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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.
updated Nov 14, 2023
thanksgiving
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Learn the best and fastest methods for reheating leftover stuffing.
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In This Article
- The Best Method: Stovetop
- The Fastest Way: Microwave
- 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.
- 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.
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.
- Transfer stuffing to a microwave-safe dish and cover with a piece of parchment paper.
- 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.
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
Show Images
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.
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.
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.
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.
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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