Easy Southern Dressing (Stuffing) in the Air Fryer

My Southern-style air fryer dressing, or stuffing if you prefer to call it that, is a game changer. Thanksgiving always ends up being nuts for my family. Each year we attempt to pare down the menu but usually to no avail.

Everyone has their favorite holiday side dishes, and when you try and omit something someone always protests. So, in order to prevent hurt feelings, we make enough food to feed an army.

In addition to the roasted turkey, we end up with mashed potatoes and sweet potatoes, canned cranberry sauce as well as homemade, corn casserole, broccoli casserole, green bean casserole...the list goes on. Honestly, though, I'm okay with it. Thanksgiving dinner leftovers are almost better than the original meal.

Because our cooking extravaganza includes so many baked dishes, limited oven space can be a problem. That's why I decided to make our Thanksgiving stuffing (dressing) in the air fryer this year. My recipe is as close as I can get to my grandmothers'.

It's an almost homemade stuffing that includes a mixture of packaged stuffing mix, fresh herbs, sauteed onion and celery in melted butter, chicken broth, and an egg to bind it all together. It's my favorite holiday side dish for sopping up the giblet gravy, and Thanksgiving wouldn't be complete without it.

If you'd like more air fryer recipes, be sure to check out my Bread Bowl Baked Brie with Fig Preserves. It's another perfect side dish for Thanksgiving and holiday get-togethers. I also created an Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts recipe for Yummly that would be great for your holiday table. These air fryer carrots are also perfect!

Need more holiday side dish recipes? My Bacon Succotash is a great dish to serve for the holidays because it's made in a skillet. Or, if you're looking for more traditional sides, you'll love my broccoli casserole, Cheddar and Gouda Macaroni and Cheese, Southern Braised Collards, Cranberry-Glazed Acorn Squash, Easy Green Bean Casserole, and Classic Garlic Mashed Potatoes are all great recipes too.

Ingredients

Before we get started, let’s gather the ingredients we need for this recipe.

• herb-flavored stuffing mix
• salted butter
• celery
• onion
• chicken broth
• egg
• fresh parsley
• fresh sage
• fresh thyme
• fresh rosemary
• kosher salt and black pepper

(See recipe card for quantities.)

Instructions

Now that we’ve got our ingredients, it’s time to get cooking!

First, cook the celery and onion in butter in a large skillet until tender and transfer to a large bowl.

Next, add the stuffing mix, herbs, broth, egg, and melted butter and stir until combined.

Then, transfer the dressing mixture to a baking dish and cover with aluminum foil.

Finally, cook the dressing in the air fryer for 15 minutes. Uncover and cook 10 minutes longer or until the top is golden brown and the internal temperature is 165°F.

Hint: I feel like everyone has their own personal preferences when it comes to dressing (stuffing). We like ours to be solid but moist--you're able to cut it into squares. If you like yours a little on the drier side, reduce the amount of broth. It's also worth mentioning that there are different brands of stuffing mix that could affect the amount of broth you'll need, so add a little at a time until you reach the consistency you like.

Hint #2: If you're hosting a large crowd and need a big batch version of this recipe, I recommend doubling it and making it twice. 

Substitutions

Here are some easy ingredient alternatives if you'd like to change things up:

• Stuffing mix - I use Pepperidge Farm classic stuffing mix for this easy recipe, but feel free to use their other options too like their cornbread stuffing mix. Or choose the country-style cubed stuffing if you like a little more texture since the size of bread cubes is larger than the classic stuffing mix.
• Herbs - since it's the holidays, I opt for fresh herbs in this stuffing. But if you want to add that extra flavor without the fresh herbs, go for dried instead. Cut the amount in half though since dried herbs are more pungent than fresh.
• Vegetarian - use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth to make this stuffing recipe vegetarian.

Variations

Looking for other ways to adjust this recipe? I've got you covered.

• Spicy - add a little crushed red pepper flakes to the celery and onion as it cooks.
• Sausage - brown some ground sausage with the celery and onion in a large skillet.
• Air fryer stuffing balls - reinvent leftover stuffing! Scoop refrigerated stuffing into 1 ½-inch balls. Roll in all-purpose flour, then lightly beaten egg, and finally panko breadcrumbs. Place the stuffing balls in a pre-heated air-fryer basket and coat with cooking spray. Air fry at 375°F for 5 to 6 minutes or until browned and crispy. Serve with leftover cranberry sauce or gravy for dipping.

Equipment

Here's what you'll need to make this recipe:

• liquid measuring cup
• measuring spoons
• large skillet
• large mixing bowl
• 2-quart baking dish
• 6-quart air fryer

Note: The make and model of your air fryer is the most important factor to consider when making this recipe. The size and shape will impact what baking dish you can use. My air fryer has a wide surface area which I love because you can cook a lot at one time.

However, there are so many different air fryers out there, so depending on what size and shape you have, you may need to make some adjustments. For example, if your air fryer has dual air fryer baskets, you may need to use 2 (1-quart) baking dishes instead. Oven style air fryers, however, are super versatile so a 2-quart baking dish should be fine if you have one of those.

Storage

Another bonus for this recipe is that the leftovers hold up well in both the fridge and the freezer. Store the leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Freeze any leftovers in a freezer-safe dish for up to 3 months.

Frequently asked questions

Recipe guidelines and test kitchen tips

When developing and testing recipes, here are some key things that I do for more success in the kitchen:

• Be sure to use dry measuring cups for things like flour, sugar, and mayonnaise and a liquid measuring cup for things like water, milk, and broth.
• When measuring dry ingredients like flour and powdered sugar that can pack down, spoon the ingredient into a dry measuring cup and level with a knife as opposed to scooping the measuring cup into the ingredient.
• I test and develop recipes using a standard electric oven and standard gas stovetop. Be aware that if you use an electric stovetop or convection oven, your bake times will be different.
• When recipes call for kosher salt, I use Diamond Crystal kosher salt.

Food safety

Finally, don't forget to keep these food safety tips in mind when making this recipe.

• Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C).
• Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw eggs.
• Wash hands after touching raw eggs.
• Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods.
• Never leave cooking food unattended.
• Follow the manufacturer's instructions when operating the air fryer.
• Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove

See more guidelines at USDA.gov.