This is the Best Cornbread Stuffing recipe and the perfect side dish to serve for Thanksgiving or any other winter holidays. It combines both cornbread and French bread to make the most chewy, moist, flavorful, and delicious stuffing.
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Best Cornbread Stuffing Recipe
If you are a fan of my Grandma’s Thanksgiving Stuffing, you will love this old fashioned Cornbread Stuffing recipe. We do Grandma proud by combining both regular bread and cornbread for a stuffing that is perfectly moist, fluffy, and lightly golden brown on top.
This easy Cornbread Stuffing is packed with fresh herbs, celery, onions, and loads of homemade cornbread and bread cubes. There’s nothing fancy about it - just pure, delicious comfort food done right.
You can make your own cornbread, use a box mix, or even purchase cornbread at the store. The key is to make sure that any bread and cornbread for stuffing has been properly dried ahead of time, which we’ll guide you through below.
Cornbread Stuffing Ingredients
- Dry Bread - you can make your own dried bread cubes, or buy them in the deli or bakery section of the grocery store. You want them to be about ½” - ¾” in size. I like to use French bread, sourdough, or any other fresh bakery loaves.
- Dry Cornbread - again, you can make your own Homemade Cornbread, purchase a pan from the store, or make from a boxed cornbread stuffing mix (Jiffy cornbread dressing tastes great). It’s best to bake or buy it at least a day or two ahead of time if possible. This will make the drying process quicker and easier.
- Butter - you can use salted or unsalted butter for this recipe.
- Onion - white or yellow onions work great.
- Celery - you can use the entire stalk, cutting it into uniform ½” pieces.
- Poultry Seasoning - you should be able to find this in the spice section at the store.
- Herbs - this recipe calls for thyme, sage, and rosemary (or any combination of these). I prefer fresh herbs, but in a pinch, dried will work, too.
- Salt and Pepper
- Eggs - any type of large eggs will work great.
- Chicken Stock - you can purchase stock in the box from the store, or even make your own. You can also use vegetable stock to make this vegetarian. The amount of broth needed will depend on how dense and moist your bread it.
- Parsley - fresh chopped parsley is an optional garnish. It adds a nice freshness to your stuffing.
How to Make The Best Cornbread Stuffing Recipe
- Dry your cornbread and bread. See below for details on how to make your own dried bread cubes. Once dry, allow them to cool.
- Make the dressing mixture. In a large skillet over medium heat, add and melt butter. Add the onions and celery and cook, stirring frequently, until tender and translucent - about 8 minutes. Add the poultry seasoning, thyme, sage, rosemary, salt and 2 cups of the chicken broth. Next, add the eggs and whisk until combined.
- Fold in the dry bread and broth. Put the dry cubed bread and cornbread into a large bowl and pour the chicken broth and celery mixture over the top of the bread. Gently fold the ingredients together. The stuffing should be moist but there should be no standing liquid. If it seems dry, add up to 2 more cups of chicken broth.
- Bake. Spray a 9" x 13" baking pan with non-stick cooking spray and spread the stuffing evenly into the prepared dish. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 45-60 minutes, stirring gently every 15-20 minutes. The top should be lightly golden brown.
- Serve. Remove from the oven and top with chopped fresh parsley before serving warm. Enjoy!
How to Dry Cornbread for Stuffing
- Cut into cubes. Using a serrated bread knife, cut the bread and cornbread into cubes, about ½" to ¾" cubed pieces, and lay them on a baking sheet in a single layer.
- Bake in a low oven. Bake in a preheated 250-degree oven for about an hour, tossing them a few times to make sure they dry all the way through.
- Cool. Remove from the oven and set aside while you prepare the rest of the stuffing. If you make these ahead of time, let them cool completely then transfer to an airtight container and store at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Recipe Variations for Cornbread Stuffing
Cornbread Stuffing is a classic side dish, especially during the holiday season. Here are some creative recipe variations that give you ideas for different flavors and diets:
- Cornbread Stuffing with Sausage and Apples: Incorporate crumbled sausage and sautéed apples into your cornbread stuffing for a harmonious blend of sweet and savory flavors. The apples add a delightful contrast to the rich sausage.
- Cranberry Pecan Cornbread Stuffing: Mix dried cranberries and toasted pecans into your stuffing for a festive crunch and a burst of sweet-tart flavor.
- Wild Mushroom Cornbread Stuffing: Sauté a mix of wild mushrooms, such as shiitake, oyster, and cremini, and blend them into your cornbread stuffing. The earthy depth of mushrooms adds a rich, umami quality.
- Cornbread Stuffing with Sausage: Add slices of Andouille sausage to your stuffing for a spicy Cajun twist. The smokiness and heat of the sausage create a memorable and bold flavor.
- Southwestern Cornbread Stuffing: Spice up your cornbread stuffing with ingredients like black beans, corn, diced green chilies, and a sprinkle of chili powder.
