Recipe: Canadian-Syrian Thanksgiving Stuffing
This recipe, created with my friend — the mother of a Syrian refugee family we hosted — takes a classic Thanksgiving stuffing and adds a Syrian twist. Commonly used celery is replaced by roasted chestnuts, and golden raisins are mixed with cranberries — but the tender pillow of soft bread remains. The result is a deliciously smoky-yet-sweet stuffing any turkey would love to be next to.
Read the story of our shared Thanksgiving:
Adding Flavor with Bharat
This stuffing starts with all the typical players you’d expect in a traditional stuffing — a sautéed onion, dried bread, and just enough butter — but instead of using the spices and herbs often associated with this dish, we’re going with a combination of warm spices frequently used in Middle Eastern cuisine.
This spice mix, know as bharat, is widely used throughout Syria. The formula uses seven different spices — allspice, black pepper, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cardamom, and cloves — and can be purchased pre-mixed or mixed at home and adjusted according to taste. Consider the amounts below a good starting point as a fragrant and delicious place to start.
Canadian-Syrian Thanksgiving Stuffing
Serves 8
Nutritional Info
Ingredients
- 1 loaf
unsliced white bread (about 1 1/2 pounds), crusts removed, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 12 cups)
- 3 tablespoons
unsalted butter or margarine
- 1
medium yellow onion, diced
- 1 teaspoon
coarse salt
- 3/4 teaspoon
ground allspice
- 1/2 teaspoon
freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon
ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon
ground ginger
- 1/8 teaspoon
ground nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon
ground cardamom
- 1/8 teaspoon
ground cloves
- 1/2 cup
golden raisins
- 1/2 cup
dried cranberries
- 1/2 cup
coarsely chopped roasted chestnuts (about 100 grams)
- 2 cups
low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
Instructions
Arrange 2 racks to divide the oven into thirds and heat to 350°F. Divide the bread between 2 baking sheets and spread into an even layer. Bake until dry and light golden-brown, stirring halfway through, 10 to 15 minutes total; set aside to cool. Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F.
Once cooled, transfer the bread to a large bowl. Add the raisins, cranberries, and chestnuts and stir to combine; set aside.
Melt the butter or margarine over medium heat in a small saucepan. Add the onion and cook until soft and fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the salt, allspice, pepper, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cardamom, and cloves. Cook, stirring constantly, until very fragrant, about 2 minutes.
Transfer the mixture to the bowl of bread, add the broth, and stir until well-combined. Transfer the stuffing to a 9x13-inch baking dish and cover tightly with aluminum foil. Bake for 15 minutes. Uncover and bake until the top is golden-brown and crispy, about 15 minutes more.
Recipe Notes
Storage: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.