This cornbread stuffing recipe is a game-changer for holiday dinners or everyday meals. It manages to be deeply savory and satisfyingly sweet at the same time, with sautéed onion and celery, fragrant sage and thyme, and the pleasant sweetness and texture of cornbread. Though this version is gluten free, you can easily make it with regular all-purpose flour if you prefer. The result is a dish with a moist, tender interior and a crisp, golden top when baked in a dish.
Technically this is a cornbread dressing because it is baked in a separate dish rather than cooked inside poultry, which allows the top to become nicely browned and crisp. You can still use it as a stuffing for turkey or chicken if you prefer, but baking it on its own highlights the contrast between the crunchy top and the soft middle.
Ingredients:
- Start with one batch of a simple skillet cornbread. The cornbread can be made with gluten-free flour or regular flour and can be prepared several days or even months ahead—freeze it if you want to make it far in advance.
- Fresh herbs (sage and thyme), aromatics (onion, celery, garlic) and a good-quality chicken or turkey broth bring classic savory flavor to the stuffing.
- A little whole milk and a single egg add richness and help bind the mixture while keeping the center tender and moist. For a vegetarian version, swap the broth for vegetable stock.
How to make this cornbread stuffing:
- Make the skillet cornbread and allow it to cool. There is no need to dry the cornbread first for this recipe—freshly cooled cornbread works well. Cut the cornbread into 1½–2-inch cubes and place them in a large mixing bowl.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet and sauté finely diced onion and celery until they are soft and starting to brown. This develops flavor and adds a savory base to the stuffing.
- Add minced garlic, chopped fresh sage and chopped fresh thyme and cook briefly—about a minute—until fragrant. Scrape the cooked aromatics into the bowl with the cornbread cubes.
- Combine low-sodium chicken or turkey broth, whole milk, a lightly beaten egg, chopped fresh parsley, kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper in the bowl. Gently fold the liquid and herbs into the cornbread so that some cubes remain intact while others break down slightly to create a cohesive, moist mixture.
- Transfer the mixture to a greased 9×13-inch baking dish (or similar size). Dot the top with small cubes of butter to encourage browning and richness.
- Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake at 350°F (175°C) for 30 minutes to heat through. Remove the foil, raise the oven temperature to 400°F (200°C), and bake another 15–20 minutes until the top is golden and crisp. Serve warm.
Serving suggestions:
This cornbread dressing is excellent beside roasted turkey, chicken or pork, and it also pairs nicely with roasted fall vegetables. For a vegetarian main, spoon the stuffing into halved and roasted acorn squash, then return to the oven until the top is browned and crisp. For a comforting breakfast, reheat a portion and top it with a fried egg and a side of sautéed greens or sausage.
FAQs
Yes. You can bake the stuffing a day ahead, cover it, refrigerate, and reheat in a warm oven before serving. This makes it a convenient option for entertaining.
Traditionally, “stuffing” is cooked inside a bird while “dressing” is baked in a separate dish. In practice the terms are often used interchangeably.
Many recipes call for drying the cornbread first, but this recipe is designed to work with fresh or previously frozen cornbread without pre-drying. The baking process creates a crisp top and a moist center.
An egg helps bind the stuffing so it holds together and is easier to serve. This recipe uses one egg for that purpose.
A simple gluten-free stuffing uses GF cornbread, onion, celery, garlic, egg, milk, fresh herbs and broth. These ingredients combine to create familiar stuffing flavors without wheat-based bread.
Tips for success:
- Bake in a 9×13-inch or a similar-sized pan so the top has plenty of surface area to crisp. If you prefer a more compact result for stuffing inside poultry, use a smaller or deeper pan and adjust baking time.
- Make the cornbread in advance to save time on a busy day. It freezes well and can be thawed and cubed when you are ready to assemble the stuffing.
- Adjust herbs and seasoning to taste. If you like more herb flavor, increase the sage or thyme slightly; for a richer finish, dot with extra butter before the final bake.
Get the recipe
Ultimate Cornbread Stuffing Recipe (Gluten Free!)
Ingredients
Cornbread
- 1 batch Skillet Cornbread (cooled and cubed)
- Cooking spray or butter for the pan
Aromatics
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion, finely diced
- 3 stalks celery, finely diced
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
Assembly
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken or turkey broth (or vegetable broth)
- ½ cup whole milk
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- ⅓ cup chopped fresh parsley
- 1½ teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons butter, cut into small cubes
Instructions
Make the cornbread
- Prepare a batch of skillet cornbread and let it cool completely. Cut into 1½–2-inch cubes (about 10–11 cups) and place in a large bowl.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray or butter.
Cook the aromatics
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and celery, season with a pinch of salt and pepper, and cook until golden and tender, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, sage and thyme and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Transfer the aromatics to the bowl with the cornbread.
Assemble and bake
- Add the broth, milk, beaten egg, chopped parsley, kosher salt and pepper to the cornbread and gently fold to combine. Some crumbling is fine—keep some cubes intact for texture. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish and dot the top with butter pieces.
- Cover tightly with foil and bake at 350°F (175°C) for 30 minutes. Remove the foil, increase the oven temperature to 400°F (200°C), and bake another 15–20 minutes until the top is golden and crisp. Serve warm.
Notes
Do ahead: The stuffing can be assembled and baked up to one day ahead. Reheat gently in a warm oven before serving.
Tips: Use a wide baking dish to encourage a crisp top. The cornbread can be made and frozen in advance to make holiday prep easier. For a vegetarian main, stuff roasted acorn squash and brown the top in the oven before serving.