These savory Thanksgiving Stuffing Muffins are bold in flavor with Italian sausage, dried cherries and sage. Perfect for the holiday table, they are easy and delicious! Vegetarian-adaptable.
It’s not how much we give but how much love we put into giving.
mother teresa
As the holidays quickly approach, many of us are well into the planning stages of the meal that will be shared with family and friends. We all have our favorites, the must-have dishes that have become a part of the tradition we have created through the years.
A favorite dish of mine is stuffing. It’s the one dish I return to most often for second helpings and sometimes even thirds. This version is made in muffin tins, a fun way to serve stuffing on the Thanksgiving table. Stuffins! Or, for a festive appetizer “bite”, use mini muffin tins!
This particular stuffing recipe is bold and flavorful – made with Homemade Italian ground sausage- and brightened with dried cherries.
Stuffing Muffins Ingredients
- Bread: The main ingredient of the stuffing muffins provides a hearty texture and absorbs the flavors of the other ingredients. The cubes of bread also add a nice chewiness to the dish. French bread or sourdough bread are great options.
- Italian sausage: Adds a spicy and savory flavor to the stuffing muffins. It infuses the dish with its unique blend of seasonings. Feel free to use plant-based sausage.
- Yellow onion: The onion adds a savory sweetness and depth to the stuffing muffins.
- Celery: Adds a refreshing, tangy flavor to the stuffing. It also provides a pleasant crunch and texture contrast to the other softer ingredients.
- Dried cherries or cranberries: Dried cherries or cranberries add a touch of tartness and sweetness to the stuffing muffins. They counterbalance the savory components and bring a burst of fruity flavor to each bite.
- Garlic cloves: Enhances the overall flavor profile of the dish by adding a savory and slightly pungent taste.
- Sage: An aromatic herb that imparts a distinctly earthy, peppery, and slightly minty flavor.
- Salt and pepper: Salt and pepper season the dish and bring out the flavors of all the other ingredients. They help balance the sweetness and spices, ensuring a well-rounded and delicious taste.
- Eggs: Eggs act as a binding agent, helping to hold the stuffing muffins together. They contribute to the texture by providing moisture and richness.
- Turkey or chicken stock: Adds moisture and flavor to the stuffing muffins. It prevents them from becoming dry and helps to distribute the flavors evenly throughout the dish. The amount of stock used can be adjusted based on personal preference for a moister or drier stuffing. You can also use turkey or chicken broth.
How to Make Stuffing Muffins
1. Toast bread. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Place bread cubes on a sheet pan and toast until golden, about 15-20 minutes. Turn oven temperature to up to 375°F.
2. Cook sausage. Heat a skillet to medium-high. Add the sausage in large chunks. Leave them be for a few minutes so they develop a brown crust. Turn over and brown on the other side. With the spatula chop in smaller chunks if desired about 5 minutes. Remove and set sausage aside. Use the same pan if desired, and pour out extra grease.
3. Add the butter, onion, and celery, in the skillet over medium heat. Saute for 4 minutes over medium heat. Add garlic, sage, thyme, salt, and pepper, and cooked sausage and saute for 2 minutes.
4. Add wine and dried cherries, and parsley stirring occasionally, cooking for about 5 minutes until the wine fumes have cooked off a bit.
5. Add to bowl. Place toasted cubed bread in a bowl, add sausage mixture, and mix.
6. Whisk eggs together with dijon mustard & stock. Fold egg mixture into stuffing mixture, gently coating it. If the mix seems dry, add more stock just a little at a time until it is moist. Let stand 10 minutes to allow the bread to absorb the moisture.
7. Spoon the stuffing into well-greased, non-stick muffin tins (or use muffin liners if in doubt).
Step 8. Bake uncovered for 25 minutes or until golden. Let them sit 5-10 minutes to firm up a little. Loosen the muffins and lift them out. Serve warm.
Storage
Store leftover stuffing muffins in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Freeze for up to 2 months. If frozen, thaw completely before reheating.
Chef’s Tips
- Use a non-stick muffin tin: These can be tricky to remove, so grease it well. If in doubt, use muffin tin liners.
- Bake uncovered: Bake the muffins in a 375 F degree oven, uncovered for 25 minutes for a perfect crispy texture on top.
- Enjoy with leftovers! We love these leftover stuffing muffins with other leftovers for a rounded-out meal in the days following the holiday. Or prep and freeze them before Thanksgiving and save them just for enjoying with your leftovers.
- Get creative with your variations: Add any festive ingredients you’d like! Apples, bacon, rosemary, or thyme are all great additions.
FAQs
The eggs are essential here! They act as a binding agent that holds the muffins together. Plus, they add a rich and moist flavor and texture.
Bread, onion, celery, butter, and fresh herbs are the most common ingredients in stuffing. Our variation includes Italian sausage and dried cherries for even more delicious flavor!
