Stuffing Muffins

These Stuffing Muffins are loaded with savory Italian sausage and a surprise center of gooey, melted mozzarella cheese! Baked in a muffin tin until golden and crispy, they’re a fun, individual-sized Thanksgiving side dish that’s perfect for serving a crowd.

Why We Love These Stuffing Muffins

• Surprise Cheesy Center: Each stuffing muffin has a pocket of melted mozzarella cheese inside. It’s our favorite part!
• Crispy Edges: Baking stuffing in a muffin tin gives every serving those delicious golden, crispy edges.
• Perfect Individual Portions: No scooping from a casserole dish! These stuffing muffins are easy to serve for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any holiday dinner.

Ingredients You’ll Need

These Stuffing Muffins start with store-bought stuffing cubes, savory Italian sausage, and a few simple ingredients. The surprise mozzarella center makes them extra delicious! Scroll down to the recipe card for the complete ingredient list and amounts.

• Store bought stuffing cubes:
  You’ll need 10 cups of store-bought seasoned stuffing cubes, or approximately two 12-ounce bags, depending on the brand. Using packaged cubes saves time and adds plenty of flavor without needing a long list of additional seasonings.
• Italian sausage: Adds tons of savory flavor to the stuffing. You can use sweet or hot Italian sausage, depending on your preference.
• Butter: Adds richness and helps soften the vegetables.
• Celery and onion: Classic stuffing ingredients that add flavor and texture.
• Chicken broth: Moistens the bread cubes and helps bring the stuffing mixture together.
• Eggs and milk: Help bind the stuffing so the muffins hold their shape after baking.
• Salt and pepper: Taste the stuffing mixture before adding additional seasoning, since the sausage, broth, and packaged stuffing may already contain salt.
• Fresh mozzarella: Our favorite ingredient! Each muffin gets a piece of mozzarella tucked into the center, creating a delicious pocket of melted cheese.

How To Make Stuffing Muffins

These Stuffing Muffins are easy to prepare with store-bought seasoned stuffing cubes and a few simple ingredients. Follow the step-by-step photos below, and scroll down to the recipe card for complete instructions and measurements.

• Cook the sausage and vegetables: Brown and crumble the Italian sausage in a skillet with butter. Add the diced onions and celery halfway through cooking and continue until the sausage is cooked through and the vegetables are softened.

• Add chicken broth: Pour the chicken broth into the skillet and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, let cool slightly, and taste for seasoning. Add salt and pepper only if needed.

• Combine the stuffing: Add the seasoned stuffing cubes to a large bowl and toss with the eggs beaten with milk. Pour the slightly cooled sausage and broth mixture over the bread cubes, tossing until evenly moistened. Let sit for 5–10 minutes so the bread absorbs the liquid.

• Fill and bake the muffins: Grease two standard muffin pans and add about 1/4 cup of stuffing mixture to each cup. Place a few mozzarella balls in the center, then top with another 1/4 cup of stuffing, pressing down to seal in the cheese. Bake at 350°F for approximately 25 minutes, until golden brown and the centers reach 165°F. Let cool in the pans for 5 minutes before carefully removing.

Variations

You can leave the sausage out of this recipe for a vegetarian version, then just swap out chicken broth for vegetable broth. Or you can try adding fresh herbs like thyme or parsley for a punch of flavor.

In addition, you can use leftover bread or lightly toasted bread if you can’t get the stuffing cubes, just dice it into small cubes and use about 10 cups. Add extra seasoning if using plain bread instead of seasoned store bought stuffing mix.

Tips For The Best Stuffing Muffins

• Watch the moisture:
  We originally made these stuffing muffins with roasted red peppers, but found that the extra moisture made the muffins too soft and caused them to fall apart. Removing the peppers helped the muffins hold their shape while keeping all that delicious flavor.
• Let the stuffing absorb the broth: After combining the stuffing cubes with the sausage and broth mixture, let everything sit for 5–10 minutes so the bread can absorb the liquid. This helps the muffins hold together instead of falling apart.
• Press the stuffing into muffin cups: When filling the muffin pans, gently but firmly press the stuffing mixture around the mozzarella center. This helps the muffins keep their shape and seals in the cheese as it melts.
• Let the muffins rest before removing: After baking, leave the stuffing muffins in the pan for about 5 minutes before carefully removing them. This gives them a chance to firm up so they don’t crumble when you serve them.

