This old fashioned Southern cornbread dressing recipe is a classic that’s a must-have for every Thanksgiving table. It’s made with celery, onions, homemade cornbread, white bread and plenty of herbs. You’ll never look at cornbread stuffing the same way again!

Looking for the perfect cornbread stuffing recipe for your holiday meal? This cornbread dressing is a staple in many Southern households for good reason – it’s absolutely delicious! Serve it alongside other side dish recipes such as slow cooker creamed corn and bacon roasted brussels sprouts.

Southern Cornbread Dressing in a baking dish topped with chopped parsley.

Today we’re talking about stuffing, because Thanksgiving is almost here! There are about ten million ways to do stuffing, but this Southern cornbread dressing is my favorite. It’s moist and delicious with a light and fluffy texture and the perfect blend of sweet and savory. Not gonna lie, my husband and I both made this our dinner after I took these photos, it’s just that good.

Southern Cornbread Dressing Ingredients

To make this recipe, you will need cornbread, white bread, butter, onion, celery, chicken broth or turkey broth, eggs, sage, parsley, salt and black pepper.

How Do You Make cornbread Dressing?

Prepare my honey cornbread recipe, or use store bought cornbread if you’re short on time. Place the cornbread and cubes of white bread in a large bowl. Preheat the oven and grease a baking dish. Melt some of the butter in a pan or large skillet, then add the onion and celery. Cook until the vegetables are soft, then add salt and pepper to taste. Transfer the vegetables to the bowl with the cornbread mixture. Melt the rest of the butter and pour it into a bowl. Add the broth, eggs, salt, pepper and sage, then whisk it all together. Pour the butter mixture into the bowl with the bread and vegetables, then toss to combine. Place everything into the casserole dish, and bake until golden brown. Sprinkle with parsley, then serve and enjoy.

Cornbread dressing made with cornbread, white bread and vegetables, with a serving spoon in it.

Tips For The Perfect Dish

  • You can make your homemade cornbread up to a month in advance and freeze it until you’re ready to make stuffing.
  • I prefer to crumble my cornbread into larger pieces as it will break down some more when you mix everything together.
  • This recipe is really best when baked as directed in a dish, rather than using it to stuff a turkey. If you use this to stuff a bird you won’t get that same great crispy texture on top!
  • I recommend to use fresh herbs here as they have a lot more flavor than dried herbs. If you need to use dried herbs in a pinch, cut the amounts by 2/3.
  • Serve your stuffing alongside Thanksgiving main course favorites such as spatchcock turkey, honey glazed ham, smoked turkey breast and baked ham.

Quick Tip

While I typically use plain old white bread in this recipe, you could also use wheat bread, or an artisan bread like a baguette.

Cornbread and white bread cubes in a mixing bowl.

Recipe FAQs

What is the difference between stuffing and dressing?

It is mostly a regional preference as to whether you call it stuffing or dressing.
Dressing tends to be baked almost exclusively outside the bird, while stuffing can either be inside the turkey or in a separate dish. I actually tend to mostly refer to it as stuffing because that’s what it is called in my geographic area, although I never stuff my bird. In the South people tend to call it dressing, and this is a Southern style recipe which is why I’ve labeled it as dressing.

Is stuffing better with or without eggs?

I find that stuffing is always better with some eggs in the mix. The eggs add moisture, a rich flavor, and also help bind all the ingredients together. I would not recommend omitting the eggs in this recipe unless there is an allergy. In the case of an allergy, you’d want to use an egg alternative to make sure everything holds together.

How do you fix dry stuffing?

The best way to prevent dry stuffing is to be careful not to overcook it! You want the dressing top to be crispy and golden brown, with a soft and tender interior. It’s important to keep an eye on your dish as it bakes to make sure the top is not getting overly browned. If you feel like the top is brown before the inside is done, simply cover the dish with foil. In a situation where the stuffing bakes for too long and is dry, mix 2 tablespoons of melted butter with 1/3 cup warm chicken or turkey broth. Drizzle this mixture over the stuffing and let it soak in for a few minutes, and that should help to fix the problem.

