This Sage Cornbread Stuffing is such a great stuffing for your holiday meal!
What is the difference between stuffing and dressing?
Technically stuffing and dressing is the same dish. But stuffing is cooked within the cavity of the bird and dressing is cooked in a roasting pan. This recipe is actually a dressing, but I like to call it all stuffing.
What is cornbread stuffing?
Cornbread stuffing is made just like traditional dressing or stuffing but made with a mixture of cornbread and white bread. It has a slight sweetness to it because of the cornbread base. This dressing has roots in the American South where many stuffings are made with cornbread. It’s what I grew up on. There was only cornbread dressing at the Thanksgiving and Christmas table. I didn’t start to eat all bread stuffing until I was an adult. Now I make both at holiday gatherings.
How this cornbread stuffing is put together:
Start with making the cornbread. I like to make the cornbread 1-2 days before I make the stuffing. You don’t want fresh bread for stuffing’s because after adding the stock, the bread can get really mushy. For the stuffing, we always used Jiffy cornbread mix, and it’s so good in the stuffing. I tweak the recipe now that I make it by adding a little more flour and buttermilk and other ingredients. But the base is still the mix.
To a large sauté pan over medium heat, add butter, chopped celery, peppers and onion. Sauté until the vegetables are wilted and cooked down. They should not stay crisp. You want them to be soft.
While the vegetables are cooking, add to a large mixing bowl crumbled cornbread, bread crumbs, sage, poultry seasoning, salt and pepper. Add the vegetables to the bowl and stir to combine. Add the eggs and chicken broth, one cup at a time. This depends on how dry or wet you like your stuffing. After one or two cups, if the stuffing is at the consistency you want, stop adding the broth. If it needs more, then add a bit more. It’s your own personal preference.
Add the stuffing to a buttered casserole dish. Top the stuffing with additional sage leaves and bake.
Commonly Asked Questions:
Can you use a homemade cornbread recipe for this stuffing?
Yes, you definitely can. I prefer the texture of the cornbread with the doctored Jiffy mix, but any cornbread recipe will work fine.
Can you cook the stuffing in the turkey?
I grew up with my family cooking the stuffing in the turkey. But, more recent, it’s been said not to do this because of the risk of salmonella. But, if you ensure that the turkey and stuffing is fully cooked, then you should be able to. It’s a personal choice.
Can you make stuffing the day before?
You can make it the day before. Add it to the buttered dish, but do not bake it. Cover it and place it into the refrigerator. Bake it the next day.
Here are some other great side dishes for the holidays:
Sliced Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Crumble & Sage
Creamy 4 cheese bacon Mac and cheese
Shaved Kale and Brussel Sprout Salad with Lemon-Tahini Dressing
Roasted Garlic Cream of Mushroom Soup
Sage Cornbread Stuffing
Ingredients
Cornbread
- 1 box Jiffy cornbread mix
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup buttermilk
- 2-4 tbsp milk
- 4 tbsp butter, melted
Stuffing
- 1 stalk celery, chopped
- 1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
- 1/2 sweet red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 white onion, peeled and chopped
- 6 sage leaves
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
- 2-3 cups bread stuffing mix or fresh bread crumbs
- Baked cornbread, crumbled
- 1 tbsp poultry seasoning
- 1 tbsp ground sage
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 eggs
- 2-3 cups chicken stock
- Butter for the baking dish
Instructions
Cornbread
- Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Add Jiffy mix ,flour, baking powder an sugar to a mixing bowl and stir to combine. Add egg, sour cream, buttermilk, milk and butter. Whisk until incorporated. Pour in a buttered 9 inch baking pan. Bake until browned, about 25-30 minutes.
Stuffing
- To a large sauté pan over medium heat, add the butter, celery, peppers and onion. Cook until the vegetables are wilted and cooked down. While it’s cooking, add to a large mixing bowl the crumbled cornbread, bread crumbs and seasonings. Add the vegetable mixer to the bowl and stir to combine, add the eggs and chicken broth, one cup at a time. After one or two cups, if the stuffing is at the consistency you want, stop adding the broth. If it needs more, then add a bit more. Add the stuffing to a buttered casserole dish. Top with additional sage leaves. Cover the pan with foil. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 30-35 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 5 minutes to lightly brown.
