Southern Cornbread Dressing Recipe (2024)

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A traditional Southern Cornbread Dressing recipe perfectly seasoned with onions, celery, and sage. Makes a delicious addition to every holiday table.

Southern Cornbread Dressing Recipe (1)

Southern Cornbread Dressing

Southern cornbread dressing is easy to make, but so delicious and makes the perfect addition to the holiday table.

In my Midwestern family, we almost always make my grandma's stuffing for the holidays. But lately I've been embracing my husband's southern roots, so I wanted to give this Southern classic a try. (You can read more about the difference between stuffing and dressing here, if you're curious.)

I have to say, this may be my new favorite holiday dish. (Don't tell my family!) I'm definitely bringing it to my hubby's family Thanksgiving.

Southern cornbread dressing is moist, more like a casserole than the stuff you get it in a box. It's also savory and perfectly seasoned with onions, celery, and sage.

What Kind of Cornbread Do You Use for Southern Cornbread Dressing?

The right cornbread makes all the difference in southern cornbread dressing.

Good cornbread = good dressing.

So it's really important that you use the right cornbread for your dressing.

Good southern cornbread means a salty savory cornbread. Not sweet. Closer to sandwich bread in it's flavor than to the boxed mix cornbread. Plus, slightly crispy edges are a must to give it a little extra color and flavor.

This Southern Skillet Cornbread recipe is what I always use, and it's just perfect for this dressing. Make it, and cut it into 8 slices about two days before you plan to make the dressing.

Southern Cornbread Dressing Recipe (2)

Can Southern Cornbread Dressing be Made Ahead of Time?

Yes, you can! Southern Cornbread Dressing is a great make ahead dish!

To make ahead, prepare dressing according to recipe instructions. Don't bake. Instead, cover and refrigerate for up to 2-3 days.

Then just bake on the big day. You may need to add 5-10 minutes to the usual baking time, due to starting with a cold dish.

Alternately, you can prepare the recipe without baking up to 3 months in advance, and cover and freeze. Thaw in the refrigerator the night before, then bake.

More Holiday Recipes You'll Love

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Southern Cornbread Dressing Video

Southern Cornbread Dressing Recipe (3)

Southern Cornbread Dressing

A traditional Southern Cornbread Dressing recipe perfectly seasoned with onions, celery, and sage. Makes a delicious addition to every holiday table.

5 from 24 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Cornbread Dressing, Southern Cornbread Dressing

Prep Time: 45 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Servings: 12 servings

Calories: 310kcal

Author: Michelle

Ingredients

  • 1 batch Southern cornbread crumbled
  • 8 tablespoons butter
  • 1 medium onion chopped
  • 4 celery ribs chopped
  • teaspoons dried sage
  • 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 3 bread slices toasted and crumbled
  • ½ cup milk
  • 3 eggs lightly beaten
  • 3 cups chicken broth
  • 2 tablespoons butter

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a 9"x13" baking dish, and set aside.

  • In a medium skillet over medium heat, melt 8 tablespoons butter.

  • Add onions and celery to skillet and sautee until tender.

  • Stir in poultry seasoning, sage, salt, and pepper. Remove from heat, and set aside.

  • In a large mixing bowl, add cornbread crumbles and toast crumbles. Stir in chicken broth.

  • Add onion mixture to cornbread mixture, and stir to combine. Test seasoning now and adjust as necessary.

  • In a separate bowl, whisk together milk and eggs. Pour into dressing mixture and stir to combine.

  • Transfer dressing mixture to prepared baking dish, and spread gently and evenly.

  • Cut the remaining 2 tablespoons butter into small slivers and scatter on top of the dressing.

  • Bake for about 30-40 minutes, or until browned on the top.

Notes

Nutrition facts include cornbread from the recipe linked.

  • Make the cornbread at least one day before (or up to 3 days). Let the cornbread sit out, uncovered to get a little stale. Then crumble before adding it to the recipe.
  • Use this recipe to make your cornbread. And DO NOT add sugar or honey. Regardless of your feelings on sweetened cornbread, it should not be sweetened for dressing.
  • Add all of the seasoning before you add the eggs. This way you can test the seasoning and more of anything you need to.
  • Dressing mixture should be very moist, but not soupy. If your dressing mixture is not wet all the way through after adding all ingredients, add an additional ½ cup of broth.
  • Make Ahead Instructions: Prepare dressing as instructed in the recipe, without baking. Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days before baking.
  • Freezer Instructions: prepare without baking. Then cover, label, and freeze for up 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before baking.
  • Storage: Store baked dressing covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 310kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 0g | Cholesterol: 112mg | Sodium: 711mg | Potassium: 300mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 627IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 109mg | Iron: 2mg

Did you make this recipe?I love seeing your creations. Snap a quick photo and mention @TheGraciousWife or tag #thegraciouswife on Instagram! Leave a STAR rating below!

