Single-Serve Stuffing Cups

Last fall, my friend Kate and I were driving north on the Saw Mill Parkway in New York when she started talking about the meals she makes for her 9-year-old son. “He’s vegetarian-ish,” she said, “but not vegetarian, so I make him really basic things.” Like what? I asked. “Oh, like lentils in bone broth, cheddar-corn pancakes with buttermilk and honey, and of course, Japanese omelets, which I roll and slice like pasta.” Um, yeah, of course!

She’s kind of a genius when it comes to cooking — especially for kids — which makes sense because she teaches popular classes for kids and adults of all ages in my neighborhood. But she seems to have a sixth sense for how to get children interested in trying new things. For instance, last year in one of her Thanksgiving-themed classes for toddlers, she made a classic apple-sage stuffing in muffin tins because she didn’t have access to a large oven and was forced to use a toaster oven. (Attention single-oven Thanksgiving hosts!) “They were such a huge hit with the kids that I make them that way for my own Thanksgiving now,” she told me. She thinks they loved them because it’s a little unexpected and also because she called the single-serving bundles “savory cupcakes.”

She was nice enough to share the recipe with us today. Lucky me, I got to spend Monday morning testing and tasting them, so I can personally attest to how good they are. Especially if you’re the type of stuffing-lover, like me, who appreciates the crispy edges as much as the pudding-ish middle.

Thanks for the recipe Kate!

P.S. If you’re local, Kate will be making the muffins in her next class for adults, this Thursday, November 21. And if you have kids who are interested in learning how to cook, here’ a schedule of her upcoming classes, including one this Sunday, November 24.

Muffin-Tin Stuffing
Makes 6-8 muffins; recipe can be doubled

Cooking Spray (or butter for greasing)
4 tightly packed cups country white bread, cut into 1/2 –inch cubes 
1/4 cup olive oil
Kosher Salt
Freshly Ground Pepper
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
2/3 cup finely chopped celery
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped or smashed with a garlic press
2 teaspoons fresh sage
Small McIntosh apple or 1/2 Granny Smith, peeled, cored and finely chopped
2 large eggs, beaten
1/2 cup vegetable broth

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease muffin-tin with cooking spray or butter. On a baking sheet, toss the bread cubes with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Bake for about 10 minutes, until toasted. Transfer the cubes to a bowl.

In a large skillet over medium heat, add the butter and remaining olive oil. Add onion and celery and cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and sage, and cook, stirring, about 1 minute.

Mix the onion mixture, apple, eggs and broth into the croutons. Season with salt and pepper. Let stand for 5 minutes. 

Pack stuffing into the muffin cups and bake for about 20-25 minutes, until golden. Transfer to a rack and let stand for 5 minutes. Loosen muffins with a sharp knife and lift them out. Serve warm with gravy.

I made the quickest gravy for these by whisking butter, salt and and flour into hot vegetable broth. Is it weird to have stuffing for breakfast?

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12 Comments

Cate

One of my sons lives for Thanksgiving stuffing (dressing, here), so I cook a double quantity – and he eats it for breakfast as long as it lasts. I will try this recipe for easy option on non-thanksgiving days!

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joy

these are adorable, but I’ll be honest. If I’m going to eat stuffing, it’s in quantities far larger than a muffin!

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Marget

Otherwise known as Stuffin’ Muffins! I sometimes make something similar for vegetarian Thanksgiving guests. If you add some white wine for moisture and top with a little butter for extra crispness, adults love them too.

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Erica

Stuffing (or dressing) is one of my favorite foods, and the stuffing season is so short! I’m going to try these at our Thanksgiving, my kids haven’t been fans in the past but maybe this will help. And I certainly love a crisp edge to my dressing.
I think this could totally be a breakfast food – stuffing’s not far off from an everything bagel 🙂 I imagine these would be delicious next to a sunny side egg!

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Alyssa

Canadian Thanksgiving has already come and gone, but I’m thinking of trying something like this at Christmas this year! I can absolutely get on board with eating them for a savoury breakfast for the next few days, too 🙂

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S

My kids always hated meatloaf but after seeing them in cupcake form with mashed potato”frosting” at a local butcher shop, I started making my same meatloaf recipe in a muffin tin and my kids all of a sudden loved them!! Bonus – they cook faster than a loaf, have a better texture, I can top them with Bbq sauce for those that like the tang and leave the others plain…and they freeze well/reheat well.

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Millican Pecan

I love this idea! A friend of mine makes “stuffing balls”. They are baked individually, so they have more of a crunch to them all around, because she doesn’t care for the soft ‘squishy’ bread of regular stuffing. These remind me of those, and I want to try them out when I cook a turkey for Christmas!

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Molly

These sound & look incredible! I can’t wait to try ’em. And I would LOVE to hear more about those foods Kate cooks for her son! They sound wonderful, too!!

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