Air-Fried Stove Top Stuffing: A Quick, Crispy Treat?

Stove Top stuffing is a classic Thanksgiving dish, but it can take up valuable oven space. Fortunately, it is possible to make stove top stuffing in an air fryer. This method produces a tasty result and frees up the oven for cooking other dishes.

Stove Top vs. homemade stuffing

Stove Top stuffing is a convenient, affordable, and tasty option for those who don't want to make stuffing from scratch. It's simple to prepare, as you just need to boil water with butter, add the dry bread cubes and seasoning, and it's ready to serve. It's a perfect everyday side dish and can be stored easily as leftovers. However, it has been criticised for its high sodium content and the use of synthetic additives.

On the other hand, homemade stuffing is a more time-consuming and labour-intensive process. It involves tearing, dicing, preheating, melting, mixing, and roasting. The ingredients are simple and usually include cubed or crumbled bread, onion, celery, herbs, stock, and butter. The result is a superior texture and subtle flavour that won over taste testers. It's also a healthier option, as it doesn't contain high-fructose corn syrup, caramel colouring, or disodium iosinate.

While Stove Top stuffing is a quick and easy option, homemade stuffing is worth the extra effort, especially for special occasions like Thanksgiving. Homemade stuffing allows for customisation, as you can add fresh herbs, poultry seasoning, or dried herbs. It also provides a more authentic and traditional experience, capturing the essence of a home-cooked meal.

In conclusion, both Stove Top and homemade stuffing have their advantages. Stove Top is ideal for busy weeknights when convenience and affordability are priorities. In contrast, homemade stuffing delivers a more refined culinary experience, making it better suited for celebratory feasts and those seeking a healthier alternative.

Oven vs. air fryer

Air fryers are a popular alternative to ovens, offering a range of benefits to those who use them. While they are often marketed as a healthier alternative to deep fryers, air fryers can also be used as a substitute for ovens, offering faster cooking times and reduced energy consumption.

Cooking Times

Air fryers generally cook food much faster than traditional ovens, with some sources claiming that air fryers can cook food in half the time of a conventional oven. This is due to the smaller cooking chamber and superconvection, which blows hot air directly onto the food. Air fryers also require little to no preheating time, further reducing the overall cooking time.

Energy Efficiency

Air fryers are more energy-efficient than ovens, using roughly half the total energy of a wall oven. This results in reduced energy bills for those who use them.

Food Output

Air fryers are ideal for achieving crispy food textures, especially for breaded items like french fries, chicken nuggets, and wings. They can also be used to reheat food without drying it out. However, air fryers are not a direct replacement for ovens, as they are not suitable for larger dishes or baking projects.

Space

Air fryers are much smaller than ovens and can be kept on countertops, making them ideal for those with limited kitchen space.

Safety

Air fryers do not contaminate the air like natural gas ovens, making them safer to use.

Cost

Air fryers are generally cheaper than ovens, with good options available for under $100.

Suitability

Air fryers are ideal for those who want to cook smaller portions of food quickly and efficiently. They are also suitable for those who want to reduce their energy consumption and save money on energy bills. However, for larger dishes or baking projects, an oven is still the best option.

Boxed stuffing vs. homemade alternatives

Cost

Boxed stuffing is generally cheaper than making stuffing from scratch. For example, one source notes that they spent $3.10 to buy and prepare Stove Top, compared to about $10 in ingredients for a similar volume of homemade stuffing.

Health

Homemade stuffing is generally healthier than boxed stuffing. For example, Stove Top contains high levels of sodium, high-fructose corn syrup, caramel colouring, disodium iosinate, and other synthetic additives.

Time

Boxed stuffing is much quicker to make than homemade stuffing. While homemade stuffing can take up to 90 minutes in total to prepare and cook, boxed stuffing can be made in as little as 10 minutes.

Taste

Homemade stuffing tends to have a more subtle flavour and a superior texture compared to boxed stuffing, which can taste "fakey" and be dry and crumbly. However, boxed stuffing can still be delicious, especially if you add your own ingredients to the mix.

Availability

Boxed stuffing is readily available in supermarkets, whereas making stuffing from scratch requires you to have all the necessary ingredients to hand.

Ease

Boxed stuffing is generally easier to make than homemade stuffing, as it usually just requires you to boil, mix, stir, and set. In contrast, making stuffing from scratch can be tedious, as you have to saw bread loaves into cubes, dry them in the oven, fold in broth and vegetables, and then bake.

Reheating stove top stuffing in an air fryer

When reheating stuffing, it is best to do so within 3-4 days of preparation. To restore moisture, you can add a splash of broth, stock, or gravy to the stuffing before reheating.

How to make stove top stuffing crispy

Stove top stuffing is a classic Thanksgiving dish that is warm and comforting. It is usually cooked inside a bird, while dressing is cooked outside. If you want to make your stove top stuffing crispy, here is a step-by-step guide:

Ingredients:

• Stove-top stuffing mix
• Hot water or chicken broth
• Butter
• Onion
• Celery
• Salt
• Black pepper
• Fresh herbs (optional)

Method:

• Start by adding the hot water, butter, and stuffing mix to a large mixing bowl. Mix well.
• Chop the onion and celery finely and add them to the bowl.
• Add in your extras like dried cranberries, nuts, or cheese. You can also add some fresh herbs like parsley and sage for extra flavour.
• Mix everything together and let it sit for a few minutes to absorb the liquid.
• Spray an air fryer-safe pan with non-stick cooking spray or olive oil.
• Transfer the stuffing mixture to the pan and place it in the air fryer basket or oven. You can also add some extra butter on top for a richer flavour.
• Set the temperature to 320-350 degrees Fahrenheit and cook for 5-10 minutes.
• If you want it crispier, remove the foil and continue baking until it reaches your desired level of crispness.
• Let the stuffing cool for a few minutes before serving.

Tips:

• You can make this stove top stuffing in advance and store it in the fridge or freezer.
• If you want to reheat it, put it back in the air fryer at 380 degrees Fahrenheit for 5-10 minutes.
• To get a crispy top on your stuffing, bake it uncovered in the oven.
• You can also add some sausage, cream, or eggs to your stuffing for a more savoury and richer flavour.

Frequently asked questions