Marilyn Monroe’s Stuffing Recipe Is as Unconventional as She Was

Our Thanksgiving meal was never complete without my dad’s oyster stuffing. I’d watch him make it, trying not to react as he intentionally made a big production of pulling the slippery, raw oysters from their container.

After torturing me with this performance, he chopped the oysters and added them to the other stuffing ingredients. His stuffing was flavorful, moist, and delicious, and always something I enjoyed—especially after I stopped watching him make it.

I had a familiar feeling when I read Marilyn Monroe’s stuffing recipe. It was the same one I’d get watching my dad make stuffing. While Monroe’s recipe doesn't include oysters, it had something equally hard for me to look at: chicken livers. I love the flavor of oysters and chicken liver, but seeing them raw doesn’t fire me up like it does for some people. Regardless, I channeled my best poker face and set to work recreating Monroe’s unique recipe.

How To Make Marilyn Monroe's Stuffing

It begins with sourdough bread. Instead of cutting it into pieces like most other stuffing recipes, Monroe instructs you to soak the bread in water for 15 minutes. This appears to be in place of using stock or drippings for added moisture.

While the bread soaked, I cooked the livers, boiling them and then chopping them into small pieces. Next, I browned ground beef in a skillet and added it to a large bowl along with the liver, diced onion, celery, walnuts, raisins, grated Parmesan cheese, chopped parsley, and hard-boiled eggs.

I shredded the drained bread and added it to the bowl with thyme, rosemary, bay leaves, and poultry seasoning, then tossed it all together and transferred it to a baking dish. I followed the recipe for the most part, but I scattered some diced butter on top of the stuffing before baking. Butter is always a good idea.

I baked the stuffing for 30 minutes and was treated to the most delicious smell as it baked. It was so fragrant that my neighbor knocked on my door and asked me what I was making! Since I’m the neighborly sort, I invited her in and explained what I was up to. When I asked if she would like to stay, sample the stuffing, and provide her feedback, she readily agreed.

When I pulled it out of the oven, we looked at each other and agreed it was beautiful. The earthy tones from the sourdough bread, the raisins, and the parsley made it feel cozy, and it looked like “fall.”

Tips for Making Marilyn Monroe's Stuffing

We decided that Marilyn Monroe knew how to put together a pretty good stuffing, but next time, I’ll make a few changes.

• I’ll saute the onions and celery before adding them to the baking dish. I’ll use the same pan as the ground beef, and cook them long enough to soften and sweeten them for a more delicious, cohesive dish.
• In place of raisins, I plan on trying dried currants, and I’ll decrease the amount from 1 ½ cups to one cup. The smaller size and tartness, as compared to raisins, will provide a nice contrast to the other ingredients in the dish.
• I’ll add the butter again, since I loved the flavor after it melted into the stuffing as it cooked.
• To prevent the stuffing from drying out, I’ll cover it during the last 10 minutes of cooking.