This Instant Pot Stuffing with sausage is an easy and satisfying recipe that you can make for your Thanksgiving table. With lots of flavorful vegetables, spicy sausage, and a gluten-free option, this is a holiday recipe that everyone loves!

instant pot stuffing with sausage in white serving tray.

With the holidays just around the corner, this Instant Pot Stuffing recipe is one you don’t want to miss.

I never was a big fan of stuffing growing up, but now I love it! The addition of spicy sausage takes this recipe to the next level.

And, by making this stuffing in the Instant Pot as opposed to the stovetop or oven, you save valuable oven space when you’re cooking a big meal with lots of dishes.

Why You Need This Recipe

  • Save valuable oven space by making your dressing in the pressure cooker. It’s so simple and helps reduce holiday stress.
  • It’s nice to have a relatively easy and “hands off” recipe while you are dealing with the turkey and other side dishes on Thanksgiving.
  • Your dressing won’t get dried out when it’s cooked in the Instant Pot. The pressure cooker keeps the moisture trapped so your stuffing is nice and moist.

Key Ingredients

labeled photo with ingredients for instant pot sausage stuffing

This Instant Pot Stuffing recipe doesn’t have too many ingredients. You really need just the basics.

  • You’ll want to use some crusty bread that you will need to cut into cubes. I used a loaf of gluten-free bread to keep the recipe free from gluten.
  • You’ll also want some uncooked spicy or Italian ground pork sausage. You can leave this out if you want to make the recipe vegetarian, but the sausage adds SO much flavor.
  • The other ingredients are pretty standard including celery, onion, and dried herbs.

Please see the recipe card at the end of this post for the exact measurements.

Recipe Steps

Let me show you how to put together your Instant Pot Stuffing that everyone is going to enjoy for the holidays.

Step One

The first step is arguably the most important step in this Instant Pot Stuffing Recipe.

What you will need to do is to cut a loaf of white bread or gluten-free white bread into cubes, and dry the cubes in the oven.

You can also use stale bread, but the point is that the bread cubes must be dry for this recipe to work correctly.

Check the recipe card at the end of this post for specific instructions on how to bake your bread cubes in the oven to dry them out.

Step Two

The bread cubes should come out of the oven all browned and toasty.

The benefit of drying out your bread crumbs before making your stuffing is that your stuffing won’t come out mushy. Trust me, nobody likes mushy stuffing!

dried bread cubes for stuffing.

Step Three

While the bread is getting dried in the oven, it’s time to start cooking your sausage and vegetables. I used a combination of celery and onion, but you can feel free to use whatever you prefer, including carrots or fennel.

Use the Sauté function on your Instant Pot to slightly cook the sausage, onion, and celery.

Step Four

Then, cancel the sauté button and add the bread cubes on top. You’ll also be including some dried herbs like oregano and thyme.

Lock on the lid, set the cooking time to 2 minutes at high pressure, and then let the Instant Pot do its magic.

stuffing ingredients in the instant pot.

Step Five

Once the Instant Pot is done cooking, use the quick release and then carefully remove the lid.

Use oven mitts to pull out the stainless steel bowl from the Instant Pot and pour the mixture into a serving bowl or plate.

Top with chopped parsley and serve hot.

sausage stuffing in white casserole dish,

Instant Pot Stuffing Recipe FAQs

Can I make holiday stuffing paleo or grain-free?

Yes, you can! Just be sure to buy grain-free or paleo bread to use in the stuffing.

Can I make stuffing ahead of time and re-heat it?

I find that this stuffing recipe is best made on the same day you are going to serve it.

Can this stuffing be made vegan or vegetarian?

Yes, absolutely, just leave out the sausage.

More Holiday Instant Pot Recipes You Might Like

Don’t Miss These Yummy Holiday Side Dishes

Dairy-Free Gravy Recipe (Gluten-Free & Paleo)

Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Dinner Rolls (Vegan Too)

Vegan Creamed Kale Using Coconut Milk

Turkey-Shaped Vegetable Tray for Thanksgiving

I hope you make this recipe! If you do, please leave a comment and a starred review below.

And, consider following me on social media so we can stay connected. I’m on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and YouTube!

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instant pot sausage stuffing.

Instant Pot Stuffing with Sausage (Gluten-Free Option)

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5 from 6 reviews

Print Recipe

This Instant Pot Stuffing with Sausage is an easy and satisfying recipe that you can make for your Thanksgiving table. With a gluten-free option, this is a recipe that everyone can enjoy.

  • Total Time: 80 minutes
  • Yield: 10 1x

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 1 12–ounce loaf of white bread (use gluten-free bread if you are on a gluten-free diet)
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 1 pound ground spicy sausage
  • 1 cup chopped celery
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 2 cups reduced-sodium vegetable broth
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/4 cup fresh chopped flat-leaf Italian parsley

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F. Place your bread on a cutting board and cut it into 1-inch cubes.
  2. Lay the bread cubes on a baking sheet and spread them out. Bake the bread cubes for 35 minutes, or until they are browned and dry. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the bread cubes cool slightly.
  3. Press the Sauté button on a 6-quart pressure cooker. Add the oil and then add the sausage, celery, and onion. Stir the ingredients and let them cook for about 3-4 minutes, or until the sausage has started to cook through. 
  4. Cancel the Sauté button, and pour in the broth, dried oregano, dried thyme, and the bread cubes. 
  5. Lock on the lid and set the time to 2 minutes at high pressure.
  6. When the cooking time is up, use the quick release to carefully get rid of all the pressure.
  7. Remove the lid and use a serving spoon or pour the cooked stuffing onto a serving tray or into a serving bowl. 
  8. Serve the stuffing hot, with chopped fresh parsley on top.

Notes

  1. You can prepare the dried bread cubes up to 2 days before you make this recipe. 
  2. This recipe is best served on the same day as it is made, otherwise the stuffing can tend to get mushy when it is re-heated.
  • Author: Carrie Forrest, MPH in Nutrition
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 55 minutes
  • Category: Side dish
  • Method: Instant Pot pressure cooker
  • Cuisine: Holiday
  • Diet: Gluten Free

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1/10 of recipe
  • Calories: 259
  • Sugar: 2.8 g
  • Sodium: 506.2 mg
  • Fat: 15.8 g
  • Saturated Fat: 5.4 g
  • Carbohydrates: 19 g
  • Fiber: 1.4 g
  • Protein: 9.7 g
  • Cholesterol: 34.4 mg

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About the Author: Carrie Forrest is the author of the best-selling Instant Pot-authorized cookbook, The Healthy Meal Prep Instant Pot Cookbook. She has a master’s degree in public health with a specialty in nutrition and receives over 5 million annual visitors to her site. Send Carrie a message through her contact form.