Full of flavor and wonderful texture, this Cornbread Stuffing with Sausage just might end up being the star of your holiday table. If you’ve never tried a cornbread stuffing recipe before, this is the one to try!
The perfect Thanksgiving side dish, (or any holiday side dish!), stuffing is a must have. You can also check out my Sausage Stuffing with Cranberries and Apples.
I often think that stuffing gets a bad rap. It’s one of those side dishes that people feel obligated to make for Thanksgiving, but isn’t usually everyone’s favorite.
If you think this way, I am guessing you just haven’t tried the right stuffing. I am one of those people that likes the stuffing more than the turkey – and this cornbread stuffing is up there as one of my all-time favorites!
And technically, this would be a cornbread dressing, since it is not stuffed into the turkey, but I think most of us just call it all stuffing these days!
Ingredients
- Italian Sausage: I like the Italian sausage in this recipe, but I actually really like breakfast sausage in stuffing, so that would work, as well!
- Celery & Onion: These are both classic flavors in stuffing.
- Cornbread: You will need pre-made cornbread for this recipe. You can make this from scratch, or you can use a box mix. To make it easy, you can make 2 boxes of Jiffy cornbread according to the package directions and that will give you the 8 cups of cubed cornbread. The flavor profile will change somewhat depending on your cornbread, so make sure to use one that you know you like.
- Stuffing Breadcrumbs: Stuffing breadcrumbs are easy to find at the grocery store around Thanksgiving. Most stores will have French bread stuffing mix that is unseasoned. If you buy a boxed, seasoned mix, you can cut back on the amount of poultry seasoning and/or sage.
- Chicken Broth: You could also use vegetable broth, but I like the richness of the chicken broth.
- Seasonings: I use a mixture of poultry seasoning and sage. But feel free to change this up and use fresh herbs, or add in rosemary & thyme.
How to Make Cornbread Stuffing
Start by cooking the sausage. You don’t need to cook it all the way through just yet – just cook it, breaking it up as it browns, until it is about halfway cooked.
Then add in your onion and celery. Continue to cook this until the vegetables are softened and the sausage is cooked through.
Combine the cooked sausage and vegetable mixture with the cornbread, stuffing breadcrumbs, chicken broth, and both seasonings. Stir gently to combine it all.
Pour the mixture into a 9×13-inch baking dish and bake covered for 45 minutes. Remove the cover and continue to bake until it is browned on top, about 15 more minutes.
Tips and Tricks
You will get about 8 cups of cornbread cubes from 2 boxes of Jiffy cornbread mix. You can also use homemade cornbread.
I don’t usually dry out or crisp up my cornbread cubes because I like a softer stuffing. But if you like more texture, you can toast it in the oven for a few minutes before adding it to the mix.
You want to make sure you have a really big bowl to stir everything together. You don’t want to break the cornbread up too much, and a really big bowl will help you to be gentle.
You can make this up to 2 days in advance. I would make the recipe up until right before baking it, then bake it on the day that you need it.
More Holiday Side Dishes
The BEST Sweet Potato Casserole
Funeral Potatoes
Snickers Salad
Cranberry Sauce
Glazed Carrots
Corn Casserole
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Cornbread Stuffing with Sausage
Ingredients
- 1 lb sweet Italian sausage
- 4 stalks of celery diced (about 2 cups)
- 1 1/2 cups diced onion
- 8 cups cubed cornbread see note
- 2 cups stuffing breadcrumbs
- 2 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon ground sage
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325ºF.
- Place a large skillet over medium-high heat. Remove the casings from the sausage and break into pieces. Place in the hot skillet. Start to cook, breaking it up as it cooks.
- When the sausage is about halfway cooked through, add the celery and the onion. Continue to cook until the sausage is browned and the vegetables are soft. Remove from the heat and place in a large bowl.
- Add the cubed cornbread and the stuffing breadcrumbs to the sausage mixture. Pour in the chicken broth and season with the poultry seasoning and the sage. Gently stir to combine all of the ingredients.
- Transfer to a 9×13-inch baking dish. Cover with foil.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes, then remove the foil and continue to cook for another 15 minutes, or until the top is slightly crisped.
- Serve warm.
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