Italian Sausage Cornbread Stuffing Recipe - Savory Simple (2024)

Jump to Recipe

This Italian Sausage Cornbread Stuffing Recipe is flavorful, easy to prepare and perfect for Thanksgiving!

Italian Sausage Cornbread Stuffing Recipe - Savory Simple (1)

Can you believe it’s almost time for Thanksgiving? This year is flying by at warp speed. Every year goes by a little bit faster, and the big 4-0 is now just around the corner.

It’s been a tumultuous year in countless ways, but I have a lot to be thankful for right now. A happy, healthy husband and family (and cat… too many close calls!), a niece or nephew on the way, a cozy little home, and amazing friends. Enough schmaltz, let’s get to business. Stuffing business. Or is it… dressing business?

Stuffing vs. Dressing

Recently, I learned that I had possibly been using the term “stuffing” wrong my entire life, as I started seeing recipes for Thanksgiving dressing with corresponding photos of stuffing. It was a bit mortifying. When I hear dressing, I think of salads. I was very confused.

It was explained to me that stuffing is the mixture baked into the turkey, while dressing is basically the same recipe but baked in a casserole dish. Eh? So my entire immediate and extended family had it wrong?

Thankfully, no. While I’m sure there are some who would love to debate me on this, it seems that the terminology is a regional difference. Southern Living even has a map of which states search the most for dressing vs. stuffing! Phew.

Italian Sausage Cornbread Stuffing Notes

  • You can take a shortcut with the cornbread, since it’s being dried out and mixed with other ingredients. You can certainly bake some from scratch, but feel free to use a mix, or buy some pre-baked. Regardless of whether it’s homemade or store-bought, I recommend using a cornbread that you’re familiar with and like, since it will still be a dominant flavor. A friend recently served me Trader Joe’s cornbread (from a mix) alongside chili, and I had no idea it wasn’t homemade until she told me.
  • If you want to lighten up the recipe a bit, swap out regular Italian sausage for pre-cooked chicken or turkey Italian Sausage.

More Thanksgiving Recipes

  • Pumpkin Slab Pie (perfect for feeding a large crowd!)
  • Baked Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese (the BEST Thanksgiving side dish)
  • Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheesecake (need I say more?)
  • Pecan Pie French Toast Casserole (brunch for the out-of-town guests!)
  • Beer and Brown Sugar Sweet Potatoes (from The Beeroness)

Italian Sausage Cornbread Stuffing Recipe - Savory Simple (2)

Print Pin Recipe

Italian Sausage Cornbread Stuffing

5 from 5 votes

This Italian Sausage Cornbread Stuffing Recipe is flavorful, easy to prepare and perfect for Thanksgiving!

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword Sausage Cornbread Stuffing

Prep Time 1 hour hour

Cook Time 1 hour hour 40 minutes minutes

Total Time 2 hours hours 40 minutes minutes

Servings 6 -8 servings

Calories 377

Author Jennifer Farley

Ingredients

US Customary - Metric

  • 6 cups cornbread (your favorite recipe, cut into 1-inch pieces)
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 12 ounces pre-cooked mild Italian sausage, sliced
  • 1 large yellow onion, diced (approximately 2 cups)
  • 2 ribs celery, diced
  • 1/2 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
  • 1 tablespoon sage leaves, finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 1/2 cups chicken stock, homemade or low-sodium
  • 1 cup half-and-half (or 1/2 cup whole milk + 1/2 cup cream)
  • 1 large egg

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F. Distribute the diced cornbread evenly on a baking sheet and dry out in the oven for 45-50 minutes. Place in a large bowl and set aside.

  • In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat and add the sausage. Cook for several minutes, allowing the pieces to caramelize. Once they are nicely browned, move them to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside. Drain some but not all of the fat from the pan and then add the diced onion and celery with a pinch of salt. The liquid from the vegetables should help loosen up any brown bits on the bottom of the pan; stir those in with the vegetables. Cook for 3-5 minutes until the onions are slightly caramelized. Add the garlic, thyme and sage and cook for another minute before removing from the heat. Stir in the salt and pepper.

  • Whisk together the chicken stock, half and half and egg. Pour the mixture over the cornbread. Add the sausage as well as the vegetable mixture and fold the ingredients together. Cover with plastic wrap and allow the ingredients to chill in the refrigerator for one hour.

  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Grease a 9x9 inch baking dish and distribute the stuffing ingredients evenly. Bake for 45-50 minutes, until the top is golden brown.

Please read my full post for additional recipe notes, tips, and serving suggestions!

Nutrition

Calories: 377kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 92mg | Sodium: 769mg | Potassium: 306mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 280IU | Vitamin C: 3.8mg | Calcium: 116mg | Iron: 1.7mg

Recipe Troubleshooting

For immediate help troubleshooting a recipe, please email me using the form on my contact page. I’ll try to respond to urgent questions as quickly as possible! For all general questions, please leave a comment here :)

Italian Sausage Cornbread Stuffing Recipe - Savory Simple (2024)

FAQs

What is sausage stuffing made of? ›

Sausage Stuffing Ingredients

Butter: Cook the vegetables in a mix of butter and sausage drippings. Vegetables: You'll need finely diced celery and a chopped onion. Bread: The white bread cubes should ideally be slightly stale. If your bread seems too soft, lightly toast it in the oven.

