Small Batch Stuffing Recipe for Thanksgiving - Amanda Wilens (2024)

Published: · Modified: by Amanda Wilens · This post may contain affiliate links. 4 Comments

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Small Batch Stuffing

I am hopeful that this year will mean smaller gatherings for people in the US for Thanksgiving. I wanted to assist with your small Thanksgiving gathering. This round up is perfect for Thanksgivings sizes 1-4. These recipes make about 4 servings each, which is perfect for 1-4 people and leftovers if less than 4 people! Tyler and I have had so many small Thanksgivings when we lived in St. Louis and couldn’t make it home for both Thanksgiving and Christmas/Hanukah. So, we usually chose the latter and I would make us a small Thanksgiving meal like this.

I do also want to take this time to bring up Thanksgiving and how we learn about it. Thanksgiving is something I now celebrate as a time for good food and showing thanks and gratitude for the ones I love. However, the story we learned as kids about Thanksgiving is so off and really shouldn’t be a part of the celebration, but rather a learning opportunity. Please do NOT dress in Native American headdresses. Please take the day to maybe educate yourself and the ones you love. Especially young children. Many Native Americans see Thanksgiving as a day of mourning and triggering. Remember, “pilgrims” led a mass genocide to the Native American population.

Small Batch Stuffing Recipe for Thanksgiving - Amanda Wilens (1)

Hopefully, you will consider and implement the above before celebrating along with me.

Small Batch Stuffing Recipe for Thanksgiving - Amanda Wilens (2)

Table of Contents

  • Table of Contents
  • Celebrating a Mini Thanksgiving
  • Thanksgiving Desserts
  • Thanksgiving Drinks
  • Thanksgiving Favorites and Leftover Recipes
  • Thanksgiving Stuffing Recipe for Two
  • How to Cook Stuffing Separately
  • Why use slightly stale bread for stuffing?
  • Love this Recipe?
Small Batch Stuffing Recipe for Thanksgiving - Amanda Wilens (3)

Celebrating a Mini Thanksgiving

  • Small Batch Turkey Tenderloins
  • Small Batch Mashed Potatoes
  • Small Batch Stuffing
  • Small Batch Roasted Brussel Sprouts
  • Small Batch Challah Rolls
  • How to Set-up a Mini Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving Desserts

  • Ginger Pear Pie
  • Apple Crumble Pie
  • Caramel Pumpkin Cheesecake
  • Pumpkin Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Small Batch Stuffing Recipe for Thanksgiving - Amanda Wilens (4)

Thanksgiving Drinks

  • Apple Cider Bourbon co*cktail
  • Fig Smash co*cktail
  • Apple Pomegranate Sangria

Thanksgiving Favorites and Leftover Recipes

  • Favorite Thanksgiving Recipes

Now, I’ll go into some best tips for making small batch stuffing.

Small Batch Stuffing Recipe for Thanksgiving - Amanda Wilens (5)

Thanksgiving Stuffing Recipe for Two

This recipe is perfect for 2-4 people, with 4 servings (yay leftovers!). For a small gathering I don’t want to make enough for 8-12 people. This recipe is great for a small group or solo thanksgiving!

How to Cook Stuffing Separately

Since we’re doing turkey tenderloins for this, we won’t be stuffing the stuffing inside a bird. Which technically makes it dressing when it is cooked solo. But most of Americans still call it stuffing. We will place it in a small casserole dish and bake it in the oven!

Small Batch Stuffing Recipe for Thanksgiving - Amanda Wilens (6)

Why use slightly stale bread for stuffing?

Since we’re going to be coating the bread in broth, eggs, butter, and cooked down veggies, it can get rather soggy. By using a harder and crustier bread we’re helping it from getting too soggy. Also, if it’s a little stale this will help as well. I also prefer to bake it in the oven as well to keep from getting soggy.

Small Batch Stuffing Recipe for Thanksgiving - Amanda Wilens (7)

Love this Recipe?

