Sausage Cornbread Stuffing

A baking dish showing a close up view of cornbread stuffing with sausage.

5 from 2 votes

Tons of veggies and herbs keep this sausage and cornbread stuffing on the lighter side! This is great for stuffing your bird or baking alongside. I use my Gluten Free Cornbread recipe, but feel free to sub any cornbread you like to make.

Prep Time20

Cook Time45

Total Time1 5

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Servings: people

Calories: 183kcal

Author: Michelle Miller

Equipment

Sharp European Induction Cooktop

Ingredients

1 Gluten free Cornbread
2 tablespoons butter
1 onion diced
1 green bell pepper diced
2 cups celery diced
1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons sage fresh, chopped fine
2 tablespoons rosemary fresh, chopped fine
2 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth, possibly more
1 pound chicken sausage bulk (I used mild Italian chicken, but pork sausage or andouille sausage work!)

Instructions

Cut cornbread into large chunks. Spread out on a baking tray. Allow the cornbread to dry out overnight. Alternately, bake the cornbread chunks at 250º for 30 minutes-1 hour to dry out faster.
Heat a large skillet over medium high heat, and add the chicken sausage. Cook the sausage to lightly brown it, breaking it up with a spatula as it cooks. Remove it from the skillet.
Into the frying pan, add butter, chopped onion, bell pepper and celery. Sauté over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 15-20 minutes, until veggies are very tender.
Season with sea salt, black pepper, poultry seasoning, and add chopped sage and rosemary.
As the vegetables are cooking, add chicken stock 1/2 cup at a time, allowing it to reduce before adding more. Reserve about 1 cup of broth to pour over the cornbread.
Add the cornbread chunks to the vegetables, and return the sausage to the pan. Break up the cornbread with a spatula as it combines. Add more chicken stock or turkey drippings, if necessary, to soften the cornbread.
Add to a casserole dish. Bake at 400º F uncovered for 30 minutes.
Refer to notes if using to stuff a turkey.

Video

Notes

If you plan on stuffing your turkey with cornbread dressing, keep these tips in mind.

The vegetables don’t have to be sautéed as long. They will cook for hours along with your bird and become soft.
Don’t overstuff your turkey. Overstuffing the turkey or under baking it could lead to salmonella in your stuffing. Be sure to use a meat thermometer and check the temperature of both the turkey (or chicken) and stuffing is at least 165º F.
If you’re unsure the stuffing is fully cooked, put it in a casserole dish and bake it at 400º F for 20 minutes prior to serving it.

After removing the innards from your turkey, add stuffing loosely to the cavity of the bird.

Leftover stuffing can be added to a casserole dish, and warmed alongside the turkey.

HOW TO STORE LEFTOVER CORNBREAD DRESSING

Wrap leftovers tightly, and refrigerate the leftovers for up to 4 days. Fully reheat the leftover stuffing, especially if it’s been used to stuff a turkey, prior to serving.

CAN I FREEZE CORNBREAD STUFFING?

Yes! Cornbread stuffing is a great thing to make ahead of a holiday, and freeze until ready to use. The vegetables are cooked until they are very soft, so freezing them doesn’t change the texture, like more crisp vegetables.

Wrap cornbread stuffing in an air tight container and freeze up to 3 months, until ready to use.

HOW TO MAKE CORNBREAD FOR DRESSING

Use your favorite cornbread recipe or store bought cornbread for this recipe. The cornbread needs dried out, so it can absorb the flavors of the chicken broth, turkey drippings, and herbs, so cut it in chunks and allow it to dry out overnight. It can also be cut in chunks and dried out in the oven (on a low temperature), to save time.

MAKE SAUSAGE CORNBREAD STUFFING

Love sausage in your stuffing? Use this recipe for Sausage Stuffing Balls, which includes apples and sausage, and use it to stuff your turkey, bake it in a casserole dish, or make stuffing balls, as shown in the post.

Nutrition