This southern cornbread dressing recipe is a must for the holidays, made with homemade cornbread and a flavorful Creole seasoning that gives it the best flavor. It's the perfect side dish!
It's the holidays, my friends, and that means lots of big meals with family and friends. This pretty much always means a big turkey on the Thanksgiving table, or a large honey baked ham, or maybe a stuffed flank steak. But what about the side dishes?
Proper side dishes are a MUST for a successful holiday meal. They really round it out and are best when they pair nicely with your main course. I've got your ultimate holiday side dish recipe right here, my friends. It checks all the boxes. We're talking...
Southern Cornbread Dressing! YES!
Cornbread dressing is a classic recipe in the southern U.S. It's primary component is cornbread, of course, but we're mixing in all sorts of other wonderful ingredients to make it more like a fluffy casserole. It's very much like your classic stuffing recipe, but made with cornbread instead.
And DANG is it huge on flavor. If you've been thinking about making a homemade cornbread dressing for your gathering, or if you're looking for something new to try, you need to give this recipe a go. You won't regret it.
You'll need to get some cornbread, and I'll provide the link to that recipe so you can make it separately.
Alright, let's get moving!
Let's talk about how to make cornbread dressing, shall we?
Cornbread Dressing Ingredients
- Cornbread. Use this recipe for jalapeno cornbread - it is the exact amount you need, 6-7 cups.
- Butter.
- Onion.
- Jalapeno Peppers. Optional. Use bell peppers for milder dressing.
- Celery.
- Creole Seasonings.
- Eggs.
- Chicken Stock. Or chicken broth, or use vegetable broth or stock.
- Milk. Try it with buttermilk for buttermilk cornbread.
- Parsley.
- Salt and pepper to taste.
How to Make Cornbread Dressing
First, preheat your oven to 375 degrees F.
Add the cubed cornbread to a large bowl.
Heat a pan to medium heat and melt 1 tablespoon of the butter. Add the onion, celery and jalapeno to the melted butter. Cook them down for 5 minutes to soften.
Stir in the Creole seasoning and remaining butter. When the butter is melted, remove the pan from heat and let it cool slightly.
Pour it over the cubed or crumbled cornbread (cut into small pieces) into the bowl and combine.
Whisk together the eggs, chicken stock, milk and parsley. Pour it over the cornbread. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.
Gently fold the cornbread mixture with wooden spoons until it absorbs the liquids.
It should be moist, not soggy.
Transfer the mixture to a lightly oiled 9 x 11 baking dish and bake for 30 minutes at 375 degrees F until it is golden brown.
Remove from heat and serve!
BOOM! That's it, my friends! Easy enough, isn't it? Not too much work and WELL WORTH the time spent. Your friends and family will love you for this one.
Tell them it's your own secret recipe.
Recipe Tips & Notes
- Flavor Additions. There are a number of other different seasonings you can add to cornbread dressing to your own flavor preferences. Some great ones to experiment with are fried or cooked sage, sage powder, or fresh or dried oregano.
- The Seasonings. I've used my favorite homemade Creole seasoning recipe blend for this recipe, as it's an easy go-to and gives dishes a big flavor boost. However, feel free to use your own blend, your own favorite store bought brand, or use a Cajun seasoning blend. They're all good here!
- Sausage. Crumbly sausage is a nice addition to make this a heartier side dish. I like a good spicy Italian sausage, though mild is fine, or use bratwurst that you can remove from the casings. Spicy Mexican chorizo is also very awesome. You can incorporate other meats as well, such as chopped chicken or ground pork.
- Chili Peppers. Yes! I've added jalapeno peppers to my mix because I enjoy the spice level and flavor, and because jalapenos aren't going to upset any of my guests. If you think they'll be too hot for them, you can core them out or omit them, or sub in mild bell peppers or sweet peppers. You can always go hotter with spicier peppers, like the serrano pepper or a habanero pepper or two.
