More Like Cornbread Dressing
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Classic stuffing is a must-have on the Thanksgiving dinner table alongside roast turkey and creamy mashed potatoes. That being said, some years I crave something a little different than the classic side. Enter: cornbread dressing. My cornbread dressing has all of the beloved, classic Thanksgiving flavors, plus Italian sausage for a heartier touch. It features the perfect crumbly texture, isn’t dry, and pairs well with all the rest of my favorite savory (and sweet!) sides. Here’s everything you need to know to make it.
Cornbread
Dressing
First, prepare the cornbread. Preheat your oven to 375° and spray an 8" square baking pan or a 9" round cake pan with nonstick spray. Whisk the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
Grab a large bowl and whisk together the egg, buttermilk, and melted butter. Add the dry ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon just until no dry spots remain and you have a thick batter. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
Bake the cornbread until pale golden on top, your kitchen smells great, and a toothpick, skewer, or cake tester inserted into the center emerges clean; this should take about 30 minutes. Let the cornbread cool completely in the pan, then cut it into 2" pieces.
While the cornbread is cooling, get the sausage dressing going. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet and cook the sausage, breaking it up into chunks with a wooden spoon, until it is browned and cooked through, about 8 minutes. Transfer the sausage to a large bowl; reserve the skillet but do not wipe it out—we want those browned bits clinging to the bottom of the pan!
Heat the butter in the same skillet and cook the onion and celery, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the sage and thyme and season with salt and pepper. Pour in the broth, scraping up those precious browned bits from bottom of pan (the fancy term for this is “deglazing”). Remove from the heat and let cool slightly before adding to the bowl with the sausage.
Add the cornbread, eggs, and milk to the sausage mixture and season liberally with salt and pepper. Stir with a wooden spoon to combine, breaking up the cornbread so you have a mixture of larger chunks and smaller crumbs.
Grease a 13" x 9" baking dish with butter, then transfer the dressing mixture to the baking dish.
Bake the dressing until the top is golden and crispy and the center is set, about 30 minutes. Just before serving, scatter chopped parsley over the dressing.
Full list of ingredients and directions can be found in the recipe below.
This dish is a real savior as a make-ahead Thanksgiving side. Transfer the dressing mixture to the baking dish, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 1 day before you're ready to bake. As the oven preheats, let the dressing come to room temp on the counter. Bake until set in the middle and crispy on top. If the top isn't getting as crispy as you'd like, feel free to run it under the broiler for a few minutes—just keep an eye on it so it doesn't burn.
Keep leftovers covered or in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Cooking spray
yellow fine-ground cornmeal
(120 g.) all-purpose flour
granulated sugar
baking powder
kosher salt
large egg
buttermilk
(1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
unsalted butter, plus more for baking dish
extra-virgin olive oil
Italian sausage, casings removed
medium yellow onion, finely chopped
stalks celery, finely chopped
fresh sage leaves, finely chopped
fresh thyme leaves
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
low-sodium chicken broth
large eggs, lightly beaten
milk
Chopped fresh parsley, for serving
Let us know how it went in the comments below!
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