This Amish Turkey Filling is deliciously crispy on the outside and soft and moist on the inside. We love it as a Thanksgiving main dish or as a way to use up leftover turkey!
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I guess I’ve always been a bit of a foodie, because even as a little girl I looked forward to the delicious feast that we would have at Thanksgiving. In fact, I anticipated Thanksgiving almost as much as I did Christmas- the only thing that was better about Christmas was the gifts. But in my opinion, Thanksgiving far out did Christmas when it came to food! Because what’s not to love about super moist turkey (my mom makes the best!), stuffing and pumpkin desserts?
And of course, there was pretty much always a nice amount of leftovers too, which stretched out the deliciousness even longer. My favorite recipe for mom to make with the leftover Thanksgiving turkey was her Amish Turkey Filling. This simple dish combines bread and turkey along with a few other ingredients to make a super yummy filling that is crispy on the outside and soft and moist on the inside. It’s classic comfort food, with a nod to Thanksgiving flavor!
After I grew up and got married, I found myself living in the beautiful Amish country of Pennsylvania. I missed Mom’s easy Turkey Filling and kept thinking that I really needed to ask her for the recipe so that I could just make it myself sometime- because you know that turkey isn’t just for Thanksgiving, right?
Then several years ago, after the birth of one of our children, a friend brought us dinner one night. She mentioned that one of the dishes she made was something called Amish Roast and she hoped we would enjoy it. She said that growing up Amish, she ate it a lot since it was the main dish served at every single one of their weddings. I was of course intrigued and told her that I was sure we would love it!
We soon sat down to eat and I took a bite of the Amish Roast and oh.my.goodness! I couldn’t believe it! It tasted just like my Mom’s Turkey Filling! I was in heaven. 🙂
Since then, I’ve made my own Amish Turkey Stuffing, as I now call it, numerous times. It’s such a great way to use up leftover turkey and I love that it freezes well too!
Thanksgiving is the perfect time to stock up on whole bird turkeys. Typically, the week of Thanksgiving or directly after the holidays, you can buy turkey at reduced prices, making it the ideal time to buy an extra turkey or two. Then use those turkeys to create quick, easy freezer-ready meals (like this Amish Turkey Stuffing!) that are perfect for busy weeknights. I love doing this because it not only helps our budget, but it also saves me time and helps me keep my sanity!
I recently bought a Honeysuckle White whole bird turkey for the first time, and appreciate that Honeysuckle White raises their turkeys without growth-promoting antibiotics. They also make their turkeys available without the premium price so that you can feel good about what you feed your family, without blowing your grocery budget.
We love turkey around here and my husband actually prefers it over chicken any day! One of the things I like about turkey is that it is a savory lean source of protein. It also is incredibly versatile! Did you know that in most recipes that call for cooked chicken, you can instead use turkey?
SIDE NOTE: Remember how I said that Amish Turkey Stuffing is served as the main dish at every Amish wedding meal? I figured some of you may be curious like I was and wonder what else they serve with it. A friend of mine who grew up Amish told me that the other foods are mashed potatoes, gravy, coleslaw, cooked celery and then whatever dessert the bride chooses. I guess that is one way to simplify wedding prep! 🙂
EASY AMISH TURKEY STUFFING RECIPE
Serves 8 to 10 servings
15 minPrep Time
1 hrCook Time
1 hr, 15 Total Time
Yields 9 x 13 pan
Save RecipeIngredients
- 10 c. dried bread cubes (see notes below for how to make your own)
- ¾ c. celery, finely diced
- 1 Tbsp. parsley flakes
- ¾ c. butter, melted
- 2 ½ c. turkey or chicken broth (I love using homemade broth !)
- ¾ tsp. salt
- ¼ tsp. pepper
- ½ tsp. onion powder
- 1 egg, beaten
- 2 c. turkey, chopped
Instructions
- Combine dried bread cubes, celery and parsley flakes in large bowl.
- Melt butter; and add broth, salt, pepper, onion powder and egg. Mix well.
- Pour over bread mixture and combine.
- Add turkey and mix well.
- Put into a greased casserole dish (9 x 13 or 3 ½ qt.)
- Bake at 350° for 1 hour.
Notes
* TO MAKE DRIED BREAD CUBES: To make the cubes, cut a slice of bread into strips about ¾ in. wide. Cut each strip, to create cubes. Once you have enough cubes cut, place them in a single layer onto a shallow baking sheet (cookie sheets with side work well). Bake at 375°, until cubes are dry, usually about 10 minutes. You can use the cubes immediately.
* This dish freezes really well! Just mix it up and freeze it unbaked. When you are ready to use it, allow it to thaw completely and then bake as directed.
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