Published on November 20, 2023 · Updated on October 24, 2026 by Sarah Troester
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Pennsylvania Dutch potato filling, also called potato and bread stuffing, folds buttery mashed potatoes into toasted bread cubes sautéed with celery, onion, parsley and poultry seasoning, then binds it all with eggs. Bake it at 350°F for 25 minutes and broil 2–3 minutes until golden. This family recipe serves 12.

This is my grandmother’s recipe for potato and bread stuffing that we eat every year on the holidays. It is a childhood favorite recipe and passed down tried and true staple of the Pennsylvania Dutch. After all these years, I think I have perfected this wonderful recipe to share, from my family to yours!

Pennsylvania Dutch potato and bread stuffing baked in a casserole dish with a lightly browned top

It would not be a complete holiday dinner without this potato and bread stuffing recipe. This is a recipe that was passed down to me by my late grandmother, and one that my family had been making for many generations before her. It’s a tried and true staple for the Pennsylvania Dutch.

In this traditional dish, mashed potatoes and regular bread stuffing come together as one delicious and comforting meal. With potato and bread filling, it’s all the things you love about mashed potatoes, and the comfort the seasonings of traditional stuffing brings into one harmonious bite.

Spoonful of creamy PA Dutch potato filling with bread cubes, celery and parsley

I finally have perfected this recipe for potato and bread filling and am sharing it with the world to hold tight onto our family-loved recipe. Get ready, because this is about to become your new favorite holiday side!

what is pa dutch potato filling?

Potato filling is a Pennsylvania Dutch holiday side that’s half mashed potatoes and half bread stuffing. Buttery mashed potatoes are folded together with toasted bread cubes, celery, onion, parsley and poultry seasoning, bound with eggs, and baked in a casserole dish until the top is golden. In PA Dutch kitchens, stuffing is usually called “filling.” So if you’ve been searching for potato stuffing, potato and bread stuffing or Pennsylvania Dutch potato filling, they’re all the same comforting dish. You’ll see me use both names throughout this post.

why your whole family will love potato and bread stuffing

  • Simple Ingredients
  • Crowd-Pleasing Side Dish
  • Kid Friendly
  • Old-Fashioned Holiday Staple
  • Irresistible Flavor

ingredients

To make family-style potato and bread stuffing recipe, you’ll need a few ingredients that you can get at almost any grocery store or even online!

Here’s what we are working with:

  • potatoes – any kind, we use russet potatoes for their mild flavor and creamy texture
  • butter
  • milk
  • chicken stock
  • celery
  • onion
  • parsley
  • poultry seasoning or celery salt
  • salt
  • pepper
  • toasted white or potato bread
  • eggs
Potato filling ingredients: potatoes, eggs, toasted bread, fresh parsley, butter, chicken stock, celery, onion and seasoning

how to make pa dutch potato and bread filling

You’ll find the exact amounts and printable steps in the recipe card below. Here’s what each step looks like, plus the little things that make it work.

1. Boil the potatoes. Boil the peeled, cubed potatoes in a large pot until fork-tender, about 20 minutes, then drain them well.

Peeled, cubed potatoes in a large pot ready to boil

2. Mash them right in the pot with 4 tablespoons of butter, the milk and the chicken stock. You want them creamy, since they’re what holds the filling together.

Boiled potatoes in the pot with a potato masher, ready to mash with butter, milk and stock
Creamy mashed potatoes in the pot for PA Dutch potato filling

3. Sauté the vegetables while the potatoes cook. Melt ¾ cup (1½ sticks) of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the celery, onion and parsley and sauté until tender, about 10 minutes. Doing this while the potatoes boil keeps the whole recipe to about an hour.

Chopped celery, onion and parsley sautéing in melted butter in a large skillet

4. Season and add the bread. Stir in the poultry seasoning, salt and pepper, turn the heat down to medium and add the toasted bread cubes. Cook for 4–5 minutes, stirring often, so the bread soaks up all that butter.

Poultry seasoning, salt and pepper added to the sautéed celery and onion
Toasted bread cubes stirred into the buttery celery and onion mixture in the skillet

5. Fold it all together. Take the skillet off the heat and fold the bread mixture and the beaten eggs into the mashed potatoes until everything is well combined.

Mashed potatoes being added to the bread and vegetable mixture
Beaten eggs poured over the potato and bread mixture before folding together

6. Bake, then broil. Spread it in a greased baking dish and bake at 350°F for 25 minutes. Then turn on the broiler for 2–3 minutes, until the top starts to brown lightly. Stay close, because the broiler browns quickly.

Unbaked potato and bread filling spread in a baking dish
Baked PA Dutch potato filling with a golden, broiled top

how long do you bake potato filling at 350?

Bake it at 350°F for 25 minutes, then broil for 2–3 minutes until the top is lightly browned. Everything in the dish is already cooked except the eggs, so the bake heats it through and sets it. For an egg-based casserole, the USDA recommends 160°F in the center, which you can check with a food thermometer. From start to finish, the recipe takes about 1 hour 20 minutes, including prep.

how to make potato filling balls

Potato filling balls are a fun, old-fashioned way to serve this same recipe. Instead of baking everything in one dish, you scoop the filling into individual balls, so everyone gets plenty of those crispy, golden edges. They’re also easy to grab and portion for a holiday buffet or potluck.

