Cornbread Stuffing, a comforting side dish for Thanksgiving, Christmas and any special family meal. Made with cubed homemade savoury cornbread, celery, chicken stock and a lovely hint of fresh sage, this stuffing is baked until beautifully golden with crispy edges, but moist and soft in the middle. Easy to make, and utterly delicious, this side dish is a great accompaniment to any roast or roast alternatives.
Unlike traditional bread stuffing, which is made with white or wholemeal bread, cornbread stuffing uses cornbread as the main ingredient. This dish is particularly popular in the Southern US, where is it also called cornbread dressing.
The difference between stuffing and dressing is that while stuffing is usually cooked inside the turkey, dressing is served on the side. Nowadays, however, both terms are used interchangeably.
The lovely thing about this recipe is that is uses only simple, everyday ingredients to create a comforting dish that is wonderfully delicious. I made my cornbread stuffing is homemade savoury cornbread, which I think works so much better than the sweeter versions.
As much as I do love cornbread with added sugar, and I have quite a few recipes myself like honey cornbread with Greek yogurt, pumpkin cornbread, buttermilk cornbread muffins or jalapeno cheddar cornbread muffins, the stuffing is meant to be a savoury dish, so I prefer the savoury cornbread for it.
You can, of course, use any other cornbread recipe if you don't particularly want a sugar-free cornbread, but in my opinion, this dish is perfect the way it is. I absolutely love the addition of sage, celery, onion and garlic, plus the flavourful chicken stock.
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Note!
Go to the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact quantities and detailed instructions!
Ingredients overview
- cornbread - I used my homemade cornbread for this recipe, but only used 400 g for cornbread, the recipe yields more than that. We enjoyed some of the cornbread cornbread on the day I baked it and used the leftovers for the stuffing
- celery - adds a nice crunch and texture to the stuffing
- onion & garlic - fried until golden and flavourful, they make a great base for this dish
- butter - used for frying the veggies, this adds richness and tons of flavours
- chicken stock/ broth - a much more flavourful option than just adding plain water, you can also crumble a bouillon stock in hot water and use that instead
- eggs - together with the stock they act as a binding agent, keeping the cornbread cubes together
- salt & pepper - to taste
- fresh parsley and sage - add flavour and a pop of colour
Step-by-step photos and instructions
- add the butter to a pan set over a medium heat, and allow it to melt
- and the peeled and chopped onion, season with salt, and fry it until golden
- chop the celery sticks and add them to the pan; mix well and leave them to fry for a further 2-3 minutes until the celery begins to soften
- season with black pepper, add the chopped sage and mix well
- cut the cornbread into cubes and add them to a roasting tray ( my tray is 27 x 22 x 5 cm or 10.5 x 8.5 x 2 inches)
- add the veggies and toss everything together
- beat the eggs well, then pour them over the stock and mix
- pour the mixture over the cornbread gradually to allow the cornbread to soak up the liquid
- cover the tray with kitchen foil and bake for 20 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for a further 15 minutes until golden and crispy on the outside
EXpert tips
I prefer to cut the cornbread into cubes rather than crumble it, mushy stuffing isn't as appealing to me as a chunkier one that have lovely crispy edges, but it's still beautifully moist and soft on the inside.
Use slightly-stale cornbread for this recipe, it absorbs the stock while retaining its texture. Freshly-baked cornbread will turn mushy more easily when it absorbs all the liquid. If you don't have day old cornbread, you can cut it into cubes and dry in the oven at a low temperature for 10-15 minutes.
Soften the veggies properly before adding them to the cornbread, they add a lot more flavour once fried, and gives a better texture.
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Cornbread Stuffing
Video
Ingredients
- 400 g savoury cornbread (14 oz cubed cornbread)
- 60 g butter ( 4 tbsp)
- 2 celery sticks
- 2 eggs
- 1 onion
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 300 ml chicken stock (broth, 10 floz)
- 3 fresh sage leaves
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius (350 Fahrenheit).
- Place the cornbread cut into cubes into a roasting tray, mine is 27 x 22 x 5 cm or 10.5 x 8.5 x 2 inches.
- Melt the butter in a large frying pan, add the peeled and chopped onion and garlic, and fry them on a medium heat until golden.
- Add the chopped celery sticks, mix well, and allow them to fry for a further 2-3 minutes.
- Chop the sage and add it to the pan, then season with ground black pepper.
- Add the veggie mixture to the cornbread, and toss everything well.
- Use a fork to beat the eggs well, then pour them over the chicken stock, stirring well to combine.
- Gradually pour the egg mixture over the cornbread, then cover the tray with kitchen foil.
- Bake for 20 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for a further 15 minutes until golden and crispy on the outside, but moist on the inside.
- Garnish with chopped parsley.
Notes
- I prefer to cut the cornbread into cubes rather than crumble it, mushy stuffing isn't as appealing to me as a chunkier one that have lovely crispy edges, but it's still beautifully moist and soft on the inside.
- Use slightly-stale cornbread for this recipe, it absorbs the stock while retaining its texture. Freshly-baked cornbread will turn mushy more easily when it absorbs all the liquid. If you don't have day old cornbread, you can cut it into cubes and dry in the oven at a low temperature for 10-15 minutes.
- Soften the veggies properly before adding them to the cornbread, they add a lot more flavour once fried, and gives a better texture.
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