Description
This Sausage Southern Cornbread Stuffing is a perfect holiday side dish combining savory breakfast sausage, aromatic herbs, and moist cornbread for a comforting and flavorful stuffing. It features a blend of fresh sage, thyme, and poultry seasoning that complements the rich sausage and buttery cornbread, baked to a golden, crispy finish.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Vegetables
- 1 pound breakfast sausage
- 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
Other Ingredients
- 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 sausage until browned and cooked through, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon. Transfer to a large bowl, leaving about 1 tablespoon of fat in the pan.
- Sauté the vegetables: Add onion and celery to the skillet and sauté for 8-10 minutes until soft. Add garlic and cook for 1-2 more minutes. Transfer this mixture to the bowl with the cooked sausage.
- Combine dry ingredients: Add cubed cornbread to the bowl along with parsley, sage, thyme, poultry seasoning, salt, and pepper. Gently toss everything together to combine evenly.
- Mix wet ingredients and moisten stuffing: In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs together with 2 1/2 cups chicken broth. Pour this over the stuffing mixture, add the melted butter, and gently fold until the mixture is well moistened. Add more broth if the stuffing seems dry.
- Prepare for baking: Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish. Transfer the stuffing mixture to the dish and cover it with foil.
- Bake the stuffing: Bake covered for 25 minutes, then remove the foil and continue baking for another 20-25 minutes until the top is golden brown and crispy.
- Rest and garnish: Let the stuffing rest for 5-10 minutes before serving. Garnish with extra fresh parsley or sage if desired.
Notes
- Use day-old or slightly dried cornbread for best texture.
- Adjust the chicken broth quantity for your preferred stuffing moisture; less for drier stuffing, more for moister.
- Feel free to substitute breakfast sausage with spicy sausage for extra heat.
- This stuffing can be prepared a day ahead and baked just before serving.
- Leftovers reheat well and make great additions to sandwiches or as a side dish.
