Pigs in Blankets Toad in the Hole (One Pot, One Portion)
If pigs in blankets are your favourite part of Christmas dinner then this one’s for you. My one pot one portion pigs in blankets toad in the hole. Or maybe just pigs in blankets in a hole? Whatever we’re calling it, this recipe is inspired from the original toad in the hole recipe in my cookbook, and is proof that cooking for one doesn’t mean boring, it means you get to make the most of all the best bits. And that’s exactly what we’re doing here. Crisp bacon wrapped around juicy sausages and nestled golden, crisp yorkshire pudding and quite frankly smothered in thick gravy.
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About This Dish
This Pigs in Blankets Toad in the Hole is a playful, oven-baked single-serve dish combining succulent sausages wrapped in bacon with a crisp, golden Yorkshire pudding batter. Designed for one portion, it’s cooked entirely in one small ovenproof dish, making it perfect for solo dining. The flavour is rich and savoury, with thyme-infused batter and the smoky bite of streaky bacon. Comforting and indulgent, it’s a nostalgic take on a British classic, reimagined for cooking for one without any leftover hassle.
Why You’ll Want to Make This Recipe
Single Serve, No Waste
Everything in this recipe is portioned for one person, meaning no half-eaten sausages or leftover batter. Every element is perfectly sized for a solo dinner, keeping cooking simple and satisfying.
Quick and Easy Prep
The sausages and bacon take just 15 minutes to bake before the batter goes in, while whisking together the batter takes just a few minutes. Minimal prep, maximum flavour.
One Dish, Minimal Washing Up
From baking the pigs in blankets to crisping the Yorkshire pudding, it’s all done in one ovenproof dish, meaning less mess and more time to enjoy your meal.
Comfort Food for Any Day
This is a cosy, indulgent dinner that feels celebratory but is achievable any day of the week — ideal for colder evenings or when you just want a proper, satisfying solo meal.
Eleanor’s Top Tips for the Perfect Pigs in Blankets Toad in the Hole
- Wrap the bacon tightly around each sausage so it stays secure during baking.
- Drizzle olive oil generously in the dish to help the batter crisp beautifully.
- Whisk the batter well until smooth; this ensures the Yorkshire pudding rises evenly.
- Add thyme to the batter for a subtle herb aroma that complements the smoky bacon.
- Bake in a preheated oven at full temperature to get a golden, crisp edge.
- Pour the batter around the sausages carefully to avoid disturbing them.
- Serve immediately with hot gravy — it’s at its best fresh from the oven.
Ingredients and Tools You’ll Need
Essential Ingredients
- 3 Sausages: Main protein base
- 3 Rashers of Smoked Streaky Bacon: Wraps around sausages to create pigs in blankets
- Olive Oil: Prevents sticking, helps crisp the batter
- 1 Egg: Binds the Yorkshire pudding batter
- 60g Plain Flour: Forms the base of the batter
- 60ml Whole Milk: Creates a light, airy batter
- Couple of Sprigs of Thyme: Adds fragrant depth
- Salt and Black Pepper: Essential seasoning
To Serve (Optional)
- Onion Gravy: For serving
Essential Tools
- Small ovenproof baking dish or frying pan
- Mixing jug or bowl
- Whisk
- Spoon or spatula
- Knife and chopping board
Dietary Variations
Gluten-Free
Use gluten-free flour for the Yorkshire pudding batter. Ensure sausages are gluten-free if needed.
Dairy-Free
Replace milk with unsweetened oat milk or another plant-based milk. Ensure your sausages do not contain milk.
Adding Protein
This recipe is already protein-rich; for extra, serve with a fried egg or extra beans on the side.
Different Flavours or Herbs
Swap thyme for rosemary or sage, or add a pinch of mustard powder to the batter for extra warmth.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: Can I make this toad in the hole ahead of time?
A: Best served immediately. The batter may deflate if left, so it’s most enjoyable straight from the oven.
Q: What size oven dish works best for one portion?
A: A small 18–20cm ovenproof dish or skillet works perfectly, keeping the batter crisp and sausages snug.
Q: Can I use pre-cooked or leftover sausages?
A: Yes, but reduce initial baking time slightly to avoid overcooking.
Q: Can I make this recipe vegetarian?
A: Substitute vegetarian sausages and plant-based bacon, and use dairy or plant-based milk as needed.
Q: How do I get the Yorkshire pudding really crisp?
A: Make sure your oven is fully preheated, the oil is hot, and avoid covering the dish while baking.
Closing Thought
This Pigs in Blankets Toad in the Hole proves that comforting, indulgent British classics can be perfectly portioned for one. Minimal fuss, maximum joy, and all baked in a single dish.
Ingredients
3 Sausages
3 Rashers of Smoked Streaky Bacon
Olive Oil
1 Egg
60g Plain Flour
60ml Whole Milk
Couple of Sprigs of Thyme
Onion Gravy
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 220°C (200°C fan).
- Begin by wrapping one rasher of bacon around a sausage to create a pig in a blanket. Repeat for the other 2 sausages.
- Add to a small baking dish or ovenproof frying pan. Drizzle generously with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes.
- While that is baking, prepare the batter. Add the egg and flour to a jug or bowl and whisk together until smooth. Add in the milk and thyme, and whisk again until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, whisk, then leave to the side.
- Once the sausages have had 15 minutes, pour the batter around them, then bake in the oven for another 25–30 minutes or until golden brown and crisp. Serve immediately with lashings of gravy.
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Subscribe to my newsletter for weekly meal plans, for one! I select 5 one pot one portion recipes that use similar ingredients and include your shopping list plus recipe notes, ingredient swaps and tips and tricks for using up leftovers. Take a look at the first one here...
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In a way, this linguine changed my life. It was the first recipe in the series to take off on social media, bringing new people and new opportunities into my life. It’s an exceptionally simple recipe that uses the same water to cook both the pasta and the vegetables, which you then use to create a velvety, carbonara-esque sauce with the cheese and egg. I’ve retested this and tweaked it since its original conception and, though I can’t promise it will change your life, I can promise it will be delicious.
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Prawn & Mango Salad
The perfect fresh, but still flavourful, summer salad! This is a beautiful fragrant salad with a creamy, zingy coconut milk dressing. With just a little bit of chopping and a minute of whisking, you’ve got a gorgeous summer lunch, perfect for working from home, taking lunch to the office or a sunny meal in the garden this weekend.
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"One Pot One Portion is, to borrow from The Parent Trap “a brilliant beyond brilliant idea”…I know many feel that it’s too much bother to cook ‘just’ for themselves — a sad admission, I feel — and to those people, and many others besides, I say: get this book and prove yourself liberatingly wrong!…Thank goodness for books! And thank goodness for Eleanor Wilkinson, a young talent to lift the spirits…There are so many people who could benefit from this book…this book is a boon and a blessing"
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I buy a lot of cook books and this is genuinely one of the best l've ever bought. I've tried 6 or 7 recipes so far and they're all winners. I'm well used to scaling recipes down to one portion, but not having to calculate measurements as l go along feels like a little luxury. One of the best things about the book is that all the recipes are actually cooked in one pot - in a lot of other so-called books you still have to make your side dish in a separate pot. With these recipes, even if they include rice or pasta, it's all cooked together. No mountains of washing up! Highly recommended.
I have been following Eleanor on IG for a while and have made several of her dishes before the cookbook came out. I was thrilled to see so many new things to try and have already made about 6 of them. Her recipes are approachable, the dishes are delicious, and they make me feel like I can cook! Highly recommend.
If you love eating good home cooked food but can't be bothered to cook just for yourself, then this is the book for you. Using ingredients that are easy to find, then mixing, cooking and eating from the same pan or dish means a minimum of washing up. Every recipe I have tried so far has been delicious and have all turned out well which isn't always the case with many cookery books. Definitely recommend!
Following Eleanor on Instagram and seeing her recipes come to life is one thing but then having them in my own kitchen is quite another. Not only are the recipes easy to follow and delicious she also help you not to waste food. This book is like having all your favourite foods in one place with the added bonus of an old friend showing you the ropes. Congratulations Eleanor when can I pre-order the next one?
Bought this for my sister who cooks for one. She absolutely loved it finding it inspiring! So many great recipes to motivate and keep you cooking when it's just you eating!
Follow Eleanor on socials and knew I NEEDED this book immediately! SO glad I paid extra and had it shipped from the UK (to US). Eleanor's voice is loud and clear in every recipe. The pictures are beautiful, the instructions are perfectly clear, and I want to make EVERYTHING. I cannot recommend this book enough!
This is perfect, as far as influencer chefs go, I find this book refreshing in what has become a cohort of lauded influencers who really aren't doing much more than the bog standard meals most people make anyway, or making googled recipes and adding their own "flair". This book is different as it's your normal fare you'd likely make yourself, given a little bit of a twist to speed up the process / use less utensils / ingredients / food waste, in really creative and tasty ways, all perfectly portioned for one.
Great present! Bought this for my sister who cooks for one. She absolutely loved it finding it inspiring! So many great recipes to motivate and keep you cooking when it's just you eating!
Great present! Bought this for my sister who cooks for one. She absolutely loved it finding it inspiring! So many great recipes to motivate and keep you cooking when it's just you
Follow Eleanor on socials and knew I NEEDED this book immediately! SO glad I paid extra and had it shipped from the UK (to US). Eleanor's voice is loud and clear in every recipe. The pictures are beautiful, the instructions are perfectly clear, and I want to make EVERYTHING. I cannot recommend this book enough!
This recipe book is stunning and fulfils its role brilliantly in catering for individuals who want to eat delicious meals, but don't want to prepare family sized portions or devote their entire evening to cooking. Who'd believe you could make an entire roast for one person and only use one pan in the process! She is a genius and I couldn't recommend this book any more highly.
One of the best things about the book is that all the recipes are actually cooked in one pot - in a lot of other so-called books you still have to make your side dish in a separate pot. With these recipes, even if they include rice or pasta, it's all cooked together. No mountains of washing up!
This is the book I've been waiting for! I (very happily!) live alone, love to cook and read cookery books, but every recipe is for two people or more. This gorgeous book contains recipes perfectly proportioned for one person (and I'm always a very hungry one person!) which ensures more variety, less food waste, and pure, gluttonous joy.
It's so nice to finally have a recipe book that I can go to if I want a quick easy meal with minimal cleaning up required! Everything l've tried so far is delicious. And I salivate at the thought of everything in there!
Totally reignited my cooking mojo which had been MIA for a while. I'm going to buy my daughter a copy to take back to Uni too as everything is simple and delicious - perfect for a student!
Best cookbook for somebody single!
The fact I know I won't have loads to wash up really feels motivating and l've earmarked so many of the recipes already.
This book is like having all your favourite foods in one place with the added bonus of an old friend showing you the ropes. Congratulations Eleanor when can I pre-order the next one?