Amish Potato Filling
Pennsylvania Dutch potato filling is a side dish that is made with a combination of mashed potatoes and bread stuffing. It's a traditional PA Dutch holiday dish and seems to be Pennsylvania's most-searched-for Thanksgiving side dish recipe.
Growing up in PA, potato bread filling was a common side dish. Although honestly, we usually served mashed potatoes with our holiday meals. They were the number one choice.
While simple mashed potatoes are always a hit, it's nice to change things up sometimes. This Amish potato filling is a perfect addition to your holiday spread, whether you're serving ham or turkey.
The best part is that you can make it a day or even two days ahead, which takes some of the stress out of preparing your holiday meal.
Ingredients
- Bread, cut into small cubes provides bulk and texture to the filling.
- Potatoes add the primary flavor and texture of mashed potatoes to the filling. They contribute creaminess and substance, binding the other ingredients together.
- Butter adds richness and depth of flavor. Browning the butter enhances its nuttiness and adds a subtle caramelized flavor.
- Celery adds a mild, fresh flavor to the filling. It contributes moisture and complements the other savory ingredients.
- Onion provides aromatic flavor adding depth and complexity to the dish.
- Eggs act as a binder, helping to hold the filling together during baking. They also contribute to the texture and structure of the dish.
- Milk adds moisture and creaminess to the filling, ensuring it stays moist during baking.
- Seasoned salt enhances the flavor profile with a balanced blend of salt and spices.
- Salt provides basic seasoning, enhancing the flavor of the other ingredients without overpowering them.
- Black pepper adds a subtle heat and depth of flavor.
- Garlic powder, parsley, and sage are optional ingredients that add additional flavor. Garlic powder adds savory notes, parsley contributes freshness, and sage adds a warm, earthy flavor that complements the other ingredients. Adjust according to personal taste preferences.
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How to Make PA Dutch Potato Filling
To make homemade potato filling, start by cutting your bread slices into little cubes (about the size of croutons). You can let them sit out to dry overnight or toast them in the oven until they are slightly browned.
Peel, cut, and boil the potatoes until soft.
Meanwhile, melt the butter and cook it over medium-low heat until it is slightly browned.
Finely chop the onion and celery (I use my Ninja chopper to do this). Add the onion and celery to the brown butter and cook the vegetables for 10-15 minutes. Allow this to cool slightly. Add the eggs, seasonings, and milk and stir to combine.
Mash the potatoes until no chunks are remaining. Add the butter/vegetable mixture and the bread cubes. (It doesn't really matter in what order you assemble it. If desired, you can make the stuffing first and then add it to the mashed potatoes.)
If it seems too dry, add more milk to create the desired consistency. Mix well, then place the filling into a buttered casserole dish and bake.
Stuffing, Dressing, Filling, or Mashed Potato Filling - What's the Difference?
Recently, I noticed several posts within my different Facebook groups questioning the difference between filling, stuffing, or dressing.
I believe that stuffing and dressing are the same things. Both of these are usually bread-based dishes with roughly the same ingredients. And some people also call it filling.
Of course, the recipes vary a lot, depending on what your family likes or what part of the country you are from.
However, stuffing is typically referred to as the dressing that gets stuffed inside the turkey. While dressing may be served in a casserole dish.
Lancaster County Amish Stuffing
The Amish in Lancaster County serve the turkey and dressing together as one dish. Find my Amish Chicken Roasht recipe here. One turkey can feed a large group of people because they serve it mixed with lots of stuffing.
My Amish mom used to make a giant bowl full of dressing, and she stuffed the turkey with some of it. When it was done baking, she removed the meat from the bones. Then the turkey, the stuffing, and the remaining dressing all got mixed together.
So, I think it's safe to say that dressing and stuffing are technically the same things. We used the words stuffing, filling, and dressing interchangeably for this bread-based side dish.
However, potato filling is a completely different dish, in my opinion.
While Pennsylvania Dutch mashed potato filling is also made with bread stuffing and has a lot of the same ingredients, it is a potato side dish.
Potato filling is a potato-based dish instead of a bread-based dish.
Serve with turkey, ham, pork roast, or anything else you think would go well with Pennsylvania Dutch potato filling. I like to drizzle gravy over the top as well.
This PA Dutch potato filling recipe is a great side dish to serve for your Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner.
Food chopper...
As you probably know by now, I use my Ninja chopper all the time! It's one of my most-used kitchen gadgets. So I'm adding a link where you can buy yourself one, in case you don't have any. It's a handy kitchen tool.
