Instant Pot Vegetarian Stuffing

Quick and easy instant pot vegetarian stuffing recipe, homemade with simple ingredients in 30 minutes. A classic Thanksgiving side dish full of sauteed veggies, button mushrooms, Italian herbs.

Stuffing is a classic, must-have side, on Thanksgiving day. However, orchestrating the oven timing, temperatures, and side dish cooking can be so difficult when you are the one hosting. This is where the pressure cooker can help. Try this Easy Cornbread Stuffing Or Dressing (One Pot), Sausage Stuffing (One Pot), or Thanksgiving Turkey Stuffing (One Pot), if you prefer a variation of this dish.

How To Make Instant Pot Vegetarian Stuffing Recipe From Scratch?

1. Add butter- In an instant pot.
2. Saute ingredients-This includes onions, garlic, celery, carrots, mushrooms, Italian seasoning, poultry seasoning, salt, pepper.
3. Add bread cubes, broth- And toss to combine.
4. Transfer mixture- To a baking dish.
5. Cover- With aluminum foil.
6. Add water in pressure cooker- And place a trivet/rack inside.
7. Place baking dish- On top of the trivet.
8. Cover- And cook.
9. Release pressure- And remove baking dish.
10. Optional step- Remove aluminum foil and transfer baking dish to oven and broil for a few minutes.

What To Serve With Instant Pot Stuffing?

This dish is typically served alongside a traditional Thanksgiving Turkey. However, it also pairs well with other protein options, such as Rotisserie or Spatchcock Chicken, Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin, Slow Cooker Ham, Instant Pot Sausage with Peppers, or even Roast Beef (One Pot). 

How To Clean Mushrooms?

Fill a bowl with water and toss the mushrooms in it for about a minute. Gently, remove the clean mushrooms from the water, and pat them dry with paper towels. Don't let them soak too long as they will absorb a lot of the water.

How To Fix Soggy Stuffing?

Simply add additional bread cubes to soak up the excess liquid. However, avoiding this mishap in the first place, would be best. Do so by adding less broth to begin with, and only add a small amount at a time. Please note that you may need to add some more spices then too.

How To Fix Dry Stuffing?

Add in more broth, a little at a time. Remember, it does take some time for the liquid to be absorbed into the dried bread cubes. DON’T RUSH!  Wait for a few minutes before adding more broth, or else you may end up with the opposite problem of soggy stuffing.

Variations For Vegetarian Mushroom Stuffing

Mushroom stuffing casserole– This is great for using up Thanksgiving leftovers. Transfer leftovers to a casserole dish, mix in shredded turkey, drizzle some Homemade Brown Gravy (One Pot) and top with cubes of butter. Cover with aluminum foil, and bake at 350 degrees F for 15-20 minutes. Remove from oven and discard foil, then broil in oven for about 5 minutes until the top is golden brown. Serve with Apple Cranberry Chutney (One Pot).

Best mushroom stuffing balls– Form the leftover stuffing into balls and bake or fry as a meatball alternative. You will need to add some broth or gravy to make it easier to form balls.

Add red pepper flakes- For additional flavor and a little spice.

Try other seasonings- Such as Cajun, Mexican, or Curry seasoning.

Add other herbs or use fresh herbs– Such as sage, rosemary, thyme, parsley, fennel, or a small dash of nutmeg.

Try other kinds of mushrooms– Such as cremini, portobello, shiitake, oyster, chanterelle, or porcini mushrooms, whichever you prefer most.

Add other veggies– Such as peppers, eggplant, corn, broccoli, brussels sprouts, kale, or even diced sweet potatoes.

Add nuts– Such as almonds, walnuts, or pecans. This adds a nice crunchy texture, and so much flavor. Add them at the end so they don’t become soft.

Add cornbread– Replace half the bread with dry crumbled cornbread. The texture and appearance will be different at the end.

Make it gluten free– Use gluten-free bread, and gluten free broth.

Make it vegan- Use vegan butter in place of regular butter.

Tips And Techniques For Veggie Stuffing

Use low-sodium ingredients- Because this prevents the dish from becoming too salty.

Broth vs. stock- Broth is typically seasoned and adds flavor, while stock has no seasoning and is used to create body in a dish.

Be careful when removing baking dish from instant pot- It will be very hot, so make sure to use oven mitts to prevent burning yourself.

Use a trivet with handles- For easy removal of the baking dish from the pressure cooker.

Browning the top of the stuffing is optional- However, it adds a lovely color and crispy top. If you have time or the ability to do so, I recommend it.

Adjust the amount of seasoning– Add more or less, based on your personal preference.

Start with adding 1.5-2 cups of broth– Don't add extra. This helps prevent the dish from becoming too soggy. It is much easier to add more broth than to try and fix soggy stuffing.

Release pressure naturally first- When cook time is over, allow pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes and then, turn valve to “Venting” and do a quick pressure release. This allows the stuffing to fully cook.

What kind of bread cubes to use for stuffing? Use seasoned and dried bread cubes. They can be store bought. You can also use stale dry bread that’s been cut into about 1 inch cubes and add seasoning.

Storage

Refrigerate– In a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Freeze– In a freezer safe container for up to 1 month. However, it tastes the best when served fresh.

Reheat– In the microwave.

More One Pot Thanksgiving Side Dishes

• Pumpkin Salad (One Bowl)
• Green Bean Casserole (One Pan)
• Candied Carrots (One Pot)
• Creamy Cranberry Salad (Cranberry Fluff)
• Easy Sweet Potato Casserole (One Pan)
• Homemade Cranberry Sauce Recipe (One Pot)
• Creamy Mashed Potatoes Recipe (One pot)
• Garlic Mashed Cauliflower (One Pot)

Recipe