Name: Small Batch Stuffing
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 120 min
Total time: 140 min
Ingredients: 6 oz baguette (crusty, slightly stale, torn/cut into 1-inch pieces); 1/3 cup unsalted butter ( plus more for greasing baking dish); 1 garlic clove (minced); 1 cup yellow onion (roughly chopped (about ½ onion)); 1/2 cup celery (thinly sliced (about 3 stalks)); 1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley ( roughly chopped); 2 Tbsp fresh sage ( roughly chopped); 1 Tbsp fresh rosemary ( roughly chopped); 1 Tbsp fresh thyme ( roughly chopped); 1 tsp salt; ½ tsp black pepper (freshly ground); 1 1/4 cups chicken broth (divided); 1 egg (large)

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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.

Here’s an article from NPR addressing how to address the subject: https://www.npr.org/2019/11/24/782403538/teaching-thanksgiving
And one from the Smithsonian Mag: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/thanksgiving-myth-and-what-we-should-be-teaching-kids-180973655/

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

Table of Contents
Thanksgiving Stuffing Recipe for Two
How to Cook Stuffing Separately
Why use slightly stale bread for stuffing?

Celebrating a Mini Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving Desserts

Thanksgiving Drinks

Thanksgiving Favorites and Leftover Recipes

Favorite Thanksgiving Recipes

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

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!

overhead of small batch stuffing in casserole

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.