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Southern Cornbread Dressing

Southern cornbread dressing combines homemade cornbread, dried white bread, sage, and thyme in a golden baked casserole. It’s tender and moist inside, with a lightly crisp top.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 22 minutes
Cooling and resting 25 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 12 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Southern
Calories: 420
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Make the cornbread
  • 1.5 cups yellow cornmeal
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tbsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1.25 cups buttermilk
  • 1 egg large
  • 0.25 cup vegetable oil
Make the dressing
  • 4 cups bread cubes plain dried white
  • 2 tsp rubbed sage
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper
  • 0.5 cup unsalted butter divided
  • 1 yellow onion medium, finely chopped
  • 3 celery ribs finely chopped
  • 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 3 eggs large

Equipment

  • 1 8-inch square baking pan
  • 1 9x13-inch baking dish
  • 1 12-inch skillet

Method
 

Make the cornbread
  1. Heat the oven to 400°F and line the bottom of an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper.
  2. Whisk the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
  3. In a separate bowl, whisk the buttermilk, egg, and vegetable oil, then stir the mixture into the dry ingredients just until no dry pockets remain.
  4. Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 20–25 minutes, until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  5. Cool the cornbread in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely.
Make the dressing
  1. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with 1 tablespoon of the butter.
  2. Crumble the cooled cornbread into a large bowl; add the bread cubes, sage, thyme, and black pepper and toss to combine.
  3. Melt the remaining 7 tablespoons butter in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat; add the onion and celery and cook for 8–10 minutes, until tender.
  4. Fold the cooked vegetables and butter into the cornbread mixture.
  5. Whisk the chicken broth and eggs in a medium bowl, pour over the cornbread mixture, and fold until evenly moistened.
  6. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish and bake for 45–55 minutes, until the top is golden and the center reaches 160°F.
  7. Rest for 15 minutes before serving.

Notes

For the best texture, let the cornbread cool completely before crumbling it into the dressing. Refrigerate leftovers for 3–4 days or freeze for up to 3 months. For a vegetarian version, use vegetable broth.