Cornbread and Sausage Stuffing

Stuffing or dressing? I guess the proper term is dressing as I’m not stuffing any turkey with this cornbread mixture but guess what, it’s my blog and I’ll name it what I want! Ha!

This cornbread stuffing is both sweet and salty, which is a combination I absolutely love. I use a store bought cornbread that is very sweet and moist. It is a “New York style” cornbread. It is a sweet cornbread that gives this stuffing such a decadent flavor. I like to use breakfast sausage for this recipe, too. The saltiness of the sausage and the sweetness of the cornbread is what gives the flavor such salty-sweet contrast, and the moist texture of the cornbread makes it so incredible.

This Cornbread Stuffing is perfect for Holidays but Easy Enough for Everyday.

If sweet cornbread is not your thing, just substitute it with southern style cornbread, which is less sweet and more savory.

This stuffing is the perfect side dish, and it doesn’t even need to be a Holiday to enjoy it. I like to serve it with a roasted chicken, or even better, some BBQ ribs. Wow!

I love this stuffing so much, I have a confession to make. If there is any left overs, I love to put a fried egg on top of this stuffing and, ” Voila… Breakfast!”

Instructions on how to make my Cornbread Sausage Stuffing:

Start by preheating an oven to 350°.

Cut the cornbread into 1 inch cubes and arrange in a single layer on a large baking sheet.

Tip! I love to use a larger than needed baking sheet as it will help the bread dry and toast faster. If it’s overcrowded, it will steam and take longer.

Bake for 15-20 minutes until toasted and dry. Set aside.

Increase the oven’s temperature to 375°

In a medium sauté pan, melt the butter and add the celery and onions.

Season with salt and pepper and cook until the onion changes color and the smaller bits are starting to brown. At this point, the celery will be soft. Place the mixture in a large bowl and set aside.

Using the same sauté pan, cook the breakfast sausage. Make sure to break the sausage apart, to get smaller bits.

Tip! Using the same pan as the onion not only makes cleaning easier, it allows you to add layers of flavor as the sausage will pick up the flavors of the onion mixture.

Cook the sausage until it is completely cooked through and the smaller bits are getting golden.

Pour the sausage into the same bowl as the onions and celery.

Add the toasted cornbread and mix well.

Add most of the stock. Keep mixing the stuffing and smoosh as you mix. Break apart the cubes of cornbread and allow them to soak up the stock and butter from the onions.

Tip! At this point in the mixing, I prefer to use my hands as it allows me to really get a feel for how moist the mixture is. Also, it’s easier to break the cornbread apart when using your fingers.

If the mixture is not moist enough, add the rest of the stock. You want the mixture to be very moist and clumpy, not dry and separated. You might have to add more stock if you feel it’s too dry.

Tip! Sometimes more stock is needed if the bread chunks are too big, because they absorb the liquid faster.

Once the mixture looks good, butter or oil the bottom of a baking dish and pour the mixture in it. Pack the mixture onto the baking dish. Make sure it’s compact and even.

Cover with aluminum foil and in a preheated 375° oven, bake for 20 minutes. The aluminum foil helps keep the stuffing moist.

Uncover the baking dish and bake uncovered for 10-12 more minutes until the top is nice and golden and the sides are crispy.