The Best Stovetop Southern Cornbread Dressing
Very few things scream Thanksgiving dinner, quite like southern dressing. (And no, I’m not talking about salads!) Traditional Cornbread dressing takes center stage on the holiday table this season in the Deep South and is also one of my all-time favorite dishes. But I’ve realized that many people feel intimidated by Southern recipes. Well, have no fear, that’s why I’m here! I will show you how to make The Best Stovetop Southern Cornbread Dressing and dispel those myths that it’s both difficult and relegated to the family’s elders. No ma’am and No sir. You can make this classic dish as well as the next person, and I will help you do it!
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Should my Southern Dressing have meat?
The first thing you need to decide when making traditional Southern Cornbread Dressing is whether or not you want meat in it. Growing up, my mom would always put boiled chicken breast in her dressing, and it was good. When there is chicken or turkey in the dressing, it automatically becomes a main dish instead of just a side dish. But my grandmother always left the meat on the side, and that’s my preference, too.
Another thing my grandmother did that was different from my mom’s was the number of vegetables she put in her dressing. She would use bell pepper, onion, and celery, making this family favorite a flavorful dish! But my mom just kept it simple. In this way, I’m like my mom. I like the celery and onion, but I’ve only added them for flavor, not texture. I don’t want my dressing to have any crunch. It’s supposed to be creamy and full of sage.
Do boiled eggs belong in Southern Cornbread Dressing?
The last thing I remember my mom and grandmother adding to their Southern Cornbread Dressing Recipe that I don’t like in mine is boiled eggs. There is just something about biting into a chunk of boiled egg white that I’m not a fan of! (And I love boiled eggs.) Again, I think it’s a texture thing. Boiled eggs can have a rubbery texture, which I don’t want in my dressing.
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Is Southern Cornbread Dressing easy to make?
Now, let’s talk about how approachable this recipe is. You can make your cornbread days in advance and store it until you are ready to make this easy Southern cornbread dressing. The only stovetop cooking is to soften the vegetables, and everything else happens in the oven. And everyone’s worst fear is that their dressing will dry, which is incredibly easy to remedy. All you have to do is add more chicken broth at any point that you think the dressing needs more moisture. It’s practically a fool-proof recipe.
And if you are concerned about the little box of Stovetop stuffing in this recipe for fear that it’s not truly “homemade” (because we all have that one family member), then leave it out and use the white bread in my tip section and make sure to add more seasonings until it tastes exactly like you want. I fear this traditional family recipe will die with our elders and not live on through generations beyond us because it seems that people are cooking less and less these days. But the best part of the holiday season is keeping foods and traditions that have been passed down alive.
10 Interesting Facts about Stovetop Stuffing!
That’s one of the many reasons I started a food, faith, and family blog. I wanted to create easy-to-follow recipes with detailed instructions that take the guesswork out of some of my favorite Southern recipes. I also like using basic ingredients that everyone can find in their local grocery store that don’t cost an arm and a leg. Good food should be approachable, accessible, and a joy to make. And anyone that makes you feel differently about cooking isn’t doing it right! (I’ll get off my soapbox now. HA!)
Do you have to be a Chef to make great Cornbread dressing?
When it comes to special occasions and holidays, many of us feel that we aren’t qualified enough to make the foundational dishes everyone expects, but that’s not true. It might take a few tries to get it exactly like your mother or grandmother made it, but the alternative is to lose the dish altogether when they pass on. And that’s not something I’m willing to do. I will keep working on my family’s recipes until I have mastered them, and when I feel so inclined, I’ll make changes that suit my husband and kiddos!
Tips for The Best Stovetop Southern Cornbread Dressing:
- I always taste my dressing for the right amount of salt/pepper/sage/seasonings BEFORE I add the raw eggs. (It’s written in the directions in that order.) This way, I can adjust without worrying about consuming raw eggs and getting sick.
- Feel free to use fresh cornbread to make your cornbread “stuffing.” (dressing)
- If you don’t have crackers, you can also use cubes of bread. I like to toast them a little bit and then tear them into large pieces.
- Unlike dry stuffing, moist dressing is the name of the game. It’s the most important part, other than the seasonings, and can vary. My grandmother’s dressing was always a little more juicy, while my mom’s dressing held its shape. The difference between the two is how much broth you add. My recipe is somewhere in the middle.
Make The Best Stovetop Southern Cornbread Dressing with me on YouTube!
