So you want to get ahead and prepared when making stuffing for your next Sunday lunch or roast dinner instead of having to knock a batch up fresh? Well, have you considered putting stuffing in the freezer?
Can You Freeze Stuffing?
Yes, you can freeze stuffing for up to 3 months. You can freeze both cooked and uncooked stuffing and it actually freezes really well.
Do Does Stuffing freeze well? Yes
Can you refreeze Stuffing? No
Looking for a full list of Thanksgiving foods you can freeze? Here it is!
How to Freeze Stuffing
We have covered both of the methods for freezing stuffing below so if you have cooked leftovers go with our first approach. If you want to get ahead and prepared then use the second method.
How to Freeze Cooked Stuffing
Have you gone a tad overboard with the food and found yourself with leftover stuffing that you refuse to throw away (and rightly so). Then the good news is that you can freeze your cooked stuffing and it’s not at all difficult.
- Prepare Containers: You need to first consider what portion sizes you want to use and then find suitable airtight containers that match these portions.
- Portion: Scoop your stuffing into these airtight containers then seal them up. You can wrap them in a layer of clingfilm if you want to make sure no air can get in.
- Freeze: Place your containers in the freezer – and you’re done!
How to Freeze Uncooked Stuffing
If you’re planning to get ahead for your next roast dinner or dinner party so want to get the stuffing made well in advance, then the good news is that you can freeze your uncooked stuffing so it’s ready to bung in the oven:
- Make Your Stuffing: First, you’ll need to make your stuffing. This recipe is particularly delicious.
- Portion: Once you’ve got your stuffing made, you’ll want to place it into the tray you’re going to use to cook it. You won’t want to cook it inside the bird, unfortunately.
- Protect: When you have scooped it into a suitable tray, wrap it in a layer of clingfilm following by a layer of foil. This is to prevent any air from going in.
- Freeze: Place it in the freezer and you’re done!
Freezing your uncooked stuffing in a tray means you don’t need to faff around with defrosting it and then placing it in a different dish. Instead, it’s ready to go in the tray that you’re going to cook it in – that means less washing up!
There you have it – the two options for freezing stuffing. The best-case scenario is to freeze it before you cook it. This will ensure the stuffing tastes its best. However, we fully understand that this is simply not always possible.
3 Tips for Freezing Stuffing
Now you know how to freeze it – both cooked and uncooked – we’ve got our 3 top tips which we strongly recommend following when freezing stuffing to have the best results:
Opt for Uncooked Stuffing
By freezing uncooked stuffing, you don’t risk overcooking it when you finally come to serve it up as you can cook it from fresh.
Cook from Frozen
With uncooked stuffing, the other advantage is that you don’t need to thaw it to cook it. Take it from the freezer in the tray, throw it into a hot oven and cook.
Label It
If you have frozen a few different stuffings then make sure you include the flavourings on the label before you freeze it.
How Long Can You Freeze Stuffing?
Your stuffing, both cooked and uncooked will keep for roughly 3 months in the freezer. This does come down to the ingredients you have in your stuffing, however.
Some people choose to add an egg to the mix and this can reduce the time it will last in the freezer, for example.
It’ll be safe beyond the 3-month mark in most cases but it’s this 3-month point where the flavour will begin to degrade.
Both cooked and uncooked stuffing will keep in the fridge for around 4 days when kept in an airtight container or sealed dish.
How Do You Defrost Stuffing?
The good news is that you don’t really need to thaw your stuffing out. This can actually affect the texture. Instead, whether it’s cooked or uncooked, you should reheat it or cook it straight from frozen in a hot oven.
It’ll take around 45 minutes to an hour to get really hot and thawed.
You can also use the microwave to thaw and reheat small portions of stuffing but it can quickly dry out.
Finally, if you have frozen your stuffing already then don’t consider refreezing it. That’s why having proper portions in the freezer is very important.
Can You Refreeze Stuffing
No, you cannot refreeze stuffing. Unfortunately, you will completely change the texture which will make it unenjoyable.
There is an exception, however. If you have frozen uncooked stuffing and then cooked it, you can freeze this now cooked stuffing even if it was previously frozen when it was uncooked.
Does Stuffing Freeze Well?
Provided that you don’t throw any obscure ingredients in your stuffing then it does freeze pretty well.
In fact, you’ll usually be hard-pushed to tell the difference between a frozen stuffing and a freshly baked stuffing if you use the same recipe.
Stuffing Freezer Recipe
Stuffing is an essential part of a roast dinner. It’s there to add a hit of flavour whilst soaking up plenty of gravy. The good news is that it freezes, in balls, particularly well.
We’ve got our foolproof freezer-friendly stuffing recipe for you that’s simple and perfect for making ahead of Christmas:
Freezer-Friendly Stuffing Recipe
6
servings15
minutes45
minutes1
hourIs a roast dinner or Thanksgiving meal complete without stuffing? Well, here’s how to make a batch of it for the freezer
Keeps the screen of your device ON
Ingredients
1tbsp Olive Oil
2tbsp Butter
1 Onion, Finely Chopped
1 Bay Leaf
2 Garlic Cloves, Crushed
1tsp Nutmeg, Grated
2tbsp Sage, Finely Chopped
200g Fresh Breadcrumbs
1 Egg, Beaten
Salt
Black Pepper
Directions
- Heat the olive oil and butter together in a frying pan over a medium heat then add the onion, bay and a good pinch of salt and cook for around 15 minutes until completely softened
- Add the garlic, nutmeg and sage to the page and continue to fry for 2 minutes until the garlic has softened. Leave it to cool for 5 minutes or so, giving it a stir every couple of minutes to speed this up.
- Stir the breadcrumbs and egg into the mixture then season to taste. Don’t hold back, you want it to be full of pepper. Roll the stuffing into 12 to 14 balls then place on a lined baking sheet.
- If freezing, this is the perfect time to pop them into the freezer. They can be frozen on the baking sheet then, when solid, pop them off the tray and into a freezer bag.
- Preheat the oven to 180C and bake for 25 minutes until they are golden brown and piping hot. If they are frozen then you can cook them from frozen but add 10 to 15 minutes to this time.
Notes
Related FAQs
If you’ve still got questions about freezing stuffing or stuffing in general, then these may help:
Both sage and onion are ingredients that freeze well. This means that when combined in a stuffing they can also be frozen both cooked and uncooked in airtight containers.
Paxo is probably the most recognised brand of stuffing, but can you freeze it? You certainly can. If you’re unsure whether you can freeze Paxo or any other branded stuffing, then the best place to check is the packaging.
Yes, stuffing balls can be frozen for around 3 months. Freeze them on a lined baking tray then, once solid, pop them into a freezer bag to store them for the longer term. 
Yes, you can freeze turkey stuffing for around 3 months, both cooked and uncooked. Either way, it should be portioned into good-quality freezer bags.
Can you use freezer bags to freeze stuffing
Sure you can, has long as they’re good-quality, thick freezer bags.