Can You Make Stuffing Muffins Ahead Of Time?

Yes! These Stuffing Muffins are a great make-ahead Thanksgiving side dish, especially when you need to free up oven space for the turkey and other sides. There are two easy ways to get a head start.

• Prepare the ingredients ahead: Cook the Italian sausage, celery, and onions with the chicken broth, then cool and refrigerate the mixture in a covered container for up to 1–2 days. Keep the seasoned stuffing cubes separate and wait until baking day to add the eggs and milk, assemble the muffins with the mozzarella, and bake as directed.
• Bake and reheat: Bake the stuffing muffins as directed, let them cool, and refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3–4 days. When you’re ready to serve, place them on a baking sheet, cover loosely with foil, and reheat in a 350°F oven until heated through to 165°F. Remove the foil toward the end if you’d like to crisp up the tops.

For the best texture, we prefer baking these muffins fresh so the edges stay crispy and the mozzarella center is warm and melty. But reheating works well when you’re preparing a big holiday meal!

Sausage Stuffing Muffins Recipe

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5 from 1 review

• Author: Dan
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 25 minutes
• Total Time: 35 minutes
• Yield: 16 servings, 1 muffin each OR 8 servings, 2 muffins each 1x

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Stuffing Muffins are a fun (and easy) way to serve stuffing on a holiday. Individual portions of delicious sausage stuffing with a surprise, cheesy center. Prepare for applause all around the table.

Ingredients

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• 10 cups store bought, seasoned stuffing cubes (approximately two 12-ounce bags, depending on the brand)
• 1 pound Italian sausage (loose or removed from casings)
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup celery, diced
• 1 cup onion, diced
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 3 large eggs
• 2 tablespoons of milk
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (if needed)
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper (if needed)
• 16 ounce container of fresh mozzarella balls (can also use a block of mozzarella, cut into cubes)

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Brown the sausage: Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the Italian sausage, breaking it into crumbles with a spoon as it cooks.
3. Cook the vegetables: When the sausage is about halfway browned, add the diced onion and celery. Continue cooking for about 5 minutes, until the sausage is fully cooked and the vegetables have softened.
4. Add the broth: Pour in the chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Cook for 5 minutes, then remove from the heat and let cool slightly. Taste the mixture and add salt and pepper only if needed.
5. Combine the stuffing: Add the seasoned stuffing cubes to a large bowl. Whisk the eggs and milk together, pour over the bread cubes, and toss gently to coat.
6. Add the sausage mixture: Pour the slightly cooled sausage and broth mixture over the bread cubes. Toss until evenly moistened, then let sit for 5–10 minutes so the bread can absorb the broth.
7. Fill the muffin pans: Generously grease two standard 12-cup muffin pans with butter or cooking spray. Add about 1/4 cup of stuffing mixture to each muffin cup. Place a few mozzarella balls (or cubes of mozzarella) in the center, then top with another 1/4 cup of stuffing. Press down gently but firmly to help the muffins hold together and seal in the cheese.
8. Bake: Bake for approximately 25 minutes, until the muffins are golden brown and the centers reach 165°F. Remove from the oven and let cool in the pans for 5 minutes.
9. Serve: Carefully loosen the edges of each muffin with a butter knife or small spatula, remove from the pans, and serve warm.

Recipe Notes

Store: Store leftovers in an air tight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Freeze: Freeze cooked stuffing muffins in an air tight freezer bag for up to 3 months. It’s a great way to have an individual serving of stuffing whenever you want!

Reheat: Place refrigerated stuffing muffins on a baking sheet, cover loosely with foil, and warm in a 350°F oven until the centers reach 165°F. For frozen muffins, allow additional reheating time, or thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. Remove the foil toward the end for crispier tops.

• Category: Side Dish
• Method: Oven
• Cuisine: American

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