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Southern Cornbread Stuffing is a moist and fluffy turkey dressing with chunks of sweet cornbread and veggies soaked in an herb-infused broth.
This Cornbread Stuffing Casserole is a must-make for your Thanksgiving or holiday dinner. Slightly sweet cornbread paired with lots of flavor for this classic side dish. You can even use store-bought cornbread to cut down on prep time.
There are often heated debates over the best holiday side dish… Fluffy mashed potatoes and homemade cranberry sauce are often high on my family’s list, but it really isn’t a holiday meal without cornbread stuffing!
Ingredients
- Cornbread mix – Plus the ingredients needed to make it. Or you can use store-bought already made cornbread.
- Butter – Salted or unsalted butter will be fine. You could also use olive oil, as this is just for cooking the veggies, but butter does give a better flavor.
- Vegetables – Onion, celery, and garlic.
- Herbs – I highly recommend fresh herbs: fresh sage, fresh thyme, and fresh parsley.
- Low-sodium chicken broth
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
How To Make Cornbread Stuffing
Just set your cornbread out to dry overnight and then the day of prep is super simple!
Make the cornbread and dry overnight – Start by making the cornbread according to the package direction. You’ll need to let it cool completely before cutting it into 1-inch cubes. Spread the cubes out on a baking sheet and sit out overnight to dry.
Prep – Preheat the oven and grease a 9×13 baking dish. You can use either butter or cooking spray to grease.
Mix up stuffing – Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat and saute the veggies and herbs. Whisk in the chicken broth and simmer for a few minutes. Place the cornbread cubes in a large bowl and ladle the broth mixture over a little at a time. Give the cornbread cubes a gently toss as you go until the cornbread is moistened but not mushy.
Bake – Spread the cornbread mixture in the greased baking dish and bake until golden (about 30 minutes). The stuffing should be moist and tender on the inside with slightly crispy bits on top. Sprinkle with fresh parsley before serving.
Expert Tips
- Variations – This southern cornbread dressing recipe is classic and simple. But you can easily add some other mix-ins to match your family’s traditions. Other mix-ins such as cooked and crumbled pork sausage, dried cranberries, or chopped apples.
- Adjust the Size – If you’re hosting a smaller holiday meal, the recipe can easily be halved and baked in an 8×8 inch pan instead of the 9×13 inch pan. The bake time may be slightly less, so just bake until golden brown.
- Make your own cornbread: If you have some cornmeal on hand, try making your own Sour Cream Cornbread.
- Make Ahead of Time: Prepare the recipe as directed, then cover tightly and refrigerate up to 2 days in advance. Remove from the fridge and sit out for 30 minutes before baking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Stuffing and dressing are terms that are used interchangeably but have some differences.
Typically, stuffing is when the dish is stuffed inside of the turkey (or even a chicken). The stuffing cooks while the turkey cooks; food safety is a consideration here because the center of the stuffing must reach 165 degree F. While dressing is cooked outside of the bird, in a casserole dish like this recipe.
But there is also a regional spin as southerners typically call it dressing whether it is cooked in or out of the turkey and northerners tend to call it stuffing.
You do need to dry out the cornbread first. If you make stuffing or dressing with soft, fresh bread the texture will be very soggy. It’s best to use dried-out bread.
No, you do not need to make your own cornbread. Instead of buying the mix, you can purchase cornbread from the grocery store. You’ll need two 8-inch squares of cornbread.
How To Serve
I like to serve stuffing casserole right in the baking dish. Serve warm after baking. Just set out with a big spoon and let everyone help themselves.
With the slightly sweeter flavor of this stuffing, it pairs well with a variety of entrees for the holidays, like Thanksgiving Turkey or Glazed Ham. But as easy as it is, it’s also a great weeknight pairing with your favorite Baked Pork Chops.
Don’t forget the turkey!
Get the best roast turkey recipe, plus TONS of tips!
Storage and Reheating
Storage – Leftovers can be stored in the fridge, covered, or in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Reheating – You can certainly reheat the leftovers in the microwave, but for best results, I recommend reheating in the oven at 350 until warm. You can cover it with foil to prevent over-browning.
More Thanksgiving Side Dishes to Discover
- 101+ Thanksgiving Side Dishes
- Classic Sausage Stuffing
- Sweet Potato Casserole
- Green Bean Casserole (From Scratch)
- Homemade Turkey Gravy
- Brown Sugar & Bacon Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Cornbread Stuffing
Ingredients
- 2 packages of cornbread mix or 2 8-inch squares of store-bought cornbread*
- ½ cup butter 1 stick
- 1 large onion chopped
- 4 stalks celery chopped
- salt and black pepper
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh sage minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves minced
- ¼ cup fresh minced parsley
- 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth you may need a little more to fully saturate the bread
- freshly chopped parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare cornbread according to package instructions. Let cool completely. You can also use premade cornbread from the grocery store bakery, or your favorite recipe, as long as you end up with 2 (8-inch) squares. Cut cornbread into 1-inch cubes and spread out onto a baking sheet to dry out overnight.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and grease a 13×9-inch baking dish with butter or nonstick cooking spray.
- Place cornbread chunks in a large mixing bowl and set aside.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Add onion and celery and cook, stirring frequently, until soft; 7-8 minutes. Stir in garlic, sage and thyme and cook, stirring frequently, for 1 minutes. Pour in chicken broth and bring to a simmer for a few minutes. Remove from heat and ladle over the cornbread, tossing gently with each addition, until the cornbread is moist but not mushy. Add more chicken broth a little at a time as needed to moisten completely. Season with salt and pepper If desired (I recommend tasting first).
- Spread cornbread mixture into the prepared baking dish and bake for 30 minutes, or until golden. Sprinkle with fresh minced parsley and serve.
Notes
- Make Ahead of Time: Prepare the recipe as directed, then cover tightly and refrigerate up to 2 days in advance. Remove from the fridge and sit out for 30 minutes before baking.
- Storage – Leftovers can be stored in the fridge, covered, or in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Reheating – You can certainly reheat the leftovers in the microwave, but for best results, I recommend reheating in the oven at 350 until warm. You can cover it with foil to prevent over-browning.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer Kristin Maxwell of “Yellow Bliss Road” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. For accurate calorie counts and other nutritional values, we recommend running the ingredients through your preferred online nutritional calculator. Calories and other nutritional values can vary depending on which brands were used.
This is a super recipe, very similar to what my mom always made, of which I couldn’t remember how much of what to use. I’m not a beginner cook, but I think all your photos and steps would be a huge help to someone just starting out, that’s a nice touch.
This came out great. I made a batch of gluten-free cornbread and cubed and toasted it. The recipe stuffed a 17lb turkey with about 2 cups left to bake on the side.
Hi Sharon, Thanks so much for the kind words. So happy that you enjoyed the recipe and that the photos were helpful!
I love all of your Thanksgiving recipes.
Thank you Rebecca!
K.