15 meat stuffing recipes

Greek-style turkey stuffing with three meats, chestnuts, pine nuts, and white raisins simmered in red wine and tomato paste. A meat-forward holiday stuffing with rice instead of bread cubes.

Savory stuffed meat loaf hides a sage-and-thyme bread stuffing inside a bacon-studded ground beef shell. Two classic Sunday-dinner sides merge into one hearty pan.

Variation: Peas, hard-cooked eggs, artichoke hearts, olives, pimientos or many other foods may be used in place of the mushrooms. Swiss, Muenster, Monterey Jack, Tilsit. Mozzarella or any other cheese may be substituted for the Cheddar cheese.

Stuffed polenta with meat sauce: two layers of Parmesan polenta sandwiching a meaty tomato-basil sauce and mozzarella, baked hot until bubbly. A lighter Italian alternative to lasagna.

Traditional meat dolma: small green bell peppers stuffed with seasoned meat and rice, gently simmered over parsley stems until tender. Served hot with cool yogurt on the side.

Roast goose stuffed with cornbread, Granny Smith apples, dried figs, and savory, then slow-roasted three hours with the fat poured off as it renders. The traditional centerpiece for an old-fashioned Christmas dinner.

Herb-Rubbed Turkey Breast with Fig & Apricot Stuffing recipe

Iowa chops stuffed with brandy-soaked apricots, pecans, currants, orange zest, and fennel. Seared, baked, and finished with flambeed brandy for a tableside showstopper.

A traditional German stuffed pork belly filled with breadcrumbs, smoked ham, ground meat, and marjoram. Scored, seasoned, and roasted until the rind turns shattering crisp. Served with roasted turnip.

Gourmet meat loaf stuffed with a sauteed mushroom and sour cream filling, wrapped in seasoned ground beef with oats and Worcestershire. A hidden center that surprises every slice.

Loaded ground round patties packed with cheddar cheese, mushrooms, tomatoes, onions, and green peppers. A retro stuffed burger recipe that puts all the toppings inside the meat.

Spaghetti rolls are beef-stuffed manicotti with mozzarella and onion-spiked ground beef baked in marinara, swapping the usual ricotta cheese for a heartier, meat-forward filling.

Dilly beef salad with cubed cooked beef, stuffed olives, pickled onions, and green pepper in a beer and dill mayonnaise dressing. A tangy, cold meat salad for lunch or picnics.

Polpettone Italian stuffed meat steaks sandwich ham and melted mozzarella between two herbed beef-and-veal patties, breaded crisp, then baked under tomato sauce and more cheese. The Italian-American answer to chicken cordon bleu.

Loaded chili built on three meats, ground beef, hot Italian sausage, and smoked sausage, with kidney beans, a layered hit of serrano and habanero heat, and a splash of red wine. Thickened with cornmeal and tastes even better the next day.