Southern Cornbread Dressing Recipe – Easy Thanksgiving Side Dish
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This easy Southern cornbread dressing recipe is perfect for your Thanksgiving table! Made with homemade cornbread, savory herbs, and simple ingredients, this classic holiday side dish bakes up golden and delicious every time. Whether you call it dressing or stuffing, your family will love this comforting recipe that’s been passed down for generations.
The good news is — you don’t have to choose! Even though the U.S. Department of Agriculture has officially stated that it’s okay to cook your stuffing in the turkey, I’ve switched to baking our dressing separately to preserve the moisture and flavor of the turkey while also enjoying the classic Thanksgiving side dish we all know and love. So pull out a couple of 9 x 13 pans and make both. Everybody wins!
Step by Step Instructions
Making your cornbread is simple and a bit of fun, so this is a great opportunity to get your kids involved in the kitchen.
Make the cornbread ahead of time so that it’s cool and ready to go when you want to make the cornbread dressing.
Preheat your oven to 350ºF and then start sauteeing your onions and celery in the butter. While that is happening on the stovetop, someone can start crumbling up the cornbread in a large mixing bowl.
Add the sauteed veggies, seasonings, broth, and buttermilk to the crumbled cornbread and stir it really well to combine. Don’t be afraid to get in there and mix this up with (clean) bare hands.
Pour the cornbread dressing recipe mixture into a greased 9 x 13 pan and smush it in. It should be fairly dry and not runny at all. Bake it for 20 -25 minutes until it begins to brown.
Ingredients for Cornbread Dressing
- Cornbread. Pre-baked cornbread.
- Yellow Onion. Diced.
- Celery. Diced. I cut each celery stalk into long, thin strips before dicing to the same size of the onion.
- Unsalted Butter. If you use salted, taste the dressing and adjust your salt.
- Chicken Broth. Canned or homemade will both work. I use a low sodium, fat-free variety.
- Buttermilk. This unsung hero ingredient should be in every refrigerator during the holiday season — you will find so many great applications!
- Salt. – I use kosher salt but any variety will work
- Pepper.
- Poultry Seasoning. A convenient blend of all the best spices for your turkey.
- Sage. This ingredient is optional based on your personal taste.
Cornbread Dressing Variations
If you love spicy foods, you might enjoy adding diced jalapenos or habaneros to your cornbread dressing recipe. Make sure you saute those peppers with the onions and celery.
Vegetarian cooks can substitute vegetable broth and still enjoy this classic favorite.
More Stuffing Ideas: Whether you call it stuffing or dressing (they’re basically the same thing – just depends on where you’re from!), there are so many delicious ways to make this side dish. If you love traditional flavors, check out my classic Thanksgiving dressing that’s perfect for the holidays. And for those who prefer something with a twist, my skillet herbed stuffing and sourdough stuffing recipes bring that comforting, crispy texture everyone adores. If you’re lucky to have leftovers, repurpose them by making dressing patties. The freeze great too!
Tips to Make the Easy Cornbread Dressing Recipe
If you haven’t replaced your poultry seasoning since last Thanksgiving, now is the time. Spices should be replaced every six months at a minimum to keep them fresh and effective.
Should you need emergency buttermilk, you can make your own using milk and vinegar or lemon juice. Add one tablespoon of distilled white vinegar or lemon juice to one cup of milk and stir it well.
If you are in a rush, purchase pre-made cornbread at your local grocery store in the bakery department for a quick and easy cornbread dressing recipe!
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Since this is a savory dish if you are making your cornbread from a mix choose one with less sugar content. This is not the time for sweet cornbread.
FAQ
Can Cornbread Dressing be made ahead?
Yes! I will often make our dressing the night before Thanksgiving and bake it fresh the day of. In fact, we like to make extra and if we don’t use it we’ll freeze it after baking it for future cornbread dressing casseroles.
Can Cornbread Dressing be frozen?
Yes! We often make an extra pan specifically for this purpose. We put it in the freezer for a delicious side dish with baked chicken at a later date.
Is the easy cornbread dressing recipe gluten-free?
Yes! If you will be entertaining gluten-free guests on Thanksgiving Day it will be super easy to make a delicious cornbread dressing recipe using the Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free Cornbread Mix to make your cornbread.
More Thanksgiving Dishes to Enjoy
Besides this being and amazingly good bread-based recipe we mentioned at the beginning of the post, you may also enjoy these recipes on your holiday table or the next day!
