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Best Easy Cornbread Stuffing with Sausage and Sage

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This cornbread stuffing with sausage and sage is the perfect balance of crispy top, tender interior, and savory sausage. It’s a crowd-pleasing, make-ahead friendly dish that brings warm, savory comfort to any gathering.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 8 cups crumbled cornbread (day-old or slightly stale)
  • 1 pound ground pork sausage (preferably Jimmy Dean’s hot sausage)
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, divided
  • 2 large yellow onions, diced (about 3 cups)
  • 4 celery stalks, diced (about 2 cups)
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 3 tablespoons fresh sage, chopped (or 1 tablespoon dried sage)
  • 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves (or 2 teaspoons dried)
  • 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped (or 1 teaspoon dried)
  • 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth (plus more if needed)
  • 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
  • Salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Crumble the cornbread into a large mixing bowl, aiming for pieces ranging from small crumbs to half-inch chunks.
  2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook, breaking it up, until browned and cooked through (6-8 minutes). Transfer sausage to a plate lined with paper towels, leaving about 2 tablespoons of rendered fat in the skillet.
  3. Add ½ cup of the butter to the skillet with the sausage drippings. Once melted, add the diced onions and celery. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent (8-10 minutes). Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
  4. Stir in the chopped sage, thyme, and rosemary. Cook for about 30 seconds until fragrant. Remove the skillet from the heat.
  5. Add the cooked sausage and the sautéed vegetable mixture to the bowl with the crumbled cornbread. Toss gently until evenly distributed.
  6. In a separate small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the chicken broth and beaten eggs. Pour this mixture over the cornbread mixture and stir gently until evenly moistened. The mixture should look wet but not soupy; add more broth if needed, ¼ cup at a time.
  7. Taste the mixture and add salt and pepper as needed. Transfer to a greased 9×13-inch baking dish and spread into an even layer.
  8. Cut the remaining ½ cup of butter into small pats and dot them evenly over the top of the stuffing.
  9. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes.
  10. Remove the foil and bake for another 15-20 minutes, until the top is golden brown and slightly crispy, and the edges are bubbling.
  11. Let the stuffing rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.

Notes

Use day-old cornbread for best texture. If using fresh cornbread, toast crumbles at 300°F for 10 minutes to dry them out. Do not overmix when adding broth. For make-ahead, assemble completely, cover, and refrigerate up to 24 hours before baking; add 10 minutes to covered baking time. For vegetarian version, skip sausage and add 2 cups sautéed mushrooms and 1 cup roasted butternut squash, using vegetable broth.

Nutrition

Keywords: cornbread stuffing, sausage stuffing, sage stuffing, Thanksgiving stuffing, holiday side dish, Southern stuffing

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