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–+ servings
A bowl with turkey stuffing and two gold serving utensils.
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Greek Turkey Stuffing

Traditional Greek turkey stuffing with ground sausage, chestnuts, dates & pine nuts.
Course Holidays
Cuisine Greek
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours
Servings 10
Calories 561kcal
Author by Jenny Skrapaliori Graves

Equipment

  • A large saute pan.

Ingredients

This stuffing is good for a 15-20 lbs turkey.

  • 1 lb ground sausage
  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 6 tbsp butter
  • 1 red onion diced
  • 1/2 cup rice
  • 1 cup boiled chestnuts halved
  • 1/2 cup raisins
  • 5-6 dates diced
  • 5-6 prunes diced
  • 1/2 cup pine nuts
  • 2-3 cloves
  • 1/2 cup broth chicken or veg
  • fresh sage leaves roughly chopped
  • salt
  • pepper

for the turkey baste

  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 6 tablespoons butter melted
  • 3 oranges juiced
  • 3 lemons juiced
  • 1 rosemary sprig
  • 1 thyme sprig
  • 1 sage sprig
  • sea salt
  • freshly ground pepper

Instructions

  • In a large pot, add the butter. In medium heat, add the onion and chopped sage leaves sauté until the onion is soft and fragrant. Add the ground beef and sausage. Break with a spoon any large pieces. Brown ground meat all over, 3-4 min.
  • Add the rice. Stir well. Sauté mixture for 1-2 min. Add 1/2 cup broth, the raisins, chestnuts, dates, prunes, cloves and the pine nuts. Stir mixture well gently. Season with salt and fresh ground pepper. Remove from heat.

Prepare the turkey baste.

  • Mix orange and lemon juice with the chicken broth. Add the melted butter. Season with a pinch of salt and fresh ground pepper. Stick the rosemary, thyme and sage sprigs in the baste to infuse it while you cook the turkey. Keep it in a warm surface. 

Stuff the turkey and roast

  • Spoon your stuffing into the neck cavity, very loosely. Fold neck skin over opening.
  • Stuff the large cavity of the turkey loosely, stuffing will expand as it cooks.
  • Using kitchen twine cross the legs together and tie them securely.
  • Lightly baste the turkey every 15 minutes after the first hour of cooking. Apply the baste warm to the turkey. Stop basting during the last 30 minutes of cook time.
  • When turkey is ready, empty the stuffing in a serving bowl and serve. Enjoy!

Notes

  • Stuff the turkey while the filling is still hot — it helps everything cook through faster and safely.
  • Don’t overstuff the bird. A loosely filled turkey cooks evenly and stays moist.
  • Bake leftover stuffing separately with a few tablespoons of turkey baste and a splash of broth.
  • Baste often — every 15 minutes — to keep the turkey juicy and the rice perfectly cooked.
  • Use white rice only. Brown, wild, or long-cooking rice won’t soften properly inside the bird.
  • To cook the stuffing on the stovetop, sauté as directed, then cover and simmer on very low heat. Add broth as needed, and don’t over-stir toward the end.
  • You can follow your own turkey recipe or brine — just use this stuffing and baste for that signature Greek flavor.
 
The nutritional analysis is only an estimate based on available ingredients and the recipe’s preparation. 

Nutrition

Calories: 561kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 40g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 83mg | Sodium: 682mg | Potassium: 648mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 707IU | Vitamin C: 49mg | Calcium: 58mg | Iron: 3mg