Did you make this recipe and just love it? Awesome! If you have a quick minute and could leave a star rating and comment below, I would appreciate the support and knowing your feedback! And if you’re over on Instagram, be sure to tag me in your photos!

Small Batch Stuffing Recipe for Thanksgiving - Amanda Wilens (8)

Small Batch Stuffing

5 from 7 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours hours

Total Time: 2 hours hours 20 minutes minutes

Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 6 oz baguette crusty, slightly stale, torn/cut into 1-inch pieces
  • cup unsalted butter plus more for greasing baking dish
  • 1 garlic clove minced
  • 1 cup yellow onion roughly chopped (about ½ onion)
  • ½ cup celery thinly sliced (about 3 stalks)
  • ¼ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley roughly chopped
  • 2 tablespoon fresh sage roughly chopped
  • 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary roughly chopped
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme roughly chopped
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
  • 1 ¼ cups chicken broth divided
  • 1 egg large

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 250°F. On a lipped baking sheet, evenly spread out pieces of bread. Bake for about 1 hour or until dried out. Remove from oven and place in a large glass or metal bowl.

  • In a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Add onion and cook for 3-4 minutes until fragrant. Add garlic and stir for about 1 minute. Add celery and herbs; cook until celery deepens in color and slightly softens, about 7 to 9 minutes. Add salt and pepper. Stir for about 2 minutes.

  • Toss mixture into bowl of dried bread (step 1) and add ½ cup chicken broth. Stir and let cool slightly.

  • Increase oven to 350°F. Grease a 6x7.5” baking dish with butter.

  • In a separate mixing bowl, whisk remaining ¾ cup chicken broth with egg. Add to bread mixture and stir until fully combined. Pour into prepared baking dish and cover with baking dish’s lid or aluminum foil.

  • Bake for 20 minutes covered, then remove foil and bake for another 20-25 minutes. Finished dressing should reach an internal temperature of 160°F to 165°F on a meat thermometer. Serve.

Notes

-Use slightly stale and crusty bread! Very import to help keep the stuffing from getting soggy.
-Use a smaller casserole dish. A 6x7.5” or similar size will be perfect for these small batch.
-To reheat, place in the oven at 400°F for about 5-7 minutes.

Tried this recipe?Mention @amanda.wilens

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. RENATE Yeoman says

    Small Batch Stuffing Recipe for Thanksgiving - Amanda Wilens (9)
    Finally, a stuffing recipe for two people! I used gluten free bread (4 slices) which I dried out two days before making the recipe. I added one garlic clove and kasoori menthi (Fenugreek spice) and Herbs de Provence for flavour while the mire poi was sauting. I mixed everything in a large bowl and poured the mixture into a PAM greased casserole dish. It was absolutely delicious! This recipe is definitely a "keeper" in our household.

    Renate

    Reply

    • Amanda Wilens says

      Love to hear it <3

      Reply

  2. Tyler Glassford says

    Small Batch Stuffing Recipe for Thanksgiving - Amanda Wilens (10)
    Best stuffing I have had ever

    Reply

    • wilensamanda says

      I'm so glad to hear that!

      Reply

Leave a Reply

Small Batch Stuffing Recipe for Thanksgiving - Amanda Wilens (2024)

FAQs

What does adding egg to stuffing do? ›

Eggs: Two lightly beaten eggs help hold the dressing together and add moisture.

How much stuffing is enough? ›

How much stuffing should be used in a stuffed chicken or turkey? The amount of stuffing to use in a chicken or turkey depends on the size of the bird and personal preference. As a general guideline, you'll need about 3/4 to 1 cup of stuffing per pound of poultry.

How much stuffing do I need for 20 people for Thanksgiving? ›

A leftover turkey sandwich?! 3/4 cup of stuffing per person should be plenty.

