4 Easy Ways to Reheat Stuffing (2024)

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Meghan Splawn

Meghan Splawn

Meghan was the Food Editor for Kitchn's Skills content. She's a master of everyday baking, family cooking, and harnessing good light. Meghan approaches food with an eye towards budgeting — both time and money — and having fun. Meghan has a baking and pastry degree, and spent the first 10 years of her career as part of Alton Brown's culinary team. She co-hosts a weekly podcast about food and family called Didn't I Just Feed You.

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updated Nov 14, 2023

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4 Easy Ways to Reheat Stuffing (1)

Learn the best and fastest methods for reheating leftover stuffing.

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4 Easy Ways to Reheat Stuffing (2)

In This Article

  1. The Best Method: Stovetop
  2. The Fastest Way: Microwave
  3. Best Method for a Crowd: Oven

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Stuffing is the most beloved Thanksgiving leftover in my husband’s family — my mother in-law makes extra pans of her infamous recipe for each of her kids to take home every year. My husband could eat his leftovers for breakfast, lunch, and dinner straight from the pan, but I find a little extra work makes stuffing leftovers worth every savory bite. Here’s our favorite reheating method, plus two other fast and fun methods to try.

Add Butter and Broth Before Reheating

No matter which Thanksgiving stuffing recipe you’ve cooked, you’ll want to take a few steps before reheating. Remove the leftover stuffing from the refrigerator and take a look at it. Often upon refrigeration, the stuffing will soak up any excess moisture and will appear drier than when originally served.

Depending on the amount of stuffing you plan to reheat, drizzle a few tablespoons or up to 1/4 cup of chicken or turkey broth into the stuffing to moisten it. Adding a pat of butter to the top of the stuffing before reheating also adds some richness that can be lost with leftovers.

The Best Method: Stovetop

Here’s the thing about using a pan, a little butter, and some broth to reheat stuffing: it makes it taste even better than it did the day it was made. The bread gets crisped by the hot pan and the broth helps soften the stuffing that has otherwise absorbed a lot of its original moisture. You’ll literally want to eat this reheated stuffing right out of the pan.

  1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.
  2. Add the stuffing and flatten with the back of a spoon, making a pancake.
  3. Cook until golden-brown, 3 to 5 minutes on each side.

The Fastest Way: Microwave

This is my husband’s tried-and-true method — nothing glamorous, but it heats the stuffing well. Be sure to add a little broth or butter to your stuffing before reheating to prevent drying out.

  1. Transfer stuffing to a microwave-safe dish and cover with a piece of parchment paper.
  2. Microwave for two to three minutes, stirring after each minute to make sure the stuffing heats evenly.

Best Method for a Crowd: Oven

I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that there are two other simple ways you can reheat stuffing, both of which involve the oven and are great for feeding a crowd.

  • Baking Dish: The first oven option is to move leftover stuffing to a baking dish, add broth and butter, and heat at 350°F for 30 minutes covered. Uncover and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes so you can get some crispy, crunchy bits on top.
  • Muffin Pan: The second oven option is to divide the leftover stuffing between the cups of a greased muffin pan and crisp them in the oven at 350°F for 20 minutes. My kids are big fans of this method.
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How To Reheat Stuffing: The Best, Simplest Method

Learn the best and fastest methods for reheating leftover stuffing.

Nutritional Info

Ingredients

  • Leftover stuffing
  • Cooking spray, for the muffin tin and oven method
  • Vegetable oil, for the stovetop method
  • Low -sodium chicken or turkey broth
  • Butter

Equipment

  • Instant-read thermometer

For stovetop method:

  • Skillet

  • Flat spatula

For microwave method:

  • Microwave-safe dish

  • Parchment paper

  • Spoon

For baking dish oven method:

  • Baking dish

  • Aluminum foil

For muffin tin oven method:

  • Spoon or scoop

  • Muffin tin

Instructions

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  1. Add broth and butter to stuffing before reheating to 165°F. Before you begin any of the reheating methods, remove the leftover stuffing from the refrigerator and take a look at it. Often upon refrigeration, the stuffing will soak up any excess moisture and will appear drier than when originally served. Depending on the amount of stuffing you plan to reheat, drizzle a few tablespoons or up to 1/4 cup of chicken or turkey stock into the stuffing to moisten it. Adding a pat of butter to the top of the stuffing before reheating adds some richness that can be lost with leftovers. In all reheating methods, stuffing temperature should reach 165°F on an instant-read thermometer.

