Old-fashioned Southern Cornbread Dressing is a classic holiday side everyone will love. Made with sweet honey cornbread, savory sage sausage, fresh herbs and vegetables, this recipe yields a moist, buttery interior with a crisp golden top.
Why You’ll Love this Southern Cornbread Dressing:
- Sweet and savory balance. Honey cornbread pairs beautifully with browned sage sausage and buttery vegetables.
- Perfect texture. The top bakes to a golden, slightly crisp crust while the inside stays tender and moist.
- Make-ahead friendly. Combine the dressing a day ahead and refrigerate until ready to bake for stress-free holiday timing.
Key Ingredients:
- Cornbread: A honey cornbread gives a pleasant sweetness that complements the sausage.
- Day-old bread: Adds structure to the dressing; leftover rolls or biscuits work fine.
- Sage pork sausage: Browned and crumbled for savory, herby flavor.
- Fresh herbs: Parsley, sage, and thyme for bright, aromatic depth.
- Stock & egg: Chicken stock and a beaten egg bind the mixture and keep it moist.
Dietary Swaps:
- Gluten-free: Use a gluten-free cornbread mix and gluten-free bread; verify sausage and broth are labeled GF.
- Dairy-free: Substitute butter with a dairy-free spread such as plant-based margarine.
- Vegetarian: Omit the sausage and use vegetable stock; consider adding sautéed mushrooms or toasted nuts for texture.
Recipe Variations:
- Extra vegetables: Add sliced celery, diced bell pepper, or roasted butternut squash for more color and flavor.
- Alternate proteins: Swap in shredded turkey or chicken, crumbled bacon, or chicken sausage.
- Sweet or crunchy mix-ins: Stir in dried cranberries, chopped apricots, or chopped pecans or walnuts for contrast.
Tips & Recipe Notes:
- No day-old bread? Dry fresh bread in a low oven: spread slices on a baking sheet and bake at 225°F for 30–45 minutes until dry.
- Fresh herbs are best. They deliver the most flavor; if using dried herbs, reduce the amount by half.
- Make ahead. Combine the dressing up to a day ahead, press into a buttered baking dish, cover tightly, and refrigerate. Remove from the fridge at least 30 minutes before baking.
More Holiday Side Dishes You Will Love:
- Baked Candied Yams
- Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad with Bacon
- Roasted Sweet Potato Salad
- Easy Southern-Style Creamed Corn
- Easy Southern Fried Cabbage with Bacon & Onions
- Low-Carb Cheesy Cauliflower Bake with Bacon & Mushrooms
Recipe
Southern Cornbread Dressing
Sweet honey cornbread, sage sausage, fresh herbs and vegetables come together for a moist dressing with a crisp golden top.
Total Time 1 hr 10 mins
Course Side Dish
Servings 8
Calories 468 kcal
Ingredients
- 1 box honey cornbread mix, prepared
- 4 slices day-old bread, torn into chunks
- ½ lb sage pork sausage
- 6–8 oz baby bella mushrooms, roughly chopped
- 2 cups yellow onion, diced
- ½ cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped
- 1½ tbsp fresh sage leaves, chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
- 5–6 large garlic cloves, minced
- 2 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
- 3 cups chicken stock
- 8 tbsp butter, melted (plus 1 tbsp for cooking)
- 1 large egg, whisked
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- Pinch ground nutmeg
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Crumble prepared cornbread into a large bowl. Tear day-old bread into chunks and add; set aside.
- Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add sausage and cook until browned; transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.
- In the same skillet, cook mushrooms and onions 6–8 minutes until softened. Add parsley, sage, thyme, and garlic and cook 1–2 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Add the cooked sausage, the vegetable-herb mixture, and chopped hard-boiled eggs to the cornbread and bread; stir to combine.
- Whisk together melted butter, chicken stock, the beaten egg, salt, and nutmeg. Pour over the cornbread mixture and mix gently until evenly moistened.
- Transfer the mixture to a buttered 9×13-inch baking pan. Cover with foil and bake 20–25 minutes. Remove the foil and bake an additional 10–15 minutes until the top is golden.
- Let rest 1–2 minutes, then slice and serve warm.
Notes
- No day-old bread? Dry fresh slices at 225°F for 30–45 minutes until dry.
- Fresh herbs: Provide the best flavor; halve amounts if using dried herbs.
- Make ahead: Assemble up to a day early, cover, and refrigerate. Bring to near room temperature before baking.
- Nutrition values are estimates only.
Nutrition
Calories: 468 kcal
Carbohydrates: 40 g
Protein: 12.3 g
Fat: 35.1 g
Saturated Fat: 11.4 g
Sugar: 13.5 g
Keyword cornbread dressing, cornbread sausage stuffing
Tried this Southern Cornbread Dressing? I’d love to hear how it turned out! Please leave a star rating and review in the recipe card. Your feedback helps others discover this easy Southern classic. Enjoy, and happy cooking!