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Why I Love These Stuffed Dates
Around the holidays, there’s always room for one more appetizer recipe. And that’s because pretty much everyone loves a simple yet delicious snack to grab while at a party or get-together.
These sausage-stuffed dates are exactly that kind of recipe. The dates get soft and jammy, the marinara turns rich and concentrated, and the sausage brings just enough spice to keep every bite interesting. It’s like your favorite baked meatballs paired with a bit of sweetness and tomato sauce.
I also love that this feels special without being too much. It’s literally four ingredients, all baked in one pan, but people will crowd around it like it’s a restaurant appetizer. It’s perfect for the holiday season, and especially great as a New Year’s dish!
Here’s what makes these sausage-stuffed dates special:
- Only 4 ingredients and one pan!
- They feel fancy but are actually incredibly easy to make.
- Perfect for holidays, New Year’s Eve, or game day snacks.
- Naturally gluten-free, so it works for lots of guests.
This recipe originally appeared in my 2023 Holiday Guide, which is available to order!
Stuffed Dates Ingredients
The best part about this recipe is that it only needs 4 ingredients:
- Whole dates – Soft, chewy dates are the sweet vessel of this appetizer and turn almost jammy as they cook.
- Italian sausage – The perfect pairing for the sweetness of the dates. You can opt for sweet or spicy sausage, but I usually go for the spicy version.
- Parmesan cheese – Salty and nutty, it finishes the dish with a little bit of added richness.
- Marinara sauce – A good jarred marinara or homemade sauce gives the dates their final flavor. It sounds weird, but trust me on this one!
The full amount of each ingredient can be found in the recipe card below.
How to Make Sausage-Stuffed Dates
Just like the ingredients, there are 4 easy steps to make these stuffed dates:
Add the sauce – Pour the marinara sauce into a 10-inch skillet or 9 x 9-inch baking dish and spread it into an even layer.
Prepare the dates – Using your fingers or a small spoon, open each pitted date and stuff with about 1 tablespoon of raw Italian sausage, or as much as comfortably fits. Let the date stay slightly open so the sausage is mounded on top. Nestle each stuffed date into the marinara sauce, sausage side facing up. The sauce should come partway up the sides of the dates, not cover them completely.
Bake – Once all the dates are stuffed and arranged, place the skillet or baking dish into the preheated 400°F oven .Roast for 18-20 minutes, or until the sausage is browned on top and reaches an internal temperature of 160°F.
Serve – Remove from the oven and immediately sprinkle with the grated Parmesan, so it melts slightly over the hot dates and sauce. Let cool for a few minutes, then serve straight from the skillet.
Recipe Tips
- Choose the right dates – Look for larger, plump dates like Medjool so they are easy to stuff and hold plenty of sausage. Smaller dates will work, but you may need less sausage in each.
- Sweet or spicy – Use sweet Italian sausage for a milder, kid-friendly bite, or spicy Italian if your guests love a little heat.
- Use a pretty skillet – Bake and serve in the same skillet for a rustic presentation right on the counter or table.
- Garnish if you like – A sprinkle of chopped fresh parsley or basil right before serving adds a pop of color and freshness against the rich sauce.
Follow These Tips
Serving
Once the dates come out of the oven, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and let them cool slightly for a few minutes. Serve it right in the dish in which it was baked so that some of the sauce can be included with each date. Set the skillet right on the counter or bring it to the table and let everyone help themselves with small forks or toothpicks.
Storage
Refrigerate – Transfer any leftover dates and sauce to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. The dates may soften slightly as they sit in the marinara sauce, but the flavors actually deepen a bit, so leftovers are delicious, especially when enjoyed cold.
Freeze – I wouldn’t recommend freezing these dates after they’ve been in the oven. But you can stuff the dates and pop them in a freezer-safe container to have ready to bake. Freeze for up to 2 months.
Reheat – These dates are best enjoyed fresh or cold, but can be reheated, if desired. Microwave in short intervals, stirring the sauce to ensure even heating.
More Appetizer Recipes
Have I Convinced You to Make This Recipe?
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Sausage-Stuffed Dates
Ingredients
- 25 whole dates pitted
- ½ lb sweet or spicy bulk Italian sausage
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 ½ cups prepared marinara sauce
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Pour the sauce into a 10-inch skillet or 9 x 9-inch baking dish.1 ½ cups prepared marinara sauce
- Stuff each date with 1 tbsp of raw sausage. The date will remain spread open with the sausage mounding out. Place each stuffed date into the sauce with the sausage facing upright.25 whole dates, ½ lb sweet or spicy bulk Italian sausage
- When all of the dates are stuffed, place the skillet into the preheated 400°F oven. Roast until the sausage is cooked and reaches 160°F, 18-20 minutes.
- Remove the skillet from the oven, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, and serve.¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did you make this? Leave a comment below!
Styling: Addelyn Evans | Photography: Dera Burreson
I made these “Sausage-Stuffed Dates” for a New Year’s get together and they were amazing!!! My family have all requested that they be added to our annual family Christmas Eve hors d’oeuvre menu.
They were so simply to put together yet looked and tasted like a lot of work went into them- which is exactly what you want during the busy holiday season.
Great job with such a creative recipe, Kaleb!
Easy to put together and are so good! I used hot Italian sausage mine wasn’t to hot but the heat from the sausage and the sweetness from the dates great combo.
I am planning on making this for NYE. But you might want to check your timings. At the moment it’s prep time one minute and cook time one more minute. Thank you! Merry Christmas to you and Joel. I’ve loved the magazines and all of your content now for years!