  2. Method 1: Reheat stuffing on the stovetop. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the stuffing and flatten with the back of a spoon, making a pancake. Cook until golden-brown, 3 to 5 minutes on each side.

  3. Method 2: Reheat stuffing in the microwave. Transfer stuffing to a microwave-safe dish and cover with a piece of parchment paper. Microwave for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring after each minute to make sure the stuffing heats evenly.

  4. Method 3: Reheat stuffing in a baking dish in the oven. Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 350°F. Place the moistened stuffing in a baking dish and cover with aluminum foil. Bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake for 10 to 15 minutes more.

  5. Method 4: Reheat stuffing in a muffin tin in the oven. Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 350°F. Scoop the moistened stuffing into a lightly greased muffin tin. Bake for 20 minutes.

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4 Easy Ways to Reheat Stuffing (2024)

FAQs

What's the best way to reheat stuffing? ›

Bring the baked stuffing to room temperature so that it will reheat evenly (about 30 minutes). Preheat the oven to 350 F and warm the dish covered for 30 to 40 minutes, until it is heated through. To recreate the crispy top found in freshly-baked stuffing, remove the foil for the last 10 minutes of the baking time.

How do you keep stuffing warm without drying it out? ›

He uses the hot broth on stuffing, too, rather than putting the stuffing in the oven to heat it up (and risking drying it out). "I make indentations in the trays of stuffing with a spoon," he says, "I put the hot chicken stock in it and it keeps it warm."

How many times can you reheat stuffing? ›

In terms of food safety, however, so long as you reheat the food at the correct temperature and for the correct duration of time, it can in fact be safely reheated multiple times. However, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) recommends that food is only reheated once, so follow this guidance wherever possible.

Can you eat stuffing cold the next day? ›

If the turkey and stuffing were cooked and refrigerated separately, both should be safe. Keep these cold foods cold and refrigerate them immediately upon arrival at home (always within 2 hours). Serve the meal within 3 to 4 days. Do not reheat a whole cooked turkey.

How to keep stuffing moist? ›

Typically, baking the stuffing inside the bird helps keep the mixture moist. “I prefer stuffing (in the bird) to dressing (outside of the bird) because all those delicious drippings that come off the turkey gets absorbed right into the stuffing,” Bamford says.

Why shouldn't you reheat stuffing? ›

Leftovers should not be reheated in a slow cooker due to the length of time it takes for the leftover food to pass through the “Danger Zone,” the temperatures between 40 °F and 140 °F. Reheat the stuffing in an oven set no lower than 325 °F or in a microwave oven.

What temperature do you keep stuffing warm in the oven? ›

Your Oven. Some ovens actually will have a "warm" setting, which is usually 170 to 200 F, or a warming drawer, which is meant to keep foods at a level, warm temperature. If your oven has neither, set it to 200 to 250 F.

How long will stuffing last in the fridge? ›

How long stuffing keeps after Thanksgiving. Up to four days in the fridge and two to three months months in the freezer in properly stored containers.

Can I refrigerate uncooked stuffing? ›

USDA recommends that you never refrigerate uncooked stuffing. Why? Remember, stuffing can harbor bacteria, and though bacteria grow slower in the refrigerator they can cause problems because stuffing is a good medium for bacteria growth, therefore a higher risk food in terms of cooking safely.

Can stuffing sit out overnight? ›

People have a habit of leaving the food out on the buffet table long after the meal is finished. If turkey, stuffing, or gravy is left out at room temperature (40 to 140°F) for over 2 hours it may no longer be safe to eat.

Can stuffing be made the day before and reheated? ›

YES! This stuffing is baked to golden perfection the day before the big meal. You store it in the fridge overnight and then simply warm it in the oven before dinner. Baking it twice allows the flavours to meld even more so this side dish is sure to be a star at the table.

Can you put cooked stuffing in the fridge? ›

If stuffing is prepared ahead of time, it must be either frozen or cooked immediately. To use cooked stuffing later, cool in shallow containers and refrigerate it within 2 hours. Use it within 3 to 4 days.

How do you store cooked stuffing overnight? ›

If you're prepping late at night, you can even leave it on your counter overnight. For food-safety reasons, however, we should tell you to stick the cool room-temperature pre-baked stuffing into the fridge until you're ready for the big finish.

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