French Meat Stuffing Recipe: A Beloved Family Tradition

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Make this French meat stuffing recipe with beef, pork and mashed potatoes for Thanksgiving or Christmas. Serve it as a side or make a pie.

French meat stuffing is a classic French Canadian dish made with ground beef, ground pork and mashed potatoes, and in my family it only appears at Thanksgiving and Christmas.

This French stuffing recipe has been passed down through the women in my family. You can serve it as a hearty side dish, or bake it in a crust as a French Canadian meat pie.

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What Is French Meat Stuffing (French Canadian Meat Dressing)?

French meat stuffing is a savory mixture of cooked ground meat and mashed potatoes. Unlike a bread stuffing, it has no bread cubes. The potatoes bind the meat together and give it a soft, creamy texture. Some families call it French Canadian meat dressing, and others use the same filling inside a meat pie.

This version is the one I grew up with. It is simple, filling and full of memories, which is why it has a permanent spot on our holiday table.

A Family Thanksgiving Tradition

This is a classic French Canadian dish, and both of my grandmothers made it. We only ever had it at Thanksgiving and Christmas.

The recipe was passed from my great-grandmother to my grandmother, and then to my mother. My mother taught it to my oldest sister, who passed away at 47.

This was also my first time making the meat pie version. Instead of serving the stuffing on the side, I baked the same filling into pies.

Ingredients for French Meat Stuffing

For the stuffing:

• 1 pound ground beef
• 3/4 pound ground pork
• 6 cups hot mashed potatoes
• 1/4 cup chicken broth
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Bell’s Seasoning, to taste

To bake it as a meat pie (makes 2 pies):

• Pie crust for two 9-inch double-crust pies (a bottom and a top crust for each)
• Milk, for brushing the top crust (optional)

Ingredient Notes

• Ground beef and ground pork. The mix of beef and pork gives the stuffing its classic flavor.
• Hot mashed potatoes. Stir them in while hot so they blend smoothly into the meat.
• Bell’s Seasoning. This sage-forward poultry seasoning is the signature flavor. It is strong, so add it a little at a time.
• Chicken broth. A small amount loosens the mixture and adds moisture.

How to Make French Meat Stuffing (Step by Step)

This French stuffing comes together in one skillet. Have your mashed potatoes hot and ready before you start the meat.

Step 1: Brown the Beef and Pork

Cook the ground beef and ground pork in a large skillet over medium heat until no longer pink. Drain the fat.

Step 2: Stir In the Potatoes and Broth

Remove the skillet from the heat. Stir in the hot mashed potatoes, the chicken broth, salt and pepper.

Step 3: Season with Bell’s Seasoning

Add Bell’s Seasoning a little at a time, because it is strong. Start with a small amount, stir, taste and add more until it tastes the way you like.

Step 4: Serve or Bake

Serve the French meat stuffing warm as a side dish, or use it to fill a meat pie with the instructions below.

How to Make a French Canadian Meat Pie with the Stuffing

The same filling bakes into a golden, hearty French meat pie. This recipe makes two pies.

• Preheat the oven to 375°F.
• Line two 9-inch pie plates with pie crust.
• Divide the meat stuffing evenly between the two crusts.

• Top each pie with the remaining crust and press the edges to seal.
• Cut a few slits in the top of each pie so steam can escape.
• Brush the tops with milk, if you like, for a golden finish.

• Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the crust is golden brown.

Is This French Meat Pie the Same as Tourtière?

They are close cousins, but not identical. Tourtière is the best-known French Canadian meat pie, traditionally served at the réveillon dinner after midnight Mass on Christmas Eve.

NPR’s overview of tourtière notes that it is typically made with pork and onion, seasoned with spices such as cinnamon, clove, allspice and nutmeg.

This family recipe is different: it uses ground beef and pork with mashed potatoes and Bell’s Seasoning, and it works as both a side dish and a pie filling.

When to Serve French Meat Stuffing: Holiday and Occasion Ideas

This recipe belongs on your holiday table, but it works for more occasions than you might think.

Thanksgiving Dinner

Serve the French stuffing as a side dish right next to the turkey, or bake it into pies and slice them for the table.

The pies are easy to cut and serve, which helps on a busy holiday. If you are building a full menu, see my Thanksgiving stuffing recipes and 15 tasty Thanksgiving Day recipes.

