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There’s nothing quite like Southern Cornbread Dressing. It’s savory, crispy around the edges, and brings a comforting flavor that tastes like home. My Grandma B’s classic version inspires my Southern Cornbread Dressing recipe, passed down through my mom. This dish is a holiday staple and brings back memories of family gatherings, where this dressing always had a special place on the table.

Closeup of a slice of Southern cornbread dressing on a spatula.

Growing up, my favorite holiday dish was my mom’s mac and cheese, but as I got older, her cornbread dressing took over as my number one. One thing you’ll notice right away: this is dressing, not stuffing. In the South, dressing is baked in a pan (not inside the bird) and has a firmer, casserole-like texture. And trust me, baking it in a sheet pan gives you way more of those delicious, crispy edges we all love!

You can even prepare the dressing ahead of time—up to two days in advance—making it a perfect dish for holiday prep.

Why This Recipe Works

Crispy Edges: Baking in a half-sheet pan instead of a casserole dish creates more crispy edges, which everyone loves.
Rich Flavor: Using homemade turkey stock and cooked vegetables infuses the dressing with deep, savory flavor.
Great for Make-Ahead Prep: Prep everything up to two days in advance to save time on the big day.
Family Tradition: Passed down by my grandma, this recipe is all about tradition and time-tested techniques.
Non-Sweet Cornbread: Using savory cornbread ensures that the dressing is rich and flavorful, without any sweetness to distract from the herbs and spices.
Unique Ingredient: Small sweet peas are a surprising addition, but they bring heartiness, moisture, and texture to the dish.

More Family Favorite Recipes

Southern cornbread dressing on a half-sheet pan.

Ingredients For This Southern Cornbread Dressing Recipe

For the Turkey Stock

Ingredients for turkey stock in stainless steel pot.

Turkey thighs (3 lbs): Adds rich flavor and protein.
Yellow onions and celery: Form the aromatic base for the stock.
Sea salt and black pepper: Simple seasonings that enhance the flavor of the stock.

For the Cornbread

2 cups finely ground yellow cornmeal: The foundation of the cornbread, creating the perfect texture.
1 cup all-purpose flour: Helps give the cornbread structure and balance.
Buttermilk: Adds tangy moisture and flavor.
Bacon fat: Adds savory richness and depth.

For the Dressing

Ingredients for Southern cornbread dressing recipe on wood table.

Onions, celery, and green peppers: Add crunch and flavor to the dressing.
Sweet peas: Non-traditional but bring a unique heartiness, moisture, and texture.
Cornbread and stuffing mix: These form the bulk of the dressing, creating a wonderful texture.
Turkey stock: Moistens and adds rich flavor to the dish.
Ground sage and poultry seasoning: Provide that classic holiday flavor.
Butter: Adds a creamy, rich texture to the dressing.

How To Make This Southern Cornbread Dressing Recipe

Fully cooked turkey stock in pot. — Place turkey thighs, chopped onions, celery, salt, and pepper into a large pot. Add 12 cups of water, cover, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 90 minutes until the turkey is tender and falling apart.

Shredded turkey on white cutting board. — Remove the turkey thighs and shred the meat finely. Discard skin and bones.

Turkey stock in mason jar with funnel. — Strain the stock to remove the vegetables, and set it aside. If making ahead, store in airtight containers and refrigerate until ready to use.

Shredded turkey and stock in plastic container. — When prepping in advance, I like to store the meat submerged in stock so that it doesn't dry out.

Cast iron skillet inside oven with hot bacon fat. — Preheat the oven to 450°F. Place 3 tablespoons of bacon fat into a 12-inch cast iron skillet and heat in the oven while preheating.

Six-part image showing the steps of making cornbread batter: mixing dry ingredients, wet ingredients, then combining them. — Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl—cornmeal, flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk and eggs. Combine with dry ingredients and stir well.

Pouring hot bacon fat into cornbread batter. — Add 3 tablespoons of bacon fat to the batter and mix again.

Four-part image showing the stages of pouring cornbread batter into a hot cast iron skillet sizzing with bacon fat. — Add two more tablespoons of bacon fat to the cast iron skillet, return it to the oven, and let it get smoking hot. Then, pour the batter into the hot skillet and bake for 15-18 minutes until golden brown and set.

Sautéing onions, peppers, and celery in bacon fat. — Heat 2 tablespoons of bacon fat in a large pan and sauté diced onions, celery, and green peppers. Season with salt and pepper, and cook until vegetables release their juices (about 5 minutes).

Shredded turkey, peas, and sautéed vegetables combined in large bowl. — In a large bowl, combine shredded turkey, sautéed vegetables, and peas.

Pouring turkey stock into bowl with crumbled cornbread and stuffing mix. — Add crumbled cornbread, stuffing mix, and 4 cups of turkey stock. Stir well.

Dressing mixture topped with spices and melted butter. — Mix in sage, poultry seasoning, and melted butter, followed by the remaining 4 cups of stock. Stir until fully combined.

Two pans of Southern cornbread dressing baking in oven. — Spray two half-sheet pans with cooking spray and divide the dressing evenly between the pans. Bake for 30 minutes, then rotate the pans and bake for another 30 minutes or until the dressing is crispy around the edges.

And This Is The AMAZING Result

Lifting a slice of Southern cornbread dressing on a spatula from a half-sheet pan.

Expert Tips

Two Specific Brands: For the stuffing mix, I recommend using Pepperidge Farm Herb Seasoned Stuffing. And Le Sueur Very Young Small Sweet Peas are the best peas on the market.
Make the Stock Ahead: Homemade turkey stock adds amazing depth of flavor, and you can make it days in advance.
Use Savory Cornbread: Stick to non-sweet cornbread so the dressing stays rich and savory.
Go Easy on the Mixing: While you need to mix everything well, be careful not to overmix and turn the dressing into mush.
Rotisserie Chicken: If you’re short on time, use rotisserie chicken instead of cooking your own turkey thighs.
Prep Ahead: You can do most of the prep up to two days in advance. Simply refrigerate everything until you’re ready to bake.
More Flavor: Homemade stock is ideal, but store-bought turkey or chicken broth will also work in a pinch.

FAQs

Can I leave out the peas? Yes, you can leave them out - I understand that they are not common in dressing. But you'll really be missing out on part of what sets this dressing apart from the rest.

Can I make this in a casserole dish? Yes! Use two 13x9-inch dishes, and add about 15 more minutes to the baking time.

Can I make a smaller portion? Absolutely. Halve the ingredients, and the recipe will fit into a single half-sheet pan or casserole dish.

Can I freeze the leftovers? Yes, this recipe freezes well. This is a big portion. But the beauty is... If you make both pans at Thanksgiving, you can freeze the second to warm up and serve at Christmas! Slice the dressing, wrap it tightly, and store it in an airtight container.

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Comments

Becky

September 10, 2020 at 8:22 am

We are so tired of the same old dressing we have every Thanksgiving. I'm happy to say this was very popular with my family so we'll be adding this to our Thanksgiving dinner this year. Adding peas was a little different but that's what we were looking for and it was delicious!

Southern Cornbread Dressing Recipe (Just Like Grandma's)

Why This Recipe Works

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