Whether you call it dressing or stuffing, classic Jiffy Cornbread Dressing recipe is a surefire way to turn a non-believer into a stuffing lover. This easy side dish is a must-have at any Thanksgiving table!
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love Cornbread Dressing With Sausage
- Ingredient Information And Substitutions
- How To Make Cornbread And Sausage Stuffing
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Tips For Making Old Fashioned Cornbread Dressing
- What To Serve With Cornbread With Sausage Dressing
- Other Delicious Holiday Side Dish Recipes To Try
- Jiffy Cornbread Dressing
- Hosting Thanksgiving?
Why You'll Love Cornbread Dressing With Sausage
I've never been much of a dressing fan. I find most recipes to be a bit too mushy for my taste, and I'd generally rather have an extra helping of mashed potatoes. But I have to say, this cornbread stuffing recipe that I'm about to share with you today has totally changed my mind about stuffing.
Now admittedly, it took me several tests to get this recipe just right. The flavor was there from the start, but I just couldn't get my texture the way I wanted it, which is a slightly crispy top and soft and fluffy in the middle, without being mushy.
After four tests and a whole lot of stuffing later, I feel confident that I (finally) nailed it. Here are just a few reasons to try it yourself:
- Perfect for the holidays
- Crispy on the outside, fluff on the inside
- Full of savory flavors
- Hearty and comforting
- Classic and nostalgic recipe
- Family-friendly
Ingredient Information And Substitutions
- Cornbread- I like to use Jiffy cornbread mixes because they're super easy! If you would rather use one of your favorites, just know that this recipe calls for two 8-inch pans of cornbread. Day-old cornbread will give you the best texture!
- Sausage- I like pork sausage for this, but if you want to make it healthier, feel free to use poultry sausage.
- Vegetables- Onions and celery add delicious flavor and texture. I sauté them in the grease from the sausage and a little butter to really maximize the flavor.
- Seasonings- The combination of ground sage, dried thyme, kosher salt, and black pepper really brings it all together!
- Chicken or Turkey Broth- I don't use dressing to stuff my turkey so I add some broth for moisture.
How To Make Cornbread And Sausage Stuffing
Step 1- Cook the sausage and veggies.
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and grease a 9x13-inch pan.
Place a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and break it up into smaller pieces with a wooden spoon as it cooks. When browned, remove from the pan and set aside.
Add some butter to the same pan and cook the onion and celery with the sage, thyme, salt, and pepper until softened.
Step 3- Assemble the dressing.
Add the cooked sausage back into the pan and then crumble in both cornbreads. Pour in the broth and gently mix everything together until just combined. Be careful not to over mix as the corn bread with continue to break down the more you mix it.
Step 5- Add to the pan and bake.
Pour the cornbread mixture into the prepared baking pan. Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the cover and bake your cornbread stuffing with sausage for another 15 minutes. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
Technically speaking, stuffing is stuffed into another food (like a turkey) and dressing is baked in a pan. But... so many use the words interchangeably, including myself. For all intents and purposes of this recipe, there is no difference!
No, you don't have to. I like to dry mine out because I feel it creates the very best texture — speaking as someone who cannot stand mushy stuffing. If you don't mind a softer look and feel, you can skip that step and mix it together even more in the sauté pan to break it down more.
I bake mine for a total of 45 minutes — 30 minutes covered and then another 15 minutes without the cover. Your oven may be different than mine, so start checking for doneness in the last 5 minutes of cooking to prevent burning.
Yes! You have two options. Follow the recipe as written, but hold off on baking until ready to serve — store it covered in the refrigerator in the meantime. You may need to adjust the cooking time to make sure it warms through. The other option is to prepare it fully and then reheat before serving this second option could be slightly drier.
Absolutely! As a note, this recipe makes enough cornbread and sausage stuffing to fill one 12-14 pound turkey. Just make sure that the stuffing cooks to an internal temperature of 165 degrees F in addition to the turkey to avoid food borne illness.
Tips For Making Old Fashioned Cornbread Dressing
- I always make the cornbread the night before and leave it out all night. It becomes slightly stale, which helps prevent the stuffing from getting mushy.
- Cook the sausage until it's no longer pink. You want it to be completely browned for the best flavor.
- But... don't overcook the veggies. Sauté the onion and celery until they're softened but still have a bit of crunch. As you can tell, texture is super important here!
