Homemade Sourdough Cornbread Dressing: The Best Stuffing Recipe
Thanksgiving dinner is just around the corner. We all know that the holiday season is about food, family, and friends. One of the most iconic dishes on the holiday table is stuffing. When it comes to stuffing, there are tons of recipes out there, but if you’re looking to change things up this year, I’ve got a recipe that is sure to impress your guests. This recipe for Homemade Sourdough Cornbread Dressing is the best stuffing recipe for the holiday season. It’s a combination of two classic recipes with a natural, modern twist. By incorporating homemade sourdough bread and sourdough cornbread, this stuffing promises the best of both worlds. This post will guide you through how to make the perfect stuffing, so let’s get started!
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Jump to RecipeIntroduction
Prepare for a comprehensive walkthrough as I’ve committed to preparing the entire dish from scratch – including the stuffing mix and cornbread. However, if time constraints are a concern, rest assured that opting for store-bought stuffing mix and cornbread is a viable alternative. This recipe also excels with traditional cornbread and stuffing mix, sans the sourdough twist. It has been a favorite of mine for years, even prior to my sourdough obsession.
Homemade Stuffing Mix
This stuffing mix can be made days and/or weeks ahead of time. These also double as fantastic bread crumbs if you find yourself with too many and want to throw the extras in a food processor and cut them down. For this mix, I took a loaf of sourdough bread and cut it into 1-inch cubes.
I placed them on a parchment lined baking sheet and drizzled with avocado or olive oil. I sprinkled a mix of oregano, thyme, sage, salt and black pepper over the cubes. Then I baked them at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes. You want the cubes “crunchy” but not burnt. That’s it! Allow them to cool and then place bread cubes in an airtight container until you are ready to use them.
Homemade Sourdough Cornbread Recipe
To prepare the sourdough cornbread, I began by greasing a 9-inch cast iron pan and placing it in my preheated 350-degree oven. While the skillet was warming, I took a medium bowl and combined 1/2 cup of sourdough starter discard with 1 and 1/4 cups of buttermilk, whisking them together until the discard was thoroughly incorporated.
In my stand mixer, I added 3/4 cup of all-purpose flour, 3/4 cup of cornmeal, 2 tsp of baking powder, and a pinch of salt. Using the paddle attachment, I ensured that the dry ingredients were well mixed. Then, I introduced 1/2 cup (or one stick) of softened unsalted butter and 2 eggs to the dry ingredients. Following this, I added the discard and buttermilk mixture and mixed until the cornbread batter achieved a consistent texture.
Finally, I transferred the batter into the preheated cast iron skillet and baked it at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes, aiming for a golden brown top and passing the toothpick test to ensure thorough baking. Cooking time may vary depending on your oven.
Homemade Sourdough Cornbread Dressing
After your homemade cornbread has cooled, grease a 9×13 glass baking dish or casserole dish and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Proceed to crumble the cornbread and place it in the prepared baking dish.
In a separate pan, melt 1/2 cup butter (or one stick) over medium heat. Finely chop 2 onions and a cup of celery, then add the vegetables to the melted butter and sauté until the onions become translucent. Pour the melted butter, onions, and celery over the cornbread mixture. In the same pan, melt the remaining 1/2 cup of butter.
Spread 2 cups of stuffing mix or bread crumbs over the crumbled cornbread.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 4 cups of chicken stock, chicken broth or turkey broth with 4 eggs, and add in the melted butter. Incorporate the following fresh herbs: 1 tsp oregano, 1 tsp sage, 1 tsp thyme, 1 tsp salt, and black pepper to taste. Pour this broth mixture over the cornbread and stuffing mix. If you don’t have access to fresh herbs, dried herbs are an option.
Gently mix with a wooden spoon to ensure all of the dry ingredients are well coated with the wet ingredients. Place the uncovered dish in the preheated oven and bake for 40-50 minutes or until the top is golden brown.
Conclusion
If you’re looking for a great dressing recipe to impress your guests and change up your traditional Southern cornbread dressing, then this sourdough cornbread stuffing recipe is perfect for you. The combination of homemade sourdough bread and cornbread makes this the best stuffing recipe for your holiday table. With a little extra time and effort, you can make a dish that is both delicious and natural. Happy cooking and happy holidays!
Homemade Sourdough Cornbread Dressing
Ingredients
Stuffing Mix (Large bread crumbs)
- 1 loaf sourdough bread
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 tsp thyme
- 1 tsp sage
- 1 tsp basil
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp avocado oil
Sourdough Cornbread
- 1/2 cup sourdough discard
- 1 1/4 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 cup butter (softened) 1 stick
- 2 eggs
- 3/4 cup flour
- 3/4 cup cornmeal
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 pince salt
Sourdough Dressing
- 2 onions
- 1 cup celery optional
- 1 cup butter 2 sticks
- 4 eggs
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 1 tsp thyme
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 tsp sage
- 1 tsp salt
Instructions
Stuffing Mix (Large bread crumbs)
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Cut up a loaf of sourdough bread into 1 inch pieces and place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.
- Drizzle the pieces with avocado or olive oil.
- Sprinkle with dried seasonings.
- Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 10 minutes or until pieces are crunchy but not burnt.
Sourdough Cornbread
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Place a greased 9inch cast iron skillet in the preheated oven.
- In a large bowl combine the discard and buttermilk and whisk together.
- In a stand mixer, add dry ingredients and mix.
- Add the buttermilk and discard mixture to the dry ingredients along with the butter and eggs.
- Mix until a smooth batter consistency is reached.
- Once mixed, pour into preheated cast iron skillet and place in the oven.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick comes out dry.
Dressing
- Melt 1/2 cup (1 stick) of butter in a sauce pan on medium heat.
- Dice up the onions and celery and add to melted butter.
- Saute the onion and celery until the onions become translucent. Careful not to burn them.
- While the onions and celery are cooking, crumble the cornbread into a 9×13 glass dish.
- Take 2 cups of your homemade stuffing mix and spread evenly over the cornbread.
- Once the onions and celery have cooked down, pour them and the melted butter over the crumbled cornbread.
- Place the other 1/2 cup of butter into the saucepan and allow it to melt.
- In a large bowl combine the chicken stock and eggs and mix until well incorporated.
- Pour the rest of the melted butter into the bowl with chicken stock and eggs.
- Whisk in the dry ingredients.
- Pour this mixture evenly over the cornbread and stuffing mix in your 9×13 baking dish.
- Take a spoon and mix it well making sure all of the dry ingredients are coated with the broth mix.
- Bake at 350 for approximately 45 minutes or until golden brown.
Notes
- This recipe can be made with regular cornbread instead of sourdough cornbread if you prefer.
- Feel free to substitute the homemade stuffing mix with store bought or use regular bread to make them if you don’t have any sourdough bread.
- This recipe tastes great reheated if you need to make ahead!
- It also behaves well in the one time use aluminum pans if you need an easy potluck item.
