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Easy Southern Cornbread Dressing with Sage & Sausage

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This Southern cornbread dressing with sage and sausage is a comforting, crowd-pleasing dish with tender, moist interior and golden, crispy edges. Perfect for holidays or cozy nights, it comes together in about an hour with simple ingredients.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 8 cups crumbled cornbread (homemade or store-bought, day-old is best)
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 pound ground pork sausage (mild breakfast sausage preferred)
  • 1 large yellow onion, finely diced (about 1 ½ cups)
  • 3 celery stalks, finely diced (about 1 cup)
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 tablespoons fresh sage, chopped (or 1 ½ tablespoons dried sage, rubbed between your palms)
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves (or 1 teaspoon dried thyme)
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 cups chicken or turkey broth (low-sodium preferred)
  • 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Spread crumbled cornbread on a baking sheet in an even layer. Toast for about 10 minutes, stirring halfway through, until lightly golden and dry. Set aside to cool slightly.
  2. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown the ground pork sausage, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until deeply browned and crispy in spots (6 to 8 minutes). Transfer sausage to a plate with a slotted spoon, leaving about 2 tablespoons of rendered fat in the skillet.
  3. Reduce heat to medium. Add diced onion and celery to the skillet with the reserved fat. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 7 minutes until soft and translucent. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
  4. Stir in chopped sage, thyme, salt, and pepper. Cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Remove from heat.
  5. In a very large mixing bowl, combine toasted cornbread, cooked sausage, and sautéed vegetable mixture. Toss gently to distribute evenly.
  6. In a separate small bowl or liquid measuring cup, whisk together chicken broth and beaten eggs. Pour over the cornbread mixture and stir gently until evenly moistened. The texture should be like thick oatmeal—moist but not soupy. Add more broth if dry, or more cornbread if too wet.
  7. Pour dressing into a greased 9×13-inch baking dish and spread into an even layer. Dot the top with small pieces of butter.
  8. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the dressing is set. For a crispier top, broil for the last 2 to 3 minutes, watching carefully.
  9. Let the dressing rest for at least 10 minutes before serving to allow the structure to set.

Notes

Toast the cornbread to prevent sogginess. Brown the sausage deeply for maximum flavor. Season as you go and adjust salt based on sausage saltiness. Use a light hand with broth—start with 1 ½ cups and add more if needed. Let the dressing rest before serving for cleaner slices. For make-ahead, assemble up to step 6, cover, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours; add 10 minutes to baking time.

Nutrition

Keywords: cornbread dressing, sage, sausage, Southern, Thanksgiving, comfort food, holiday side dish

Find it online: https://dinadinnertable.com/easy-southern-cornbread-dressing-with-sage-and-sausage/