From the roundup: 12 Easy Thanksgiving Side Dish Recipes Everyone Will Ask About
This sausage cornbread stuffing is the dish I make every Thanksgiving without negotiating with anyone in the family. Day-old crumbled cornbread soaks up the broth and sausage drippings in a way that regular sandwich bread just does not, and the fresh sage and thyme do real work here rather than disappearing into the background. Active time is about 25 minutes, most of it at the stove browning sausage and softening onion and celery. The oven handles the rest.
One thing worth knowing before you start: the cornbread needs to be genuinely dried out, not just day-old. I learned this the hard way the first time I made it. I skipped the drying step and ended up with a pan of wet, dense stuffing that never quite set in the middle. Now I either leave the crumbled cornbread on a sheet pan overnight or run it through a 250-degree oven for 20 minutes the morning of. Either way, drier cornbread means better texture after baking.
The whole dish comes together in one large mixing bowl after you cook the sausage and vegetables, so cleanup is manageable even on a busy cooking day. It feeds 10 comfortably as a side, and leftovers reheat well the next day with a fried egg on top if you want to stretch it into a quick breakfast or lunch.
Why you will love this
- You can fully assemble it the night before and refrigerate it, then bake it fresh Thanksgiving morning while the turkey rests.
- The sausage drippings stay in the skillet and go right into cooking the vegetables, so you are building flavor without extra fat or an extra pan.
- Fresh sage and thyme hold up better in the oven than dried herbs do here, and the difference in the finished stuffing is noticeable.
- It holds well in a low oven (around 200 degrees, covered) for up to an hour if your timing gets complicated.
- Leftovers are genuinely good reheated the next day, especially with a splash of broth added before they go back in the oven.
Tips for success
- Dry the cornbread thoroughly before mixing. Even if it sat out overnight, run it through a 250-degree oven for 20 minutes if it still feels soft. Wet cornbread absorbs too much liquid too fast and turns dense instead of holding its shape.
- Taste the stuffing mixture before it goes into the baking dish. Sausage and chicken broth both carry sodium, so the mix often needs only a small pinch of salt, if any. This is the step most people skip and then wonder why it tastes flat or too salty.
- The broth-and-egg mixture should make the stuffing look wet but not pooling at the bottom of the bowl. If you press down on it and liquid runs out freely, it is too wet. If it feels stiff and dry, add broth a few tablespoons at a time.
- Do not skip the foil for the first 30 minutes of baking. Uncovering too early dries out the top before the center has a chance to set, and you end up with a crust over a soggy middle.
Common questions
- Can I use store-bought cornbread? Yes. One 16-ounce package works in place of a homemade 9-inch pan. Still crumble and dry it out the same way.
- How do I know when it is done? A toothpick inserted in the center should come out dry, and the top should be lightly golden. The center will still look slightly soft but will firm up as it rests.
- Can I bake it in a different pan? A 9×13 is the right size for this amount. A smaller dish will give you a thicker stuffing that needs more covered baking time, closer to 40 minutes covered.
- What if it comes out dry after reheating? Add a small splash of chicken broth before covering it with foil and reheating. Even a few tablespoons brings it back.
Substitutions
Turkey or chicken sausage works in place of pork breakfast sausage if you want something leaner. Just watch it closely since it browns faster and has less fat in the pan for cooking the vegetables, so you may need the full 2 tablespoons of butter rather than relying on drippings. Dried sage and thyme, about 1 teaspoon each, are a reasonable substitute if fresh herbs are not available, though the flavor is softer. For a vegetarian version, skip the sausage entirely and saute 8 ounces of chopped cremini mushrooms in the butter until they are deeply browned before adding the onion and celery. A handful of dried cranberries stirred in at the end adds a little contrast.
If the sausage you are using is heavily seasoned or labeled “hot, ” reach for low-sodium chicken broth to keep the salt level in check. The stuffing will still taste plenty savory from the sausage drippings alone.
Make-ahead and storage
To make this ahead, assemble the full stuffing in the baking dish, cover it tightly with foil, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Pull it out of the refrigerator about 30 minutes before baking so it is not going into the oven ice cold. Add 5 to 10 extra minutes to the covered baking time to account for the chill, then uncover and bake as directed until the top is golden and a toothpick comes out dry.
Leftovers keep in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat portions covered in a 350-degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes, adding a small splash of broth if it looks dry before it goes in. Individual portions reheat in the microwave in 90-second intervals. This stuffing can be frozen for up to 2 months if it is well wrapped, though the texture softens a bit after thawing. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator and reheat covered in the oven with a little extra broth to bring it back.
Herb and Sausage Cornbread Stuffing
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- If you have not already dried out the cornbread, crumble it onto a large sheet pan and let it sit uncovered at room temperature for several hours or overnight. You can also spread it on a pan and put it in a 250-degree oven for 20 minutes to speed things up. The drier the cornbread, the better it absorbs the broth without turning to mush.
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and butter a 9×13 inch baking dish.
- Set a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the bulk sausage and cook, breaking it apart with a spoon, for 7 to 8 minutes until browned and cooked through. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the sausage to a large mixing bowl, leaving the drippings in the skillet.
- Reduce the heat to medium and add the butter to the skillet with the drippings. Once it melts, add the onion and celery. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft and translucent. Add the garlic, sage, and thyme and cook for 1 more minute until fragrant. Scrape everything into the bowl with the sausage.
- Add the crumbled cornbread to the bowl and toss gently to combine everything. In a separate small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the warm chicken broth and the beaten eggs. Pour this mixture over the cornbread and stir until the bread is evenly moistened. It should look wet but not soupy. If it seems dry, add another splash of broth.
- Taste the mixture before it bakes. This is your last chance to adjust salt. Remember that the sausage and broth both carry sodium, so add only a small pinch if needed and a generous amount of black pepper.
- Spread the stuffing evenly into the prepared baking dish and cover tightly with foil. Bake for 30 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for another 15 minutes until the top is lightly golden and the center is set. A toothpick inserted in the middle should come out dry. Let it rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
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