There are certain dishes that always belong on a Southern Thanksgiving table, and we believe cornbread dressing is one of them. And if cornbread is going to be the foundation of the dish, we think it's worth starting with high-quality cornmeal. Traditional cornbread dressing has tons of flavor but usually looks like a casserole with not much color. Cornbread dressing made with our stone-ground cornmeal, as you can see above, makes a dressing with an incredibly rich yellow color and deep corn flavor. The life hasn’t been processed out of our cornmeal and in dishes like this, it truly shows.
This recipe begins with our simple McEwen & Sons Buttermilk Cornbread, made in a hot cast-iron skillet with stone-ground cornmeal. Once cooled and cubed, the cornbread is combined with sautéed onion and celery, chicken broth, milk, egg, and plenty of savory flavor from garlic and herb butter: the perfect accompaniment to Thanksgiving Day turkey and gravy.
What Is the Best Cornbread for Cornbread Dressing?
For Southern cornbread dressing, we prefer a savory cornbread made with stone-ground cornmeal. Our McEwen & Sons Buttermilk Cornbread is about as simple as it gets, letting the flavorful cornmeal remain the star of the dish.
For this recipe, you'll need about 6 cups of cooled, cubed cornbread. Better yet, make the cornbread a day ahead. Slightly dried cornbread is excellent for dressing because it's ready to soak up all that butter, broth, and seasoning.
McEwen & Sons Buttermilk Cornbread
Ingredients
For one 10-inch skillet:
2 cups McEwen & Sons Stone-Ground Cornmeal
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/3 cup buttermilk
4 tablespoons melted butter
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
How to Make the Cornbread
Place a greased 10-inch cast-iron skillet in the oven and preheat the oven to 425°F.
In a mixing bowl, combine the McEwen & Sons Stone-Ground Cornmeal, baking powder, and salt.
Add the buttermilk, melted butter, and the lightly beaten egg. Stir until everything is just combined.
Carefully remove the hot skillet from the oven and pour in the batter.
Bake at 425°F for approximately 18 minutes, or until the cornbread is golden brown and cooked through.
Allow it to cool completely before cutting it into cubes for the dressing.
Tip: Make your cornbread the day before Thanksgiving, cube it once cool, and allow it to dry slightly before assembling the dressing.
Southern Cornbread Dressing
Serves: About 8
Ingredients
6 cups cubed McEwen & Sons Buttermilk Cornbread
4 tablespoons Kerrygold Garlic & Herb Butter, or your favorite garlic and herb butter
2 medium yellow onions, finely diced
2 celery stalks, finely diced
3/4 cup low-sodium chicken or turkey broth, plus a little more as needed
½ cup whole milk
1 large egg, lightly beaten
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon salt
Butter for greasing the baking dish
1. Prepare the Cornbread
Make the McEwen & Sons Buttermilk Cornbread according to the recipe above.
Let it cool completely, then cut or crumble it into bite-sized pieces.
Measure 6 cups and place the cornbread in a large mixing bowl.
2. Sauté the Onion and Celery
Melt the garlic and herb butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
Add the diced onion and celery.
Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft and translucent, about 10 to 15 minutes.
You aren't looking for a lot of browning here. You want the vegetables soft, sweet, and fragrant.
Remove the skillet from the heat and allow the mixture to cool slightly.
3. Assemble the Dressing
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Add the sautéed onion, celery, and all of the seasoned butter from the skillet to the bowl of cornbread.
Add the chicken or turkey broth, whole milk, and lightly beaten egg.
Season with salt and pepper and gently fold everything together until evenly combined.
4. Bake Until Golden
Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish and spread the dressing evenly into the dish.
Bake uncovered at 375°F for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the dressing is heated through, set in the center, and beautifully golden across the top.
Let it rest for about 10 minutes before serving.
Tip: During the last minute or two of cooking, turn on the broiler to get your desired golden, lightly crisped top. Just don’t step too far away from the oven, the broiler works quick!
Why Use Garlic & Herb Butter in Cornbread Dressing?
Garlic and herb butter is an easy way to add several layers of savory flavor. We like Kerrygold Garlic & Herb Butter, which combines Irish butter with chives, parsley, garlic, dill, pepper, and other seasonings.
If your local grocery store doesn't carry Kerrygold's version, look for another prepared garlic and herb butter or herb compound butter in the dairy or specialty-cheese section.
Can You Make Cornbread Dressing Ahead of Time?
Yes—and Thanksgiving is exactly the kind of day when making things ahead helps. The easiest first step is to make your cornbread a day ahead. Let it cool completely, cube it, and have it ready for assembling the dressing.You can also prepare your onion and celery ahead of time. Then, when you're ready to bake, combine everything and put the dressing in the oven while you're working on the rest of the Thanksgiving meal.
What Goes With Cornbread Dressing?
Cornbread dressing is made for a Southern Thanksgiving plate.
Serve it alongside:
Roast turkey
Turkey gravy
Baked or glazed ham
Green beans
Collard or turnip greens
Sweet potato casserole
Cranberry sauce
Roasted vegetables
Good Dressing Starts With Good Cornbread
Cornbread dressing isn't a complicated dish. That's part of what makes it so good. Cornbread. Butter. Onion. Celery. Broth. A few good seasonings. But when a recipe is that simple, the ingredients doing the heavy lifting matter.
For us, that starts with the cornmeal. Our stone-ground cornmeal gives the cornbread—and ultimately the dressing—the rich corn flavor we're looking for on a Southern Thanksgiving table. Good dressing starts with good cornbread. And good cornbread starts with McEwen & Sons Cornmeal.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Kind of Cornmeal Is Best for Cornbread Dressing?
We prefer fine-ground stone-ground cornmeal for traditional Southern cornbread dressing. It produces a classic cornbread texture while allowing the flavor of the cornmeal to remain an important part of the finished dressing.
Should You Make Cornbread Ahead of Time for Dressing?
Yes. Making cornbread a day ahead gives it time to cool and dry slightly. Drier cornbread readily absorbs the broth, butter, and seasonings in the dressing.
Can You Use Fresh Cornbread for Dressing?
Yes. Just make sure the cornbread has cooled completely before assembling the dressing. If you have time, allowing the cubed cornbread to dry somewhat will help it absorb the other ingredients.
What's the Difference Between Stuffing and Dressing?
The terms are often used interchangeably, but in much of the South, dressing commonly refers to a bread-based mixture baked separately in a casserole or baking dish, while stuffing traditionally refers to a mixture cooked inside the turkey
How Do You Keep Cornbread Dressing From Being Dry?
Make sure the cornbread mixture is adequately moistened before it goes into the oven. If it looks dry while you're assembling it, add additional chicken or turkey broth a little at a time.
Our Stone-Ground Yellow Cornmeal – Fine Ground is made from certified organic yellow corn and milled to a silky, soft texture perfect for tender Southern baked goods, muffins, pancakes, and hushpuppies. The naturally golden corn flavor shines through with a sweet, buttery taste, while the fine grind creates a smooth, delicate crumb for soft, moist baked dishes. Fine ground yellow cornmeal is ideal for recipes that call for a lighter, more tender texture without sacrificing the rich, natural flavor of stone-ground corn.
