Hearty Amish Turkey Stuffing Recipe: A Timeless Comfort Food Classic

Discover the cherished flavors of Amish country with this authentic Turkey Stuffing Recipe, a beloved dish steeped in tradition and brimming with rustic goodness. Crafted from wholesome ingredients like tender bread, savory onions, creamy potatoes, flavorful chicken (or turkey), rich eggs, and wholesome milk, all perfectly seasoned, this stuffing is more than just a side dish – it’s a complete, satisfying meal that captures the essence of homemade comfort.

Often referred to as “Amish roast” or “roasht,” this dish holds a special place in Amish culinary traditions, frequently gracing the tables at celebratory gatherings, particularly weddings in places like Lancaster County. Unlike modern preparations where turkey and stuffing are often served separately, this traditional Amish recipe ingeniously combines the poultry directly into the stuffing mixture. This not only enhances the flavor profile by infusing every bite with savory meat juices but also serves a practical purpose: it helps to stretch the meal further, making it an economical and hearty option for feeding large families or communities.

In many Amish homes, this robust stuffing is served as the main course, embodying a complete and fulfilling meal that requires no additional roasted turkey on the side. It’s a testament to simple, resourceful cooking that yields incredibly flavorful results, making it an ideal choice for holiday feasts like Thanksgiving and Christmas, or any time you crave a deeply satisfying, warming dish.

Why You’ll Adore This Amish Turkey Stuffing Recipe

This isn’t just another stuffing recipe; it’s a culinary experience waiting to delight your senses. Here’s why this particular Amish Turkey Stuffing stands out and will quickly become a cherished favorite in your recipe collection:

• A Brilliant Way to Use Leftover Turkey: If you find yourself with extra roast turkey after a holiday feast, this recipe is your go-to solution. It transforms leftovers into a brand new, equally delicious meal, preventing food waste and extending the joy of your holiday bird. While we often specify turkey, a roasted chicken works just as wonderfully, making it versatile year-round.
• A Wholesome One-Pot Meal: Imagine the convenience of a dish that combines all your essential food groups! This stuffing integrates protein (chicken or turkey) and complex carbohydrates (bread and potatoes) into one harmonious blend. This “all-in-one” approach means fewer dishes to wash and a perfectly balanced meal in every serving, making it perfect for busy weeknights or large family gatherings.
• The Ultimate Comfort Food Experience: There’s something inherently soothing about a warm, savory stuffing. This Amish version takes comfort to a new level with its creamy texture, rich flavors, and hearty ingredients. It’s the kind of dish that warms you from the inside out, evokes feelings of nostalgia, and provides deep satisfaction on a chilly evening or during a special occasion.
• Simple Yet Profoundly Flavorful: Despite its humble ingredients and straightforward preparation, the depth of flavor in this stuffing is remarkable. The blend of herbs, the richness of butter and milk, and the savory notes of poultry create a symphony for your taste buds, proving that sometimes the simplest recipes are the best.

Essential Ingredients for Your Authentic Amish Stuffing

Crafting this delicious Amish Turkey Stuffing requires a few key components, each playing a vital role in its signature texture and taste. Here’s a closer look at what you’ll need:

For precise quantities and detailed measurements, please refer to the comprehensive recipe card located at the conclusion of this article.

• Yellow Potatoes: We recommend yellow potatoes for their creamy texture and mild flavor, which blend seamlessly into the stuffing. Peeled and cut into small cubes, they add a delightful heartiness.
• Salted Butter: A generous amount of melted salted butter is crucial for flavoring the bread cubes and adding richness to the entire dish.
• White Bread: The foundation of any great stuffing! Day-old white bread, cut into cubes, absorbs the liquids beautifully and toasts to a perfect golden crispness. Homemade bread is ideal for the best texture and flavor.
• Yellow Onion: Finely diced yellow onion contributes a sweet and pungent aromatic base that is essential for depth of flavor.
• Celery: Diced celery adds a subtle crunch and a refreshing, earthy note, balancing the richness of the other ingredients.
• Rotisserie Chicken (or Turkey): For ultimate convenience, a deboned and chopped rotisserie chicken is a fantastic choice, providing tender, seasoned meat with minimal effort. Alternatively, leftover roasted turkey is perfect for this recipe, making it a holiday staple.
• Chicken Broth: This liquid gold moistens the bread and infuses the stuffing with additional savory chicken flavor.
• Fresh Parsley: Chopped fresh parsley adds a vibrant color and a fresh, herbaceous flavor that brightens the entire dish.
• Seasonings: A simple blend of salt, black pepper, and celery salt provides the classic, comforting flavor profile characteristic of Amish stuffing.
• Large Eggs: Eggs act as a binder, holding all the ingredients together and creating that wonderfully cohesive stuffing texture.
• Whole Milk: Whole milk contributes to the creamy consistency and adds a delicate richness, making the stuffing incredibly moist and flavorful.

