Cornbread Stuffing Recipe - Sally's Baking Addiction (2024)

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Author: Sally

Published: 11/08/2016Updated: 11/16/2022

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A couple shakes of dried parsley, thyme, sage, and pepper add unbelievable flavor to this cornbread stuffing recipe. Savory sausage, sweet pear or apple, and crunchy nuts add unbelievable texture. Follow my make-ahead or freezing instructions so there’s one less dish to worry about on Thanksgiving.

Cornbread Stuffing Recipe - Sally's Baking Addiction (1)

Thanksgiving turkey is great and all (and let’s not forget the Thanksgiving pies), but Thanksgiving side dishes are the crown jewels on the table. And whether it’s stuffed into the turkey or served on the side, you absolutely have to make thiscornbread stuffingpart of your feast. Salty, sweet, savory, crunchy, this stuffing has it all. Plus, it smells incredible as it cooks.

Tell Me About this Cornbread Stuffing

  • Texture:Light and moist with bite-size pieces of tender sausage, celery, pear or apple, and crunch pecans. I love the playful textures.
  • Flavor:Light and buttery with savory, sweet, and nutty notes. The recipe is a more flavorful version of my classic ,because I use cornbread instead of regular bread as the base. Seriously, it is packed with so many soul-warming herb flavors.
  • Ease: This dish is like 2 short recipes in 1. The cornbread comes first with all the ingredients prepared in a large bowl before being transferred to a baking pan. The stuffing is next and can be made in 3 easy steps. Make it in advance for ease and convenience!
  • Time: 1 hour and 40 minutes to make both the fresh cornbread and the stuffing (plus overnight cooling time for the cornbread). You can shave off 40-45 minutes by using store-bought cornbread.
Cornbread Stuffing Recipe - Sally's Baking Addiction (2)

Spotlight on Some Cornbread Stuffing Ingredients

  • Cornbread: When it comes to cornbread, you can choose either homemade or store-bought. Use your favorite cornbread recipe or pick up a cornbread mix from the store. I love the super simple cornbread recipe below and urge you to try it, too. It’s just like my regular cornbread recipe.
  • Herbs: Use your favorite dried herbs and spices like parsley, thyme, and sage to brighten up the stuffing and add heaps of flavor.
  • Sausage: This adds savory richness to the dish. For a vegetarian option, replace the sausage with mushrooms or diced butternut squash. You can also use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
  • Pear or Apple: The fruit’s sweetness adds a nice contrast to the rich sausage and an additional textural layer. You can also use an apple instead of a pear.
  • Pecans: Pecans add just the right amount of soft crunch. I like to use pecan halves, but they can be replaced with chopped walnuts if you wish. Or leave it nut-free.

Overview: How to Make Cornbread Stuffing (Dressing)

The full printable recipe is below, but let’s walk through it so you understand each step before you get started.

  1. Make the cornbread. Preheat the oven. Combine all the ingredients in a bowl, then transfer the mixture to a baking dish and bake until golden brown. Cool completely.
  2. Cut cornbread into cubes + lightly toast.Slice cornbread into 1-inch cubes. Spread them out on a lined baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes to toast them. Lightly toasting the cornbread helps it absorb some of the liquid ingredients, which prevents your stuffing from tasting soggy. Set aside to cool.
  3. Prepare stuffing. Whisk broth and eggs together in a large bowl.
  4. Cook down the flavors and herbs.Place onion, celery, and herbs into a large skillet. Cook until the vegetables are soft. Add sausage, pear or apples, and pecans.
  5. Add broth + egg + cornbread.Mix everything together.
  6. Bake.Bake the stuffing in a casserole dish or stuff it into the turkey. If you’re stuffing the turkey, allow the cornbread stuffing to cool completely before using.
Cornbread Stuffing Recipe - Sally's Baking Addiction (3)
Cornbread Stuffing Recipe - Sally's Baking Addiction (4)
Cornbread Stuffing Recipe - Sally's Baking Addiction (5)
Cornbread Stuffing Recipe - Sally's Baking Addiction (6)

Make it Ahead: The cornbread stuffing is best prepared ahead of time, which is great news considering most of us like to prep before the big meal. In fact, it tastes even BETTER when made ahead because the flavors have the chance to settle. Make and store in the refrigerator a few days ahead of time or freeze for up to 3 months. This is just one less thing to worry about before Thanksgiving dinner!

