Quintessentially Southern, scrumptious, and make-ahead: this holiday side dish is a keeper.
Sitting down to a large holiday feast with family and friends, whether it’s Thanksgiving or Christmas, marks a time for tradition and beloved dishes. Here in Kentucky, when it comes to holiday sides, my family’s table always includes several must-haves: sweet potato casserole (with a pecan streusel topping), buttermilk mashed potatoes, Vidalia onion casserole, and, of course, cornbread dressing. Not stuffing. While the two terms are used somewhat interchangeably, here in Kentucky, it’s always called cornbread dressing.
So what’s the difference between dressing and stuffing? Technically, stuffing is cooked inside of a turkey or chicken, although many people nowadays cook their stuffing separately for safety reasons. Whether you call the dish stuffing or dressing usually depends on what region you’re in here in the States. In the South, it’s dressing. It doesn’t matter if the base is white bread, sourdough, rice, or cornbread.
You will love making and serving cornbread dressing, whether it’s at the holidays or just a hearty side on a chilly evening. With its cornbread base, you get a savory-sweet flavor profile, plus the usual seasonings: sage, rosemary, and thyme. Every forkful is moist and tasty; no dry, boring dressing here! And the best part? Cornbread dressing is a make-ahead dish. Assemble it and refrigerate it up to two days ahead of baking and serving. Especially during the busy holiday season, side dishes like this are lifesavers.
Cornbread tips
For this recipe, you need three cups of crumbled cornbread. Typically, an 8×8-inch pan of cornbread yields about three cups, so the only big decision is: Will you make it from scratch or use a mix? Whether you make the cornbread using a box of Jiffy or a family heirloom recipe is totally up to you. And, if you need to make it a day or two ahead, no worries! Slightly stale cornbread works really well in this dressing. As a general rule, avoid using sweet, cake-like cornbread as the base for this dressing. The Southern, savory type works best.
How do I store leftovers?
Store leftover cornbread dressing in an airtight container in the refrigerator or freezer. In the refrigerator, it will keep for up to 4 days. In the freezer, it will keep up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. To reheat leftovers, either reheat individual portions in the microwave or reheat larger portions in a preheated 350°F oven until warmed through.
Serving suggestions
If you’re serving cornbread dressing as part of a holiday meal, it goes very well with roast turkey or sliced ham. It also pairs well with the traditional classic side dishes like green bean casserole, Southern Mac and Cheese, and Squash Casserole. However, you don’t have to wait until the holidays to enjoy this dish! Try cornbread dressing with a main dish like Smothered Pork Chops. Round out the meal with collard greens and mashed potatoes for a finger-lickin’ good meal that’s hearty and delicious.
Cornbread Dressing
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 tablespoons butter
- 1 small onion diced
- 3/4 cup chopped celery
- 3 cups crumbled day-old cornbread
- 2 large eggs beaten
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 1 tablespoon dried sage
- 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- Salt and ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F and grease a 7×11-inch baking dish.
- In a medium skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add the diced onion and chopped celery, and sauté for 5 to 7 minutes until soft.
- In a large bowl, combine the crumbled cornbread with the sautéed onion and celery. Stir in the beaten eggs, chicken stock, dried sage, rosemary, thyme, salt, and ground black pepper until well mixed.
- Transfer the mixture into your prepared baking dish and bake in the preheated oven for about 30 minutes until the edges turn golden.
- Let the dressing cool for a few minutes before serving warm. Enjoy your meal!
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