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Pennsylvania Dutch Potato Filling Recipe
Ingredients
- 7 - 8 slices bread, cut into small cubes (about 1 quart)
- 6 medium/large potatoes (4 - 5 c. mashed)
- 6 Tbs. butter, browned
- 5 celery ribs
- 1 medium onion
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- ½ c. milk
- ¾ tsp. seasoned salt
- ¾ tsp. salt
- ¾ tsp. pepper
- garlic powder, parsely, and sage to taste, optional
Instructions
- Cut bread slices into small cubes and let sit out to dry overnight. Or toast them in the oven until lightly browned.7 - 8 slices bread, cut into small cubes (about 1 quart)
- Peel, cut, and boil potatoes in water until soft. Drain the water and mash with a mixer until smooth.6 medium/large potatoes (4 - 5 c. mashed)
- In a saucepan, melt the butter and continue cooking until lightly browned. (It will be caramel in color and have a wonderful nutty aroma.)6 Tbs. butter, browned
- Finely chop the onion and celery (I use my Ninja chopper). Add them to the browned butter and cook for 10 - 15 minutes.5 celery ribs, 1 medium onion
- Add the beaten eggs, milk, and seasonings to the slightly cooled butter mixture.2 large eggs, beaten, ½ c. milk, ¾ tsp. seasoned salt, ¾ tsp. salt, ¾ tsp. pepper, garlic powder, parsely, and sage to taste, optional
- Add the egg/butter mixture to the mashed potatoes. Mix well. Then stir in the bread cubes. (Or you can make the stuffing by adding the butter/vegetable mixture to the bread cubes first and then add the mashed potatoes. It doesn't really matter which order you mix it in.)
- Grease a casserole dish with butter and fill it with the potato filling. You can bake this immediately or cool and refrigerate for the next day.
- Bake, covered, at 350° for 30 minutes. Uncover, and continue baking for another 10 minutes or until heated through.
- Drizzle with additional brown butter, or serve with gravy.
- Refrigerate any leftovers in an airtight container and reheat them to serve. Leftover potato filling should be good for up to five days.
Greg H.
Outstanding recipe, so tasty, thank you very much!
Anna
Thank you for taking the time to leave a nice comment. Glad you enjoyed it!
Kathy
Recipe I have been using that my mother-in-law gave me over 40 years ago. The only change is that she added more milk. I do too. Made it last year for Thanksgiving. My friend asked to please bring it again. She loved it. Today I made potatoes and mashed them, added the cooked onions and celery and milk. Mixed it up and put it in the freezer. After I thaw it, will add the eggs and bread. It is a keeper.
Anna
Thanks for the comment!
Anna
Delicious!!
Janey
Hi Anna, this is also close to the recipe we have been using for generations in our PA Dutch family. Each of us have our own little tweaks = ) I use a half a bag of seasoned bread cubes instead of cutting up bread to give it an extra oomph. We also just use Poultry Seasoning, salt and pepper.
Peg Hawkins
My Mom made it like this. I don’t remember the milk though .
She would run water over it a bit and Bells seasoning was used. I still make it like her but use chicken broth.
People look at me funny when I say I use both potatoes and bread for my stuffing. Love it.
I remember every time she’d baste the bird she would give me a little bit. I just loved it.
Anna
We never used it as stuffing. It was eaten as a potato side dish.
Cheryl
This is the exact recipe that I've been using for years.
Jo
Where are the diced apples? So yum
Anna
Apples?
Melanie
I like to make this a week or so in advance of Thanksgiving, like my working mother did. It was always the highlight of the dinner.
I’ve been making it for 30 plus years now. I never remember whether she defrosted it or put it in the oven frozen. Does anyone know. I would like to make a large batch and freeze in portions. It’s my husband’s favorite.
Anna
I've never frozen it, but I was going to say that I would thaw it in the fridge overnight. However, this is what one person online says: "Warm it from frozen in a 350ºF oven until heated through. Don't let it thaw or else the bread will become soggy." Not really sure why the bread would become more soggy??
Lynn Pernezny
This is essentially the same recipe I learned from my mother and grandmother, except with actual quantities 😄 My mom and dad would always have a big discussion about eggs/no eggs—they would include eggs in the end, and I always do. No other stuffing compares.
EA Mullinax
This is basically the same recipe that’s been handed down for generations except a few things. No eggs, sautéed onions in butter with parsley, finely diced raw celery went into mashed potatoes, and used evaporated milk.
Todd
That is close to PA Dutch Filling but the process and cooking is not even close..
Anna
Can you explain?
Susan Smith
We prefer it without the celery, but other than that, I have been making this as long as I can remember (and I am old haha)