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Cornbread Stuffing Recipe - Sally's Baking Addiction (7)

Cornbread Stuffing Recipe

5 Stars4 Stars3 Stars2 Stars1 Star5 from 9 reviews

  • Author: Sally
  • Prep Time: 1 hour
  • Cook Time: 40 minutes
  • Total Time: 25 hours, 40 minutes
  • Yield: 8-10 servings
  • Category: Side Dish
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American
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Description

Toasting the cornbread adds a delicious texture. To save time, toast 1 day ahead of time. Flavored with herbs, savory sausage, sweet pear or apple, and crunchy nuts, this cornbread stuffing is always the star of the Thanksgiving meal. See notes for freezing instructions.

Ingredients

Cornbread

  • 1 cup (120g) cornmeal
  • 1 cup (125g) all-purpose flour()
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
  • 1/4 cup (85g) honey
  • 1 large egg, at room temperature
  • 1 cup (240ml) buttermilk, at room temperature

Stuffing

  • 2 and 1/2 cups (600ml) reduced-sodium chicken broth
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/4 cup (4 Tbsp; 56g) unsalted butter
  • 1 medium onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
  • 3 celery stalks, sliced (about 1 and 1/4 cups)
  • 1 Tablespoon parsley flakes
  • 1 teaspoon thyme leaves
  • 1 teaspoon rubbed sage
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
  • 1 lb uncooked sausage
  • optional: 1 cup peeled and chopped pear or apple
  • optional: 1 cup (125g) pecan halves or chopped walnuts

Instructions

  1. Cornbread: (Prepare 1 day in advance!) Preheat oven to 375°F (191°C). Whisk all of the cornbread ingredients together in a large bowl. Pour into a greased 9-inch square baking pan. Bake for 22-24 minutes or until the top is golden brown. Set aside to cool overnight. Do not cover.
  2. Preheat oven to 300°F (149°C). Slice the cornbread into small 1-inch cubes. You will have about 7-8 cups cubes. Spread onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat and bake for 10 minutes. Set aside to cool as you prepare the stuffing. Turn the oven up to 375°F (1791°C).
  3. Stuffing: Whisk the broth and eggs together in a very large bowl. Set aside.
  4. Heat butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, celery, parsley, thyme, sage, salt, and pepper. Cook for 4 minutes until vegetables begin to soften. Squeeze the sausage meat out of the casings into the skillet. Break up with a spoon, then add the pears. Cook until sausage is just about cooked through. Pour into the broth + egg mixture, including any liquid that may be in the skillet as well. Add the toasted cornbread cubes and pecans. Very gently fold everything together.
  5. Spoon stuffing into a greased 9×13-inch baking pan. Bake for 40 minutes or until toasted on top. Sprinkle with additional parsley, if desired, and serve warm.

Notes

  1. Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: Prepare the cornbread (step 1) 1 day in advance. You can also chop and toast it 1 day in advance (step 2). To save time, you can also chop the onion, celery, and pear 1 day in advance as well. Cover and refrigerate them overnight. You can also prepare the entire recipe through step 4, cover and refrigerate overnight, then bake the next day. For long storage, freeze the baked stuffing up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, allow to come to room temperature, then reheat it ina350°F(177°C)oven for 20-25 minutes, or until warmed through, before serving.
  2. Special Tools (affiliate links): Glass Mixing Bowls | Whisk | 9-inch Square Baking Pan | Baking Sheet | Silicone Baking Mat or Parchment Paper |9×13-inch Baking Pan
  3. If using to stuff a turkey, skip step 5 and allow to cool completely after step 4. Then stuff into the turkey.
  4. Buttermilk: Buttermilk is required in the cornbread recipe. If you don’t have any, you can make a DIY sour milk by adding 2 teaspoons of fresh lemon juice or white vinegar to a liquid measuring cup. Then add enough whole milk to make 1 cup total. Stir and let sit for 5 minutes before using. Whole milk is strongly recommended for moistest, richest texture, but you can use lower fat or nondairy milk in a pinch.
Cornbread Stuffing Recipe - Sally's Baking Addiction (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between cornbread stuffing and cornbread dressing? ›

The primary difference between stuffing and dressing is that stuffing is cooked inside a bird and dressing is made on the side.

What's the difference between southern cornbread and regular cornbread? ›

Northern cornbreads tend to be more cake-like, on the sweet side, with a finer crumb due to more flour in the mixture. Southern cornbread is flavored with bacon grease, and cooked in a cast iron skillet, a perfect side for barbecues, or chili. It also tends to be rather crumbly.

What ingredient keeps cornbread from crumbling? ›

Adding an egg yolk to your cornbread will help hold its shape while you're cutting and serving it. You can add a yolk even if your recipe doesn't call for any eggs at all--just put it in with the other wet ingredients. Cut back on fat or grease by one third.

