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This small batch sausage stuffing is made with Italian sausage, fresh herbs, and crusty bread cubes baked until golden. A classic Thanksgiving side dish perfectly portioned for one or two.
Featured Comment
“I made this for Thanksgiving and it was a hit!”
– Stephen
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Quick and Easy: This small batch stuffing recipe comes together in just 30 minutes, making it ideal for a simple holiday side or weeknight dinner.
- Rich, Savory Flavor: Made with Italian sausage, fresh herbs, and sautéed vegetables for a classic, flavorful stuffing.
- Perfectly Portioned: A small batch recipe that’s just the right size when you don’t need a big pan of stuffing.
- Holiday Favorite: A must-have Thanksgiving side dish, but easy enough to serve with chicken, pork, or beef any time of year.
I love making this small batch sausage stuffing because it’s hearty enough to stand on its own yet still feels like the kind of dish that belongs on every holiday table. Even though it’s technically a dressing since it’s baked outside the bird, I call it stuffing because that’s the name I grew up with and the one most people know.
Looking for more small batch side dishes? Try our small batch corn casserole, small batch creamed spinach, baked ham steak for one, and small batch cranberry sauce recipes.
Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this small sausage stuffing recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder.
- Onions, Carrot, and Celery: The classic base for stuffing. Finely chop with a knife or pulse in a food processor for quicker prep. Use extras in pot roast for one, small batch cornbread dressing, or vegetable soup for one.
- Fresh Sage: The signature herb that gives dressing its flavor. Use 1/8 teaspoon ground sage if fresh isn’t available. Thyme or rosemary also work well.
- Italian Sausage: Mild, spicy, or sweet all work. Loose sausage is easiest, but links can be used if you remove the casing. Leftovers are great in recipes like tortellini soup for one, a single serving pizza bowl, or zuppa toscana for one.
- Nuts (Optional): For crunch, add pine nuts, pecans, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, or sunflower seeds.
- Egg: Binds the stuffing and keeps it moist.
- Chicken Broth: Adds moisture. Vegetable broth can be used as a substitute.
- Heavy Cream: Provides richness. Use half-and-half or whole milk for a lighter version, or coconut cream for dairy-free.
- Bread: Choose crusty bread so it holds up when mixed with the other ingredients.
- Olive Oil: Used for sautéing the vegetables. Avocado oil is a good alternative.
Recipe Variations
Looking to change up this small batch sausage stuffing? Try these easy ideas:
- Herb Stuffing: Add fresh thyme, rosemary, or parsley along with the sage for a more aromatic, classic holiday flavor.
- Vegetable Stuffing: Stir in sautéed mushrooms, bell peppers, or sun-dried tomatoes for extra flavor and color.
- Gluten-Free Stuffing: Use gluten-free bread cubes and make sure your sausage is labeled gluten-free.
How To Make Small Batch Sausage Stuffing
See the recipe card below for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions.
- Chop the Vegetables: Finely chop the carrot, celery, onion, and sage (a food processor works well).
- Cook the Sausage: Brown the Italian sausage in a skillet, then set aside.
- Prepare the Bread: Place bread cubes in a mixing bowl.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: Whisk together the egg, cream, and broth. Stir in toasted nuts if using.
- Combine: Add sausage and vegetables to the bread. Pour in the wet mixture and gently toss to coat.
- Bake: Spread into a buttered 5×5-inch baking dish. Bake at 350°F for 30 minutes, until golden and set.
Expert Tips
- Use the Right Bread: Choose a dense, crusty bread like sourdough, Italian, or French. Day-old or lightly dried bread works best for structure and prevents sogginess.
- Dry Out the Bread: If your bread is fresh, cube it and toast it lightly in the oven to remove excess moisture.
- Check Moisture Level: If the mixture looks too dry before baking, add a splash of broth. It should be moist but not soggy.
What To Serve With Sausage Stuffing
Complete your Thanksgiving dinner for one with these perfectly portioned sides, mains, and desserts that pair beautifully with the rich flavors of sausage stuffing.
Single Serving Sides
Main Courses
Small Batch Desserts
Frequently Asked Questions
A 5×5-inch baking dish works best.
Yes, you can prepare it up to a day in advance. Assemble the stuffing, cover, and refrigerate. Bake just before serving.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Reheat in the oven or microwave.
