Name: Best Cornbread Dressing with Bacon
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 50 min
Ingredients: 4 cups cornbread; 4 slices whole wheat bread (cut into small cubes); 4 slices bacon (chopped); 1 stalk leek (chopped (can substitute 1/2 a small onion)); 1 tablespoon garlic (minced (about 3 cloves)); 1 stalk celery (diced); 1 tablespoon sage leaves (chopped); 1 large egg (lightly beaten); 1 1/2 cups chicken broth; 1/2 cup fresh parsley (chopped); Salt and pepper (to taste)

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5 from 11 votes

This warm, fluffy cornbread dressing has the perfect combination of sweet cornbread, crispy bacon and savory herbs. Perfect for Thanksgiving dinner!

Golden brown stuffing in a white baking dish with a spoonful being scooped out

You can consider this part two of my skillet cornbread recipe post. If for some reason you made cornbread and have leftovers (leftovers? what are those?), then you have the fixings for some homemade Cornbread and Bacon Dressing!

Standard whole wheat bread and homemade cornbread join forces with crisp bacon to create the best Thanksgiving dressing ever. I've been making this for at least a decade (I think longer though, tbh) and it never gets old.

When it's fresh out of the oven, the smell of warm sage will make you feel all the feels. It's comforting, it's homey, and for me it's the essence of Thanksgiving more than turkey.

Golden brown stuffing in a white serving dish

Do you call it stuffing or dressing? I grew up calling it stuffing because dressing is for salads. And yes, it was always ranch dressing. Good grief I'm Midwestern.

But if we're going to be technically correct, this is a dressing recipe – not stuffing.

Why is it called dressing instead of stuffing?

Stuffing is when the mixture is actually shoved inside the cavity of the turkey and cooked in there at the same time you're cooking the turkey itself.

Dressing is made on its own, and additional liquid is added for moisture and flavor.

Can you mix cornbread and regular stuffing?

Heck yeah, you can! And that's exactly what we're doing in this recipe. We're using both cornbread and whole wheat bread.

How to dry out cornbread for stuffing

We're going to make it quick and easy by placing the cubed cornbread (and whole wheat bread, since we're using a mix) on a baking sheet and baking them until dry and golden, about 12-15 minutes.

Ingredients for cornbread stuffing

Cornbread – You'll need about 4 cups of cubed cornbread. I highly recommend making my easy cornbread recipe, using half the recipe for this dressing, and serving the rest at dinner!
Whole wheat bread – Storebought is fine, also cubed. But if you have a great homemade recipe you love, definitely use that.
Bacon – I recommend avoiding thick-cut bacon for this one, as you want it to get crisp. You'll use the bacon grease in the pan to saute the rest of the ingredients.
Leek – You can also use 1/2 a white or yellow onion instead, diced.
Garlic – I call for 1 tablespoon garlic, but feel free to use as much as your heart desires. I say 1 tablespoon instead of a certain number of cloves because the size can vary so much, but it will likely be around 3 cloves.
Celery – This adds a lovely crunch!
Sage – I adore the warm, cozy feeling the sage adds to the final product.
Egg – This helps bind all the ingredients together a bit before baking, as well as providing some moisture.
Chicken broth – Adds flavor and moisture to the mixture before baking.
Parsley – Parsley tends to be seen only as a garnish, but it does actually add a little flavor to the dressing as well, so we mix it in instead of just adding it to the top before serving.

How to make cornbread dressing from scratch

Cubes of cornbread and whole wheat bread on a baking sheet

Step 1: Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Spread cornbread and whole wheat bread on each baking sheet and bake until dry and golden, about 12-15 minutes. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and set aside.

Chopped bacon pieces being fried in a saucepan

Step 2: In your preferred method, cook bacon until crispy. If cooked in a pan or skillet, do not drain bacon fat. If baked in the oven, reserve bacon fat and pour into a medium-sized skillet.

Scallions and garlic being sauteed in a saucepan

Step 3: Add leeks and garlic and cook over medium heat for 3 minutes. Stir in celery and cook another 2 minutes.

All of the ingredients for cornbread dressing being combined in a glass bowl while chopped sage is added on top

Step 4: Remove from heat and transfer mixture to the bowl of bread. Add sage, egg, broth parsley, salt, and pepper to taste.

All of the ingredients for cornbread dressing being combined in a glass bowl

Step 5: Stir to combine everything well.

Cornbread dressing being transferred from a glass bowl to a baking sheet

Step 6: Transfer mixture to an 8×8″ baking dish that has been prepared with nonstick spray and bake for 20 minutes at 375°F, or until the top is golden brown.

Golden brown baked cornbread dressing in a square white baking dish on a wooden table

FAQs

Can cornbread stuffing be made ahead of time?

Definitely. You can bake it per recipe instructions and then store it in the fridge the night before Thanksgiving and then reheat it in the oven at 375°F until warmed through.

Can you freeze cornbread dressing?

Yes! You can freeze this dressing ahead of Thanksgiving either by preparing the recipe all the way up to the point where you would bake it, but cover it tightly and place it in the freezer instead. Then you can let it thaw to room temperature before baking per the recipe instructions.

Do you cover dressing with foil when baking?

I've never needed to, but if you find that yours isn't warmed all the way through after 20 minutes, you can cover it in foil to prevent the top from burning and bake it longer to fully cook through.

Why put eggs in cornbread dressing?

The egg helps bind all the ingredients together a bit before baking, as well as providing some moisture.

What can you use as a binder instead of eggs in stuffing?

A flax egg or liquid egg substitute are the best swaps for egg in stuffing or dressing.

And this may sound odd, but about 1/4 cup white wine is actually a good substitute for the egg in dressing. You could also use chicken stock. It won't be as fluffy as with eggs, but should get the job done.

Is cornbread stuffing gluten free?

Nope, it's not. There's gluten in the cornbread as well as the whole wheat bread.

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