Description
A comforting and flavorful Southern Cornbread Stuffing made with savory breakfast sausage, sautéed vegetables, fresh herbs, and moist cornbread, baked to golden perfection. This classic holiday side dish combines traditional spices and a buttery texture, making it an irresistible addition to any festive meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Sausage Mixture
- 1 pound breakfast sausage
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 1 large onion, finely diced
- 3 celery stalks, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
Herbs and Seasonings
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh sage, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- 2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Base and Binder
- 8 cups cubed cornbread
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 2 1/2 to 3 cups chicken broth
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
- Cook the sausage: In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the breakfast sausage until browned and fully cooked, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon as it cooks. Once done, transfer the sausage to a large mixing bowl, leaving about 1 tablespoon of the sausage fat in the skillet.
- Sauté the vegetables: Add the diced onion and celery to the skillet with the reserved sausage fat. Sauté over medium heat for 8-10 minutes until the vegetables are soft and translucent. Add the minced garlic and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Transfer the cooked vegetables to the bowl with the sausage.
- Combine herbs and cornbread: Add the cubed cornbread to the bowl along with fresh parsley, sage, thyme, poultry seasoning, salt, and pepper. Gently toss all ingredients together ensuring an even distribution of herbs and seasoning.
- Add eggs and broth: In a separate bowl, whisk the beaten eggs with 2 1/2 cups of chicken broth. Pour this mixture over the stuffing ingredients in the large bowl. Add the melted butter and gently fold everything together, moistening the bread well. If the mixture feels too dry, add up to an additional 1/2 cup broth to reach desired consistency.
- Prepare for baking: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish and transfer the stuffing mixture evenly into it. Cover the dish tightly with foil to keep moisture in during the initial baking.
- Bake the stuffing: Place the covered dish in the preheated oven and bake for 25 minutes. After this time, remove the foil and continue baking for another 20 to 25 minutes until the top is golden brown and crispy.
- Rest and serve: Remove the stuffing from the oven and let it rest uncovered for 5 to 10 minutes. Garnish with extra chopped parsley or sage if desired before serving.
Notes
- For best results, use homemade or day-old cornbread to ensure the stuffing has a good texture and absorbs the liquids properly.
- You can make this dish a day ahead and refrigerate it before baking to save time on the day of serving.
- For a vegetarian version, substitute the sausage with a plant-based sausage and use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
- Adjust the amount of chicken broth for wetter or drier stuffing consistency based on preference.
- Leftover stuffing can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and reheated in the oven.