Canadian Thanksgiving

Canadians celebrate Thanksgiving in October, on the second Monday of the month. This French Canadian meat stuffing is a natural fit for that table too.

Christmas Eve and Christmas Day

My family serves this dish at Christmas as well as Thanksgiving. A golden meat pie makes a hearty centerpiece for a Christmas Eve supper or a holiday buffet, and it is a cozy nod to the French Canadian tradition of serving meat pies at Christmas.

Friendsgiving and Holiday Potlucks

A pie travels better than a bowl of stuffing, so bake two and bring one to share. For more crowd-pleasers, browse these holiday potluck meals.

Cold-Weather Family Dinners

A slice of meat pie with a simple side makes a filling weeknight dinner once the weather turns cold. Find more ideas in my weeknight meal plans your family will love.

How to Make Ahead, Store, Freeze and Reheat French Meat Stuffing

Thanksgiving is busy, so it helps to do part of this dish early. The storage times below follow USDA food safety guidance for leftovers.

Task	What to do
Cool and refrigerate	Refrigerate within 2 hours of cooking. Spread large batches in shallow containers so they cool quickly.
Refrigerator	Keep for 3 to 4 days.
Freezer	Freeze the cooked stuffing or baked pie for 3 to 4 months for the best quality.
Thawing	Thaw in the refrigerator and use within 3 to 4 days.
Reheating	Reheat to 165°F, checked with a food thermometer.

Make-Ahead Tips for Thanksgiving Week

• Make the stuffing a day or two ahead. Cook it, cool it quickly and refrigerate it in a covered container. Reheat to 165°F before serving.
• Bake the pies ahead. Bake, cool, refrigerate and reheat the whole pie or individual slices to 165°F.
• Keep it moist. If the stuffing looks dry when you reheat it, stir in a spoonful of chicken broth.

Can You Stuff a Turkey with French Meat Stuffing?

This recipe is made to be served as a side dish or baked in a pie, not cooked inside the bird. USDA guidance says never to stuff a whole turkey with already-cooked stuffing, and it recommends cooking stuffing separately for safety and even doneness.

Tips, Variations and Substitutions for French Stuffing

Tips for the Best French Meat Stuffing

• Drain the meat well. Draining keeps the stuffing from turning greasy.
• Use hot mashed potatoes. They blend into the meat more easily than cold ones.
• Season a little at a time. Bell’s Seasoning is strong, so add it gradually and taste as you go.
• Mind the meat ratio. This recipe uses 1 pound of ground beef to 3/4 pound of ground pork, a little more beef than pork.
• Feeding a crowd? Make a second batch of filling in a second skillet instead of crowding one pan.

Substitutions and Variations

• No Bell’s Seasoning? Use another poultry seasoning blend and add it slowly, tasting as you go.
• Add warm spices. Some French Canadian families season their meat stuffing with allspice, cinnamon or cloves. If you want to try it, start with a small pinch.
• Lower sodium. Use low-sodium chicken broth and add salt at the end, to taste.
• Gluten sensitivity. The stuffing has no bread, but check the labels on your broth and seasoning. Serve it as a side dish, or use a gluten-free pie crust for the pies.

Stuffing vs. Dressing: What Is the Difference?

Stuffing usually means a mixture cooked inside the turkey, and dressing means one baked or served on its own.

This recipe is served outside the bird, so you can call it French meat stuffing or French Canadian meat dressing. Both names point to the same dish.

What to Serve with French Meat Stuffing

French meat stuffing is rich and filling, so keep the rest of the menu simple.

• Turkey. Pair it with a juicy Thanksgiving turkey from my collection of 10 turkey recipes.
• A cranberry or tangy side. Meat pies are often served with a condiment such as cranberry sauce or pickled beets, so a tart side balances the richness.
• More sides. Browse 15 tasty Thanksgiving Day recipes for more ideas, or compare other options in my Thanksgiving stuffing recipes.
• A holiday drink. Round out the meal with one of these Thanksgiving cocktails.
• A pretty table. Set the scene with these simple Thanksgiving tablescape ideas.

Using Up the Leftovers

If you have extra French stuffing or turkey, check out these 23 simple and delicious leftover turkey recipes.

Frequently Asked Questions About French Meat Stuffing

Make Our Family’s French Meat Stuffing This Holiday Season

Whether you serve it as a side dish or bake it into pies, this French Canadian meat stuffing is a simple way to bring a family tradition to your table. If you try it, leave a comment below and tell me how you served it.

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