Cornbread dressing already has a permanent spot on my holiday table, but adding sausage takes it somewhere else, honey. This Cornbread Dressing with Sausage has plenty of seasoning, because bland dressing will never leave my kitchen. Growing up with Mississippi and Louisiana roots, I know dressing is one of those dishes people take very seriously. This version is moist without being mushy, packed with flavor in every bite, and exactly what I want sitting next to the turkey and gravy.
Here's The Tea From Brandi
Dry dressing is not invited to Thanksgiving, honey. Day-old cornbread is key because it soaks up all that goodness instead of falling apart. And please season that dressing like you mean it, because nobody is coming back for seconds of bland cornbread.
Cornbread Dressing with Sausage Ingredients
- Day Old Cornbread: You will need cooked cornbread for this recipe. You can find my Homemade Cornbread recipe here. You can also use baked cornbread.
- Ground Sage Sausage: Using sage sausage allows you to skip using sage to spice up the dressing, but any ground sausage will work.
- Onions
- Celery
- Green Peppers
- Garlic
- Poultry Seasoning
- Salt and Pepper
- Cream of Chicken Soup I use my homemade linked here, but store-bought canned condensed soup, works too.
- Chicken Broth
- Eggs
How to Make Cornbread Dressing with Sausage
Detailed measurements and full instructions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Prepare the Cornbread: Crumble the day-old cornbread into a large mixing bowl. The cornbread should be slightly dry, which helps it absorb the broth and seasonings without turning mushy.
- Cook the Sausage: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook until browned and no longer pink, breaking it apart into crumbles as it cooks. Drain any excess fat. I like to leave about a teaspoon in the pan to add flavor.
- Sauté the Vegetables: Add the onions, celery, and green peppers to the skillet. Cook until the vegetables are soft and fragrant. Add the garlic and cook briefly until fragrant.
- Combine the Dressing: Add the cooked sausage and sautéed vegetables to the bowl with the crumbled cornbread. Add the poultry seasoning, salt, and pepper. Stir to evenly distribute everything. Stop and taste the mixture. You want to do so before you add the eggs. Make adjustments to the spices as necessary. I usually find I may need a little more salt.
- Add the Wet Ingredients: Stir in the cream of chicken soup and chicken broth. Add the broth gradually until the dressing is very moist but not soupy.
- Add the Eggs: Whisk the eggs separately, then fold them into the cornbread mixture until everything is well combined. The eggs will help bind the dressing as it bakes.
- Bake: Transfer the dressing to a greased baking dish and spread it into an even layer. Bake at 350°F for 40-50 minutes, or until the center is set and the top and edges are lightly browned.
- Rest and Serve: Let the dressing rest for about 10 minutes before serving. This gives it time to firm up while keeping the inside moist and tender.
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Cornbread Dressing with Sausage
Want to save this recipe for later?
I'll email it to you, so you can come back to it later! You will also grab your FREE ebook with my best 30-minute one-pot meals! Dinner stress stops here.
Equipment
Ingredients
- day old cornbread
- 16 oz ground sage sausage Two teaspoons of ground sage can be used if using regular sausage.
- 1 cup diced white onions
- ½ cup diced celery
- ½ cup diced green peppers
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 10.5 oz cream of chicken soup I use homemade linked here.
- 2 ½ cups chicken broth
- 2 eggs Beaten
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- You can find my Homemade Cornbread recipe here. Crumble the day-old cornbread into a large mixing bowl. The cornbread should be slightly dry, which helps it absorb the broth and seasonings without turning mushy. I don't crumble the cornbread too finely because I like to leave some larger pieces for texture.day old cornbread
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook until browned and no longer pink, breaking it apart into crumbles as it cooks. Drain any excess fat. I like to leave about a teaspoon in the pan to add flavor.16 oz ground sage sausage
- Add the onions, celery, and green peppers to the skillet. Cook until the vegetables are soft and fragrant. Add the garlic and cook briefly until fragrant.1 cup diced white onions, ½ cup diced celery, ½ cup diced green peppers, 4 garlic cloves minced
- Add the cooked sausage and sautéed vegetables to the bowl with the crumbled cornbread. Add the poultry seasoning, salt, and pepper. Stir to evenly distribute everything. Stop and taste the mixture. You want to do so before you add the eggs. Make adjustments to the spices as necessary. I usually find I may need a little more salt.1 teaspoon poultry seasoning, 1 teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Stir in the cream of chicken soup and chicken broth. Add the broth gradually until the dressing is very moist but not soupy. You may need more or less broth. Work slowly and use your judgement.10.5 oz cream of chicken soup, 2 ½ cups chicken broth
- Whisk the eggs separately, then fold them into the cornbread mixture until everything is well combined. The eggs will help bind the dressing as it bakes.2 eggs Beaten
- Transfer the dressing to a greased baking dish and spread it into an even layer. Bake at 350°F for 40-50 minutes, or until the center is set and the top and edges are lightly browned.The center should be set and moist, while the top and edges should have some beautiful golden-brown color. If it still looks wet or soupy in the middle, give it more time.
