Amazing Bacon Cornbread Stuffing Recipe (2024)

This bacon cornbread stuffing recipe is the perfect side dish for any Thanksgiving dinner.

Amazing Bacon Cornbread Stuffing Recipe (1)

Cornbread Bacon Stuffing Recipe

I am very picky when it comes to stuffing/dressing. The stuff from the box? I just can’t do it – I think it is mostly a texture thing for me. Anyway, I have not been very interested in stuffing in the past, but this cornbread stuffing with bacon is a game changer for me! Everyone that has tried this recipe has loved it!Maybe it’s the bacon. 😉

Amazing Bacon Cornbread Stuffing Recipe (2)

Homemade vs Store-Bought Cornbread

Feel free to purchase cornbread for the stuffing, but I have to warn you…homemade is better! That’s why I have included an easy cornbread recipe for you (find it below).

Also, the cornbread can be made up to 2 days in advance. So really, just go for the homemade one if at all possible! It will make yourbacon cornbread stuffing taste so much better.

Amazing Bacon Cornbread Stuffing Recipe (3)

Cornbread Tips:

You can do all cornbread if you want to skip the white bread. Just double the cornbread recipe and bake it in a 9×13 pan for the same amount of time. Voila.

P.S. Avoid using a sweet, cake-like cornbread for this stuffing recipe – it will taste a little off with the other savory flavors. The cornbread recipe you’ll find below works wonderfully.

Amazing Bacon Cornbread Stuffing Recipe (4)

Easy Bacon Infused Vegetables:

That’s right, just throw the onion, celery, and garlic right in there with the bacon and its grease. A little bacon magic happening there.

Amazing Bacon Cornbread Stuffing Recipe (5)

Why This Bacon Cornbread Stuffing Is the Best

A few of the reasons why I like this stuffing recipe so much are the flavor and the texture.The flavor is on point with the sage, fresh parsley, and bacon, and by cooking the veggies in the bacon grease, the bacon flavor is infused throughout the entire dish. It’s delicious but not too overpowering.

Quick tip:I use dried/rubbed sage for convenience, but keep the parsley fresh.

Another thing I like about this recipe is that I don’t feel like there’s much of a soggy bread texture to this stuffing, which I really like. It isn’t too dry either though. It’s pretty much perfect! 🙂

Plus, it is fun to impress people by saying you made the delicious stuffing from scratch. 😉

Amazing Bacon Cornbread Stuffing Recipe (6)

Final Tips

You can try slow cooking this bacon cornbread stuffing recipe, but you may lose some of that great texture that you get from baking it in the oven. If you want to give it a try anyway, follow the recipe directions, but cook the stuffing on lowin the slow cooker for 4-5 hours.

One more note: You can reserve 4 1/2 cups of the stuffing for the stuffing of the turkey, then spoon the remaining stuffing into a 9×9 baking dish and bake that in the oven. I prefer to bake all of the stuffing in a 9×13 and serve it on the side, which I guess makes it actually “dressing” and not “stuffing.” 😉

Either way, I hope you try it out because it is worth it! So good!

Amazing Bacon Cornbread Stuffing Recipe (7)

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Find all our side dish recipes here!

Amazing Bacon Cornbread Stuffing Recipe (8)

Amazing Bacon Cornbread Stuffing Recipe (9)

Amazing Bacon Cornbread Stuffing Recipe

This bacon cornbread stuffing recipe is the perfect side dish for any Thanksgiving dinner.

4.73 / 5 ( 33 Reviews )

Print Rate

Prep Time: 40 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour hour

Total Time: 1 hour hour 40 minutes minutes

Serves: 12

Adjust Servings: 12

Equipment

  • 8x8 inch pan

  • Large skillet

Ingredients

Cornbread Recipe

Cornbread Dressing/Stuffing

  • 8x8 pan cornbread from above, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
  • 8 slices white sandwich bread, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
  • 6 slices bacon chopped
  • 2 stalks celery finely diced
  • 1 small yellow onion finely diced
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh sage leaves or 1 teaspoon dried
  • 2 eggs lightly beaten
  • 2 ¾ cups reduced sodium chicken broth
  • ½ cup chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 ½ teaspoons salt
  • ½ teaspoon pepper

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 375°F/190°C.

  • For the cornbread: Grease an 8x8 baking dish or pan for the cornbread. Whisk milk, oil, and eggs in a medium bowl. Combine cornmeal, flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Add milk mixture, whisking until smooth. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake until golden and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool in pan on wire rack. (Cornbread can be made up to 2 days in advance.)

  • For the dressing/stuffing: Spread cubed cornbread and bread onto two baking sheets and bake until dry and golden, about 15 minutes.

  • Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until fat is rendered and bacon is crisp, about 5 minutes. Add onion, celery, and garlic and cook until translucent, about 4 minutes. Stir in sage and transfer mixture to a large bowl.

  • Add cornbread, bread, lightly beaten eggs, broth, parsley, salt, and pepper to the bowl and toss until combined. Let sit 5 minutes, then toss again.