Baking the stuffing muffins uncovered helps to crisp up the bread, resulting in perfect texture. It also helps to use stale bread.
You want the stuffing to be moist, not dry or soggy. This is why we add the stock a little at a time until the mixture appears moist.
Enjoy the Stuffing Muffins, and tell us how they turned out in the comments below!
More Favorite Thanksgiving Side Dishes
Stuffing Muffins Recipe
- Prep Time: 30
- Cook Time: 30
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 12
- Category: side dish, appetizer
- Method: baked
- Cuisine: American
Description
These Savory Stuffing Muffins are bold flavored with Italian sausage, dried cherries and sage. Perfect for Thanksgiving or Christmas, they are easy and delicious!
Ingredients
- 12 ounces of bread, cut into 1/2 inch cubes (about 8 cups)
- 1 lb Italian sausage (or sub vegetarian Italian sausage)
- 1/4 cup butter, unsalted (omit if you want but it really gives delicious flavor- you can also use the sausage grease instead)
- 1 medium white onion, finely chopped
- 3 celery stalk, finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons fresh sage, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, to taste
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 3/4 cup dried cherries (or cranberries)
- 1/2 cup parsley, chopped
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1– 1 1/2 cups turkey or chicken stock, more as needed.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350° F. Place bread cubes on a sheet pan and toast until golden, about 15-20 minutes. (keep an eye as this will depend on the type of bread you use)
- Turn oven temperature to 375°F
- Heat a skillet to medium-high. Add the sausage in large chunks. Leave them be for a few minutes so they develop a brown crust. Turn over and brown on the other side, with the spatula chop in smaller pieces. Remove from the pan and set the sausage aside. Use the same pan if desired, and pour out extra grease.
- Add butter, onion, and celery to the skillet over medium heat. Saute for 4 minutes. Add garlic, sage, thyme, salt, pepper, and cooked sausage and saute for 2 minutes.
- Add wine, dried cherries, and parsley stirring occasionally, cooking for about 5 minutes until the wine fumes have cooked off a bit.
- Place toasted cubed bread in a bowl, add sausage mixture, and combine.
- Whisk eggs together with dijon mustard and 1 cup stock in a small bowl. Fold egg mixture into stuffing mixture, liberally coating it. Let stand 10 minutes to allow the bread to absorb the moisture. If the mix seems dry, add more stock just a little at a time until it is moist.
- Spoon the stuffing into well-greased non-stick muffin tins ( or use muffin liners if in doubt) and bake uncovered for 25 minutes, or until golden. Let them sit 5-10 minutes to firm up a little.
- Loosen the muffins and lift them out. Serve warm.
Notes
These make 12 regular muffins or 24 mini muffins. The muffins can be tricky to get out of the muffin tins, so be sure to grease well or use muffin liners.
Try our easy recipe for Homemade Italian sausage.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 muffin
- Calories: 314
- Sugar: 9.4 g
- Sodium: 584.1 mg
- Fat: 17.9 g
- Saturated Fat: 7.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 25.8 g
- Fiber: 1.8 g
- Protein: 10.1 g
- Cholesterol: 70.6 mg
So good! Growing up in a Sri Lankan household, we really didn’t eat stuffing at home, but I was always fascinated by it. It’s so cool to finally learn how to make it. I used veggie sausage and I forgot the wine and it’s still really good! Also I didn’t make them into muffins, just used a 9×13 baking pan and cooked it longer, like 35 mins or so. Thank you so much for the beautiful recipe!! 😍
Love that you adapted! So glad you enjoyed making this. I would love to eat the food you grew up with!
OMG Sri Lankan food is so good!! My parents are actually incredible cooks. Our food is so colorful, well-spiced, and healthy. I’m going home to Maryland to see my parents in a couple weeks and am so looking forward to eating all their food 😂 🥘💖😋
Ohhhh…sounds so amazing! Love that you get to see them and get nurtured.❤️
This is truly delicious just as is.
I had some leftover diced ham that I added and also added some fennel.
So good!!!
Oh perfect! Love that. Thanks for letting us know Helen!
What could I use in place of wine?
You can just leave it out and add broth or a splash of vinegar, 2-3 teaspoons- white balsamic, white wine vinegar or apple cider.
These are really yummy and so easy!
Do you think you could make these ahead and warm them at dinner? If so, how would you warm them without drying them out?
Hi Roxanne- truthfully, I haven’t made these in sooooo long- I can’t quite remember. What if you brushed with butter before reheating?
I made these for Thanksgiving (my first year hosting!) and they were a huge hit! My husband loved the chorizo and requested that we keep these on the menu for next year. Thank you for another wonderful recipe!
I think egg replacer would work great. Apples too!!