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    Home » Holiday Favorites » Thanksgiving

    Cornbread Stuffing

    By Jill Baird · Published November 2, 2022 · Updated December 22, 2022 · Leave a Comment

    cornbread stuffing recipe in a glass baking dish, best cornbread stuffing recipe

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    easy cornbread stuffing recipe
    best cornbread stuffing recipe
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    recipe for cornbread stuffing
    thanksgiving homemade cornbread stuffing recipe
    homemade cornbread stuffing recipe

    This savory Cornbread Stuffing is a 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.

    Jump to:
    • Best Cornbread Stuffing Recipe
    • Ingredients in Cornbread Stuffing
    • How to Make This Recipe for Cornbread Stuffing
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Storing and Reheating
    • Cornbread Stuffing Recipe
    • More of the Best Thanksgiving Recipes

    Best Cornbread Stuffing Recipe

    If you are a fan of my Grandma’s Thanksgiving Stuffing, you will love this recipe for Cornbread Stuffing. 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 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.

    A baking pan full of Cornbread stuffing ready to bake. best cornbread for stuffing, homemade cornbread stuffing.

    Ingredients in Cornbread Stuffing

    • 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 or purchase a pan from the store. 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.
    Side by side photos showing a pot with onions, celery, and butter, a small bowl full of herbs and spices, and a pot with the cooked onions and celery.

    How to Make This Recipe for Cornbread Stuffing

    1. Dry your cornbread and bread. See below for details on how to make your own dried bread cubes. Once dry, allow them to cool.
    2. 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.
    3. 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.
    4. 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.
    5. Serve. Remove from the oven and top with chopped fresh parsley before serving warm.  Enjoy!
    Side by side photos of a pan with cubed cornbread, a bowl with both dried bread and dried cornbread, and the dried bread in a bowl with the rest of the mixture being poured over the top.

    How to Dry Cornbread for Stuffing

    1. 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.
    2. 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.
    3. 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.
    A large pan of baked cornbread topped with fresh parsley.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    How stale should cornbread for stuffing be?

    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.

    What’s the difference between dressing and stuffing?

    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.

    Can you freeze stuffing?

    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.

    What’s the best bread to use for stuffing?

    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.
    cornbread stuffing recipe in a glass baking dish, best cornbread stuffing recipe
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    Cornbread Stuffing Recipe

    This savory Cornbread Stuffing is a 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.
    Course Side Dish
    Cuisine American
    Prep Time 1 hour hour 20 minutes minutes
    Cook Time 1 hour hour
    Total Time 2 hours hours 20 minutes minutes
    Servings 20 people
    Calories 631kcal
    Author The Carefree Kitchen

    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

    Calories: 631kcal | Carbohydrates: 99g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 85mg | Sodium: 1430mg | Potassium: 328mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 22g | Vitamin A: 402IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 264mg | Iron: 5mg

    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

    If you’ve tried this recipe, please rate it and leave a comment on this post. I love hearing feedback from you. It helps me and other readers too! If you love Pinterest,  feel free to leave a comment and photo there too.  Also, if you like to share, use the hashtag #thecarefreekitchen on Instagram and tag me @thecarefreekitchen so I can find you and give your post some love. You can also find me on Facebook at The Carefree Kitchen. Thank you!!

    This classic Cornbread Stuffing uses 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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