  • If serving as a side dish/dressing and not stuffing the turkey, spoon mixture into a 9x13 baking dish and bake until top is toasted golden brown, about 30 minutes. Serve warm.

  • For stuffing: Reserve 4 1/2 cups for turkey, then spoon remaining stuffing into a 9x9 baking dish. Bake until top is golden brown, about 25-30 minutes.

Recipe Notes

The baked cornbread can be left in its pan at room temperature overnight or up to 2 days before making the stuffing, instead of oven drying (in step 3). You can skip the white bread and do all cornbread if you want, just double the cornbread recipe and bake it in a 9x13 for the same amount of time.

Nutrition

Calories: 271kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 13g | Sodium: 665mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g

Amazing Bacon Cornbread Stuffing Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between cornbread stuffing and cornbread dressing? ›

So stuffing is cooked inside the bird. Dressing is cooked outside the bird, usually in a casserole dish.

What does adding egg to stuffing do? ›

Eggs: Two lightly beaten eggs help hold the dressing together and add moisture.

What is the best way to dry out cornbread for stuffing? ›

I got you! Bake in cubes at 350 for 15 minutes, toss and bake again for 10-15 minutes. And you have stuffing bread.

How do you make Paula Deen's cornbread dressing? ›

In a large bowl, whisk together broth, soup, eggs, poultry seasoning, salt, and pepper; stir in vegetable mixture. Crumble cornbread into broth mixture and stir until well combined. Pour mixture into prepared pan. Bake until center is set, 45 to 55 minutes.

What is stuffing called in the South? ›

But for the Thanksgiving side dish in the South, the term dressing was adopted in place of stuffing, which was viewed as a crude term, during the Victorian era. Although dressing and stuffing are interchangeable terms, the signature ingredient of this Thanksgiving side dish in the South is cornbread.

What makes stuffing unhealthy? ›

Typically high in fat, carbs and salt, stuffing can be made fresh or purchased chilled, frozen or dehydrated. Traditionally, a stuffing would use the giblets of the bird with the addition of sausage meat, a source of starch, such as bread, with some aromatics such as onion, herbs and spices.

What is the best bread to use for stuffing? ›

Breads such as sour dough, French bread or Italian loaves are for the best bread for stuffing. Their soft-but-sturdy interiors are the perfect texture for stuffing. The pieces retain their shape without crumbling.

What is traditional stuffing made of? ›

Turkey stuffing was popularized in the early days of Thanksgiving, as it is written in many 16th-century Boston area documents. Stuffing most often uses dried bread, herbs, and vegetables that are reconstituted with liquid, stuffed into the turkey cavity, and baked until it is firm and finished cooking.

How to keep cornbread dressing from being gummy? ›

Stir occasionally to ensure even drying. And if your dressing is still too mushy after baking, you can add more crumbled cornbread, dry bread, or even dry breadcrumbs or croutons to absorb excess moisture. Mix it in gently, so you don't compress the dressing too much.

Can you leave cornbread out overnight for dressing? ›

Be sure to leave enough time — the cornbread needs to sit out overnight to harden slightly before you make the dressing.

Does bread have to be toasted for stuffing? ›

Follow this tip: Stale, dried-out bread makes the best stuffing. Either dry out your bread starting a few days before you plan to make the stuffing by letting it sit out or, if you don't have the extra time, cut the bread into cubes, and then toast over a low heat in the oven until dry.

How to make stuffing Gordon Ramsay? ›

Make the stuffing, melt butter in a large frying pan and gently sauté onion and garlic for five minutes until soft. Stir in the herbs for one minute then add breadcrumbs to absorb butter. Mix in zest, pine nuts and seasoning and cook over medium heat for about seven minutes until crumbs start to brown and crisp.

Is stuffing better with or without eggs? ›

It's all about personal preference. If you want a sturdier dressing, eggs can help do that. I don't use eggs in this recipe, though, because I like a lighter, more crumbly texture in my dressing.

What's the difference between stuffing and filling? ›

Although most people in America debate on whether the dish should be called stuffing or dressing the people of Pennsylvania call it filling. Essentially filling is the same as stuffing or dressing. The name suggests that it will fill something like stuffing does.

Is stuffing the same as dressing? ›

To understand the difference between the two, all you have to do is look at the cooking method. Stuffing is stuffed (literally) inside the cavity of the turkey, while dressing is roasted in a separate casserole dish.

Why is it called dressing instead of stuffing? ›

The term dressing, per the History Channel, originated around the 1850s, when the Victorians deemed stuffing too crude for the dish to be named. This happened around the same time that the term “dark meat” began to refer to chicken legs and thighs.

Do Southerners say stuffing or dressing? ›

But for the Thanksgiving side dish in the South, the term dressing was adopted in place of stuffing, which was viewed as a crude term, during the Victorian era.

What is cornbread dressing made of? ›

Add sautéed onion and celery to the crumbled cornbread. Stir in chicken stock, eggs, sage, salt, and pepper until well combined. Pour dressing into the prepared baking dish.

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