- Not JUST for Holidays. You'll normally find a recipe like this served on American holidays - Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter - though it's a bit of shame because this would be great anytime of the year! I think of it as more of a cooler weather side dish, but serve it up anytime you'd like! If you love cornbread, you'll love this recipe. No doubt.
Dressing Vs. Stuffing
Is there a difference between “stuffing” and “dressing”? The short answer is that there really is no difference between stuffing and dressing. You'll get this question a lot around this time of year if you're making a bird for the holidays.
It's more of a regional thing. In the northern regions, you might be more used to calling this recipe a cornbread stuffing. In the southern U.S., you may be used to calling this a cornbread dressing, as opposed to a stuffing.
However, if you cook the stuffing inside the bird, then it is undoubtedly a stuffing.
That's it, my friends! I hope you enjoy it! Let me know how it turns out for you! I'm always happy to help.
Try Some of My Other Popular Recipes for the Holidays
- Scalloped Potatoes
- Sausage Stuffing
- Chipotle Mashed Sweet Potatoes
- Chipotle-Honey Baked Ham
- Baked Turkey Wings Recipe
- Hoppin’ John
- Cajun Corn Maque Choux
- Papas con Chile – Cheese Tex-Mex Mashed Potatoes
- Jalapeno-Cheddar Dutch Oven Bread
- Try My Side Dish Recipes
Got any questions? Ask away! I’m happy to help. If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you’ll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don’t forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I’ll be sure to share! Thanks! — Mike H.
Southern Cornbread Dressing Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 cups cubed cornbread SEE RECIPE NOTES
- 8 tablespoons butter
- 1 large onion chopped
- 2 jalapeno peppers chopped (use a large bell pepper for milder flavor)
- 1 stalk celery chopped
- 2 tablespoons Creole seasoning blend
- 3 large eggs beaten
- ¾ cups chicken stock or vegetable broth
- ¼ cup milk
- 1/3 cup chopped parsley
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Add the cubed cornbread to a large bowl.
- Heat a pan to medium heat and melt 1 tablespoon of the butter. Add the onion, jalapeno and celery. Cook them down for 5 minutes to soften.
- Stir in the Creole seasoning and remaining butter. When the butter is melted, remove the pan from heat and let it cool slightly. Pour it over the cubed cornbread.
- Whisk together the eggs, chicken stock, milk and parsley. Pour it over the cornbread. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.
- Gently fold the cornbread with wooden spoons until it absorbs the liquids. It should be moist, not soggy.
- Transfer the mixture to a lightly oiled 9x11 baking dish and take for 30 minutes at 375 degrees F.
- Remove from heat and serve.
Notes
Nutrition Information
NOTE: This recipe was updated on 11/1/21 to include new information. It was originally published on 11/18/19.
Cathlynn Groh says
This is terrific!!! The cornbread is amazing by itself, so extra must be made for those who try to pilfer from the dressing ingredients!!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, Cathlynn! I appreciate it! I just made again this for our holiday gathering! Always a hit.
Tiffany Harris says
Can I mix up the dressing the night before and cook the following day?
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Tiffany, yes, though wrap it up very tightly and refrigerate until ready to bake the next day. Let me know how it goes for you. Enjoy.
Amy says
Hi, I’m planning to try this. Do you dry the cornbread out before using it in this recipe or use it fresh? Thanks!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
I use freshly made cornbread, Amy. Enjoy!
GJM says
I can hardly wait to try this. As a Southern gal, I make my own cornbread, and have made my own Cornbread Dressing for more than a few decades. I've always said, (only half in jest), that you aren't a real Southern gal, if you can't make a good pan of cornbread. It separates the real from the "wannabes". I expect that I'll make a pan of jalapeno cornbread when I try this, and I do not think that I will wait until Thanksgiving. Next week sounds perfect! And BTW, I do not know how it took me so long to find your site, but after reading, and trying, some of the recipes here, I had to have your book. In fact, I bought 2, and gave one as a birthday gift this week. This Chili Pepper Madness is an addiction!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, GM. I hope you like it. This is a GREAT one for us, always turns out just right. Thanks for the support! I greatly appreciate it!