Cornbread Dressing
Equipment
- 10-inch cast iron skillet
- 9x13-inch baking dish
- Large mixing bowl
- Large sauté pan
- Whisk
Ingredients
For the Skillet Cornbread
- 2 cups yellow cornmeal stone-ground preferred
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar optional — Southern cornbread is traditionally low sugar
- 2 large eggs beaten
- 1.5 cups buttermilk full-fat
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter melted, plus more for the skillet
For the Dressing
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
- 1.5 cups celery finely diced, about 4 stalks
- 1 large yellow onion finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 teaspoons dried rubbed sage or 1 tablespoon fresh sage, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon black pepper freshly cracked
- 1 teaspoon salt plus more to taste
- 3 large eggs beaten
- 3.5 cups chicken broth warm, good-quality — may need up to 4 cups
- 1 can (10.5 oz) condensed cream of chicken soup optional but adds richness and body
Instructions
Make the Skillet Cornbread (Day Before Preferred)
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Place a 10-inch cast iron skillet in the oven while it preheats.
- Whisk together cornmeal, flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, buttermilk, and melted butter.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined — do not overmix.
- Carefully remove the hot skillet from the oven and add 1 tablespoon of butter, swirling to coat. Pour in the batter immediately.
- Bake for 20-24 minutes until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool completely, then crumble into a large bowl. For best results, leave the crumbled cornbread uncovered overnight to dry out slightly.
Sauté the Aromatics
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with butter.
- Melt 4 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Continue cooking, swirling occasionally, until the butter turns golden and smells nutty (brown butter). Add celery and onion and sauté for 8-10 minutes until very soft and translucent.
- Add garlic, sage, thyme, salt, and pepper. Cook for another 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes.
Assemble and Bake
- Add the sautéed vegetable mixture to the bowl of crumbled cornbread and stir to combine.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the beaten eggs, warm chicken broth, and cream of chicken soup (if using). Pour this mixture over the cornbread and stir gently until everything is evenly moistened. The mixture should look quite wet and almost soupy — this is correct. Add up to another half cup of broth if the mixture seems too thick.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish and spread evenly. Dot the top with the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, cut into small pieces.
- Bake uncovered for 45-55 minutes until the top is deep golden brown and the center is just set (it will still have a very slight jiggle — that's what makes it custardy inside). If the top is browning too quickly, tent loosely with foil after 30 minutes.
- Let rest for 10 minutes before serving. Serve hot with turkey gravy poured over the top.
Notes
Make-Ahead: Assemble the unbaked dressing, cover tightly with foil, and refrigerate up to 24 hours. Add 5-10 minutes to the bake time and let it sit at room temp for 30 minutes before baking.
Storage: Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat covered with foil at 325°F with a splash of broth on top.
Freezer-Friendly: Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Key Tip: The mixture should look very wet before baking — wetter than you think is right. This is what creates the custardy interior. Don't hold back on the broth.
Nutrition
Calories: 325kcalCarbohydrates: 38gProtein: 9gFat: 15gSodium: 740mgFiber: 2gSugar: 4g