No matter what else is on the menu, this perfectly moist and seasoned Cornbread Dressing will be the talk of your holiday table!
When Food Feels Like Home
If you’ve met my mom, aka SuSu, you know where I get my love for people and food. So many of her recipes have touched people in times of need, at celebrations, and definitely around the holidays. This is one of SuSu’s classic recipes and I cannot believe I haven’t shared it with you yet! We eat SuSu’s famous Cornbread Dressing every Thanksgiving. And I tell you, no one eats this dressing and leaves without getting the recipe. It’s THAT good.
What’s the Difference between Stuffing and Dressing?
What the difference is between stuffing and dressing? While they sorta look the same (and taste similar), stuffing is traditionally stuffed inside something like a chicken or a turkey to be cooked. Dressings, like this one, are cooked outside of the bird in a casserole dish.
This southern cornbread dressing recipe is one of those foods that just feels like home. I used to make it when we lived far away and couldn’t be with our family on Thanksgiving. Friendsgivings in Arizona, Iowa and Boston. Grad school Thanksgiving Dinner with all of the professors and students. Of course, it’s so delicious that almost every professor reached out for the recipe and now they make it for their families each year at Thanksgiving. It’s delicious and I can’t wait to share it with you!
The dressing gets its flavor from fresh onion, celery, poultry seasoning and sage. Plenty of butter, chicken broth and evaporated milk keep the dressing from drying out so that it’s perfectly moist. This dressing goes beautifully with a full turkey dinner or as a side to any holiday meal. I love taking it to a potluck because I know it’ll be the talk of the Thanksgiving table!
Ingredients and Supplies
(see recipe card at the bottom of this post for measurements and details)
Ingredients:
- Chopped onion: sautéed onions add an aromatic, savory, slightly sweet flavor and delicious texture.
- Chopped celery: gives the dressing its savory, earthy flavor.
- Unsalted butter: adds richness and moisture.
- Cornbread, crumbled: use your favorite recipe, a store-bought mix, or my sweet and simple cornbread recipe.
- White bread, allowed to dry some, crumbled
- Chicken broth: adds a savory chicken flavor and helps to keep the dressing moist.
- Evaporated milk: adds moisture to the dressing to keep it from drying out while baking.
- Large eggs, lightly beaten: binds the ingredients and adds moisture.
- Kosher salt: enhances the flavors of the aromatics and the poultry seasoning.
- Fresh ground pepper: adds warmth and complements the other seasonings.
- Poultry seasoning: a blend of herbs and warm spices that traditionally features that gives the dressing its classic Thanksgiving stuffing flavor.
- Sage: adds a warm, earthy, peppery flavor to the dressing that complements the aromatics.
Supplies:
- Large saucepan
- 9×13-inch baking dish
How to Make Cornbread Dressing
- First preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 9×13-inch baking dish and set it aside.
- Then, in a large saucepan, heat the butter over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and celery. Let sauté until tender, about 5 minutes.
- Next, add the crumbled cornbread and white bread to a large mixing bowl.
- Stir in the sauteed onion and celery. Pour 1/4 cup chicken broth, evaporated milk and lightly beaten eggs over the cornbread mixture and stir until well combined. Mixture should be moist & mushy. Add additional chicken broth, if needed. Season to taste with salt, pepper, poultry seasoning and sage.
- Pour into the prepared baking dish and bake for about 40 minutes or until set.
Make Ahead and Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days. Cornbread dressing doesn’t freeze super well long term, so if you freeze your leftovers, plan on using them within a couple weeks.
If you’re making your cornbread dressing in advance, prepare only to the point of baking, then wrap tightly in plastic wrap and foil before freezing. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator, and then bake according to the directions.
If you make this Cornbread Dressing, be sure to snap a picture and share it with me or tag me on Instagram @thebakermama so I can see. If you’re on Facebook, be sure to join my Friends of The BakerMama group to connect and share all the fun and yummy recipes of mine that you make! 😍 I just love seeing how inspired and creative y’all get with the ideas I share. Enjoy!
xoxo,
Cornbread Dressing
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 40
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 10
Description
No matter what else is on the menu, this perfectly moist and seasoned Cornbread Dressing will be the talk of your holiday table!
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 1 cup chopped celery
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 4 cups cornbread, crumbled
- 3 cups white bread, allowed to dry some, crumbled
- 1/4–1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1/4 cup evaporated milk
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
- 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
- 1 teaspoon sage
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a 9×13-inch baking dish and set aside.
- In a large saucepan, heat the butter over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and celery. Let sauté until tender, about 5 minutes.
- Add the crumbled cornbread and white bread to a large mixing bowl. Stir in the sauteed onion and celery.
- Pour 1/4 cup chicken broth, evaporated milk and lightly beaten eggs over the bread mixture and stir until well combined. Mixture should be moist & mushy. Add additional chicken broth, if needed.
- Season to taste with salt, pepper, poultry seasoning and sage.
- Pour into the prepared baking dish and bake for about 40 minutes or until set.
My hubby does not like celery. Can I just leave it out of this recipe? Or should I substitute something else?
p.s. we love your banana pudding and it has been a staple for many years! I do not cook/bake very often and it is so simple for someone like me — but always gets lots of compliments at home and at church gatherings. Yummy!
Hi Ann! Absolutely, you can leave the celery out! It will slightly change the texture (a little less crunch), but it’ll still be delicious. If you want a bit of that texture without the celery flavor, you could try chopped bell pepper. So glad y’all love the banana pudding! That makes my day! 😊 Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!