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Southern Cornbread Dressing Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How to make Paula Deen cornbread dressing? ›

In a large bowl, whisk together broth, soup, eggs, poultry seasoning, salt, and pepper; stir in vegetable mixture. Crumble cornbread into broth mixture and stir until well combined. Pour mixture into prepared pan. Bake until center is set, 45 to 55 minutes.

What is the difference between cornbread and Southern cornbread? ›

She notes that Northern cornbread is sweeter, lighter, and more cake-like than Southern cornbread. Not surprisingly, it includes sugar (or molasses, in the earlier centuries), unlike traditional Southern cornbread.

Is it OK to make cornbread dressing ahead of time? ›

A great make-ahead recipe: You can make this Thanksgiving side dish up to a day in advance, and keep it in the fridge until you're ready to bake it. The leftovers are good for up to 4 days so you can enjoy leftover cornbread dressing with your turkey leftovers the next day.

Is stove top stuffing the same as dressing? ›

To understand the difference between the two, all you have to do is look at the cooking method. Stuffing is stuffed (literally) inside the cavity of the turkey, while dressing is roasted in a separate casserole dish.

How do you keep cornbread dressing from getting gummy? ›

If your dressing doesn't turn out right, don't fret. You can usually fix it. If you find your stuffing is too dry, add additional warmed broth to it, stir well, and return to the oven, checking periodically. If the stuffing is overly wet and too gummy, cook it uncovered for a bit longer, checking periodically.

What is the difference between cornbread stuffing and cornbread dressing? ›

So stuffing is cooked inside the bird. Dressing is cooked outside the bird, usually in a casserole dish. Additionally, dressing, especially in the American South, is often made with cornbread instead of pieces of a baguette or plain ol' white bread.

Why do Southerners not put sugar in cornbread? ›

The most common theory is a change in cornmeal itself. Until early in the 20th century, Southern cornmeal was made with sweeter white corn and it was water-ground. When industrial milling came along, that changed. The steel-roller mills used yellow corn that was harvested before it was ripe, so it had less sugar.

What is the difference between Yankee cornbread and Southern cornbread? ›

The thing that distinguishes Southern cornbread from, say Yankee cornbread, or any other cornbread one is likely to eat outside of the southern states, is that it is savory, not sweet, and it is made mostly with cornmeal.

What is cornbread called in the South? ›

It is commonly called "cornbread" in the Southern United States and is not known by a different name in this region. Cornbread is a simple bread that is made by mixing cornmeal, flour, salt, baking powder, and milk to form a batter, which is then baked in the oven.

Why is my cornbread dressing mushy? ›

If your cornbread dressing is mushy, be sure you baked it in a wide enough pan. Plenty of surface area will help the top crisp and the bottom bake completely. Also, be sure you measured your ingredients properly and didn't add too much liquid.

Why is my cornbread dressing dry? ›

"A dry stuffing or dressing is usually dry after baking simply because the recipe lacked enough moisture or fat," confirms Bridget Lancaster, executive editorial director at America's Test Kitchen.

Can you leave cornbread out overnight for dressing? ›

Be sure to leave enough time — the cornbread needs to sit out overnight to harden slightly before you make the dressing.

Why is stove top stuffing banned in some countries? ›

Making stuffing with Kraft Stove Top Stuffing takes a mere five minutes. But the popular mix contains the preservatives BHA (butylated hydroxyanisole) and BHT (butylated hydroxytoluene), which have raised concerns due to suspicions of potential carcinogenic properties and their potential to hinder blood clotting.

Why is stove top stuffing banned in certain countries? ›

The EU requires warning labels on dyes, and countries like Austria, Finland, and Norway have banned Twinkies​​. Stove Top Stuffing: Contains a combination of beta-hydroxy acid (BHA) and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), leading to its ban in countries like Japan, the UK, and several European nations​​.

What do Southerners call stuffing? ›

But for the Thanksgiving side dish in the South, the term dressing was adopted in place of stuffing, which was viewed as a crude term, during the Victorian era. Although dressing and stuffing are interchangeable terms, the signature ingredient of this Thanksgiving side dish in the South is cornbread.

What is Southern cornbread made of? ›

In a large mixing bowl, mix dry ingredients: cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; Set aside. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and buttermilk. Pour the mixture into the dry ingredients and mix well. Take the cast iron skillet out of the oven and pour the batter into it.

Should Southern cornbread be sweet? ›

In 1892, a Times correspondent, after enumerating the many types of corn-based breads eaten in Virginia, noted, "It will be observed that in none of them is sugar used. There are cornmeal puddings served with sweet sauces, but no Southern cook would risk the spoiling of her cornbreads by sweetening them."

Is real Southern cornbread sweet? ›

Real, traditional, Southern-style cornbread is savory, not sweet, and always has been.

Is traditional Southern cornbread sweet? ›

What is the sugar content in a batch of homemade Southern style cornbread recipe? It SHOULDN'T have sugar in it. That's Yankee style southern cornbread. It should be made with an egg, buttermilk, baking soda, a dash of salt, a little flour, and finally cornmeal- preferably the yellow.

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