Air Fryer Stuffing Balls

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I’m always down for a classic roast dinner on Thanksgiving or Christmas Day. From the moist meat to the glazed carrots and glistening potatoes, it’s the perfect way to ring in the holidays. But honestly, no turkey dinner is complete without these air fryer stuffing balls.

Packed with an incredible mix of classic herbs, a hefty dose of chicken broth, and a bunch of butter, this rich and flavorful recipe is bound to have your friends and relatives reaching for seconds!

I’d say that the beautiful golden-brown cook and distinctive flavors are the best parts of these air fryer stuffing balls. But there’s something wonderful about its simplicity that keeps me coming back to this recipe year after year. Ready in just over 30 minutes? Check. Minimal preparation steps that are ideal for beginners? You bet.

So, whether you’re on the hunt for new air fryer recipes for Thanksgiving and Christmas or just want to flex your cooking muscles this holiday season, I’ve got you covered. Trust me when I say that you’ll have the whole family asking for the recipe by the end of the night. So, you’ll totally want to pin this recipe or bookmark it for later!

💪Why This Recipe Works

• Using dried bread cubes from a stuffing mix keeps things super easy.
  
• The combination of dried herbs, garlic powder, and celery ribs gives the recipe an earthiness and signature crunch.
  
• The addition of butter gives these air fryer stuffing balls a rich and indulgent flavor.
  
• The chicken broth lends the recipe an unmatched savory bite that’s ideal for pairing with grilled or roasted meats.
  
• Allowing the stuffing mix cubes to absorb the liquid in the recipe keeps things incredibly moist and leaves the dish brimming with flavor.

🍽Ingredients

You only need a handful of ingredients to bring these air fryer stuffing balls to life. For full details and quantities, scroll down to the printable recipe card.

If Using Leftover Stuffing

• Leftover stuffing. Make sure it’s cold, but any stuffing recipe should do.
  
• Egg. Helps to bind everything together so you can get perfect balls of stuffing.
  
• Chicken broth. For a delicious hit of savory flavors and aromatics while adding moisture to the stuffing.
  
• Olive oil. Mild, extra-virgin olive oils are best for a light and fruity flavor that won’t overwhelm your stuffing balls.

If Making Stuffing from Scratch

• Dried bread cubes from a box of stuffing mix. You can switch this out for any dried-out bread of your choice, but this keeps things super easy!
  
• Olive oil. For frying your aromatics.
  
• Onion. Acts as the base that gives the recipe just the right hint of sweetness. White or yellow onions are best as they’re soft and mild.
  
• Celery ribs. The natural crunch and earthiness of celery ribs instantly lift this dish.
  
• Dried garlic powder. Brings a punch of flavor to the recipe.
  
• Dried sage. Wonderful flavor boost, essential to every stuffing recipe.
  
• Dried thyme. Gives the iconic and wonderful aromatics you expect from stuffing.
  
• Ground pepper.
  
• Salt. Be careful how much you add if you’re using a high-sodium chicken broth.
  
• Butter. Allows the outside of your stuffing balls to crisp up and brown beautifully. The rich flavor and texture don’t hurt, either!
  
• Egg. Necessary to help combine the dry ingredients and add fluffiness.
  
• Chicken broth. For moisture and an enhanced flavor!

👨‍🍳How To Make It

These air fryer stuffing balls are incredibly easy to make and will be ready in a jiff. This guide should give you a decent overview of how to make them, but you should scroll down to the printable recipe card for step-by-step instructions for this recipe!

1. Place the bread cubes in a mixing bowl.
   
2. Prepare the aromatic ingredients and cook them until softened.
   
3. Stir in the herbs, garlic powder, pepper, and salt. When everything’s cooked, transfer the mixture to the bowl of bread cubes.
   
4. Add the melted butter, egg, and a portion of the chicken broth to a separate bowl before whisking to combine and pouring over the bread cubes.
   
5. Let the mixture sit in the fridge.
   
6. If it seems dry, add more broth to the mix.
   
7. Form the stuffing into balls and coat with oil.
   
8. Air fry the stuffing balls (make sure you leave room between each one!).
   
9. Cook the stuffing balls in batches until golden brown.

😉Tips For Success

• It’s worth weighing each stuffing ball to get a completely even cook. If not, just keep the shapes as similar as you can.
  
• If you don’t feel like using stuffing mix, feel free to grab French bread or brioche for a bougie result. Just remember to turn the bread into small cubes and dry it out in the oven before using it.
  
• Don’t be afraid of using extra chicken stock – remember to add a bit of it at a time! Flooding your stuffing mix with stock probably means it won’t absorb properly. Slow and steady truly wins the race here.
  
• It’s a great idea to lightly spray your air fryer with spray cooking oil before adding your stuffing balls as it’ll help you avoid any sticking! Stay away from “non-stick” sprays and go for a spray oil that doesn’t use additional chemicals. These types of spray are known to leave a residue behind that builds up over time and ruins your air fryer basket.
  
• I love jazzing up this recipe with ¼ pound of ground sausage for an extra hit of savory goodness.
  
• Don’t forget to increase the cooking time if you make your stuffing balls larger!

❓FAQ

🎁Wrap Up

Whether you’re looking for a unique snack for game night or want to jazz up your Thanksgiving dinner this year, these air fryer stuffing balls have got you covered.

Ridiculously moist, packed with herby flavors, and perfectly golden brown on the outside, these small (but mighty!) stuffing balls will be served up in a flash.

 🛠Tools and Equipment

If you click on some of the following affiliate links and buy something, we might get a small commission. You don’t pay any extra, but it will help us keep the lights on and our bellies full!

• This John Boos butcher block will make you feel like a pro in the kitchen. Pair it with a reliable workhorse of a knife like this Shun chef’s knife to make quick work of your food prep.
  
• You need to have an air fryer to make air fryer stuffing balls. This Ninja Foodi dual air fryer is my go-to. Grab some parchment paper for easy and quick cleanup.
  
• Get yourself some reliable tongs. I have burned myself reaching into the air fryer basket too many times and learned my lesson quickly.

🍗More Recipes To Love

• Stuffing is one of the must-haves at Thanksgiving. Try out this air fryer stuffing recipe or this Traeger smoked cornbread stuffing.
  
• The holidays are never complete without an epic dessert. Grab this recipe for an easy pie crust and cook up this Traeger smoked apple pie or this Traeger smoked pumpkin pie for a unique treat.
  
• These air-fried Oreos with Nutella are out of this world! They are a fun way to serve up dessert in a finger food fashion. Or maybe this Traeger smoked S’mores dip is more your speed.
  
• Need something healthy and feel-good for dinner? Try out this recipe for air fryer tuna steaks.

💬Tell Me What You Think!

Did you try out this recipe? Please leave a comment below and let me know how you liked it. Also, snap a picture and post it to your favorite social platform. Be sure to tag me at @alicensetogrill and let me know how you liked it!

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