Cornbread Stuffing Recipe

With a 60/40 ratio of cornbread to Italian bread our Cornbread Stuffing Recipe is the perfect combo of sweet and savory. We stud the base with salty Italian sausage, sweet dried cranberries, fresh herbs and alll the buttery onion, garlic and celery. A classic done right!

Cornbread Stuffing Recipe

Stuffing is personal and people are very finicky concerning it. Some like it more on the dry side and some prefer it moist, almost soggy.

There are long-standing family recipes never to be diverted from and those that love to shake it up and tinker with new and exciting ways to prepare it each year.

There’s cornbread stuffing versus white bread stuffing. Artisan bread versus sandwich bread.

I’ll say it again. Stuffing is personal.

Me? I worship stuffing all the ways. I love traditional stuffing made with white bread. Southern stuffing made with all cornbread. I love my late Grandmother’s soup-like dressing my husband not-so-lovingly calls – Mother’s dressing.

I love it with butternut squash. Apples. Cheese. Nuts.

However, if I had to pick only one it would be today’s hybrid Cornbread Stuffing Recipe. While I’m very fond of the taste and texture of cornbread, I tend to think stuffing made with 100% cornbread is too sweet for my personal taste, so I’ve settled on an approximate 60/40 ratio of Italian bread to cornbread. It’s a true winner.

Let’s get started.

Ingredients in our Cornbread Stuffing Recipe

Bread. I like to use Italian bread or ciabatta. Also you do need to make sure it’s at least a day old OR you can dry it out in the oven.

Cornbread. I’m store bought cornbread all the way. Again, make sure to buy it in advance, cut it up and let it dry.

Butter. All good stuffing recipes start with lots of butter. I like to use salted butter but unsalted works as well.

Veggies. Onion and celery are my picks. I like an even ratio of the two.

Herbs. Fresh herbs are the keys to our cornbread stuffing recipe. We use sage and fresh parsley. Thyme would be nice as well!

Chicken broth. Aside from the butter, you will need something to moisten the stuffing. Low-sodium chicken stock is my pick but you can also use turkey stock if that’s what you have.

Egg. I always use one or two eggs to bind the stuffing together.

Let’s make Cornbread Stuffing

Dry the bread. If you remember, set the bread out a day or two ahead. I dice everything into 1/2-inch cubes prior to drying it out and then spread it all on a large baking sheet. IIf you don’t have time to dry it out ahead of time, bake the breads in a 325 degree oven for about 15 minutes until fairly hard – without this step the mixture will just become a soggy mess when the chicken stock is added.

Cook the sausage. Brown one pound of Italian sausage – sweet, original, or spicy will do. Drain and set aside.

Cook the veggies. Melt bit of butter in a large sauté pan, add veggies, herbs, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and cook over a medium heat until softened, about five minutes.

Toss. Add breads to a large bowl or stock pot. Toss to combine. Add warm cooked veggies, sausage, cranberries, and remaining salt to the bread mixture.

Add in 1 cup of chicken stock and egg to a liquid measuring cup, mix until combined. Pour over the bread. Toss. Pour the rest of the chicken stock in and toss again. If you like stuffing to have a little bit more liquid, add the extra 1/2 cup of chicken stock, if you prefer it on the dry side, leave it out. Totally a personal choice.

Bake. Transfer to a greased 9×12 baking dish and bake at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes or until golden brown.

Can I make stuffing in advance?

In short, yes. For best results bake the same day and serve right away. If you want prep it fully the night before, add the extra 1/2 cup of chicken stock and transfer to prepared baking pan. Cover with plastic wrap. 15 minutes before baking remove from the fridge. Bake as instructed.

Tips and Tricks for Recipe Success

• Don’t be tempted to add less stock than listed. It may seem wet at first but will dry up during the baking process.
• Make sure your bread is dry. Again if you forget the day ahead simply pop it into the oven.
• Don’t over bake. Once it’s golden brown, it’s good to go.