Cornbread Dressing

5 from 3 votes

My family’s favorite Thanksgiving Cornbread Dressing! This dressing has tender sweet cubes of cornbread tossed with crusty sourdough bread and the perfect combination of fresh and seasonal herbs.

Prep Time35

Cook Time50

Total Time1 25

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: cornbread dressing

Servings: servings

Author: Chelsea Lords

Cost: $7.81

Equipment

9 x 13-inch baking pan
Large sheet pan (15" x 21") 15 x 21-inch
Large skillet

Ingredients

6 cups sourdough bread cut into 1-inch cubes
4 cups day-old cornbread cut into 1-inch cubes
11 tablespoons unsalted butter
2-1/2 cups finely diced yellow onion 2 medium onions
1-1/3 cups thinly sliced celery 6 to 8 stalks
2 teaspoons minced garlic 3 to 4 cloves
1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley finely diced
2 tablespoons fresh sage finely diced, see note 1
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary finely diced
1-1/2 tablespoons fresh thyme finely diced
1 teaspoon fresh oregano finely diced
Salt and pepper
1-1/4 cups chicken stock
2 large eggs

US - Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven to 250°F. Generously grease a 9x13-inch baking pan with cooking spray and set aside.
Cut the sourdough and cornbread into equal 1-inch-wide pieces (1/2-inch thick); place both on a large, rimmed sheet pan (15x21 inches). Bake for 45 minutes, gently stirring the bread and cornbread cubes every 15 minutes, or until completely dried. Remove from oven and set aside to cool. Increase oven temperature to 350°F.
Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add diced onions, celery, and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until veggies are tender and just beginning to lightly brown, about 10–15 minutes. While veggies are cooking, finely chop the herbs.
Add all the fresh chopped herbs: parsley, sage, rosemary, fresh oregano, and thyme to the butter and veggie mixture. Add salt and pepper to taste (I use about 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper). Remove pan from heat and let it cool slightly.
In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs with a fork until smooth. Pour in the chicken stock and whisk again until smooth. Pour this mixture into the slightly cooled pan with the butter and herbs and gently stir to combine. (If the pot is super hot, you’ll scramble the eggs!)
Add the cornbread and bread cubes to the pan. Stir very gently until all ingredients are combined and the bread/cornbread is well coated.
Transfer this mixture to the prepared 9x13-inch baking dish. Bake for 45–60 minutes or until browned and crisp on top. Remove and serve immediately.

Notes

Note 1: Fresh herbs can be pricey, but around Thanksgiving, look for a fresh poultry herb blend with rosemary, sage, and thyme. Just add parsley and swap 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano if needed—or skip it!

Prep ahead: Bread cubes can be baked up to 1 day in advance. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Make ahead: Completely assemble the ingredients according to the recipe right up until baking. Instead of baking, cover the casserole dish tightly and refrigerate. The next day, remove the dressing from the fridge, allow it to come to room temperature, then bake in a preheated oven. You may need to add some baking time to the dressing. I don’t recommend making this dish more than a day in advance.

Storage: Best enjoyed fresh. Leftovers lose their texture and don’t freeze well, so try to eat this dish within a few days.

Nutrition