This Cornbread Stuffing with Sausage is a little different from the traditional version in the best way. Slightly sweet cornbread, dried cranberries and apricots are mixed with savory pork sausage, mushrooms and a little heat from red pepper flakes. And because I don't like soggy stuffing, this version uses less broth than many recipes and bakes uncovered, so the top gets beautifully browned and the edges of the cornbread turn crisp while the center stays soft and tender.
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What Makes This Different
- The sweet-savory combination really works. The cornbread and dried fruit bring a little sweetness, while the sausage, mushrooms, sage and red pepper flakes pull everything back toward savory.
- The dried fruit is softened before baking. The apricots and cranberries sit in the warm sausage mixture with a little broth for 30 minutes, so they plump and soften instead of baking up as hard, chewy pieces of dried fruit.
- It isn't a wet stuffing. I use 1½ cups of broth, which keeps the center soft and tender without making it soggy. Baking it uncovered gives you those browned, crispy cornbread edges that are easily my favorite part.
- Most of the work can happen ahead. Bake and dry the cornbread in advance and make the sausage mixture a day or two ahead, then combine everything shortly before baking.
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Ingredients
You'll find the full ingredient list and amounts in the recipe card below, but a few ingredients are worth a closer look.
- Cornbread: I like Krusteaz Honey Cornbread Mix because it's easy to find and slightly sweet without being over the top. Bakery cornbread works well, too. I've tested Jiffy but found it too dry and crumbly. The cubes broke apart too much when mixed with the sausage.
- Ground Pork Sausage: Jimmy Dean regular or sage pork sausage both work well. Skip maple or other sweet breakfast sausage varieties so the stuffing doesn't tip too far toward sweet.
- Onions and mushrooms: White or yellow onion are good options, along with white button or baby bella/cremini mushrooms.
- Red Pepper Flakes: These give the stuffing a slight kick and help offset the sweetness from the cornbread and dried fruit.
- Dried Apricots and Cranberries: Chop the dried apricots into smaller pieces so they're closer in size to the cranberries rather than leaving large pieces throughout the stuffing.
- Chicken Broth: The amount in the recipe is intentional; it keeps the center soft and tender without making the stuffing soggy.
How to Make Cornbread Stuffing with Sausage
- Cook the sausage and vegetables. Brown the sausage, then add the onion, mushrooms, sage and red pepper flakes and cook until the vegetables are softened.
- Add the dried fruit. Stir in the apricots, cranberries and ½ cup broth, then let the mixture rest for 30 minutes.
- Combine with the cornbread. Gently fold the sausage mixture into the dried cornbread cubes, then add the beaten egg mixed with the remaining broth, salt and pepper.
- Bake uncovered. Spread in a baking dish and bake until the top is browned and the exposed edges of the cornbread cubes are crisp.
Before You Make this
- Dry the cornbread first. Fresh cornbread is soft and fragile. Letting the cubes dry helps them soak up the broth without immediately falling apart. Leave them uncovered overnight, or dry them in a 275°F oven for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Don't skip the 30-minute rest. This isn't just cooling time. The apricots and cranberries absorb some of the broth as they sit in the warm sausage mixture, which softens them before they go into the oven. Skip that step and you're more likely to end up with hard, chewy pieces of dried fruit in the finished stuffing.
- Keep the cornbread separate until you're ready to assemble. You can make the sausage mixture ahead, but don't mix it with the cornbread until you're getting ready to bake. Otherwise the cubes will keep soaking up liquid while they sit and you'll lose some of the texture you worked to create.
- Fold gently. Cornbread is more delicate than regular bread cubes, so you don't want to stir this aggressively. A gentle fold keeps more of those cubes intact.
- Bake it uncovered. This is where the good stuff happens. The top gets browned and those exposed cornbread edges turn crisp (almost like the crispy edges of lasagna noodles) while the stuffing underneath stays soft and tender. If the top starts getting darker than you'd like before the baking time is up, tent it loosely with foil.