- Let the dressing rest for about 10 minutes before serving. This gives it time to firm up while keeping the inside moist and tender.
Notes
- Use day-old cornbread. Slightly dry cornbread absorbs the broth and seasonings better without turning mushy.
- Don’t crumble the cornbread too finely. Leave some larger pieces for texture.
- Sauté the vegetables first. Cook the onions, celery, and green peppers until soft before adding them to the dressing.
- Cook the sausage first. Brown and crumble it, then drain any excess grease if necessary.
- Season before adding the eggs. Taste the mixture and adjust the poultry seasoning, salt, and pepper before adding raw eggs.
- Add the broth gradually. How much you need will depend on how dry your cornbread is.
- The mixture should be very moist. Don’t be scared if it looks a little wetter than expected. Some of that moisture will cook off in the oven.
- Don’t make it soupy. You want plenty of moisture, but there shouldn’t be broth pooling in the bottom of the bowl.
- Avoid overmixing. Stir just until everything is combined. Overmixing can make the dressing pasty.
- Don’t overbake. The center should be set but still moist, with lightly browned edges and a golden top.
- Let it rest before serving. About 10-20 minutes will help the dressing set and make it easier to scoop.
Nutrition
Nutrition Data
Macros are provided as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. This information is calculated using MyFitnessPal.com. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.
Frequently Asked Questions and Recipe Pro Tips
Around here, we call it dressing, honey. Stuffing is traditionally cooked inside the bird, while dressing is baked separately in a casserole dish. Southern cornbread dressing also starts with cornbread instead of the white bread you’ll find in a lot of stuffing recipes.
Ground sausage is my go-to because it brings plenty of savory flavor without overpowering everything else. I use sage sausage because dressing is always seasoned with sage and this does it for you. Mild or hot sausage will also work. If you like a little kick, spicy sausage is definitely the move.
Either can work, but homemade cornbread gives you more control over the flavor and texture. Whatever you use, avoid cornbread that’s super sweet. We’re making Southern dressing, not dessert. I don't recommend Jiffy for that reason.
Slightly dry cornbread is actually a good thing here. It soaks up all that seasoned broth without immediately turning to mush. You can bake the cornbread a day or two ahead and let it dry out a little before making the dressing.
You probably got a little too generous with the broth. Add it gradually because you can always pour in more, but once the dressing is swimming, honey, we have a problem. You want everything moist before it goes into the oven, not soupy.
Not enough broth or baking it too long are usually the culprits. The mixture should look very moist before baking because some of that liquid will evaporate in the oven. And please don’t bake it too long. Pull it once the center is set and the top is nicely browned.
The center should be set and moist, while the top and edges should have some beautiful golden-brown color. If it still looks wet or soupy in the middle, give it more time.
Absolutely. This is one Thanksgiving side dish I am not trying to assemble while everything else is fighting for oven space. Prep it ahead, cover it tightly, and refrigerate it. When you’re ready to bake, let the dish sit out briefly while the oven preheats and account for a little extra baking time if it’s still cold.
Yes, and I recommend it. Bake it a day or two beforehand, crumble it, and store it until you’re ready to make the dressing. One less thing to do on Thanksgiving Day is always a win.
You sure can. Chopped or shredded cooked chicken or turkey is an easy addition, especially if you’re working with leftovers.
Absolutely. Leave it out for a more traditional cornbread dressing, or replace it with cooked chicken or turkey. Just make sure you’re still seasoning everything well because the sausage brings quite a bit of flavor to the party.
Yes. Let baked dressing cool completely, then wrap it tightly with plastic wrap or foil and freeze it. Thaw it in the refrigerator before reheating. Add a splash of broth before reheating if it looks like it needs a little moisture brought back to life.
Add a small splash of broth, cover the dish with foil, and reheat it in the oven until warmed through. You can remove the foil toward the end if you want to bring that lightly crisp top back.
Pair With These Recipes
Let me put you on to my popular holiday classics like Cajun turkey, Southern candied sweet potatoes, Southern mac and cheese, Southern creamed corn and collard greens with smoked turkey.
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