FOLLOW ME

Bread cubes, cornbread and sauteed celery and onions in a bowl.

Flavor Variations

This recipe is great as-is, but you can add other ingredients to customize the flavors to your tastes.

  • Protein: Feel free to add some cooked breakfast sausage, bacon, prosciutto or smoked chicken apple sausage to your stuffing. It’s also common to add oysters to stuffing!
  • Vegetables: Stir in some extra sauteed veggies such as mushrooms, carrots, fennel, parsnips, or even butternut squash.
  • Fruit: Cooked apples are a popular addition to dressing, as are dried cranberries, apricots, figs or cherries.
  • Herbs: Amp up the flavor with extra herbs such as thyme, rosemary or marjoram.
Cornbread dressing ready to go into the oven to bake.

Make Ahead Instructions

You can assemble your dressing up to 8 hours before the big meal. Simply cover your baking dish with foil and store it in the fridge until you’re ready to bake it. You may need to increase the cooking time a bit since you’ll be starting with a cold dish. You can also prepare the dish, bake as directed, then seal tightly and store in the freezer for up to 2 months. Bake the covered dish from frozen at 350 degrees F until it’s warmed through, about 45-60 minutes.

Cornbread Dressing in a white baking dish garnished with fresh herbs.

I have a lot of people in my family that are stuffing haters, I can’t wait to unveil this Southern cornbread dressing to them this year to see if they change their minds! In my opinion this is the best stuffing recipe I’ve tried, and I try a different recipe almost every year trying to find one my family will like. The combination of the veggies, two types of bread and fresh herbs is simply the best. It’s buttery and delicious just like any good Thanksgiving recipe should be!

Cornbread stuffing served with turkey and green beans.

More Thanksgiving Side Dishes

Cornbread Dressing Video

5 from 106 votes

Southern Cornbread Dressing

AuthorSara Welch
Southern Cornbread Dressing
This Southern cornbread dressing recipe is a classic that’s a must-have for every Thanksgiving table. You’ll never look at cornbread stuffing the same way again!
Time
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Total Time1 hour 15 minutes
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American
Serves 10

Ingredients 

  • 1 recipe honey cornbread or any 9″ square cornbread that’s homemade or store bought
  • 5 slices stale white bread cut into cubes
  • 10 tablespoons butter divided use
  • 1 large onion finely chopped
  • 1 cup celery finely chopped
  • 3 1/2 cups chicken or turkey broth
  • 5 eggs
  • 1 tablespoon fresh sage leaves finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • cooking spray
  • optional: sage leaves for garnish

Instructions 

  • Prepare the honey cornbread according to post instructions.
  • Cool the cornbread and crumble. Place the cornbread in a large bowl with the bread cubes and toss to combine.
  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 9″x13″ pan with cooking spray.
  • Melt 4 tablespoons of butter in a large pan over medium heat. Add the onion and celery and cook for 6-8 minutes or until softened. Season the vegetables with salt and pepper to taste. Place the vegetables in the bowl with the cornbread mixture.
  • Melt the remaining 6 tablespoons of butter and pour into a large bowl. Add the chicken broth, eggs, salt and pepper to taste, and sage and whisk to combine.
  • Pour the butter mixture into the bowl with the cornbread mixture and stir to combine. 
  • Transfer the stuffing mixture to the prepared pan. Bake for 45 minutes or until dressing is browned and cooked through.
  • Sprinkle with parsley and garnish with sage leaves if desired. Serve.

Notes

  1. You can make your homemade cornbread up to a month in advance and freeze it until you’re ready to make stuffing.
  2. I prefer to crumble my cornbread into larger pieces as it will break down some more when you mix everything together.
  3. This recipe is really best when baked as directed in a dish, rather than using it to stuff a turkey. If you use this to stuff a bird you won’t get that same great crispy texture on top!

Nutrition

Calories: 289kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 137mg | Sodium: 411mg | Potassium: 138mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 600IU | Vitamin C: 1.4mg | Calcium: 87mg | Iron: 1.3mg

Hello! I’m Sara!