What do southerners call stuffing? ›

But for the Thanksgiving side dish in the South, the term dressing was adopted in place of stuffing, which was viewed as a crude term, during the Victorian era. Although dressing and stuffing are interchangeable terms, the signature ingredient of this Thanksgiving side dish in the South is cornbread.

What is cornbread stuffing mix made of? ›

CORNBREAD CRUMBS (ENRICHED WHEAT AND SEMOLINA FLOUR, CORNMEAL, SUGAR, SALT, PARTIALLY HYDROGENATED SOYBEAN OIL, YEAST, CALCIUM PROPIONATE (FOR FRESHNESS), DRIED NONFAT MILK); DRIED VEGETABLES (ONION, CELERY, PARSLEY); SALT; SUGAR; DRIED CHICKEN (FAT, MEAT); YEAST EXTRACT; SPICES; HYDROLYZED SOY/WHEAT PROTEIN; TURMERIC ...

How to keep cornbread dressing from being gummy? ›

If your dressing doesn't turn out right, don't fret. You can usually fix it. If you find your stuffing is too dry, add additional warmed broth to it, stir well, and return to the oven, checking periodically. If the stuffing is overly wet and too gummy, cook it uncovered for a bit longer, checking periodically.

How soggy should stuffing be before baking? ›

The stuffing should be moist but not wet. If there is a puddle of broth at the bottom of the bowl, you've added too much. Add more bread to soak up the excess moisture. If the mix is still dry and crumbly, add more liquid and toss gently until it starts to clump together.

How do you make stuffing not mushy? ›

try not to over mix it, otherwise it'll turn into mush. Curtis Stone says to pour it on a large sheet tray and spread it out. Bake it on high heat to crisp it up, but make sure it doesn't burn.

Is white or yellow cornmeal better for cornbread? ›

Traditional southern cornbread is a staple in the south and is classically made from white cornmeal, although yellow cornmeal can be used, and cooked in a pre-heated cast iron skillet.

What did Native Americans call cornbread? ›

Among them was a version of Indian bread made of cornmeal, salt and water called pone or corn pone. The name came from the Algonquin word apan, meaning "baked." The Narragansett word for cornbread, nokechick, became no-cake and then hoe-cake.

Which cornmeal is best for cornbread? ›

As for the best cornmeal for cornbread, either fine- or medium-grind cornmeal is a great choice. Medium-grind cornmeal will bring slightly more texture and grittiness to the batter, which you may or may not want (it's up to you!). You can use fine or medium cornmeal in these extra corny muffins.

Should you let cornbread batter rest? ›

1Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C). We recommend allowing cornbread batter to sit for 10 to 15 minutes before baking, so if you prefer, you can delay heating the oven until you make the batter. 2Melt the butter, and then set aside to cool slightly.

What to add to cornbread mix to make it better? ›

One of the simplest ways is to bring in more flavor and depth is by adding ⅓ cup of sour cream to the batter, which makes the cornbread extra moist and a little tangy. Another tangy option: Add ⅔ cup of buttermilk, which also makes the cornbread super tender.

What happens if you put too many eggs in cornbread? ›

Eggs are responsible for giving baked goods structure, which means the amount you use directly affects the resulting texture. Using too few eggs will make your desserts dense, but using too many will make them rubbery.

What is the difference between stuffing vs. dressing? ›

"Stuffing is cooked in the cavity of the turkey, so the juices soak into the ingredients, making it more flavorful. Dressing gets cooked on its own and needs extra liquid to make it flavorful." So stuffing is cooked inside the bird. Dressing is cooked outside the bird, usually in a casserole dish.

What is cornbread dressing made of? ›

Add sautéed onion and celery to the crumbled cornbread. Stir in chicken stock, eggs, sage, salt, and pepper until well combined. Pour dressing into the prepared baking dish. Bake in the preheated oven until dressing just starts to turn golden brown around the edges, about 30 minutes.

What are the points of comparison used to compare dressing and stuffing? ›

The points of comparison used to compare dressing and stuffing include: preparation, taste, amount, and safety. When comparing preparation, dressing and stuffing are made differently. Dressing is cooked in a separate dish and does not contain any meat, while stuffing is cooked inside the turkey.

Is stove top stuffing the same as dressing? ›

To understand the difference between the two, all you have to do is look at the cooking method. Stuffing is stuffed (literally) inside the cavity of the turkey, while dressing is roasted in a separate casserole dish.

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