Cornbread. Stuffing. This shouldn’t be an “both… or…” state of affairs. This is the tag crew of your goals. Light, crumbly, and subtly candy cornbread from scratch PLUS the best of all Thanksgiving sides. Cornbread Stuffing is proof that you would be able to have all of it.
Why You’ll Love This Cornbread Stuffing With Sausage Recipe
- A Stuffing for Staunch Stuffing Skeptics. I do know many who assume stuffing is simply ho-hum, and I see you. Until I began making stuffing from scratch, I used to really feel this manner too. If you don’t take care of stuffing, it’s since you haven’t discovered the proper recipe but. Or, you’ve solely eaten stuffing from a field. Moist, flavorful do-it-yourself stuffing—like in the present day’s cornbread stuffing and my wildly scrumptious Chestnut Stuffing—are game-changers.
- Sausage Adds Substance. The fantastic thing about stuffing is that it’s bread—and everybody loves bread. However! This additionally makes stuffing just a little one-note. Sausage provides texture and tons of taste, making this Southern cornbread stuffing hearty and satisfying, like these Stuffing Muffins.
- Classic Flavors. Savory herbs convey the traditional Thanksgiving flavors residence, whereas apples and cranberries add texture, dimension, and a little bit of sweetness.
- It’s Not Just for Thanksgiving. Why can we save stuffing for Thanksgiving once we might (and SHOULD!) be to eat it yr spherical?! This cornbread stuffing pairs completely with turkey, however is equally as delectable by itself. I as soon as paired ours with a bowl of wealthy Crockpot Butternut Squash Soup, and it was one in all our favourite fall dinners thus far.
- Made With Love. Making cornbread stuffing with out a combine takes just a little further effort BUT that effort is minimal and the payoff is maximal. The holidays are the proper time to decelerate and discover extra high quality time with household and pals. And few issues present them your love greater than cooking from scratch. Plus, the style distinction when utilizing a cornbread combine recipe can not examine to do-it-yourself cornbread!
5 Star Review
“Loved this stuffing recipe! The cranberries give it a shock sweetness! This is certainly a keeper for years to come back.
— Angela T. —
Thank you!!”
A Note on Cornbread for Stuffing
The spine of this straightforward cornbread stuffing is essentially the most scrumptious do-it-yourself cornbread from scratch.
If you thought cornbread was just for chili, like this Jalapeño Cornbread or Mexican Cornbread, assume once more.
If you haven’t tried stuffing made with cornbread earlier than, it’s nothing in need of unbelievable. Cornmeal provides the stuffing an exquisite texture, and the flavour of the cornbread itself whereas barely sudden (in a refreshing method), matches proper in on the desk.
The cornbread recipe I’m utilizing right here is easy. It has a contact of honey to let the flavors of the stuffing shine, and it’s quick and spectacular sufficient to be TOTALLY well worth the effort. You don’t even must soiled a mixer.
To get your cornbread repair with a easy facet, strive these Cornbread Muffins.
How to Make Cornbread Stuffing
The Ingredients
- Cornmeal. The base of our straightforward, from-scratch cornbread. I like to recommend a medium grind to offer the stuffing just a little texture. (Wondering if you should utilize a combination as a substitute? See Substitution Tip beneath).
- Eggs. You put eggs in dressing to maintain the stuffing moist and make sure the cornbread holds collectively when folded with the opposite substances.
- Sweet Italian Chicken Sausage. I really like the additional pop of taste that Italian hen (or turkey) sausage brings to the stuffing. It makes it hearty and a standout. To make cornbread stuffing vegan, use a plant-based sausage and a vegan cornbread recipe.
- Onion + Celery. The excellent veggies so as to add to our cornbread stuffing. They give it complexity and depth.
- Dried Cranberries. A chewy and candy factor that provides shade, a enjoyable vacation vibe, and a further dimension.
- Herbs. Fresh sage and thyme are quintessential vacation flavors. I additionally added some parsley flakes.
- Apple. Make positive you select one which’s agency and tart, so it holds up properly in cooking and provides scrumptious taste. A Granny Smith apple would work fantastically right here.
The Directions
- Start the Cornbread. Melt the butter, then let it come to room temperature.
- Mix the Wet Ingredients. I take advantage of milk and vinegar for a shortcut buttermilk.
