Greek Chopped Meat Stuffing

This Greek-style stuffing is built on three meats: ground beef, breakfast sausage, and turkey liver, all browned together and simmered in red wine and tomato paste. It’s worlds apart from the bread-heavy American version. Here, the meat is the star and the breadcrumbs are just the binder.

Chestnuts, pine nuts, and white raisins folded in with rice give each bite layers of texture and sweetness. Fresh dill and parsley keep things bright against all that rich, savory depth. The combination of sweet raisins, earthy chestnuts, and rich meat is distinctly Greek and makes a Thanksgiving turkey feel like something special.

Cook the rice right in the meat mixture so it absorbs all the wine and tomato flavor. Stuff the turkey loosely so everything cooks through evenly.

Chef Tips

• Chop the turkey liver finely so it melts into the mixture rather than standing out in identifiable chunks
• Toast the pine nuts in a dry pan before adding for a deeper, nuttier flavor
• Don’t pack the stuffing tightly in the bird. It expands as the rice absorbs juices during roasting
• Make the stuffing a day ahead and refrigerate. The flavors improve overnight

Variations

• Use ground lamb instead of beef for an even more Greek flavor profile
• Swap chestnuts for toasted walnuts if chestnuts aren’t available
• Skip the turkey and bake this in a casserole dish as a standalone side