- Remember to remove the foil for the last 15 minutes of baking time. It really helps the whole thing crisp up!
- Make-Ahead Instructions: You have two options. Follow the recipe as written, but hold off on baking until ready to serve — store it covered in the refrigerator in the meantime. You may need to adjust the cooking time to make sure it warms through. The other option is to prepare it fully and then reheat before serving this second option could be slightly drier.
- If using this dressing to stuff inside your turkey: this makes enough stuffing to fill one 12-14 pound turkey. Just make sure that the stuffing cooks to an internal temperature of 165 degrees F in addition to the turkey to avoid food borne illness.
- Ingredients to prep ahead- If you want to make extra progress on your Thanksgiving Day prep, you can make the cornbread and chop the onions and celery in advance. And remember to refer to my make-ahead instructions above to really get ahead!
- Leftovers and storage- Cornbread sausage stuffing will keep for 3-4 days in the refrigerator after it's been cooked. To reheat, use your microwave or your oven to crisp it back up.
What To Serve With Cornbread With Sausage Dressing
I typically only make cornbread sausage dressing for Thanksgiving, but sometimes I'll whip up a batch for Christmas too! Here are some more of my favorite holiday dishes to pair with it:
- Baked Brie Phyllo Cups
- Turkey with Oranges and Rosemary
- Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes
- Cheesy Corn Casserole
- Old Fashioned Pecan Pie
- Classic Pumpkin Pie
Other Delicious Holiday Side Dish Recipes To Try
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5 star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card below ⬇️ and/or a review in the comment section further down. Check out my Amazon Store for all my favorite tools, including those used in this recipe. And follow @thelifejolie on Instagram and TikTok!
Jiffy Cornbread Dressing
Equipment
Ingredients
- Cooking spray
- 1 pound pork sausage
- 1 Tablespoon salted butter
- 2 cups onion, finely diced (around 2 medium onions)
- 3 large celery ribs, finely diced
- ½ teaspoon ground sage
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 8 inch pans prepared, day-old corn bread, (I made 2 pans of Jiffy corn bread the day before and left it out all night)
- 1 14.5 ounce can chicken broth (omit this if you're using this as stuffing- it makes enough to stuff a 12-14 pound bird)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9" x 13" pan with cooking spray and set aside.
- In a large saute pan, saute the sausage over medium-high heat using a wooden spoon to break it up into bite-size pieces, stirring often until brown, about 10 minutes.
- Remove the sausage crumbles from the pan, into a side bowl and melt butter in the empty pan.
- Add onions and celery and season with sage, thyme, salt and pepper. Saute stirring often until soft, about 5 minutes.
- Stir sausage back into the pan and crumble both corn breads into the pan. Add broth and stir until just combined.
- Pour the corn bread mixture into the greased 9" x 13" pan and cover with foil.
- Bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake for another 15 minutes. Serve immediately.
Video
Notes
- I always make the cornbread the night before and leave it out all night. It becomes slightly stale, which helps prevent the stuffing from getting mushy.
- Cook the sausage until it's no longer pink. You want it to be completely browned for the best flavor.
- But... don't overcook the veggies. Sauté the onion and celery until they're softened but still have a bit of crunch. As you can tell, texture is super important here!
- Remember to remove the foil for the last 15 minutes of baking time. It really helps the whole thing crisp up!
- Make-Ahead Instructions: You have two options. Follow the recipe as written, but hold off on baking until ready to serve — store it covered in the refrigerator in the meantime. You may need to adjust the cooking time to make sure it warms through. The other option is to prepare it fully and then reheat before serving this second option could be slightly drier.
- If using this dressing to stuff inside your turkey: this makes enough stuffing to fill one 12-14 pound turkey. Just make sure that the stuffing cooks to an internal temperature of 165 degrees F in addition to the turkey to avoid food borne illness.
- Ingredients to prep ahead- If you want to make extra progress on your Thanksgiving Day prep, you can make the cornbread and chop the onions and celery in advance. And remember to refer to my make-ahead instructions above to really get ahead!
- Leftovers and storage- Cornbread sausage stuffing will keep for 3-4 days in the refrigerator after it's been cooked. To reheat, use your microwave or your oven to crisp it back up.
Nutrition
Hosting Thanksgiving?
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