Sourdough Cornbread Dressing Recipe

A close-up serving of sourdough cornbread dressing on a white plate, showing the golden crumbled cornbread and celery texture, with the baking dish softly blurred behind it on a gold gingham linen.

5 from 1 vote

This sourdough cornbread dressing uses both homemade sourdough cornbread and cubed sourdough bread as the base, sautéed with butter, onion, celery, and fresh herbs in a rich chicken stock. It bakes golden in a casserole dish with a tender, savory center and a slightly crispy top that makes it the most requested side dish on the Thanksgiving table.

Prep Time20

Cook Time45

Additional Time10

Total Time1 15

Course: Side Dish, Thanksgiving

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Calories: 131kcal

Author: Emily Rider

Equipment

1 large cast iron skillet or heavy-bottomed pan
1 extra-large mixing bowl
1 Medium Mixing Bowl
1 rimmed baking sheet for toasting bread
1 large casserole dish
1 wooden spoon or silicone spatula
aluminum foil

Ingredients

1 skillet sourdough cornbread approximately 600 grams (10-inch skillet, fully cooled and cubed)
4 to 6 slices sourdough bread approximately 200 grams (day-old, toasted and cubed)
1 quart chicken stock 960 grams (or vegetable stock for a vegetarian version)
1 large yellow onion approximately 200 grams (diced fine)
8 stalks celery approximately 320 grams (diced)
4 large eggs room temperature
2 sticks salted butter 226 grams (for sautéing)
2 tablespoons ground sage 14 grams
1½ teaspoons fine sea salt 9 grams
1 to 2 tablespoons poultry seasoning 7 to 14 grams (homemade or store-bought)

Instructions

Prepare the bread bases – Bake a 10-inch skillet of sourdough cornbread and allow it to cool completely before cutting into small cubes. Toast 4 to 6 slices of day-old sourdough bread until golden brown, then cut into cubes. Set both aside.
Preheat the oven – Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius) and grease a large casserole dish generously with butter.
Toast the bread cubes – Arrange the cubed sourdough bread in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet and toast in the oven for about 10 minutes until lightly golden and slightly crisp. Remove and set aside.
Sauté the vegetables – In a large cast iron skillet or heavy-bottomed pan, melt 2 sticks of salted butter over medium heat. Add the diced onion and celery and sauté, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, about 10 to 12 minutes.
Add the broth and seasoning – Pour the chicken stock into the skillet with the sautéed vegetables. Add the ground sage, fine sea salt, and poultry seasoning and stir well to combine. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 30 minutes, then set aside to cool slightly.
Combine the bread and broth mixture – In an extra-large mixing bowl, combine the cubed sourdough cornbread and toasted sourdough bread cubes. Pour the vegetable and broth mixture over the bread cubes and fold gently until the bread has absorbed the liquid and the mixture is evenly combined. The mixture should look very moist. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
Add the eggs – In a separate bowl, beat 4 large eggs until smooth. Pour the beaten eggs over the bread mixture and fold gently until evenly incorporated.
Bake the dressing – Transfer the mixture to the prepared casserole dish and spread evenly. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 15 minutes until the top is golden brown and the center is fully set.
Rest and serve – Let the dressing rest for 5 minutes before serving. Serve warm alongside cranberry sauce and homemade apple cider for a complete Thanksgiving table.

Notes

Use day-old bread – Fresh sourdough bread turns mushy during baking. Day-old bread that has been toasted before mixing absorbs the broth evenly and holds its shape through the full bake for the best texture in the finished dressing.

The mixture should look soupy – Add the chicken stock gradually and fold the bread cubes gently between additions. The mixture should look very moist and almost soupy before it goes into the casserole dish. If it looks too dry it will bake up dense.

Taste before adding the eggs – Once the bread, vegetables, and broth are combined, taste the mixture and adjust the seasoning before the eggs go in. This is your last opportunity to add salt, sage, or poultry seasoning without raw egg in the mix.

Make ahead – Fully assemble the unbaked dressing, cover tightly with aluminum foil, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours before baking. Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking to take the chill off then bake as directed.

Nutrition