Frozen Cranberry Salad – Easy Make-Ahead Recipe. Kids love this creamy treat. The beautiful color will dress up your table.
Pumpkin Bundt Cake. Another use for that yummy buttermilk in your refrigerator!
Smooth & Creamy Pumpkin Cheesecake Swirl Bars. A fun twist on the ever-present pumpkin dessert.
Creamy Hot Turkey Sandwich with Leftovers. The perfect way to use up leftovers and stun your family with how good that turkey still tastes on Saturday.
Turkey a la King Recipe with Leftovers. Another great way to use up extra turkey.
Scalloped Corn Casserole makes an appearance at all of our family gatherings.
I hope you enjoyed this delicious recipe as much as we do. Drop me a comment below, and don’t forget to give it a star rating. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐. Your comments and ratings help others decide if this recipe is for them too.
Easy Cornbread Dressing Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 6 cups Cornbread (8×8 pan pre-baked)
- 1/2 cup yellow onion – diced
- 1/2 cup celery – diced
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 8 oz chicken broth – canned or homemade
- 1/4 cup buttermilk
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 1-½ tsp poultry seasoning
- 1 tsp sage optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 °F.
- Sautee onions and celery together in the butter until soft, set aside.
- Crumble the cornbread up in a large bowl.
- Add in the sauteed vegetables, seasonings, chicken broth, and buttermilk.
- Mix well until incorporated (with a wooden spoon or with clean hands).
- Grease the bottom and sides of a 9×13 or preferred baking dish with olive oil non-stick spray or butter.
- Pour the mixture in, it should not be runny or loose, it's going to be a little thick.
- Bake for 20-25 mins until the top begins to turn golden brown.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
This recipe was calculated using the exact brands and measurements I used to make this recipe. If you are following a strict diet please note changing anything will cause the nutritional info to change. My calculations are intended as a guide only.
Don’t forget to pin this delicious Thanksgiving side dish to your favorite Holiday board!
Still looking for Dressing and Stuffing Recipes? Here are a few from our friends!
Scrumptious Stuffing
- Apple & Caramelized Onion Pretzel Stuffing from The Spiffy Cookie
- Cornbread Dressing from Hostess At Heart
- Oyster Cornbread Dressing from Art of Natural Living
- Sausage and Apple Stuffing Muffins from Jen Around the World
- Sausage and Mushroom Stuffing from Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
- Slow Cooker Sausage Stuffing from Cheese Curd In Paradise
- Sourdough Andouille Dressing from That Recipe
- Sourdough Stuffing from Devour Dinner
- Whole Roasted Chicken with Stuffing from Palatable Pastime
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Hello, what can I use instead of celery husband is allergic, I use onion powder for onions.
You can leave the celery out completely.
Yum! Perfect for the holidays!
Thanks, Nikki!
Cornbread is our favorite. Cannot wait to try this for thanksgiving. Bookmarked!
Thank you, Min! We love cornbread too!
Being from the west we never had cornbread stuffing, but this year, that needs to change! YUMMO!
Thanks, Kathleen! I didn’t grow up eating it either but once I tried it was a win win!
Cornbread dressing has always been my favorite Thanksgiving dish. This recipe is just perfect!
Thank you! We like serving this one and our traditional dressing and they both get devoured.
This cornbread dressing looks so pure even my picky eater kids might eat it! They’ve never been a fan of stuffing, but then we always put “icky” things like mushrooms, spinach or kale in our stuffing. This might be the perfect solution for them!
I love those things in my dish but the rest of the family wouldn’t just like in your house but this one is a favorite for all of us.
This is an absolute holiday staple MUST!
Thank you! It’s delicious!
THe color is beautiful! I am an outside the bird person too!
Thanks, Inger!
Sounds like a great addition to the holiday table
It’s so good and another great option to traditional dressing.
Combining traditional dressing flavors with cornbread!!!! it’s so good. thanks for sharing
Thank you, Rebecca!
Dressing is my favorite part of Thanksgiving and I LOVE cornbread! Can’t wait to give this a try!
Mine too! Thanks, Jessica!
Sounds like the perfect dressing recipe! Love how simple and easy it is.
Thank you, Jennifer!
Such a classic stuffing recipe!
Classics are the best! Thanks, Hezzi.