Step-by-Step Guide: Crafting Your Amish Turkey Stuffing

Embark on the journey of creating this heartwarming Amish Turkey Stuffing. This detailed overview will guide you through each stage of preparation, ensuring a perfect result every time. For the most precise and detailed instructions, remember to consult the full recipe card at the end of this post.

Hint: Don’t feel obligated to roast a whole chicken or turkey just for this recipe! A store-bought Rotisserie chicken is a fantastic shortcut, providing perfectly cooked, flavorful meat with minimal effort, making your preparation much easier and faster.

Creative Variations and Substitution Ideas for Your Stuffing

While this classic Amish Turkey Stuffing recipe is delicious on its own, don’t hesitate to experiment with these variations to customize it to your taste or dietary needs:

• Mashed Potatoes for a Creamier Texture: Instead of cubed potatoes, consider using about 2 cups of leftover mashed potatoes. This will result in an even creamier, more cohesive stuffing with a melt-in-your-mouth texture.
• Enhanced Seasoning with Poultry Blend: Elevate the aromatic profile by using a dedicated poultry seasoning blend in place of, or in addition to, celery salt. A good poultry seasoning typically contains sage, thyme, rosemary, and marjoram, offering a more complex and traditional flavor often associated with holiday dishes.
• Brown Butter for Nutty Depth: Take your butter to the next level by browning it before drizzling it over the bread cubes. Simply melt the butter in a pan over medium heat and continue cooking until it turns a light golden brown and smells nutty. This adds an incredible depth and a sophisticated, toasty flavor to your stuffing.
• Alternative Bread Choices: If homemade bread isn’t an option, a good quality French bread or sturdy sandwich bread (left out overnight to become slightly stale) works wonderfully. Avoid overly soft or heavily flavored breads, as they can alter the stuffing’s texture and overall taste.
• Fresh Herbs for a Garden-Fresh Touch: Beyond parsley, incorporate a medley of other fresh herbs like sage, thyme, rosemary, or marjoram. Finely chop them and add them to the mixture for a burst of fresh, vibrant flavor that complements the poultry beautifully.
• Add Sausage: For a heartier, more savory stuffing, brown some breakfast sausage or Italian sausage (mild or spicy, depending on preference) and mix it into the stuffing along with the chicken.
• Mushrooms for Umami: Sauté sliced mushrooms (cremini or button) with the onions and celery to add an earthy, umami depth to the stuffing.
• Dried Fruits or Nuts: For a touch of sweetness and texture, consider adding a handful of dried cranberries, chopped apricots, or toasted pecans/walnuts to the mixture.

Necessary Gear: Essential Kitchen Equipment

Please note: The following contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. This helps support our work at no extra cost to you.

To successfully prepare this Amish Turkey Stuffing, having the right tools can make all the difference. While most items are common kitchen staples, a good quality roasting pan is truly essential.

I highly recommend using a spacious 15″ roasting pan for this recipe. Its generous size allows all the ingredients to spread out evenly, ensuring consistent cooking and beautiful browning. This prevents overcrowding, which can lead to a soggy stuffing, and promotes that desirable golden, slightly crispy top layer. A sturdy roasting pan will also facilitate easy tossing and mixing of the ingredients before baking.

Beyond the roasting pan, you’ll want to have:

• A large mixing bowl for combining the egg and milk mixture.
• A sharp knife and cutting board for dicing vegetables and bread.
• A sturdy spoon or spatula for tossing ingredients.
• A pot for boiling the potatoes.

You can find an affiliate link to a recommended roasting pan in the recipe card below, along with links to other useful kitchen items.

Explore More Authentic Amish Recipes

If you’ve enjoyed the comforting simplicity of this Amish Turkey Stuffing, you’ll surely love these other delightful recipes inspired by traditional Amish cooking. Each dish offers a taste of heritage and heartwarming flavors:

• Amish Pumpkin Pie Recipe
• Amish Pumpkin Bread
• Amish Cinnamon Rolls
• Authentic Amish Mashed Potatoes

• Amish Peanut Butter Pie – A sweet and creamy dessert that’s a true Amish delight.
• Amish Pie Crust Recipe – The perfect, flaky base for any homemade pie.
• Amish Fudge Recipe – Indulge in rich, decadent fudge made the old-fashioned way.

To truly complete your stuffing experience, consider pairing it with a rich and savory Southern Giblet Gravy. The luxurious gravy poured over the warm, hearty stuffing creates an unforgettable combination that will have everyone asking for seconds.