- Maple Bacon Cornbread Stuffing: Incorporate crumbled bacon and a drizzle of pure maple syrup into your stuffing for a sweet and smoky combination that's perfect for brunch or holiday dinners.
- Vegan and Vegetarian Cornbread Dressing: Create a vegan-friendly version by using vegetable broth and replacing butter with plant-based options. Add vegetables like celery, carrots, and onions for a comforting and plant-based side dish.
- Gluten Free Cornbread Stuffing: Replace both the regular cornbread and French bread with gluten free cornbread.
Frequently Asked Questions
You want your cornbread cubes to feel dry when touched, rather than moist. If they are too wet, they won’t absorb as much of the mixture and you risk the baked stuffing being dry which is not what you want. It’s best to make or buy your cornbread at least a couple days in advance if possible.
Dressing and stuffing are essentially the same thing. Technically, stuffing refers to a bread mixture that is cooked inside of your turkey while dressing refers to one that is cooked in a separate pan. However, you likely call this popular side dish whatever your family calls it, or whatever the recipe you are using calls it because the two terms are used interchangeably.
Yup! Make sure to wrap well with aluminum foil and plastic wrap and store frozen for up to 2 months. To thaw, transfer to the fridge overnight. You can reheat in the microwave or in a 350 degree oven.
This recipe calls for equal parts cornbread and regular bread. Our favorite breads to use for stuffing are ones that will hold up well, such as sourdough, French bread, or any type of fresh bakery or homemade loaves. Avoid sliced bread because it contains a lot of moisture.
Storing and Reheating
- Refrigerator: either cover with plastic or transfer to an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Make Ahead: You can make the cornbread stuffing and instead of cooking it, place it in a gallon zip-lock bag and store for a couple days before cooking. It's perfect to make-ahead for the holidays.
- Freezer: leftovers can be wrapped in both aluminum foil and plastic wrap and stored in the freezer for up to 2 months. Transfer to the fridge overnight to thaw.
- To reheat: reheat dressing in the microwave or a warm oven.
Best Cornbread Stuffing Recipe
Ingredients
Bread for Stuffing
- 8 cups Bread cubed (about 3 large loaves of bread)
- 8 cups Cornbread cubed (one recipe of Homemade Cornbread or store bought)
Ingredients for Stuffing
- ½ cup Butter
- 2 cups Onion ½" dice
- 2 cups Celery ½" dice
- 3 teaspoon Poultry Seasoning
- ½ teaspoon Thyme fresh chopped or dried
- ½ teaspoon Sage fresh chopped or dried
- ½ teaspoon Rosemary fresh chopped or dried
- 2 teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
- 2 large Eggs
- 3-4 cups Chicken Broth or vegetable stock
- 1 Tablespoon Parsley fresh chopped for garnish, add after baking
Instructions
How to Make Homemade Breadcrumbs for Stuffing
- Preheat oven to 250 degrees.
- Using a serrated bread knife, cut the bread and cornbread into cubes, about ½" to ¾" cubed pieces, and lay them on a baking sheet in a single layer.
- Bake in a 250-degree oven for about an hour, tossing them a few times to make sure they dry all the way through.
- Remove from the oven and set aside while you prepare the rest of the stuffing. If you make these ahead of time, let them cool completely then transfer to an airtight container and store at room temperature for up to 1 week.
How to Make Cornbread Stuffing
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- In a large pot over medium heat, add the butter and melt. Add onion and celery and cook, stirring frequently, until tender and translucent - about 8 minutes.
- Add the poultry seasoning, thyme, sage, rosemary, salt and 2 cups of the chicken broth. Next, add the eggs and whisk until combined.
- Put the dry cubed bread and cornbread into a large bowl and pour the chicken broth and celery mixture over the top of the bread. Gently fold the ingredients together. The stuffing should be moist but there should be no standing liquid. If it seems dry, add up to 2 more cups of chicken broth.
- Spray a 9" x 13" baking dish with non-stick cooking spray and spread the stuffing evenly into the prepared dish.
- Bake in a preheated oven for 45-60 minutes, stirring gently every 15-20 minutes. The top should be lightly golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and top with chopped fresh parsley before serving warm. Enjoy!
Nutrition
More of the Best Thanksgiving Recipes
- Crockpot Turkey Breast
- Thanksgiving Herb-Roasted Turkey
- Rump Roast Slow Cooker
- Top Round Roast Recipe
- Cranberry Orange Sauce
- Potato Rolls
- Holiday Veggie Tray
- Fall Harvest Salad
- Ham Cheese Ball
- Thanksgiving Wild Rice
- Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe
- More Thanksgiving Side Dishes
- More Side Dishes
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This is the Best Cornbread Stuffing Recipe, using our favorite Grandma's Thanksgiving Stuffing recipe as a base to make the most delicious version of the classic side dish. Whether you use homemade cornbread or store bought, you'll fall in love with this easy recipe.
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