Homemade Sourdough Cornbread Sausage Stuffing Recipe
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This Homemade Sourdough Cornbread Sausage Stuffing is the perfect side dish for your Thanksgiving table! Made with savory sausage, tart apples, and dried cranberries, this sourdough cornbread stuffing recipe offers a delicious twist on a classic. It’s worth the effort to make it from scratch!
My favorite Thanksgiving food is, and always has been, stuffing. I can get behind some boxed stuffing mix, but the BEST is homemade. I usually make this recipe over 3 days. Although that sounds a little intense, I promise it’s not!
This is my Thanksgiving routine:
- Tuesday: Bake the homemade cornbread and let it cool completely.
- Wednesday: Dry out the bread cubes and prepare the cornbread. Cover it with foil and keep it in the fridge overnight.
- Thursday: Bake the stuffing while the turkey rests. Serve hot from the oven!
When you chip away at the recipe like this, you frontload the work for an easier time on Thanksgiving day. Plus, the overnight rest lets the cornbread soak up all the flavors and broth. It’s so good!
Love playing with sourdough? Try your hand at my favorite sourdough discard recipes! For another treat for your holiday table, try these soft and tender sourdough pumpkin muffins.
Ingredients
- Sourdough cornbread – I like to make a double batch of my sourdough cornbread at least a day before, then cut it into cubes and dry it out.
- Chicken broth – You can also substitute with chicken stock, turkey broth, or vegetable broth
- Sausage – I usually use sage sausage for this recipe, but it’s nice with breakfast sausage, Italian sausage, and turkey sausage, too.
- Melted butter – For extra flavor and moisture.
- Eggs – To help bind the mixture together.
- Aromatics – Yellow onion and celery.
- Apple – I like a firm, tart apple like Granny Smith, Pink Lady, Honeycrisp, etc.
- Dried cranberries – For a little pop of sweetness.
- Seasonings – Kosher salt, black pepper, dried thyme, and dried sage.
- Fresh parsley – Finely minced. Reserve a little extra for garnish.
Equipment
To make this sourdough stuffing, you’ll need:
- Large bowl
- Large skillet (I like to use a cast-iron skillet)
- 9×13 baking dish
- Cutting board and sharp knife
- Sheet pans (to dry out the cornbread pieces)
- Parchment paper
How to Make Sourdough Cornbread Stuffing
Make the cornbread
- Make a double batch of my sourdough discard cornbread and allow it to cool to room temperature.
- Either that day or later in the week, cut the cornbread into cubes and arrange in a single layer on 2 sheet pans.
- Dry at 300 F until totally dry and crispy.
- Either make the stuffing right away or store the cornbread cubes in an airtight container until you’re ready to bake.
Prepare the Stuffing
- In a large bowl, add the dried out cornbread cubes and apple pieces. Set to the side.
- Preheat oven to 350 F.
- Place a large skillet on the stove over medium heat. Brown sausage and break it into small crumbles.
- Move the sausage to the side in the pan and add the diced onion and celery. Sautee for 3-5 minutes or until they start to soften slightly.
- Add cranberries, butter, and spice mixture. Stir and allow the mixture to cook for an additional 5 minutes to melt the butter and plump up the cranberries.
- Transfer the cooked sausage and vegetable mixture to the large bowl with the cornbread. Add the chicken stock and whisked eggs. Stir to combine. (I recommend gently stirring with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula to keep from breaking apart the cornbread pieces.)
- Pour the cornbread stuffing mixture into the baking dish and compress gently to get it to fit in the pan.
Bake the stuffing
- Bake for approximately 40-50 minutes or until golden brown on top.
- Sprinkle with fresh herbs for garnish and serve warm from the oven with your favorite holiday recipes.
Storing Suggestions
To keep your sourdough cornbread stuffing fresh, allow any leftovers to cool completely at room temperature before transferring them to an airtight container. In the refrigerator, it will stay good for 3-4 days.
When reheating, place the stuffing in a casserole dish or cast iron skillet, cover it with aluminum foil, and warm it in a preheated oven at 350 degrees F for about 25-30 minutes. You can add a splash of broth mixture to maintain moisture.