Why do you dry cornbread for stuffing? ›

Why Do You Dry Cornbread For Dressing? We all know good cornbread dressing hinges on perfectly stale (but not too stale) cornbread. Without adequate drying time, the cornbread becomes sloppy once it hits the casserole dish and mixes with the broth and eggs.

What should the consistency of stuffing be before cooking? ›

You want your stuffing moist but not soggy and certainly not dry. The bread in the stuffing absorbs moisture, but if it's dry (as it should be, see above), it takes some time for the liquid to settle in. I suggest adding a little at a time, say 1 cup of broth for every 4 cups of dry mix.

How do you keep stuffing together? ›

Use enough liquid: The key to keeping stuffing moist is to use enough liquid. You can use chicken or vegetable broth, melted butter, or a combination of both. The amount of liquid you need will depend on the recipe, but a good rule of thumb is to use about 1/2 to 1 cup of liquid for every 4 cups of bread cubes.

Why put eggs in stuffing? ›

Broth: Chicken broth keeps the stuffing moist without making it soggy. Eggs: Two lightly beaten eggs help hold the dressing together and add moisture. Water: You can add a few tablespoons of water, if you'd like, to achieve your desired consistency.

How much water do you put in sausage before stuffing? ›

Add at least 1 oz. of water per pound of meat to aid in the stuffing process.

Is it better to use broth or stock for dressing? ›

You can use either stock or broth for keeping dressing moist or as a basis for gravy, but a strong flavor will give you better results.

What is the difference between cornbread stuffing and cornbread dressing? ›

The primary difference between stuffing and dressing is that stuffing is cooked inside a bird and dressing is made on the side. As with many food traditions in the U.S., regional loyalties to stuffing vs dressing abound.

Can you leave cornbread out overnight for dressing? ›

Be sure to leave enough time — the cornbread needs to sit out overnight to harden slightly before you make the dressing.

Is it better to make stuffing the day before? ›

The short answer to whether you can making stuffing ahead of time is yes. "Making stuffing ahead saves time, allows stove and oven space for other things, and making it ahead gives time for the flavor to fully develop," Chef David Tiner, Director at Louisiana Culinary Institute in Baton Rouge, tells Southern Living.

Can you prepare uncooked stuffing ahead of time and refrigerate? ›

If you don't plan on stuffing the bird, but preparing the dressing as a side dish, you can prepare uncooked stuffing ahead of time as long as you freeze the stuffing immediately after mixing the wet and dry ingredients. USDA recommends that you never refrigerate uncooked stuffing.

Is it better to make stuffing the night before? ›

Absolutely. Most Thanksgiving stuffing recipes can be made at least partially in advance since: A) They're easily assembled a day or two ahead of Thanksgiving Day; and B) They're often baked using a two-step process (once covered with foil to cook through, then uncovered to achieve a crispy top).

Why is my cornbread dressing gummy? ›

Why is my Cornbread Dressing gummy? Adding too much liquid can result in a gummy-like texture. Baking it longer, using less liquid, and more stirring can help avoid a gummy texture.

Why is my cornbread dressing mushy? ›

If your cornbread dressing is mushy, be sure you baked it in a wide enough pan. Plenty of surface area will help the top crisp and the bottom bake completely. Also, be sure you measured your ingredients properly and didn't add too much liquid.

Is stuffing made from sausage meat? ›

This recipe for classic sausage stuffing is nicely flexible, so you can adapt it to what you like. Some sausage meat packets already have added spices and you can even use flavoured sausages, squeezed from their casings, to make stuffing.

Are sausages stuffed in intestines? ›

Information. Generally, "natural" sausage casings are made from the sub mucosa of the intestines of meat animals (beef, sheep, and swine).

What is sausage filled in? ›

Most sausages are made by forcing chopped or ground meat, fat, and seasonings into a skin of sorts (called the casing), which then gets tied or twisted to create individual links.

What is the white stuff in sausage package? ›

The white stuff is, in fact, mold. A very specific mold, used in the fermenting of sausages. By innoculating the sausages with a specific and beneficial mold, the good mold kills any bad molds and keeps them from spoiling the product... It may have been “killed” after the sausage was made and just left on for flavor.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Recommended Articles
Article information

Author: Edwin Metz

Last Updated:

Views: 5750

Rating: 4.8 / 5 (78 voted)

Reviews: 93% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Edwin Metz

Birthday: 1997-04-16

Address: 51593 Leanne Light, Kuphalmouth, DE 50012-5183

Phone: +639107620957

Job: Corporate Banking Technician

Hobby: Reading, scrapbook, role-playing games, Fishing, Fishing, Scuba diving, Beekeeping

Introduction: My name is Edwin Metz, I am a fair, energetic, helpful, brave, outstanding, nice, helpful person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.