Learn more about Sara

Related Posts

Free Bonus

5 Secrets to Meal Planning + Free Toolkit!

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Comments

  1. 5 stars
    This dressing is amazing and has become a family favorite. I was just hoping on to write down the ingredients for my grocery list for Thanksgiving. So easy and delicious.

  2. 5 stars
    This recipe is so awesome! Everyone loved it! My husband doesn’t typically like dressing, but this was his favorite dish this Thanksgiving. We were so happy to have leftovers. I’ll be making this every Thanksgiving. Thank you!

  3. 5 stars
    This was my first time making cornbread dressing and it was the hit of the meal! I will make this dish every holiday. I got so many compliments and was so proud my family loved it! Thank you! ❤️ This fish deserves 6 stars! So moist and savory ❤️

      1. Yes it can be reheated after making and cooked…I did it and still moist and delicious. I warmed in oven at 250* for one hour after it came out of the refrigerator(covered in foil so not to brown anymore . Was still moist and delicious

    1. Can I use ground sage in of chopped, as it’s all I have and I live too far from store…? I’ll let you know how it turns out…!? 👍 lol

  4. How many days ahead would you cook the cornbread for beat results? Would you let the cornbread stay out or store in the fridge to age?

    Thanks!

    1. I make the cornbread a day or two in advance, then I cube it up and lay it in a single layer on a sheet pan at room temperature.

  5. 5 stars
    Hi! I really want to try this, it sounds delicious!! I’m wondering, can I put this in a slow cooker to cook instead? Thinking of space and time for cooking all the thanksgiving dishes. Would need to add more broth? Thanks!

  6. Hi, can you tell me how much salt and pepper you’re using? I see from the video you’re adding salt and pepper twice, which is fine. I’m guessing two teaspoons salt and probably a half teaspoon pepper combined.

      1. Not a dressing fan but love it when it has turkey in it. Could that simply be added to a double receipt?

        Sorry, I don’t see where to start a thread.

  7. Hi! Thanks for this recipe, can’t wait to try it. I’ve only made dressing once before and it was just ok. Your recipe has all the elements I’m looking for to redeem my first try. We have some dressing haters too, would you mind sharing what your family’s reaction was?

    1. This is my family’s all time favorite, and I’ve made a lot of different stuffing recipes! Everyone enjoys this one in my experience.

  8. 5 stars
    I made this recipe for a Friendsgiving dinner party (including the linked cornbread recipe) and it was a huge hit! I doubled it (might’ve been a bit too much but I’m happy to have so many leftovers!) and used a 10X15 baking dish and added some more baking time. I used vegetable broth to keep it vegetarian. Other than that I followed the recipe as is. For the stale bread, I used butter bread and toasted it in the oven for 45 minutes at 275 (I read that bread prepped this way soaks up the stuffing flavors better than bread left to sit out, who knows). I’ve never made homemade stuffing and never even tried cornbread stuffing so I was nervous about choosing a recipe and knowing what to look for when cooking it, but this was a great call! Super moist and everyone wanted to know if it was a secret family recipe.

    1. The bread gives the stuffing a lighter, fluffier texture. You can just use cornbread but it will be more dense. You can use bell peppers.

  9. I’m thinking of doubling this recipe. I’ll either use a 10X15 casserole dish or a deeper 9X13. How would you recommend I adjust the temperature and time settings for either? Thanks!

    1. I’d add another 20-25 minutes to the baking time. If you’re using a deeper dish it’ll take longer to cook versus the 10×15. Hope this helps!

  10. Trying to find a gluten free cornbread dressing recipe. Could this be made without the white bread? Or use GF bread instead? Trying to figure out if bread is necessary.

      1. My daddy’s cornbread dressing was/is legendary…so delish! I can’t imagine making a SWEET cornbread for the basis of dressing. Savory, yes, but not sweet.

    1. I used a gluten free store bought cornbread mix and gf bread. I actually used 1/2 the mix as I made 1/2 the dressing recipe and used the other 1/2 for soup night. Making the cornbread ahead and veggies ahead makes it come together very quickly. Thank you it was delicious and a hit.