1. Make the filling. Follow the recipe through step 5, until the bread mixture and eggs are folded into the mashed potatoes.

2. Scoop the balls. Grease a large baking sheet (or a muffin tin for neat portions). Use an ice cream scoop or a ½ cup measure to scoop the filling, packing it gently so it holds together. If the mixture feels too soft to hold its shape, chill it for about 30 minutes first.

3. Butter the tops. Brush or drizzle the tops with a little melted butter. This is what gives them that golden, crispy outside.

4. Bake. Bake at 350°F for about 25-30 minutes or until golden brown and set, then broil for 1-2 minutes if you’d like them browner. Smaller balls bake faster, so start checking a little early. Since the filling has eggs, the center should reach 160°F.

can you stuff a turkey with potato filling?

This recipe is made to bake in a dish next to the turkey, not inside it. If you do stuff a bird, the USDA says the center of the stuffing must reach 165°F, and it recommends cooking stuffing separately for the safest results.

can you make potato filling ahead of time?

Yes. Bake it up to a day ahead, which frees up the oven on the holiday. Let it cool, then cover and refrigerate it within 2 hours. Reheat it covered at 350°F until it’s hot all the way through (165°F in the center), and uncover it for the last few minutes so the top crisps up again.

can you freeze potato filling?

Yes. Freeze baked, cooled potato filling in an airtight, freezer-safe container for up to 2–3 months for the best quality. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat it to 165°F.

how long does potato filling last in the fridge?

Store leftovers covered or in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3–4 days. Reheat single servings in the microwave, or a larger amount covered in a 350°F oven, until it reaches 165°F.

what goes with pa dutch potato filling?

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do. It’s definitely one of those recipes worth saving. There’s nothing better than having a tried and true family passed down recipe on the table.

Planning the whole holiday spread? Find more crowd-pleasing sides, mains and desserts in our list of easy Thanksgiving recipes.

pa dutch potato filling FAQs

Is potato filling the same as stuffing?

Yes. In Pennsylvania Dutch kitchens, stuffing is usually called “filling,” and potato filling is a stuffing made with mashed potatoes and bread. This one is baked in a dish as a side rather than stuffed inside the turkey.

What are potato filling balls?

They’re the same potato filling, scooped into individual balls and baked on a sheet pan until golden and crispy on the outside. See the potato filling balls section above for how to make them.

What kind of potatoes should I use?

Any kind works. We use russet potatoes for their mild flavor and creamy texture when mashed.

What bread is best for potato filling?

Toasted white bread or potato bread, cut into cubes. The recipe uses 8 slices.

Can I use celery salt instead of poultry seasoning?

Yes, either one works for seasoning the bread mixture. Celery salt adds salt, so you may want to cut back on the extra salt.

How many people does this recipe serve?

The recipe makes 12 servings, which makes it a good size for a holiday table.

Please leave us a star review and comment if you make this delicious, family potato and bread stuffing recipe.

If you have any questions or comments, feel free to leave them below. I answer every single question as quickly as I can.

Happy cooking! And thanks for being part of our tribe, The Tasteful Tribe!

ENJOY!

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Baked PA Dutch potato filling with golden edges in a white casserole dish
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pa dutch potato and bread filling in a white baking dish

Better Than Grandma’s PA Dutch Potato and Bread Stuffing

  • SFSugar Free
5 from 1 vote
This is my grandmother’s recipe for potato and bread stuffing that we eat every year on Thanksgiving and Christmas. It is a childhood favorite recipe and passed down tried and true staple of the Pennsylvania Dutch. After all these years, I think I have perfected this wonderful recipe to share, from my family to yours!
Servings: 12 people
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes

Ingredients 

  • 4½ lbs potatoes, peeled and cubed
  • 4 tbs salted butter
  • 1 cup milk
  • ½ cup chicken stock
  • ¾ cup salted butter
  • 3 cups celery, chopped
  • 1 large sweet onion, chopped
  • ¼ cup fresh parsley leaves, chopped
  • ½ tsp poultry seasoning
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp pepper
  • 8 slices toasted white bread, cut into cubes
  • 3 large eggs, beaten

Instructions 

  • Boil potatoes in a large pot until tender; about 20 minutes and drain. Place back into the pot and mash with 4 tablespoons butter, milk, and chicken stock.
  • While potatoes are cooking, in a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt 3/4 cup butter (1 1/2 sticks); add in chopped celery, onion and parsley; sauté until tender, about 10 minutes.
  • Add poultry seasoning, salt, and pepper. Reduce heat to medium and add the toasted bread cubes. Cook, stirring frequently, for another 4-5 minutes.
  • Remove from the heat and fold into the mashed potato mixture and the beaten eggs; stir everything together until well combined.
  • Pour into a prepared baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Turn on the broiler and continue to cook until it begins lightly browning on top; 2-3 minutes. Serve.

Equipment

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