Marilyn Monroe’s Stuffing

Name: Marilyn Monroe’s Stuffing
Total time: 2 h
Yield: About 20 cups
Ingredients: A 10-ounce loaf sourdough bread; 1/2 pound chicken or turkey livers or hearts; 1/2 pound ground round or other beef; 1 tablespoon cooking oil; 4 stalks celery, chopped; 1 large onion, chopped; 2 cups chopped curly parsley; 2 eggs, hard boiled, chopped; 1 1/2 cups raisins; 1 cup grated Parmesan; 1 1/4 cups chopped walnuts, pine nuts or roasted chestnuts, or a combination; 2 teaspoons dried crushed rosemary; 2 teaspoons dried crushed oregano; 2 teaspoons dried crushed thyme; 3 bay leaves; 1 tablespoon salt-free, garlic-free poultry seasoning (or 1 teaspoon dried sage, 1 teaspoon marjoram, 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger and 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg); 1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus more to taste; 1 tablespoon pepper

Recipe from Marilyn Monroe

Adapted by Matt Lee and Ted Lee

Marilyn Monroe’s Stuffing — Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times

Total Time: 2 hours
Rating: 4(222)
Comments: Read comments

In the 1950s, a Hollywood star was not expected to squander her talents (or risk her manicure) chopping onions. But this recipe, scrawled by Marilyn Monroe on letterhead from an insurance company, suggested that she not only cooked, but cooked confidently and with flair. It bears the mark of the Bay Area and influences of Italian cooking, possibly picked up from her marriage to Joe DiMaggio at San Francisco City Hall in 1954. It is also a fussy, complicated affair -- but do not let that stop you. The result (almost 20 cups' worth!) is handsome, balanced and delicious. —Matt Lee And Ted Lee

Featured in: Marilyn Monroe’s Stuffing Recipe Stars in a Remake

or to save this recipe.
Subscriber benefit: give recipes to anyone
As a subscriber, you have 10 gift recipes to give each month. Anyone can view them - even nonsubscribers. Learn more.
Subscribe
Share
Print Options
Include recipe photo

Ingredients

Yield:About 20 cups

A 10-ounce loaf sourdough bread
½pound chicken or turkey livers or hearts
½pound ground round or other beef
1tablespoon cooking oil
4stalks celery, chopped
1large onion, chopped
2cups chopped curly parsley
2eggs, hard boiled, chopped
1½cups raisins
1cup grated Parmesan
1¼cups chopped walnuts, pine nuts or roasted chestnuts, or a combination
2teaspoons dried crushed rosemary
2teaspoons dried crushed oregano
2teaspoons dried crushed thyme
3bay leaves
1tablespoon salt-free, garlic-free poultry seasoning (or 1 teaspoon dried sage, 1 teaspoon marjoram, ½ teaspoon ground ginger and ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg)
1tablespoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
1tablespoon pepper

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Opt out or contact us anytime. See our Privacy Policy.

Preparation

Step 1
Split the bread loaf in half and soak it in a large bowl of cold water for 15 minutes. Wring out excess water over a colander and shred into pieces.
Step 2
Boil the livers or hearts for 8 minutes in salted water, then chop until no piece is larger than a coffee bean.
Step 3
In a skillet over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef in the oil, stirring occasionally and breaking up the meat, so no piece is larger than a pistachio.
Step 4
In your largest mixing bowl, combine the sourdough, livers, ground beef, celery, onion, parsley, eggs, raisins, Parmesan and nuts, tossing gently with your hands to combine. Whisk the rosemary, oregano, thyme, bay leaves, poultry seasoning, salt and pepper together in a bowl, scatter over the stuffing and toss again with your hands. Taste and adjust for salt. Refrigerate, covered, until ready to use as a stuffing or to bake separately as dressing. To serve as a dressing, pile about two quarts of the mixture into a 9-inch square baking dish and bake at 350 degrees until the top is evenly browned, about 1 hour.

Ratings

4 out of 5

222 user ratings

Have you cooked this?

Private Notes

Leave a Private Comment on this recipe and see it here.

Comments

Mike7 years ago

I just read Ms Monroe's handwritten recipe online. She writes "add butter" if cooked "outside" the bird.

MCVK7 years ago

I love dried cranberries in my dressing, but if you go with raisins, use golden ones (soaked in boiling water for five minutes) for a much lighter taste than the dark ones.

Ted Lee7 years ago

A 10-inch skillet is certainly suitable, and the baking time won’t change but check after a half-hour or 40 minutes to make sure the bottom isn’t browning too quickly. Such a skillet will only hold about 6 - 8 cups of the stuffing/dressing mixture; and this recipe yields 20 cups. It is designed to stuff a large turkey and then have extra to bake alongside (as dressing).

Elise1 month ago

A few modifications for what I had on hand: -half a bag of dried cornbread stuffing soaked in chicken bouillon instead of sourdough/water. -no salt (due to bouillon). -golden raisins and craisins instead of raisins. -a stick of unsalted butter. This recipe is great. Ate a bowl for dinner before I even baked it.

Pre Cooking6 months ago

How many days can you make this ahead of time?

Jody1 year ago

Easily one of the greatest stuffing/dressing recipes I’ve ever made, or had. Made it exactly as written except I had to sub butcher bacon for liver bc my partner is anti-liver. But I will be making a batch this week with liver. Because liver is delectable. Sorry, sweetie.

Private comments are only visible to you.