Southern Cornbread Dressing is a true staple for any holiday table. And, it's one of my favorite dishes on the planet. My version has a simple, savory cornbread base with sautéed onions and celery with just the right amount of sage to let everyone know that the holidays are here!
This recipe is so easy, so delicious that you'll make it once and again for every holiday meal you have!
Let's get started!
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Dressing Vs Stuffing
Let's get a few things out of the way first. There is a difference in dressing and stuffing.
First, the stuffing. Stuffing goes inside the bird. You basically shove it up in the business end of the turkey and it cooks while the turkey cooks. I don't ever recommend doing this for a couple of reasons. First of all, it takes forever to cook. FOREVVVVERRRRRR. And second, by the time the dressing is properly cooked, the turkey will be so overdone it basically turns into a chew toy for Fido. Not to mention that if the stuffing is not cooked to proper temperature, it can make you very, very sick. No one needs that.
This recipe is for a true Southern Cornbread Dressing. The cornbread is cooked and then crumbled. Sautéed onion and celery are combined with sage and thyme to create the most wonderful, flavorful dressing you've ever had. This recipe is simple and delicious and far superior to any stuffing situation.
southern cornbread dressing ingredients
cornbread
- AP Flour
- White Cornmeal
- Sugar
- Baking Powder
- Kosher Salt
- Fresh Ground Black Pepper
- Granulated Garlic
- Granulated Onion
- Salted Butter
- Avocado Oil
- Whole Milk
- Eggs
dressing
- Cornbread
- Onions
- Celery
- Ground Sage
- Dried Thyme
- Heavy Cream
- Chicken (or Vegetable) Broth
- Eggs
- Kosher Salt
- Fresh Ground Pepper
how to make southern cornbread dressing
the cornbread
To begin the cornbread dressing, you will need some cornbread. My recipe is super simple and savory. It's wonderful on it's own, but perfect for this dressing recipe.
To begin you'll need to mix the dry ingredients - AP Flour, White Cornmeal, Sugar, Baking Powder, Kosher Salt, Granulated Garlic, and Granulated Onion. Next, add the Milk, Eggs, Butter, and Avocado Oil. Combine everything well and into a 350° oven for about 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
You should let this cool just a bit, but I get impatient for cornbread dressing. I use a rubber or silicone spatula and start breaking the cornbread up immediately. Once you do that, just set it aside.
the dressing
Now, for the dressing portion of our Southern Cornbread Dressing.
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, sauté the onions and celery in the butter along with the dried sage, dried thyme, kosher salt, and fresh ground pepper. At this point, your kitchen will start to smell like the holidays. It's worth it just for the smell!
Once the onions and celery are soft, add those to the crumbled cornbread and toss to combine. Add the broth and cream and stir to combine all of these ingredients. This is where I taste to see if I need to add any salt or pepper - before the eggs go in. Once you determined the seasonings for the dressing are good, add in the slightly beaten egg and mix in well.
Pour the cornbread dressing into a greased 9x13 baking dish and bake at 400° for about 45-50 minutes or until the dressing is just set and the edges are golden brown.
That's it! I know it takes a minute, but it's worth it. Good things come to those who wait!
recipe frequently asked questions
Can you make this Southern Cornbread Dressing recipe ahead of time?
You can do this cornbread dressing a couple of ways as far as making it ahead.
First of all, if you're wanting to make the dressing a day or so before the meal, you could assemble it without baking and store in the fridge. I would not do this for more than 2 days. On the day of your meal, remove from the fridge about 30 minutes before you're ready to cook and bake as instructed.
If you want to freeze the cornbread dressing, I would make it as instructed, let it cool, and then freeze it. I cover first with plastic wrap and then two layers of foil.
When you're ready, thaw out the dressing in the fridge a couple days before cooking. I add a ¼-1/2 cup of broth and then just reheat it on 350° until it warms through.
I'm not a fan of sage. What should I use?
If you are not a fan of sage, no worries! Cornbread dressing can be made to your taste. You can simply omit the sage or substitute it with your favorite dried herb.
Poultry Seasoning is a wonderful option as well. It can have a little sage in it, but it not as overwhelming as using only sage.
storing leftovers
- Leftovers can be stored in the fridge in an air-tight container for up to 3 days.
- Freeze leftovers for up to 3 months.
- To reheat, cover with a damp paper towel and heat in small increments in the microwave.
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If you guys make this Southern Cornbread Dressing, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! I absolutely love to hear from you all and always do my best to respond to each and every one of your comments!
Southern Cornbread Dressing
Equipment
Ingredients
Cornbread
- 1½ cups AP Flour
- 1½ cups White Corn Meal I prefer white, but yellow is fine.
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1½ tablespoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 2 teaspoon granulated onion
- 1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
- 1¼ cups whole milk
- ½ cup avocado oil
- 8 tbsp salted butter, melted
- 3 large eggs
Cornbread Dressing
- cornbread from recipe above, crumbled
- 8 tablespoon butter
- 1 large onion, diced
- 6 stalks celery, plus any inside pieces with the leaves, chopped
- 2 tablespoon ground sage
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tsp fresh ground black pepper
- 3 large eggs
- 3-3½ cups chicken broth or vegetable broth
- ½ cup heavy cream
Instructions
Cornbread
- Preheat the oven to 350°
- Mix the dry ingredients together.
- Add in the milk, eggs, butter, and avocado oil. Combine everything well.
- Pour mixture into a greased 9x13 baking pan. Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Break up cornbread with a spatula into bit sized pieces and set aside.
Cornbread Dressing
- Raise the temperature of the oven to 400°.
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, sauté the onions and celery in the butter along with the dried sage, dried thyme, kosher salt, and pepper.
- Once the onions and celery are soft, add those to the crumbled cornbread and toss to combine.
- Add the broth and cream and stir to combine all of these ingredients. This is where I taste to see if I need to add any salt or pepper - before the eggs are added.
- Once you determined the seasonings for the dressing are good, add in the slightly beaten egg and mix in well. This mixture should be very, very moist.
- Pour the cornbread dressing into a greased 9x13 baking dish and bake at 400° for about 45-50 minutes or until the dressing is just set and the edges are golden brown.
- Enjoy!
Nutrition
Thank you!
I am so incredibly happy that you are here! I hope you try my Southern Cornbread Dressing recipe and fall in love with it. If you make this recipe, please share and tag me on Instagram, Facebook, or TikTok! And, please leave a comment or review. I absolutely love seeing each and every one of your kitchen masterpieces. And, as always, if you ever have any questions about any of my recipes, please don't hesitate to contact me!
Happy Cooking!
-Rufus
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Rufus for Real is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
Pat H says
Amazing dressing! Good for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any large meal occasion, I know your family will love it as much as ours did!