Technically, stuffing is cooked inside poultry, while dressing is baked separately. Since this recipe is baked on its own, it’s dressing, but most people call it stuffing.
Yes, double the ingredients and bake in either two 5×5 inch baking dishes, one 6×8-inch baking dish.
Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder or you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes:
If you’ve tried this small batch sausage dressing or any recipe on One Dish Kitchen please let me know how you liked it by rating the recipe and telling me about it in the comment section below.
Also, if you take a picture please tag us on Instagram (@onedishkitchen) we’d love to see it!
Small Batch Sausage Stuffing
Ingredients
- ¼ cup chopped onions
- ¼ cup chopped carrots (1 carrot)
- ¼ cup chopped celery (1 celery stalk)
- 3 fresh sage leaves
- ½ tablespoon olive oil
- 6 ounces loose Italian sausage
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup toasted pine nuts or use chopped walnuts or pecans
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup low sodium chicken broth
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 2 cups cubed sourdough bread
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C) and butter a 5×5-inch baking dish.
- Pulse onion, carrot, celery, and sage in a food processor until finely chopped.
- Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook sausage until browned, about 5 minutes. Remove and set aside.
- In the same skillet, sauté the vegetable mixture until softened and caramelized. Season with salt.
- In a mixing bowl, combine sausage, vegetables, nuts, and bread cubes.
- Whisk egg, broth, and cream in a small bowl. Pour over bread mixture and stir until moistened.
- Transfer to the prepared dish and bake 30 minutes, until golden brown on top.
Notes
- Use the Right Bread: Choose a dense, crusty bread like sourdough, Italian, or French. Day-old or lightly dried bread works best for structure and prevents sogginess.
- Dry Out the Bread: If your bread is fresh, cube it and toast it lightly in the oven to remove excess moisture.
- Check Moisture Level: If the mixture looks too dry before baking, add a splash of broth. It should be moist but not soggy.
Heat a pan on medium heat. Add a tiny bit of olive oil to the pan and swirl to coat bottom of pan. Add the pine nuts and stir frequently until they are golden brown.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Hi Joanie,
Can this dressing be made a day in advance, and reheated in the oven day of?
Thanks, Stephen
Yes, it can. Reheat in the microwave or in the oven until heated through. Enjoy!
Hi Joanie,
I made this for Thanksgiving and it was a hit! I want to make it again for Christmas but I need a larger amount. Can this be easily doubled, and are there any special amounts to consider when doing so?
Thanks again!
Yes, this recipe doubles (and triples) well. I’ve done it many times. No special instructions needed, just be sure to use a bigger baking dish.
Thank you,Joanie for this recipe.It was so good,can you tell me where to get the small dishes?Would like to make again for Christmas. Thanks again for all your hard work,makes it easy for us to cook the smaller recipes.Just because its just one,doesn’t mean we can’t eat home made food.And good food.
Hi Patti,
Thank you so much for letting me know you enjoyed the recipe, I’m so glad you did! I use a 5-inch baking dish in many of the recipes here on One Dish Kitchen and you can find them on Amazon. Here is the link to the dishes I use often – https://amzn.to/2rcdNaJ (affiliate link). I’ve seen dishes of similar sizes at thrift stores, discount stores (T.J. Maxx & HomeGoods, etc.).
I’m so happy you are enjoying the recipes, your comment makes my day!
Thank you.
Joanie
Hi! This sounds very interesting. I use hot bulk sausage, cornbread and toasted pecans in my large batch so this would be a nice change of pace. Maybe I'm just missing it, or it is printed elsewhere, but where is the bread? Amount? Thanks!
Hi Dee,
Thank you for catching that I left out the bread amount in the recipe. Use 2 cups of cubed sourdough bread. I just updated the recipe to reflect that.
Thanks again!
Joanie
Love how you've scaled down a family favorite!
This is awesome! We were just talking about meal since it is just going to be us for the holidays!
Wow, this dressing recipe looks really delicious! I have been needing some new recipes for Thanksgiving, I will have to give this one a try! Thank you for sharing!
These looks extremely yummy, bookmarked.
What an adorable little mini serving!
I love trying different stuffing recipes! This is a perfect one to try this Thanksgiving!
Danger! Delicious danger! I will likely make this for myself all. year. long! It sounds amazing (stuffing is my favorite)!