These Stuffing Muffins are a fun way to serve stuffing on Thanksgiving! Individual portions of delicious sausage stuffing with a surprise, cheesy center that will have everyone cheering. Looking for a traditional stuffing recipe? Try our favorite Sausage and Apple Stuffing, it’s one of our most popular stuffing recipes for Thanksgiving!
Why We Love These Stuffing Muffins
My favorite thing about Thanksgiving is really the stuffing. My favorite stuffing recipe is our Classic Sausage Stuffing and these Stuffing Muffins take a lot of the flavors from that recipe.
- Individual Portions: The muffins make it so easy to prepare for a larger meal. Everyone gets one (or two!) muffins so it’s easy to plan out.
- Make Ahead Recipe: Making this stuffing recipe ahead of time saves you time on a hectic holiday.
- Unique & Interesting Recipe: Not everyone has had a stuffing muffin so there’s sure to be clapping all around.
How To Make
This stuffing recipe is really easy to make, and can be made a day or two in advance. We have step by step photos here but for complete instructions head to the recipe card below.
- Cook the sausage and vegetables: Brown and crumble Italian sausage in a skillet, then add onions, celery and seasonings.
- Add chicken broth: Pour in chicken broth and simmer for 5 minutes to let the flavors blend together.
- Toss with stuffing cubes: Pour the chicken broth and sausage mixture over stuffing cubes and toss until all the bread is moistened.
- Add to muffin pans: Add 1/4 cup of the stuffing mixture to each muffin cup. Add fresh mozzarella cheese balls on top and then top with another 1/4 cup of the stuffing, pressing down to seal. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.
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. Also, you can use leftover bread or lightly toasted bread if you can’t get the stuffing cubes, just use about 10 cups.
Tips For Best Results
Even though these stuffing muffins are super easy to make, we have some tips for best results!
- Make sure to taste for seasonings: After adding the chicken broth and simmering, taste to see if salt and pepper are needed. This will depend on the flavor of the sausage that you’re using.
- Let the stuffing sit: After tossing the bread cubes with the chicken broth and sausage mixture, let it sit for 5-10 minutes so that all the liquid absorbs into the bread. You can actually let the stuffing sit overnight at this point and then fill and bake the next day.
- Compress the muffins before baking: When you’re filling the muffin cups, press down to compress the stuffing into a muffin shape. This way the stuffing will stay together after it bakes.
Can You Make Stuffing Muffins Ahead Of Time?
Yes, you can make this recipe ahead of time, even a day or two before Thanksgiving. To make ahead of time, make the stuffing and then cover and refrigerate until you’re ready. Then fill the cups, add the cheese and bake.
Looking For More Stuffing Recipes?
- Hot Dog Bun Stuffing (A stuffing made with leftover buns!)
- Seriously Delicious Pineapple Stuffing
- Waldorf Chicken Sausage Stuffing
- Pineapple Upside Down Sausage Stuffing
- Pecan, Fig and Pear Stuffing (Vegetarian)
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Stuffing Muffins
- 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
Print Recipe
Pin RecipeStuffing 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
- 10 cups store bought cubed stuffing (you’ll need 2 bags of the 12 ounce size)
- 1 pound Italian sausage
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup celery, diced
- 1 cup onion, diced
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 3 eggs, beaten with 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)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- In a large skillet, melt the butter and then add the sausage to brown. Break the sausage up with a spoon into crumbles.
- About halfway through browning the sausage, add in the onions and celery. Cook until the onions and celery have softened and the sausage is browned through, about 5 minutes.
- Pour in the chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 5 minutes and then remove from the heat and let cool. At this point: taste for seasonings and then add the salt and pepper if needed.
- Add the bread cubes and the beaten eggs to a large bowl. Toss the bread cubes with the eggs to coat.
- After the sausage mixture has cooled slightly, pour over the bread cubes and toss until all the bread is moistened. Let the stuffing mixture sit for 5-10 minutes for the broth to fully absorb.
- Butter (or spray) 2 pans. Fill each cup with 1/4 cup of the stuffing mixture. Add a few mozzarella balls to the center of each muffin, then add another 1/4 cup of stuffing on top, pressing down to seal together.
- Bake for 25 minutes then remove from the oven to let cool for 5 minutes.
- Remove from the muffin pan and serve.
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: Reheat in the microwave until warmed through. To reheat from frozen, place the frozen muffin(s) on a baking sheet and bake in a 350 oven for 15 minutes.
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Made these the day before Thanksgiving reheated. Big hit! The cheese was a good surprise for my guests☺️
Trying to get ahead of the game this year. Can these be frozen? Would they be frozen pre or post bake?
Then..how to bake or reheat
Thanks!
So glad you liked them! Yes you can bake them through, then freeze and reheat. For reheating, let thaw overnight and then place bake into muffin tins and cover with foil. Warm in a 350 oven for just about 15-20 minutes until warmed through.
Can these be made in advance? If so, what’s the best method?
They can be. You can make them the day before you need them and bake them when you’re ready. Make sure to cover the pan in the refrigerator with plastic wrap (remove before baking) so that they don’t dry out.
I have a hard time getting recipe after I click on picture.
Dolores, if you click on the picture and scroll all the way to the bottom you’ll find the recipe. Are you on a mobile device?
Where do the peppers come in? -and you have red peppers listed twice in the ingredients list?
Thanks Ashley, I updated the recipe card!
Those flavors sound amazing!
Thanks Megan!
Brilliant idea! Love it!
Thank you Ashley!
Who needs a Thanksgiving meal, when you can just eat these?!!
My thoughts exactly Kristen!