They say that smell triggers memories and I’d have to agree. The ingredients cooking for a good ole dressin’ is something that brings the fondest memories to me. I think of holidays at my grandparents’, making up dances with my cousins to show the grownups, and eating good food alongside the people I love. My children apparently have great memories surrounding cornbread dressing as well. Once I get the celery and onions cooking, at least one child will come to the kitchen and say “Mom, it smells like Thanksgiving!”
At the time of this post, I have hosted fifteen Thanksgivings at my home and this cornbread dressing has been at every single one. It started as just immediate family (of five then), my mom, sister, and brother. We’ve grown has a family and so has our menu. Now with more children, parents, brother/sister in laws, nieces, nephews, and friends, we have more to celebrate and more to add to the table, but this dish never changes.
It’s just become a “holiday” food for us. Whether Thanksgiving, Christmas, Resurrection Day, or even just a good Sunday, having cornbread dressing is a celebration.
My recipe has all the traditional flavors of celery, onions, and sage but also a rich chicken flavor. I like mine with some body so I add an egg prior to cooking. I’m not really a fan of mushy, watery dressing. Also, my recipe makes a lot! Along with my already large family, I feed a large extended family as well. This recipe makes two 9×13 pans, but, feel free to cut the recipe in half. Or do like I do sometimes, and serve one pan, then freeze the other. The flavors get better over time.
Cornbread Dressing
Ingredients
2 cups diced onions
2 cups diced celery
1 cup butter
2 12 inch pans of cornbread cooked, preferably day old
4 tbs chicken bouillon powder
2 tbs ground sage
2 tsp dried marjoram
4 tbs fresh rosemary
2 tbs fresh thyme
6 cups chicken broth
4 cans cream of soup
1 12 oz bag Herb stuffing mix
Tools You May Need
How to make it
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
In large saucepan, melt butter then sauté onions and celery until desired doneness.
Add fresh herbs and sauté 2-3 additional minutes.
While vegetables are sautéing, break up cornbread in a large bowl.
Add in remaining herbs, chicken broth, stuffing mix, and cream soups to bowl of cornbread.
Add in sautéed veggies. Mix well.
Add in eggs and mix thoroughly.
Pour mixture evenly between two buttered 9×13 in pans.
Bake 20-30 minutes or until golden brown on top.
FAQs
Is cornbread stuffing the same as cornbread dressing?
Not in the South! Stuffing is usually only white bread based and sometimes stuffed inside a roast meat (turkey, duck). Dressing refers to a cornbread-based dish serving alongside a main course as opposed to being stuffed inside it.
How long to bake cornbread dressing?
If you’ve added a raw egg as a binder, you’ll want to ensure the dressing is cooked although through. Depending on the amount of dressing that you make and size of the pan, you can bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit anywhere between 30 minutes to an hour, or until the top is golden brown.
If no egg, you’ll only need to heat the ingredients. In that case, it’s suggested to bake for 20-30 minutes or until the top is golden brown.
How much sage is in cornbread dressing?
As with any seasoning, it’s all to your liking. Also, keep in mind if you use fresh sage, you’ll want to use more than if using dried sage. I’d start with a teaspoon, then give it a taste. You can add more if you like.
Can you freeze cornbread dressing?
Yes, you can. The dressing can be frozen either prior to baking or afterward. If freezing after baking, be sure to allow the cornbread dressing to cool completely prior to freezing. Place in a foil pan or freezer safe dish, cover with plastic wrap, then with aluminum foil. Freeze up to two months.
Once you’re ready to cook it, thaw it in the refrigerator overnight then bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes to an hour, until cooked through
I like to make one pan for Thanksgiving, then freeze the other for Christmas dinner.
Can you leave cornbread out overnight for dressing?
Yes! And it is actually advised to do so. For best results, a cornbread dressing should be made with a more dry, stale bread, therefore the flavors from the broth and soups will be better absorbed. Also, making a dressing with a fresher cornbread can sometimes lead to a gummy texture.
My grandmother often made cornbread dressing as a leftover dish. She’s made cornbread with a meal like beans or a stew, then make a dressing the following day with leftover cornbread.
What to serve with cornbread dressing?
Roast Chicken or Turkey
Baked Ham
Salisbury Steak
Ox Tails
Roast Duck
Giblet Gravy
Cranberry Sauce
Greens
Cornbread Dressing Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups diced onions
- 2 cups diced celery
- 1 cup butter
- 2 12 inch pans of cornbread previously cooked
- 4 tbs chicken bouillon powder
- 2 tbs ground sage
- 2 tsp dried marjoram
- 4 tbs fresh rosemary
- 2 tbs fresh thyme
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 4 cans cream of soup
- 1 12 oz bag Herb stuffing mIx
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In large saucepan, melt butter then sauté onions and celery until desired doneness. Add fresh herbs and sauce 2-3 additional minutes. While vegetables are sautéing, break up cornbread in a large bowl. Add in remaining herbs, chicken broth, stuffing mix, and cream soups to bowl of cornbread. Add in sautéed veggies. Mix well. Add in eggs, and mix thoroughly. Pour mixture evenly between two buttered 9×13 in pans. Bake 20-30 minutes or until golden brown on top.