- Finish the Batter. Whisk collectively the dry substances. Fold within the moist substances.
- Bake. Bake the cornbread for 16 to twenty minutes at 425 levels F.
- Cube and Toast. This dries the cornbread so it will probably take in the flavorful stuffing liquid.
- Prep the Mix-Ins. Saute the sausage combination.
- Mix the Sausage and Wet Ingredients. Now we’re prepared for the cornbread.
- Add the Cornbread. Fold gently.
- Finish. Transfer the stuffing to a baking dish, and bake cornbread stuffing for 35 to 40 minutes at 375 levels F. ENJOY!
Make Ahead Cornbread Stuffing Tips
Get forward in your Thanksgiving menu with these make forward stuffing suggestions!
- Bake the Cornbread Ahead. You could make cornbread as much as 2 days prematurely and toast the cubes as much as 1 day prematurely. Store them in a container at room temperature.
- Cook the Mix-Ins Ahead. Sauté the onion, celery, sausage, and apples within the skillet (Steps 7-9 of the recipe beneath) the day earlier than. Refrigerate in an hermetic container.
- Make the Recipe Ahead. Really crunched on the massive day? You could make the cornbread stuffing 1 to 2 days forward of time and refrigerate it. (Leftover cornbread stuffing might be refrigerated for as much as 4 days, however personally, I favor it most on day 1 or 2, so wait so long as is possible.)
Storage Tips
- To Store. Transfer leftover Southern cornbread stuffing to an hermetic container and refrigerate for 3 to 4 days.
- To Freeze. Freeze leftovers in an hermetic container or zip-top bag for as much as 3 months. Let it thaw within the fridge earlier than reheating in response to the directions beneath.
Reheating Tips
If you make your cornbread absolutely prematurely, right here is the easiest way to reheat it:
- Reheating. Remove it from the fridge and let it come to room temperature so it would prepare dinner extra evenly. Cover the pan with foil, then place it in a 350 levels F oven and reheat to an inner temperature of 165 levels F. Depending on how a lot you’re reheating, this may take about half-hour.
- Crispy Top. To recreate the crispy prime after storing it within the fridge (a important stuffing issue!), take away the foil for the final 10-Quarter-hour of reheating; you may as well pop it underneath the broiler for a couple of minutes.
- Keep the Stuffing Moist. If the stuffing feels dry, add a splash of inventory (and even turkey juices) earlier than reheating.
What to Serve with Cornbread Stuffing
- Mixing Bowls. A wide range of sizes which are straightforward to retailer and clear.
- Baking Dish. You’ll end up utilizing this dish on repeat.
- Large Skillet. Great for sautéeing, browning, and a lot extra.
The Difference Between Dressing and Stuffing
The phrases “stuffing” and “dressing” are sometimes used interchangeably (this normally varies by household and area), however there’s a technical distinction between the 2.
- Stuffing refers to when the recipe is stuffed and cooked inside the poultry cavity.
- Dressing is used when it’s cooked in a separate pan outdoors of the poultry cavity.
Thus, technically this recipe is for cornbread dressing, however since I grew up utilizing the time period “stuffing” to embody each types of preparations, I’ll try this right here too.
(We might debate this; or we might comply with disagree and assist ourselves to further helpings. I favor the second concept. I hope you do too.)
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Use Your Own Favorite Cornbread. If you could have a most well-liked cornbread recipe, you should utilize that as a substitute of the one I’ve instructed. Just remember to bake it in an 8×8 or 9×9-inch pan so you find yourself with the proper variety of cubes; I’d additionally recommend selecting a recipe that doesn’t have too many extras in order that the flavors of the stuffing itself can shine.
- Don’t Add Regular Bread. I’ve seen varied iterations of Southern cornbread stuffing (just like the cornbread stuffing recipe from the Pioneer Woman) name for half cornbread and half common bread within the stuffing. After testing it each methods, I favor utilizing fully cornbread. The plain bread felt like a distraction.
- Toast the Cornbread. Cornbread doesn’t should be stale for stuffing; it solely must be toasted. Cut the cornbread into cubes, then toast it for a couple of minutes within the oven to dry the outsides. I like this strategy, as a result of it provides you the most effective management over the outcomes (and doesn’t take as a lot advance planning).
