Easy Cornbread Stuffing Recipe
Stuffing is the heart of any holiday meal–a side dish so good it could easily stand on its own. This Easy Cornbread Stuffing Recipe combines the sweet and savory charm of cornbread with juicy, seasoned sausage, a medley of aromatic vegetables, and a rich broth that ties everything together.
Bright notes of sour cherries and orange juice add a tangy twist, while toasted pine nuts provide a delightful crunch. The best part? You can make it ahead of time! Just pop it in the oven when you’re ready, and enjoy a perfectly golden, crowd-pleasing dish at your holiday table.
Easy Cornbread Stuffing Recipe
This cornbread stuffing is a classic falltime side dish, and it’s delicious served with Cornish Game Hens, turkey, ham, and prime rib! The cornrbead is also gluten-free, so this makes a popular for gatherings.
Read more: Easy Cornbread Stuffing Recipe
Why I love this recipe
- The ultimate Thanksgiving side dish!
- You can make it a day or two ahead of time.
- Leftovers are out-of-this-world good!
Gather these ingredients
- Eggs
- Chicken stock – warm or room temperature, not hot
- Salt
- Olive oil
- Sweet Italian chicken sausage – casing removed
- Butter
- Black pepper
- Sage – finely chopped
- Rosemary – fresh, minced
- Crimini mushroom – thinly sliced
- Leeks – thinly sliced
- Shallots – thinly sliced
- Celery – diced (5-6 stalks)
- Jalapeno – seeded and minced (optional)
- Sour cherries – dried
- Orange juice
- Orange zest
- White wine
- Parsley – finely chopped – to garnish
- Pine nuts – toasted – or pecans/walnuts (optional)
- Stale cornbread – crumbled into large pieces
How to stale cornbread:
Make your own favorite cornbread recipes, or use boxed cornbread mix to save time. Bake the cornbread, then scoop out large pieces onto a baking sheet. Leave the baking sheet out on the counter for 2-3 days to stale the cornbread. Alternatively, preheat the oven to 200 degrees F and allow the cornbread to dry out in the oven for about 45 minutes.
How to make this Easy Cornbread Stuffing Recipe
- Combine (in a small bowl) the eggs and chicken stock. Add a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Heat a 10 inch skillet over medium high heat on the stove top. Add 2 tbsp of olive oil. Cook the sausage on the heated skillet until browned, using a spatula to cut it into bite size pieces for 4-6 minutes.
- Remove the sausage, leaving any rendered fat behind on the skillet. Add the remaining 2 tbsp olive oil and let it heat up, then add the mushrooms and salt to season, then cook until tender and browned for 10 minutes. Remove the mushrooms once they are browned.
- Add 2 tbsp olive oil and 2 tbsp butter to the pan and add the sage, rosemary, and 1 tsp pepper. Cook for 1 minute, then add the leeks, shallots, celery, jalapeno, and salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until tender for 8-10 minutes.
- Combine the dried cherries, orange juice, orange zest, and white wine and increase the heat to medium-high. Cook for 4-5 minutes until the wine is reduced. Salt to taste.
- Add in a very large bowl the sausage (and juices), pine nuts and stale cornbread along with the eggs and chicken broth, then add the vegetables and stir to combine together. Taste for additional seasoning and transfer to a greased baking dish and cover with foil.
- Bake 50-60 minutes covered, then remove the foil and broil until golden and crisp on top and around the edges (don’t take your eye off the stuffing as it broils, you don’t want to burn the top!) which takes 2-5 minutes.
- Serve warm and garnish with parsley.
Tips and substitutions:
- Use whatever kind of sausage you want (we use chicken, but you can use pork).
- If you don’t have crimini mushrooms, use baby bellas.
- Replace the sour cherries with dried cranberries.
- Use pecans in place of the walnuts or pine nuts.
- If you make this recipe ahead of time (a convenient option during the busy holiday season) and put it in the oven straight from the refrigerator, expect to add about 15 extra minutes of baking time for it to cook completely.
Serving suggestions
This Easy Cornbread Stuffing Recipe pairs perfectly with all your holiday favorites–think tender turkey, savory prime rib, creamy smashed potatoes, sweet potato casserole, honey-glazed Brussels sprouts, and, of course, Pumpkin CheeseCake Cake for dessert.
Storage
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. The leftovers are fabulous, especially the day after Thanksgiving!
Check out these other classic holiday sides while you’re here
- Potatoes Au Gratin
- Cheesy Green Beans
- Cranberry Salad with Grapes and Walnuts
- Pretzel Bread Stuffing
Get the Recipe:
Easy Cornbread Stuffing Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 eggs
- ¾ c chicken stock, warm or room temperature, not hot
- salt to taste
- 6 tbsp olive oil, divided
- 1 lb sweet Italian chicken sausage, casing removed
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 tsp black pepper plus ore to taste
- 2 tbsp sage, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh rosemary, minced
- 1 lb crimini mushroom, thinly sliced
- 2 leeks, thinly sliced
- 3 shallots, thinly sliced
- 1 c celery, diced (5-6 stalks)
- 2-3 jalapeno, seeded and minced (optional)
- ⅔ c dried, sour cherries
- 3 tbsp orange juice
- 1 tsp orange zest
- ½ c white wine
- ¼ c parsley, finely chopped, to garnish
- ½ c toasted pine nuts or pecans/walnuts, optional
- 6-8 c stale cornbread crumbled into large pieces
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a small bowl, combine the eggs, chicken stock. add a pinch of salt and pepper.
- In a 10 inch skillet over medium high heat, add 2 tbsp olive oil. Once hot, cook the sausage until browned, using a spatula to cut it into bite size pieces, 4-6 minutes.
- Remove the sausage, leaving any rendered fat behind. Add the remaining 2 tbsp olive oil and let it heat up, then add the mushrooms and salt to season and cook until tender and browned, 10 minutes.
- Remove the mushrooms, add 2 tbsp olive oil and 2 tbsp butter to the pan and add the sage, rosemary, and 1 tsp pepper. Cook for 1 minute, then add the leeks, shallots, celery, jalapeño, and salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until tender 8-10 minutes. Add the cherries, orange juice, zest, and white wine and increase heat to medium high. Cook for 4-5 minutes until wine reduces. Taste for salt and season.
- In a very large bowl add the sausage (and juices), pine nuts and stale cornbread along with the eggs and chicken broth, then add the vegetables and stir to combine. Taste for additional seasoning and transfer to a greased baking dish and cover with foil.
- Bake for 50-60 minutes covered, then remove the foil and broil until golden and crisp on top and around the edges (don't take your eye off the stuffing as it broils, you don't want to burn the top!) about 2-5 minutes depending on the boiler.
- Serve warm garnished with parsley!
Hello and welcome to my home and table!
I’m Sandy—lover of food, family, cooking, THE BIG BOARD, travel, and bringing people together. Through great recipes and connection around the table, we become better, stronger, and more courageous people. Feasting on Life is real, and every time we do it, we grow a little more. Read more...