Storing Leftovers: Enjoying Your Stuffing Longer

One of the best things about this Amish Turkey Stuffing is how wonderfully it keeps, allowing you to savor its delicious flavors for days to come. Proper storage is key to maintaining its freshness and taste:

To store any remaining stuffing, transfer it to an airtight container. It can be safely kept in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. When reheating, cover the dish to prevent it from drying out, and warm it gently in the oven or microwave until heated through.

This recipe is also an excellent candidate for freezing. If you’ve made a large batch or wish to prepare it in advance, portion the cooled stuffing into freezer-safe containers or heavy-duty freezer bags. It will maintain its quality in the freezer for up to 3 months. To enjoy, thaw overnight in the refrigerator and then reheat as desired. This makes it perfect for meal prepping or having a comforting dish ready whenever the craving strikes!

Frequently Asked Questions: FAQs About Amish Turkey Stuffing

If you’ve tried this delightful Amish Turkey Stuffing Recipe or any other fantastic recipe from our site, we would absolutely love to hear from you! Please let us know how it turned out by leaving a comment and rating in the section below. Your feedback truly brightens our day and helps other readers discover new favorites!

If you cherished this recipe, please consider giving it a well-deserved 5-star rating! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Your support means the world to us.

You can also follow us on PINTEREST, FACEBOOK and INSTAGRAM to stay connected and discover more amazing, family-friendly recipes!

Amish Turkey Stuffing Recipe Card

Amish Turkey Stuffing Recipe

A traditional Amish Turkey Stuffing Recipe packed full of tasty bread, eggs, potatoes, chicken (or turkey) and plenty of seasoning.

Prep Time
30 mins

Cook Time
45 mins

Total Time
1 hr 15 mins

Servings: 12 | Cuisine: Amish | Author: Melanie Cagle

Equipment

• kitCom Bakeware Nonstick Roaster, 15 Inch x 11 Inch (5.8 QT), Gray
• Large Mixing Bowl
• Saucepan for potatoes

Ingredients

• 4 Each Yellow Potatoes (peeled and cut into small cubes)
• ½ Cup Salted Butter (melted)
• 1 Loaf White Bread (cut into cubes)
• 1 Each Yellow Onion (diced)
• 2 Ribs Celery (diced)
• 1 Each Rotisserie Chicken (deboned and chopped, or leftover turkey)
• 1 Cup Chicken Broth
• ½ Cup Fresh Parsley (chopped)
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• ¾ teaspoon Black Pepper
• ½ teaspoon Celery Salt
• 5 Each Large Eggs
• 4 Cups Whole Milk

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 450°F (230°C).
2. In a medium pot, cook the cubed yellow potatoes in lightly salted water until they are tender when pierced with a fork. Drain the potatoes well and set them aside.
3. Arrange the cubed white bread in a single layer on one or two baking sheets. Drizzle the melted salted butter evenly over the bread cubes. Toss gently to ensure good distribution, and sprinkle with black pepper.
4. Bake the bread in the preheated 450°F (230°C) oven for about 10 minutes, or until the cubes are golden brown and lightly toasted. Remove from the oven and reduce the oven temperature to 375°F (190°C).
5. In a large roasting pan, combine the toasted bread cubes, the drained cooked potatoes, diced yellow onions, diced celery, chopped chicken (or turkey) meat, fresh parsley, salt, and celery salt. Pour the chicken broth over the mixture.
6. Gently toss all the ingredients together in the roasting pan until they are evenly mixed.
7. In a separate bowl, whisk together the large eggs and whole milk until thoroughly combined.
8. Pour the egg and milk mixture evenly over the bread and poultry mixture in the roasting pan, making sure to moisten all the ingredients.
9. Place the roasting pan into the preheated 375°F (190°C) oven and bake, uncovered, for approximately 45 minutes, or until the stuffing is beautifully golden brown on top and heated through.
10. Remove from the oven. If desired, garnish with a little extra fresh chopped parsley before serving for a touch of freshness.

Notes

• While this recipe calls for chicken, it’s an exceptional way to utilize leftover turkey from your holiday meals, making it a versatile dish.
• Consider making your own chicken broth from leftover chicken bones! Find our detailed chicken broth recipe here for an even richer flavor.

Nutrition Information (Per Serving)

(Approximate values based on 12 servings)

• Calories: 391 kcal
• Carbohydrates: 49g
• Protein: 14g
• Fat: 15g
• Saturated Fat: 8g
• Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g
• Cholesterol: 113mg
• Sodium: 756mg
• Fiber: 3g
• Sugar: 9g

Please note that nutritional information is an estimate and may vary based on specific ingredients and preparation methods.