This cornbread dressing is simple to make with everyday ingredients. Buttery, savory, and scented with fresh herbs, it’s a comforting holiday side that pairs beautifully with roast turkey and seasonal vegetables.
A great stuffing or dressing is essential for holiday meals. This cornbread dressing works equally well baked separately or used to fill a bird. It’s flexible — use a boxed cornbread stuffing mix or cubed, dried homemade cornbread — and you can prepare much of it ahead of time.
Cornbread Stuffing: Ingredients & Substitutions
- Yellow onion. Any onion variety will work; choose your favorite.
- Minced garlic. Jarred or fresh is fine. Substitute 1 teaspoon garlic powder for 1 tablespoon minced garlic if needed.
- Salted butter. Unsalted butter or ghee can be used instead.
- Fresh herbs (sage, rosemary, parsley). Fresh herbs give the best flavor, but dried herbs can be used in a pinch.
- Cornbread stuffing package or cubed homemade cornbread. Use a boxed cornbread stuffing mix or about 8 cups of dried, cubed cornbread.
- Chicken broth. Vegetable broth is a good vegetarian alternative.
How to Make Cornbread Dressing
Follow these steps to make cornbread dressing. If you’re using homemade cornbread, cube it and dry it slightly before mixing with broth for the best texture.
1. In a large bowl, combine the cornbread stuffing mix or cubed cornbread with the chicken (or vegetable) broth. Gently stir every couple of minutes until the bread absorbs the liquid. Set aside.
Note: For homemade cornbread, cut into small cubes and bake at 325°F for 15–25 minutes until slightly crisp, then cool completely before starting.
2. While the bread soaks, melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook diced onion, minced garlic, and diced celery with the rosemary, sage, and parsley until the vegetables are soft and fragrant.
3. Stir salt and pepper into the vegetable mixture, then combine it with the hydrated stuffing. Mix gently until everything is evenly distributed. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
Bake
You can either stuff a turkey with this mixture following your bird’s recipe or bake it as a casserole. For baking:
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 9×13″ baking dish.
- Bake uncovered for a crunchy top. Transfer the stuffing to the prepared dish and bake 25–30 minutes until the top is set and lightly browned.
- Or bake covered for a softer texture. Cover the dish with foil or a lid and bake until heated through.
Serve
Serve the dressing warm alongside your favorite Thanksgiving or holiday mains. It pairs well with roast turkey, gravy, sweet potatoes, green beans, roasted Brussels sprouts, sautéed apples, and cranberry sauce.
Store/Freeze
Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge before reheating.
Prepare in Advance
This dressing can be made a day ahead. Bake it completely, allow it to cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate. To reheat, bake covered at 350°F until warmed through; remove the cover for the last 5–10 minutes to crisp the top. If it seems dry, add a splash of broth before reheating.
Cornbread Dressing Recipe FAQs
Technically, “stuffing” refers to the mixture when it’s cooked inside a bird, while “dressing” is baked separately. In practice the terms are often used interchangeably.
Yes. Cut cornbread into small cubes and bake at 325°F for 15–25 minutes until slightly firm. Let it cool before using so it absorbs broth without becoming mushy.
Yes — you can assemble uncooked stuffing and refrigerate or freeze it. Alternatively, baking it ahead and reheating on the day often gives the best results.
If you try this recipe and enjoy it, please leave a comment and rating. I love seeing your photos and feedback.
Cornbread Dressing Recipe (Cornbread Stuffing)
Laura
Equipment
- non-stick fry pan
- measuring spoons
- measuring cups
- mixing bowl
- spatula
- 9×13″ baking dish
Ingredients
- 1 cup yellow onion, diced
- 1 cup celery, diced
- 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
- 4 Tablespoons salted butter
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 Tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
- 1 Tablespoon minced fresh sage leaves
- 1 Tablespoon minced fresh parsley
- 1 12-ounce package cornbread stuffing (or 8 cups cubed cornbread)
- 4 cups chicken broth (1 quart)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 9×13″ pan and set aside.
- Combine stuffing mix or cubed cornbread with the chicken broth in a large bowl. Stir gently every 2 minutes until the bread absorbs the liquid; set aside.
- In a skillet, melt butter and cook onion, garlic, celery, rosemary, sage, and parsley until the vegetables are soft.
- Season with salt and pepper and stir to combine.
- Add the vegetable mixture to the bowl with the stuffing and mix until evenly combined. Taste and adjust seasoning.
- Transfer stuffing to the prepared baking dish. Bake 25–30 minutes until the top is set and lightly browned. For a softer result, bake covered.
- Serve warm.
Notes
Ingredient Substitutions
- Onion: any variety works.
- Garlic: jarred or fresh; or 1 teaspoon garlic powder instead of 1 tablespoon minced garlic.
- Butter: use unsalted butter or ghee if preferred.
- Herbs: fresh herbs are best; dried can substitute in a pinch.
- Broth: vegetable broth works in place of chicken broth.
Make ahead & reheating
- Bake the dressing completely and let it cool to room temperature.
- Cover and refrigerate overnight.
- To reheat: cover and bake at 350°F until warmed through, then remove the cover for the last 5–10 minutes to crisp the top. Add a splash of broth if it dried out.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is an estimate and should be used as a guideline.
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Easy Sausage Stuffing Recipe
Corn Pudding
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Best Cornbread Recipe
