Southern Cornbread Dressing Recipe
Southern cornbread dressing is required at our Thanksgiving and Christmas table. A taste of tradition during the holidays.
We look forward to this side dish every year. My southern grandmother made the most incredible dressing ever! This is my version, unfortunately, I never received her recipe.
Try our homemade Cranberry Sauce!
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Southern Cornbread Dressing
How To Make Southern Cornbread Dressing
If you are using white bread you will need to dry it out in the oven for a bit or plan ahead and leave the bread out overnight.
Prepare the cornbread recipe according to package instructions. Or try our Homemade Cornbread.
I always use buttermilk in the mix even if it calls for milk. No self-respecting southerner would ever use just plain milk.
Once the cornbread is cool enough to touch, break it into crumbles in a large bowl.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Prepare a 9×13 baking pan with cooking spray.
Melt the stick of butter in a medium saute pan over medium heat, add the onions and celery, saute until onions are soft, about 10 minutes.
Add the dry breadcrumbs, spices, celery, and onions to the crumbled cornbread.
Check out our Pumpkin Muffins!
Pour the broth and beaten eggs into the bread mixture and stir to thoroughly combine. It should be fairly soupy, you don’t want it to dry out.
Spread into the prepared baking dish, cover with foil, and bake for 35 minutes. Remove the foil and bake an additional 10 minutes or until golden brown.
I have made this the day before and refrigerated until ready to bake. When I do this I usually have to add additional turkey or chicken broth before baking but it works great.
Just one less thing I have to do Thanksgiving morning. Serve and enjoy! Moist, tender inside and crispy, crunchy outside Southern Cornbread Dressing.
Try our Bread Pudding for dessert!
Southern Cornbread Dressing Recipe
Southern Cornbread Dressing Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 recipe of cornbread use package instructions (at least 6 cups)
- 2 cups chopped celery
- 2 large onions chopped
- 1/2 cup butter
- 2 cups dry bread crumbs
- 2-3 cups turkey or chicken stock* or more
- 2 large eggs beaten
- 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
- 2 teaspoons sage
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
Instructions
- Prepare cornbread according to package instructions.
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Prepare a 9×13 baking pan with cooking spray.
- Crumble cornbread in a large mixing bowl and dry breadcrumbs.
- Melt the stick of butter in a medium saute pan, add celery and onions, Saute until onions are soft, about 10 minutes.
- Combine celery and onion mixture, beaten eggs with cornbread, bread crumbs, chicken/turkey stock, poultry seasoning, sage, salt and pepper. The dressing should be pretty soupy so it doesn’t dry out during baking. You may need to add more stock*.
- Cover, bake, for 35 minutes and uncovered for 10 minutes until browned or until well set and cooked through.
I don’t like to saute the onions, Momma didn’t, and I don’t use cornbread mix, it has sugar. Otherwise this beats stuffin hands down.
I also use a can of cream of chicken soup, makes it really moist, also I don’t break eggs into mine, I boil them them cut them up, but over all, your dressing is a hit!
You added cream of chicken to the ingredients listed above?
I use cream of celery…and also some chopped walnuts and marjoram
Do you use a cornbread mix like Jiffy mix or make your own cornbread using cornmeal, milk, and eggs?
If so do you have a cornbread recipe so I can have the correct amount of cornbread for the recipe?
I use White Lily Buttermilk Cornbread Mix.
I was wondering the same thing like how many cups of cornbread should I use to be more specific lol
What size of cornbread mix? 8 oz?
We use something like this: Martha White Buttermilk Corn Meal Mix
How many cups of crumbled cornbread does this recipe need? I am using store bought.
6 cups.
Awesome recipe I also add a can of cream soup, cream of mushroom or celery or chicken will do
The * next to dry bread crumbs was missing in the Note section. What was your suggestion for dry bread crumbs? Is canned okay, or do you make your own with white bread? Thank you – looking forward to making your recipe for Thanksgiving this year.
The ‘*’ on the breadcrumbs was a mistake. Thanks for pointing that out! It’s fixed now. In response to your question, either is a perfect solution.
I have never added beaten eggs to my cornbread. What is the purpose of the eggs? I might try it this year. Also, I use Jiffy Cornbread mix. The rest of your recipe is the same I’ve always made. Happy Thanksgiving and Merry Christmas!
The eggs are a binder and help keep the dressing moist.
Jiffy cornbread mix has sugar in it that will not make a good dressing you don’t want to sweet cornbread.
I agree!