Make Ahead
This is one of those Thanksgiving sides that makes life a little easier because you can split the work between two days.
Cornbread: Bake and cube the cornbread the day before, then leave the cubes out overnight to dry. You're getting the prep and drying time out of the way at once.
Sausage mixture: Prepare the sausage, vegetables, dried fruit and broth mixture up to two days ahead and refrigerate it separately from the cornbread.
When you're ready to assemble the stuffing, let the sausage mixture sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes first.
If you don't want to wait, gently rewarm it instead. It doesn't need to be hot; you're just taking the refrigerator chill off before mixing it with the cornbread. Then combine everything with the egg and remaining broth and bake as directed.
If you're planning your Thanksgiving prep schedule, Lisa's mashed potatoes recipe that you make the day before works really well on the same timeline.
Storage & Reheating
Store leftover stuffing covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Reheat individual portions gently in the microwave. If it seems like the stuffing is starting to dry out, add a small splash of chicken broth before reheating.
I haven't tested freezing this recipe, so I can't say how well the cornbread texture holds up after thawing.
More Thanksgiving Side Dishes
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Recipe
Cornbread Stuffing with Sausage and Dried Fruit
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 8 ounces ground pork sausage, regular or sage
- 1 white or yellow onion, diced
- 2 cups sliced white button or baby bella mushrooms
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon dried rubbed sage
- ½ cup chopped dried apricots
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- 1 ½ cups chicken broth, divided
- 8 cups cubed, dried cornbread
- 1 egg, beaten
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
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Instructions
- Grease a 3-quart baking dish and set aside.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook, breaking it into smaller pieces, until browned and no pink remains.1 tablespoon olive oil, 8 ounces ground pork sausage,
- Add the onion, mushrooms, red pepper flakes and sage. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent and the mushrooms are softened.1 white or yellow onion, , 2 cups sliced white button or baby bella mushrooms, 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, 1 teaspoon dried rubbed sage
- Remove the skillet from the heat. Stir in the apricots, cranberries and ½ cup of the chicken broth. Let the mixture cool for at least 30 minutes so the dried fruit can absorb some of the broth, plump and soften before baking.½ cup chopped dried apricots, ½ cup dried cranberries, 1 ½ cups chicken broth,
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Place the dried cornbread cubes in a large bowl. Add the sausage mixture and gently fold together.8 cups cubed, dried cornbread
- Whisk the egg with the remaining 1 cup chicken broth. Pour it over the cornbread mixture. Add the salt and pepper and gently fold until evenly moistened, taking care not to break down the cornbread cubes too much. Spread the stuffing evening into the prepared baking dish.1 egg, , ¾ teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Bake uncovered for 45 minutes, or until the top is browned, the exposed edges of the cornbread cubes are crisp and the center is soft and tender. If the top is browning too quickly after about 30 minutes, tent loosely with foil.
Notes
- Cornbread: One 15-ounce box of Krusteaz Honey Cornbread & Muffin Mix, prepared according to package directions, gives me about the 8 cups needed for this recipe. Bakery cornbread also works.
- Avoid Jiffy: I've tested Jiffy cornbread in this recipe and found it too dry and crumbly. It broke apart too easily when mixed with the sausage.
- Dry the cornbread: Leave cubed cornbread uncovered overnight or bake the cubes at 275°F for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Sausage: Jimmy Dean regular or sage sausage both work well. Avoid maple or other sweet varieties so the stuffing doesn't become overly sweet.
- Make ahead: Prepare the sausage mixture up to 2 days in advance and refrigerate it separately from the cornbread. Let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before assembling, or gently rewarm it first.
- Storage: Refrigerate leftovers for up to 4 days.
- Reheating: Microwave gently, adding a small splash of chicken broth if needed to keep the stuffing from drying out.
- Freezing: I haven't tested freezing this stuffing.
- Recipe adapted from Kowalski's Markets.
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Nutrition
Nutrition info not guaranteed to be accurate.
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