. I also have 6qt Instant Pot, but I’ve never seen word “burn” come up. And I’ve burnt food in it! Do you have high and low settings? If you do, maybe try cooking on low? My IP doesn’t have high/low settings though.