Recipe: Canadian-Syrian Thanksgiving Stuffing

Heather Lawless
Heather Lawless
Heather is a Toronto-based writer who works in social policy by day and develops recipes on The Lawless Vegan by night. Heather can often be found eating something delicious or hanging with her main squeeze and their two kids.
updated Jan 29, 2020
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Canadian-Syrian Thanksgiving Stuffing

Serves8

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Canadian-Syrian Thanksgiving stuffing, which has cubed white bread, raisins, dried cranberries, and spices, in a casserole
(Image credit: Diana Yen)

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:

A Syrian Refugee Family’s First 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.

(Image credit: Diana Yen)
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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

  1. 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.

  2. Once cooled, transfer the bread to a large bowl. Add the raisins, cranberries, and chestnuts and stir to combine; set aside.

  3. 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.

  4. 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.

Filed in:
autumn
Casserole
dinner
Ingredient
Main Dish
Middle Eastern