Sausage and Cornbread Dressing at Home

Sausage and Cornbread Dressing is a savory side dish to serve this Thanksgiving. Toasted cornbread is tossed with browned hot (or mild) sausage, sautéed onions, celery and fresh herbs. A sweet and savory combination that is a flavor explosion for your tastebuds. This dish serves 10.

I’ve died and gone to cornbread dressing heaven.

While pulling together my Thanksgiving menu I usually go through my many notebooks of hand written recipes in search of something I’ve jotted down in the past and never got around to making. I was flipping through pages when I found this gem and I can’t believe I’ve never shared it! It’s a old-school. Browned sausage, toasty cornbread and fresh herbs? A recipe SO simple yet packed with lots of flavor.

I then built the rest of menu around this stuffing. Did you see these cinnamon roasted hot honey sweet potatoes, giblet gravy or this apple and herb roasted turkey?

For this Sausage and Cornbread Dressing Gather:

• olive oil spray – For use ghee oil spray for pan.
• cornbread – Use from-scratch or store-bought.
• pork breakfast sausage – Use mild or hot pork breakfast sausage.
• celery – Lends earthy flavor and flavor-packed texture.
• yellow onion – Adds a sweet and subtle onion flavor to the recipe.
• parsley – Adds pop of green and herbaceous flavor.
• rosemary (fresh) – Adds a pine-like or woodsy flavor with notes of lemon, pepper and sage.
• sage (fresh) – Gives a woodsy, earthy and slight peppery flavor with notes of citrusy mint.
• thyme (fresh) – Lends an earthy, slightly minty and lemony flavor.
• low-sodium chicken broth – Use from-scratch or store-bought.
• egg – Needed to bind the stuffing ingredients together.
• kosher salt – Enhances the flavors in this dish.

What type of Pork is go-to for Cornbread stuffing (err dressing)?

I like to use hot pork sausage because I think the subtle heat works nicely with the sweetness of the cornbread. However, mild pork sausage would be simply as flavor-packed.

Toast the Cornbread:

Preheat your oven to 400℉ (or 200℃).

Line a rimmed sheet pan with parchment and spray lightly with olive oil spray. Then cut cornbread into 1-inch cubes. Set out 6 cups or about 16 ounces total.

Arrange the cornbread cubes in an even layer and bake for 10 to 14 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through.

Once golden, remove and set aside to cool.

Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (or 180°C).

Once cool, add to a large mixing bowl.

Meanwhile, brown 1 pound hot or mild pork breakfast sausage until fully cooked and browned.

Transfer to a paper towel lined plate and set aside.

Drain off all but 2 tablespoons fat from the sausage and add in 1½ cups sliced celery and 1 cup diced yellow onion. Cook on medium to medium-low heat until tender and the onions translucent. About 10 to 12 minutes.

To the cornbread, add the sausage, celery and onions.

Next, measure and add 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, 2 tablespoons minced parsley and 1 tablespoon each of minced rosemary, sage and thyme.

To 1½ cups of low-sodium chicken broth, crack in 1 large egg and whisk until incorporated.

Pour that into the bowl with the stuffing ingredients.

Gently toss to combine.

I like big pieces of cornbread along with some crumbles in my stuffing. However, feel free to mix it up however you prefer.

Spray a 3-quart casserole dish with olive oil spray and transfer the stuffing mixture.

Bake (at 350℉ or 180℃) and for 30 minutes, rotating halfway through, or until the top is golden brown. Serve immediately.

Can You make Cornbread Dressing in advance?

Yes! After transferring the stuffing mixture to the casserole dish, cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate 1 to 2 days! Then uncover and bake when you’re ready.

Enjoy! And if you give this Sausage and Cornbread Stuffing recipe a try, let me know! Snap a photo and tag me on twitter or instagram!