Cornbread Dressing With Sausage and Cranberry

In my family, it’s just not Thanksgiving or Christmas without stuffing or dressing—sometimes we even make both. 😊 Personally, I love the crispy top of oven baked dressing that’s missing from stuffing. That crunch is the perfect contrast to the moist interior of the dressing.

On that note, yes you can use this recipe for stuffing as well. Lightly stuff your bird with the mixture, then use the remainder to bake in a casserole dish. It’s important to not overstuff the bird as this doesn’t allow the stuffing to properly cook—just loosely stuff. It’s also smart to use your instant read thermometer to ensure that the stuffing reaches 165ºF.

Whether you prefer stuffing or dressing, I’m sure you will love the flavors in this recipe.

FAQS:

Stuffing vs. DressingIn short, it’s called “stuffing” when cooked inside the bird and “dressing” when cooked in its own dish in the oven. How you prepare it is a personal choice. My family often does both. The directions in this recipe are for “dressing”, but you can use the same mixture for “stuffing”.

Can I prepare Cornbread Dressing ahead of time?This depends on how you are going to cook it. If you are going to cook it casserole style in the oven, yes, it works just fine to assemble everything the day before. If you plan on stuffing a bird with it, you want to prepare it just before the turkey (or other poultry) goes in the oven. This helps to ensure that your stuffing will come to temp at the same time as the poultry.

With that said, if you are planning on stuffing your bird, you can still have the cornbread cubes prepped. You can also cook the sausage and the celery and onion mixture ahead of time. Just wait to assemble the stuffing until just before stuffing the bird.

Should I use fresh, frozen, or dried cranberries?I like to use fresh cranberries in my dressing because I love the tartness they lend. You could also use frozen cranberries that you thaw ahead of time with the same result. While I have used dried cranberries on occasion, just know that they are sweeter than fresh cranberries and will change the flavor profile slightly.

HOW TO PREPARE CORNBREAD DRESSING WITH SAUSAGE AND CRANBERRY:

• For this recipe, you can either make your own cornbread cubes, or you can buy a cornbread stuffing mix. Just ignore the seasoning packet in the box—we’re going to create our own seasoning blend. (You can use the seasoning pack to flavor gravy later, if you like.)
• If you’re making your own cornbread cubes, I suggest making the cornbread a day ahead of time. When ready to make the cubes, simply cut into 3/4 inch squares, place on a baking sheet in a 425ºF oven, and bake until nicely toasted, about 10-15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the sausage, breaking into small bits with the spatula. When fully cooked, drain the sausage, and set aside.
• While the sausage is cooking, cut the cranberries in half, dice the onion and celery, and mince the garlic.
• Wipe out the skillet you cooked the sausage in with a paper towel, and return to medium-high heat. Melt 8 tablespoons butter. Add the onion and celery, and cook until beginning to soften, about 7 minutes. Add the garlic and seasonings. Cook about 5 more minutes, and remove from heat.
• Add the bread cubes, sausage, cranberries, and onion mix to a large bowl. Whisk two eggs in a medium bowl. Add three cups of chicken broth, and whisk to combine. Pour the broth and egg mixture over the cornbread mixture. Carefully fold ingredients together to combine well.
• Pour the dressing mix into a prepared 10×14 baking dish. Bake at 375ºF covered for 35 minutes. Remove the cover, and bake 15 more minutes until dressing is golden brown. Make sure dressing reaches 165ºF with an instant read thermometer. Remove from oven and let rest about five minutes before serving.

Inspired Fresh Life is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by linking to Amazon.com. Thank you for supporting Inspired Fresh Life.

RECIPE NOTES:

• Serve as a side dish with Air Fryer Turkey Breast or Air Fryer Cornish Game Hens.
• I used turkey sausage in this recipe, but feel free to substitute your favorite sausage.
• If you need to save yourself a little time, Trader Joe’s carries a cubed cornbread for stuffing during the holidays. I’ve used it before with excellent results. (Just reserve the seasoning packet for another use.)
• For a crispier top to your stuffing, like I prefer, place the stuffing under the broiler for a few minutes. Just keep a close eye on it so that it doesn’t burn.
• If you need this recipe to be gluten-free, simply ensure your cornbread recipe or cornbread cubes are gluten-free. Nicole at Gluten-free on a Shoestring has a fantastic Gluten-free Cornbread recipe.

Did you make this recipe? Please leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card and/or a review in the comments section at the bottom of the page. Are you following along on Pinterest, Instagram, or Facebook?

PIN THIS RECIPE FOR LATER: