Description
This semi-homemade cornbread stuffing with sausage, cranberries, and pecans is everything you want in a Thanksgiving side dish. Sweet cornbread gets tossed with savory pork sausage, leeks and celery, fresh herbs, dried cranberries, and crunchy pecans, then baked until golden and crisp on top. It’s the perfect balance of sweet and savory, packed with all those cozy holiday flavors that make stuffing one of the best parts of Thanksgiving dinner.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 1 box cornbread mix, plus ingredients called for on the package (see notes below)
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 medium leek, sliced
- 3 stalks celery, sliced
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh sage (or 1 tsp dried sage)
- 1/2 tbsp chopped fresh thyme (or 1 tsp dried thyme)
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley (or 1 tsp dried parsley)
- kosher salt + black pepper as needed
- 1 lb pork sausage
- 2 and 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
Instructions
- Prepare the cornbread: Prepare the cornbread mix according to the package directions and let cool completely. Cut into 1-inch cubes (roughly 7 cups). Spread the cubes on a large baking sheet. Leave uncovered at room temperature overnight to dry. Alternatively, bake the cubes at 300°F for 15–25 minutes, until slightly dried but not browned. Let cool before using.
- Cook the veggies: Preheat oven to 375°F. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the leeks and celery and cook for 5–7 minutes, until softened. Stir in the dried sage and thyme and cook for 1 minute.
- Cook the sausage: Add the sausage to the skillet and cook, breaking it into crumbles, until browned and cooked through. Remove from the heat.
- Mix the stuffing: Whisk together 2 cups of chicken broth and the eggs in a bowl. Add the dried cranberries, pecans, and cornbread cubes to the skillet with the cooked sausage and vegetables. Pour in the broth and egg mixture and gently fold everything together until combined. Add the remaining broth, a little at a time, until the cornbread is evenly moistened but not soggy.
- Bake and serve: Transfer the mixture to a greased 9×13 baking dish and spread evenly. Bake for 40–45 minutes, until golden and crisp on top. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving and garnish with fresh herbs. Enjoy!
Notes
Cornbread mixes vary in size. Choose a mix that makes approximately one 9×9-inch pan of cornbread. If your mix yields more than 7–8 cups of cubes, save the extra for another use. If it yields less, prepare additional mix as needed.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 75 minutes
- Category: Sides
- Method: Stovetop + Oven
Nutrition
- Calories: 390
- Sugar: 11g
- Sodium: 750mg
- Fat: 24g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 32g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 14g
- Cholesterol: 100mg