For longer storage, freeze the cooled stuffing in an airtight container or freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to enjoy it, thaw it in the fridge overnight and reheat it in the oven at 350 F.
Tips & Variations
- Prepare cornbread in advance so it can dry out. Allowing the fresh hot cornbread to dry out properly is crucial for achieving the perfect stuffing texture. Drier cornbread cubes absorb the flavorful broth without becoming mushy. Just place bread cubes on a baking sheet, cover with foil or plastic wrap, and leave overnight. Then, the next day, you’ll already be a step ahead in your stuffing prep.
- Make it vegetarian. For a meatless version of this recipe, feel free to leave out the sausage and use veggie stock instead.
- Stir gently. When combining all your wet and dry ingredients, I recommend stirring lightly with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula. This way, you don’t break apart the cornbread pieces, allowing you to keep larger chunks for the best texture.
- Use regular cornbread. Instead of my sourdough cornbread recipe, use my air fryer cornbread or your family’s favorite recipe.
How to Serve
Sourdough cornbread stuffing is right at home at any holiday table. Serve it with your roast turkey or ham, cranberry sauce, and all the fixings.
We often like to pair it with hot honey glazed carrots and celeriac puree. But also…we sometimes just eat it by itself out of a bowl. It’s delicious!
FAQs
For the best stuffing, you always want to dry out your bread ahead of time. I prefer to cut the cornbread into 1-inch cubes with a sharp serrated knife, spread them on a sheet pan, and bake at 300 F until dried out. You can either assemble your stuffing with the still-warm bread cubes from the oven or store them in an airtight container for a few days until you need it.
Yep! I almost always prepare my stuffing the day before and let it sit in the fridge overnight. This saves me extra time and quite a bit of effort on Thanksgiving Day since I can just pop the pan in the oven and bake! Place everything in the baking dish like normal, then cover with foil and refrigerate. Bake in a preheated oven like normal and serve. Super simple!
Related Recipes
- Air Fryer Delicata Squash Rings
- Sourdough Pumpkin Muffins
- Sourdough Honey Wheat Bread
- Whole Wheat Sourdough Irish Soda Bread
If you made this recipe, please leave a comment or ask a question below! I’d love to hear what you think or troubleshoot any issues.
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Sourdough Cornbread Sausage Stuffing
Equipment
- 2 9×13 baking dishes
- 2 sheet pans
- Large bowl
- large skillet
Ingredients
- 2 batches sourdough cornbread, cubed and dried out
- 1 lb sage sausage, or breakfast or Italian sausage
- 4 celery stalks, finely diced
- 1 yellow onion, finely diced
- 2 eggs
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 2 tbsp minced fresh parsley
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp rubbed sage
- 1 large apple, finely diced
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Instructions
Make the cornbread
- Make a double batch of my sourdough cornbread and allow it to cool to room temperature.
- Either that day or later in the week, cut the cornbread into cubes and arrange in a single layer on 2 sheet pans.
- Dry at 300 F until totally dry and crispy.
- Either make the stuffing right away or store the cornbread cubes in an airtight container until you’re ready to bake.
Prepare the Stuffing
- In a large bowl, add the dried out cornbread cubes and apple pieces. Set to the side.
- Preheat oven to 350 F.
- Place a large skillet on the stove over medium heat. Brown sausage and break it into small crumbles.
- Move the sausage to the side in the pan and add the diced onion and celery. Sautee for 3-5 minutes or until they start to soften slightly.
- Add cranberries, butter, and spice mixture. Stir and allow the mixture to cook for an additional 5 minutes or until the butter melts.
- Transfer the cooked sausage and vegetable mixture to the large bowl with the cornbread. Add the chicken stock and whisked eggs. Stir to combine. (I recommend gently stirring with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula to keep from breaking apart the cornbread pieces.)
- Pour the cornbread stuffing mixture into the baking dish and compress gently to get it to fit in the pan.
Bake the stuffing
- Bake for approximately 40-50 minutes or until golden brown on top.
- Add fresh herbs for garnish and serve warm from the oven with your favorite holiday recipes.
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