I Make This Greek Stuffing Every Thanksgiving for a Taste of Home

As a second generation Greek-American, I grew up with food that blends the two cuisines. This Greek-style stuffing recipe is the perfect example, with ground beef, pine nuts, rice, and chestnuts. I make it every Thanksgiving.

Greek-style stuffing in an oval white serving dish, with a red serving spoon in the right corner where some of the stuffing has been scooped out — Simply Recipes / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Julian Hensarling / Prop Styling by Hannah Greenwood

My parents emigrated to the U.S. between the 1970s and '80s and settled in Queens, New York, to be close to family and friends. Like many Greek families, they slowly assimilated, adopting American traditions while holding onto their cultural roots.

One tradition they embraced was Thanksgiving—but with a Greek twist. Our Thanksgiving table had the usual turkey and stuffing along with a few traditional Greek dishes. Growing up, my brother and I yearned for more "American" food on the Thanksgiving table.

Aside from the turkey, the stuffing was the only other side we deemed “normal,” and much to our disappointment, it was still far from traditional. I remember my brother begging my mom to buy Stove Top Stuffing for Thanksgiving, which in his young mind was the epitome of normal American fare.

It’s interesting how much time changes things. Now, I can’t imagine Thanksgiving without my mom’s Greek-inspired stuffing. The smell instantly transports me back to my childhood kitchen, where I helped my mom prepare it.

I’m thrilled to finally get this recipe down on paper. For years, I relied on my memory and my mom’s vague measurements, like calling for “one tea cup,” “the tip of a dessert spoon,” or a “heaping soup spoon.” While standardizing the measurements and streamlining the steps for ease, I tried my best to keep the recipe true to how my mom made it.

As an adult, I’ve come to realize that this stuffing is the perfect blend of both cultures, just like me. The warm spiced beef and rice nod to my Greek heritage, while the American-style stuffing flavors tie it all together.

A oval white serving dish with Greek-style stuffing, with a portion scooped out and placed on a plate next to the serving dish — Simply Recipes / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Julian Hensarling / Prop Styling by Hannah Greenwood

Substitutions and Variations

I kept this recipe true to how I grew up eating it, but over the years, I have experimented. These are a few of my go-to variations:

The ground beef may feel odd to some, so I’ve swapped it out with regular or country-style pork sausage in the past. I don’t like using Italian sausage because the flavor of the fennel seed is distracting. You can buy bulk sausage or links, but make sure to remove the casings from the links before cooking.
I don’t particularly love pine nuts, but I put up with them in this stuffing mainly for nostalgia. I like to substitute the pine nuts with toasted chopped pecans. I love the sweet nuttiness the pecans add to the stuffing.
I love the sweetness the golden raisins provide, but other dried fruits work just as well here. I’ve used dried currants, cranberries, and cherries instead of raisins.
When I was chatting with my mom about the recipe, she was adamant that unseasoned stuffing cubes should be used, which is what I called for. Personally, I like using seasoned stuffing cubes. They have the quintessential spices that embody Thanksgiving.

Make It Ahead

To make the day of Thanksgiving less stressful, it’s always good to make a few dishes ahead of time. It frees up limited oven space and gives you more time to enjoy yourself. The stuffing is a perfect make-ahead candidate.

It can be prepared and baked the day before up to the point where the foil is removed. Cool the stuffing completely and refrigerate. You can then proceed with the recipe as written and bake uncovered until it reaches 165°F on an instant-read thermometer.

A closeup of Greek-style stuffing in an oval white serving dish, with a red serving spoon in the right corner where some of the stuffing has been scooped out — Simply Recipes / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Julian Hensarling / Prop Styling by Hannah Greenwood

Stuffings Galore

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Lightly grease a 2-quart baking dish with butter.

Cook the ground beef and onions:

Melt the butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the beef, onion, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Cook, breaking the meat up into large pieces, until the liquid has evaporated and beef is browned and cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes.

Toast the rice:

Add the rice, pinenuts (if using), garlic, cinnamon, and cloves to the pot, and cook, stirring constantly, until the rice is lightly toasted and the spices are fragrant, about 2 minutes.

Stir in 1 cup of broth, tomato sauce, and chestnuts, and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid is absorbed, about 5 minutes.

Bake the stuffing:

Remove the pot from the heat. Add the stuffing cubes, raisins, and parsley, and stir to combine. Stir in the remaining broth and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Transfer the stuffing to the prepared baking dish and bake covered, until the rice is tender, about 40 minutes. Uncover and continue baking until stuffing is golden brown on top, 10 to 15 minutes.

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

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