Reheat Your Holiday Stuffing Without Drying It Out (2024)

If you're planning to order a takeout Thanksgiving dinner this year, read up.

Betty Gold is the former senior digital food editor at Real Simple.

and

Grace Elkus is a food writer and editor with over a decade of experience in culinary media. Highlights: * Associate food editor at Real Simple, where she developed recipes, wrote food stories, and assisted with styling * Deputy food director at Kitchn, where she and her team were responsible for 100 recipes a month * Currently the content lead for JOKR

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Updated on July 24, 2022

We're used to receiving questions from readers, but they really start pouring in near Thanksgiving. The number one dish that seems to cause the most stress? Believe it or not, it's stuffing.

Not every dish is worth making days in advance, and stuffing is no exception. The following guide details how to make and reheat stuffing. And don't forget to put it to work later in these specially-created recipes for leftover stuffing.

7 Show-Stopping Stuffing Recipes That Prove Why It's the Most Essential Thanksgiving Side

Reheating Stuffing

You can assemble the stuffing the day before you plan on serving it, just don't bake it until the day of. You'll do all the hands-on work: cubing and drying out the bread, cooking the vegetables and aromatics, and tossing them together with the eggs and broth. But instead of sticking the stuffing directly in the oven, cover it tightly with foil and set in the fridge. On Thanksgiving morning, bring the stuffing to room temperature and bake as directed.

If you've already baked your stuffing—or someone else, including your favorite local takeout spot, is supplying a finished stuffing for Thanksgiving—there's hope. 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. If the stuffing feels dry, add a splash of stock or some turkey drippings before rewarming.

Drying Bread For Stuffing

Drying out the bread is crucial for preventing soggy stuffing, especially if it's sitting in the fridge overnight. You have two options: After cutting your bread into 1/2-inch cubes, spread it onto a rimmed baking sheet in an even layer and set aside, uncovered, at room temperature overnight. Or, toast the bread in a 350 F oven and dry until just starting to brown, about 25 to 30 minutes. Let it cool, then proceed with the recipe.

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