Southern Cornbread Dressing is one of those dishes that just feels like home. If you grew up in the South or ever shared a table with someone who did, you already know dressing is not stuffing. It does not belong inside the turkey. It deserves its very own dish and its very own moment to shine.
In my kitchen, I keep things easy and delicious by using the Pepperidge Farm cornbread stuffing mix. It has the perfect texture and a flavor that’s ready for a little extra love. If you’re more of a make-it-from-scratch person, you can totally bake your own cornbread and crumble it up after letting it dry out a day or two in advance. Either way, this dressing will still taste like it’s straight out of a Southern grandmother’s kitchen.
What takes this dressing to the next level is the sausage. Browning it brings out all the flavor and creates a savory base to build on. Add in sautéed onions and celery and things really start coming together. This is the moment when the kitchen starts smelling like Thanksgiving and you already know you’re on the right track.
Mix everything together with chicken stock and herbs and you’ve got that perfect balance: soft and moist on the inside with just the right amount of crisp on top once it bakes. It tastes like comfort, like tradition, like something you’ll want to spoon straight from the pan while everyone else is clearing the table.
Every bite is seasoned just right, full of flavor, and has that signature cornbread crumb that makes Southern dressing so special. You can add things like shredded chicken if that’s how your family does it, or even make a seafood version but truthfully, nothing needs to be added. This dish stands on its own.
Serve it next to turkey, ham, mac and cheese, a little gravy on the side, or just scoop it up and enjoy it as your main. I have definitely made a whole plate of just dressing before and felt no regret. That’s the good thing about recipes like this. They do not need to be complicated to be absolutely memorable.
This Southern Cornbread Dressing is a dish you want to make once and then make every single year after. It is the kind of recipe that sticks with you, in the best way. The one people will ask you to bring and the one you look forward to the most. It is comforting, cozy, and full of everything you love about Southern holiday food.
If you have never tried Southern dressing before, give this a go. And if you already know and love it, consider this your reminder to add it your menu again this year.
Southern Cornbread Dressing
Ingredients
- 1 lb Jimmy Dean sausage
- 1 white onion, diced
- 2 stalks of celery, diced
- 1 package cornbread stuffing mix, like Pepperidge Farm
- 1 can cream of chicken soup with herbs
- 3 cups chicken stock
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon complete seasoning
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 8 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces to dot on top before baking
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F and lightly grease a large baking dish.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the Jimmy Dean sausage until browned and fully cooked, breaking it up into crumbles as it cooks. Once done, set aside, leaving a little of the rendered fat in the pan for added flavor.
- In the same skillet, add the diced onion and celery. Sauté over medium heat until they’re soft and fragrant, about 5–7 minutes.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked sausage, sautéed vegetables, and the cornbread stuffing mix.
- Add the cream of chicken soup, smoked paprika, complete seasoning, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Pour in the chicken stock and gently mix until everything is well moistened. If it looks too dry, add a little more stock. It should have a moist consistency before baking.
- Transfer the dressing mixture to your 9×13-inch rectangular baking dish and spread it evenly.
- Dot the top with the pieces of butter, spacing them out to help the top brown and flavor the dish as it bakes.
- Cover the dish loosely with foil and bake for 35 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 10–15 minutes, or until the top is lightly golden and the dressing is set.
- Let cool slightly before serving.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
