Description
This Homemade Cornbread Stuffing with Sausage is a savory and slightly sweet side dish perfect for holiday meals or comforting dinners. Loaded with flavorful ground pork sausage, sautéed onions, mushrooms, dried apricots, and cranberries, it combines tender baked cornbread cubes soaked in a seasoned broth and baked to golden perfection.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 8 ounces ground pork sausage
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 2 cups sliced mushrooms
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon dried rubbed sage
- ½ cup chopped dried apricots
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- 8 cups baked cornbread, cubed and slightly stale
- 1 ½ cups chicken broth, divided
- 1 egg, beaten
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Prepare Baking Dish: Grease a 3-quart baking dish thoroughly and set it aside for later use to prevent sticking.
- Cook Sausage and Vegetables: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground pork sausage and cook until no longer pink, breaking it up as it cooks. Then add the diced onion, sliced mushrooms, crushed red pepper flakes, and dried rubbed sage. Stir to combine and cook until the onions are translucent and vegetables are softened.
- Mix in Dried Fruits and Broth: Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the chopped dried apricots, dried cranberries, and ½ cup of chicken broth. Allow the mixture to cool to room temperature, letting the dried fruits soften and absorb some broth for at least 30 minutes.
- Preheat Oven: While the mixture cools, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) to prepare for baking.
- Combine Stuffing Mixture: In a large bowl, combine the cooled sausage and fruit mixture with the cubed cornbread. In a separate small bowl, whisk together the beaten egg and the remaining 1 cup of chicken broth. Pour this over the cornbread mixture, season with salt and pepper, and gently stir everything together until evenly combined.
- Bake: Transfer the stuffing mixture to the prepared baking dish and spread evenly. Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes until the top is golden brown and the stuffing is heated through.
- Serve: Remove from the oven and serve warm as a hearty side dish alongside your favorite main courses.
Notes
- Using slightly stale cornbread helps it absorb the broth better without becoming too mushy.
- If you don’t have baked cornbread on hand, bake fresh cornbread and allow it to sit uncovered overnight to dry out.
- For a spicier version, increase the crushed red pepper flakes according to your preference.
- This stuffing can be prepared a day ahead and refrigerated before baking; just increase baking time by 10-15 minutes if baking cold.
- You can substitute turkey or chicken sausage for pork sausage for a different flavor profile.