For the Cornbread:
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 cup nonfat milk at room temperature
- 1 tablespoons white vinegar or lemon juice
- 1 cup yellow cornmeal I take advantage of medium grind
- 1 cup white complete wheat flour or all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 massive eggs at room temperature
For the Stuffing:
- 2 ½ cups decreased sodium hen broth
- 2 massive eggs
- 1 pound candy Italian sausage I take advantage of hen or turkey sausage
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 medium yellow onion finely chopped
- 4 stalks celery reduce in small cube
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon floor black pepper
- 3 garlic cloves minced (about 1 tablespoon)
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- 2 tablespoons chopped recent sage or 2 teaspoons rubbed sage
- 1 tablespoon recent thyme leaves or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 tablespoon parsley flakes or 1/4 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
- 1 medium agency tart apple (corresponding to Granny smith) peeled and 1/2-inch diced
Bake the cornbread (do that as much as 2 days prematurely): Place a rack within the middle of your oven and preheat the oven to 425 levels F, with a baking rack on the center stage. Coat an 8×8-inch baking pan with nonstick spray. Melt the butter and let come to room temperature.
In a medium bowl or massive measuring cup, stir collectively the milk and vinegar. Allow it to sit down for five to 10 minutes, or till the milk has curdled barely (you may as well swap the milk for buttermilk, omit the vinegar, and skip this step). Stir within the honey, eggs, and melted butter.
In a big mixing bowl, whisk collectively the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the moist substances and fold gently to mix.
Pour the batter into the ready pan and easy the highest. Bake for 16 to twenty minutes, till the cornbread is gentle and golden brown, with a deeper golden brown on the edges. A toothpick inserted into the center ought to come out clear. Set apart to chill. Reduce the oven temperature to 300 levels F.
Once the cornbread is cool, reduce it into 1-inch cubes (for the reason that pan of cornbread is thicker than 1 inch, I reduce mine into 1-inch cubes from the highest, then flip every “row” of cubes on its facet after which reduce it in half once more by way of the center). Spread in a single layer on an ungreased or parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet. The cubes can contact, however don’t overlap them (in case your pan is just too small, divide them onto two pans). Toast within the oven for Quarter-hour. Increase the oven temperature to 375 levels F.
Make the stuffing: Lightly coat a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray. In a really massive bowl, whisk collectively the eggs and hen broth.
In a big skillet on the range, soften the butter over medium warmth. Add the onion, celery, salt, and pepper. Cook till the greens start to melt, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and prepare dinner 30 seconds, till aromatic.
Add the sausage to the skillet (if it’s in its casing, you may squeeze them into the skillet immediately). Cook, breaking apart the meat into crumbles. Add the apple.
Continue cooking till the sausage is cooked by way of virtually utterly, about 4 minutes extra, then stir within the cranberries, sage, thyme, and parsley.
Remove the pan from the warmth and let it cool a couple of minutes. Pour into the bowl with the broth and eggs, together with any cooking juices.
To the bowl, add the toasted cornbread cubes. With your largest spoon, stir very gently to mix the substances. Continue stirring and folding, till all the pieces is evenly moistened.
Spoon into the ready baking dish. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, till toasted on prime and the middle is moist however not overly damp. Serve heat.
- TO STORE: Transfer leftovers to an hermetic container and refrigerate for 3 to 4 days.
- TO FREEZE: Freeze leftovers in an hermetic container or zip-top bag for as much as 3 months. Let it thaw within the fridge earlier than reheating.
- TO REHEAT: Remove it from the fridge and let it come to room temperature so it would prepare dinner extra evenly. Cover the pan with foil, then place it in a 350 levels F oven and reheat to an inner temperature of 165 levels F. Depending on how a lot you’re reheating, this may take about half-hour.
- FOR A CRISPY TOP:To recreate the crispy prime after storing it within the fridge (a important stuffing issue!), take away the foil for the final 10-Quarter-hour of reheating; you may as well pop it underneath the broiler for a couple of minutes.
- TO KEEP IT MOIST: If the stuffing feels dry, add a splash of inventory (and even turkey juices) earlier than reheating.
Serving: 1(of 8)Calories: 354kcalCarbohydrates: 40gProtein: 14gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 114mgPotassium: 378mgFiber: 4gSugar: 16gVitamin A: 577IUVitamin C: 18mgCalcium: 117mgIron: 6mg
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