The Best Stovetop Southern Cornbread Dressing Ingredients:
- 1 batch of day-old cornbread crumbled (recipe below)
- 1 sleeve Ritz crackers (crushed into crumbs)
- 3 large eggs (beaten)
- 2 cans cream of chicken soup
- 4 cups chicken broth (or turkey broth)
- 1 box Stovetop Stuffing
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper
- 2 teaspoons ground sage
- 3 stalks celery (finely diced)
- 1 yellow onion (finely diced)
- 1 stick salted butter
- 3 green onion tops
- 1 1/2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
Cornbread Recipe Ingredients:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup yellow cornmeal
- 1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup whole milk
Cornbread Recipe Instructions:
- First, add 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil to a cast iron skillet and use a paper towel to spread it evenly on the bottom and sides of the skillet. Place the skillet in a pre-heated 400-degree oven.
- Second, mix well with flour, cornmeal, salt, sugar, and baking powder in a large bowl.
- Third, mix the wet ingredients: the milk, 1/3 cup of vegetable oil, and egg to the dry ingredients.
- Next, take your hot skillet out of the oven and pour your cornbread batter.
- Then, place the skillet of cornbread into the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes or until browned on top.
The Best Stovetop Southern Cornbread Dressing Instructions:
- First, preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
- Second, place the celery and onion in a pan with the butter to sauté over medium heat until translucent.
- Third, grease a casserole dish and set aside.
- Next, add the crumbled cornbread, Stovetop stuffing mix, and the Ritz cracker crumbs to a large bowl and mix.
- Then, mix the cream of chicken soup, chicken broth, 2 green onion tops, poultry seasoning, sage, salt, pepper, and sauteed vegetables to the bread.
- Taste the cornbread mixture to ensure the flavor and seasonings are as you want them.
- Next, add the beaten raw eggs to the dressing and mix well.
- Pour the dressing mixture into the greased baking dish.
- Then, top the dressing with the remaining green onions.
- Bake the dressing at 325 degrees for 1 hour and golden brown on top.
- Finally, serve with cranberry sauce, giblet gravy, and some delicious smoked turkey!
Storage for The Best Stovetop Southern Cornbread Dressing:
- Store leftover dressing in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- You can also cover the baking dish with plastic wrap and store it in the fridge.
What are the Macros for The Best Stovetop Southern Cornbread Dressing?
Makes 14 servings (Nutritional information below is for 1 serving = 1 cup)
- Calories – 356
- Protein – 7.5 grams
- Carbs – 37.8 grams (net)
- Fat – 19.4 grams
Check out some of my other Thanksgiving recipes!
Better than Chicken Salad Chick Broccoli Salad
Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Goat cheese and Walnuts
Best Cheesy Twice Baked Potatoes
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The Best Stovetop Southern Cornbread Dressing
Equipment
- 1 Casserole Dish
- 1 Skillet
- 1 Large mixing bowl
Ingredients
- 1 batch of day-old cornbread crumbled recipe below
- 1 sleeve Ritz crackers crushed into crumbs
- 3 large eggs beaten
- 2 cans cream of chicken soup
- 4 cups chicken broth or turkey broth
- 1 box Stovetop Stuffing
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper
- 2 teaspoons sage
- 3 stalks celery finely diced
- 1 yellow onion finely diced
- 1 stick salted butter
- 3 green onion (tops only)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
Cornbread Recipe Ingredients:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup yellow cornmeal
- 1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup whole milk
Instructions
Cornbread Recipe Instructions:
- First, add 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil to a cast iron skillet and use a paper towel to spread it evenly on the bottom and sides of the skillet. Place the skillet in a pre-heated 400-degree oven.
- Second, mix well with flour, cornmeal, salt, sugar, and baking powder in a large bowl.
- Third, mix the wet ingredients: the milk, 1/3 cup of vegetable oil, and egg to the dry ingredients.
- Next, take your hot skillet out of the oven and pour your cornbread batter.
- Then, place the skillet of cornbread into the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes or until browned on top.
Dressing Instructions:
- First, preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
- Second, place the celery and onion in a pan with the butter to sauté over medium heat until translucent.
- Third, grease a casserole dish and set aside.
- Next, add the crumbled cornbread, Stovetop stuffing mix, and the Ritz cracker crumbs to a large bowl and mix.
- Then, mix the cream of chicken soup, chicken broth, 2 green onion tops, poultry seasoning, sage, salt, pepper, and sauteed vegetables to the bread.
- Taste the cornbread mixture to ensure the flavor and seasonings are as you want them.
- Next, add the beaten raw eggs to the dressing and mix well.
- Pour the dressing mixture into the greased baking dish.
- Then, top the dressing with the remaining green onions.
- Bake the dressing at 325 degrees for 1 hour and golden brown on top.
- Finally, serve with cranberry sauce, giblet gravy, and some delicious smoked turkey!
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