What can you use as a binder instead of eggs in stuffing? ›

16 egg substitutes
  1. Mashed banana. Mashed banana can act as a binding agent when baking or making pancake batter. ...
  2. Applesauce. Applesauce can also act as a binding agent. ...
  3. Fruit puree. Fruit puree will help bind a recipe in a similar way to applesauce. ...
  4. Avocado. ...
  5. Gelatin. ...
  6. Xanthan gum. ...
  7. Vegetable oil and baking powder. ...
  8. Margarine.
Mar 30, 2021

What can I substitute for eggs in stuffing? ›

Best Egg Substitutes
  • Flaxseed Meal. Flaxseeds have an earthy, nutty flavor and are rich in omega-3 fatty acids. ...
  • Chia Seeds. ...
  • Mashed Banana. ...
  • Applesauce. ...
  • Silken Tofu. ...
  • Aquafaba. ...
  • Starches. ...
  • Vinegar + Baking Powder.

How many boxes of stuffing do I need for 5 people? ›

How much stuffing per person? A 14-ounce bag of stuffing makes about 11 servings; a 6-ounce box of stuffing mix makes 6 servings.

How many cups of stuffing do I need for 6 people? ›

In order to fill the cavity of the bird you are stuffing, you should make 3/4 cup of stuffing per person. You may not be able to fit all the stuffing into your turkey. If this is the case, then you can even make a casserole to fill up your guests!

Does Pepperidge Farm stuffing mix go bad? ›

Sometimes expiration dates need to be taken seriously, and sometimes food is safe to eat passed that date. If you mean the kind you buy in the store dry (such a Pepperidge Farm, no, it does not. It will last practically forever.

What is the most expensive stuffing in the world? ›

The “most expensive stuffing in the world” of this gold turkey is made of Japanese pork that costs $475 per pound, and both white and black truffles, while the turkey gravy is infused with a $3,300 bottle of bourbon.

Is it better to make stuffing with fresh or dry bread? ›

Any attempts to make stuffing with soft, fresh baked bread will result in a bread soup with a soggy texture. Follow this tip: Stale, dried-out bread makes the best stuffing.

How much stuffing do I need for 14 adults? ›

The Amount
Quantity of StuffingSize of BirdNumber of Servings
6 cups8 to 10 pounds8 to 9
2 quarts10 to 12 pounds10 to 11
3 quarts12 to 15 pounds12 to 16
4 quarts15 to 20 pounds18 to 20
3 more rows
Nov 25, 2019

How many cups of stuffing do I need for 10 people? ›

How much stuffing do you need for Thanksgiving? Plan to serve about 3/4 cup of stuffing per guest. That amounts to roughly 4 cups of prepared stuffing for 5 guests and 7-1/2 cups for 10 guests.

How many bags of stuffing do I need for 14 people? ›

How much stuffing per person? A 14-ounce bag of stuffing makes about 11 servings.

Why use an egg as a thickener? ›

Creamy desserts such as crème brûlée also benefit from eggs' ability to emulsify and produce smooth, satiny, hom*ogeneous mixtures. Their ability to hold up to four times their weight in moisture makes eggs a good thickener for sauces, custards and curds. The proteins in eggs coagulate or set at different temperatures.

How do you keep stuffing moist? ›

Use enough liquid: The key to keeping stuffing moist is to use enough liquid. You can use chicken or vegetable broth, melted butter, or a combination of both. The amount of liquid you need will depend on the recipe, but a good rule of thumb is to use about 1/2 to 1 cup of liquid for every 4 cups of bread cubes.

Why do we need to apply egg yolk in some dressing? ›

You can use boiled egg yolks in scratch-made dressings or whisk them into store-bought dressings for the ultimate creamy upgrade. Boiled egg yolks can thicken a dressing without breaking or clumping while creating a silky consistency that thoroughly coats your salad ingredients.

What makes stuffing unhealthy? ›

Stuffing is not strictly a healthy food, because it is typically high in calories, fat, sodium, and refined carbohydrates. 1 But that doesn't mean you can't enjoy it, All foods can fit into a healthy diet in moderation.

References

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