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Comforting Southern Cornbread Dressing Recipe with Crispy Herb Crust

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A nostalgic Southern cornbread dressing featuring a crispy herb crust, tender cornbread base, and fresh herbs. Perfect for holidays or any comforting meal.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 ½ cups yellow cornmeal
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup granulated sugar (optional)
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 ½ cups buttermilk (or milk with 1 tablespoon vinegar as substitute)
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
  • 1 large onion, finely chopped
  • 3 stalks celery, diced
  • 4 cups cornbread, crumbled (from the baked cornbread above)
  • 2 cups day-old white bread, cubed
  • 2 ½ cups low-sodium chicken broth (vegetarian option: vegetable broth)
  • 2 large eggs, beaten
  • 2 teaspoons fresh sage, chopped (or 1 teaspoon dried)
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
  • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (for sautéing vegetables)
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (for herb crust)
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme (for herb crust)
  • 1 teaspoon fresh sage (for herb crust)
  • 1 teaspoon fresh parsley (for herb crust)
  • Pinch of salt (for herb crust)

Instructions

  1. Make the Cornbread: Preheat oven to 400°F. In a large bowl, whisk together cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In another bowl, beat eggs with buttermilk and melted butter. Pour wet ingredients into dry and stir just until combined. Pour batter into greased 9-inch square pan and bake 20-25 minutes until golden and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool on a rack.
  2. Prepare the Vegetables: Melt 2 tablespoons butter in skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onions and celery, sauté until soft and translucent, about 7-8 minutes.
  3. Cube the Bread: Once cornbread is cool, crumble into bite-sized pieces in a large bowl. Add cubed day-old white bread.
  4. Mix the Dressing: Add sautéed onions and celery to bread mixture. Stir in fresh herbs (sage, thyme, parsley), season with salt and pepper. In separate bowl, whisk broth and beaten eggs. Pour liquid over bread and vegetables, fold gently to combine. Let sit 10 minutes to absorb moisture. Add more broth if dry.
  5. Prepare the Herb Crust: Mix melted butter with chopped thyme, sage, parsley, and a pinch of salt.
  6. Bake the Dressing: Preheat oven to 350°F. Transfer dressing mixture to greased 9×13-inch baking dish and spread evenly. Drizzle herb butter mixture on top. Bake uncovered 45-50 minutes until top is golden brown and crisp.
  7. Rest and Serve: Remove from oven and let rest 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

Use firm, small-curd buttermilk for best tang. For gluten-free, substitute all-purpose flour with almond or oat flour and use gluten-free bread. Bake dressing uncovered for crispy crust; tent with foil if browning too fast. Day-old cornbread improves texture. Leftovers reheat best in oven covered with foil to maintain crust.

Nutrition

Keywords: Southern cornbread dressing, cornbread dressing recipe, crispy herb crust, holiday side dish, Thanksgiving dressing, comfort food

Find it online: https://jodierecipes.com/comforting-southern-cornbread-dressing-recipe-with-crispy-herb-crust-easy/