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Cornbread stuffing is a delicious alternative to traditional bread stuffing and works equally well with simply seasoned roasted turkey, chicken, and pork, making it a popular choice for holiday meals. Our version is so easy to make, and richly flavored with smoky, thick-cut bacon and a combination of sautéed onion, celery, garlic, and thyme, it’s the ultimate comfort food.
Notes From the MGC Kitchen
Our family holiday meals almost always include a homemade stuffing casserole. For generations, we’ve made our old-fashioned stuffing recipe, but this savory and comforting Southern cornbread stuffing has become a new tradition. The savory combination of homemade cornbread, smoky bacon and thyme is so good, it’s easy to think we’ve been making this side dish for decades, too!
Key Ingredients
This is an overview of the key ingredients for this recipe. Please see the printable recipe card below for the complete listing, including quantities.
- CORNBREAD: Our Easy Homemade Cornbread recipe makes an 8-inch square that’s about 2 inches thick. Feel free to use store-bought cornbread or any quick mix that will give you a comparable amount.
- THICK-CUT BACON: We like to use thick-cut bacon because it has a stronger, smokier pork flavor and a higher fat content, meaning it won’t dry out when baked in the stuffing. You could also substitute diced pancetta or crumbled smoky sausage.
- THYME: Although most stuffing recipes heavily feature sage, we really like the earthy, slightly peppery herbaceous flavor of fresh thyme with the cornbread and bacon.
How to Make Cornbread Stuffing with Bacon
This is an overview of how this recipe is prepared. Please see the printable recipe card below for detailed step-by-step instructions.
PRE-HEAT AND PREP: Preheat the oven to 400°F and generously butter a casserole dish.
TOAST THE CORNBREAD: Line a shallow baking pan with parchment paper and arrange the cornbread cubes in a single layer. Toast for about 6 to 8 minutes, tossing once halfway through. Transfer the toasted cubes to a large mixing bowl and cool. Reduce the oven to 350°F.
COOK THE BACON: Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp and then drain on paper towels. Drain all but 2 tablespoons of the bacon drippings from the skillet.
SAUTÉ THE VEGETABLES: Add the butter to the bacon drippings and sauté the onion until softened. Add the celery, sauté for another few minutes, then add the garlic, stirring often, until the mixture is golden in color.
MAKE THE BROTH MIXTURE: Season the sautéed vegetables with salt and pepper and stir in 1-1/4 cups of chicken broth and the thyme leaves.
MIX THE STUFFING: Add the broth mixture to the toasted cornbread and toss gently. Taste and adjust for seasoning before adding the eggs and the bacon and combining well. If the stuffing mixture seems a little dry, you can add more chicken broth in 1/4-cup increments until the mixture is slightly moist but not soggy.
BAKE THE STUFFING AND SERVE: Transfer the stuffing to the prepared casserole, drizzle a few tablespoons of the chicken broth over the top, cover with foil, and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and return to the oven for another 10 to 15 minutes, until the edges and top are lightly browned. Allow to rest for a few minutes and serve hot alongside your main course.
Tips for Success
- Don’t overmix: Stuffing can become tough if you mix it too much. Instead, gently combine the ingredients until they are just mixed.
- Keep it moist, not soggy: Before baking, if the stuffing mixture seems a little dry, you can add more chicken broth in 1/4-cup increments until the mixture is slightly moist but not soggy.
- Choose the right size casserole: The stuffing will expand as it cooks thanks to the eggs, so make sure you choose a casserole dish that will leave a little room.
Frequently Asked Questions About Cornbread Stuffing
Yes, if you make your cornbread stuffing ahead of time, you can store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. For longer storage, you can freeze it for about 2 to 3 months.
When you are ready to use the stuffing, thaw it in the refrigerator overnight. Be sure to reheat the stuffing thoroughly in the oven or on the stovetop before serving.
Reheat in the Oven: Preheat the oven to 350°F and transfer the stuffing to an oven-safe dish. You can add a splash of chicken broth to keep it moist, and cover it tightly with foil and bake for 20 to 30 minutes, or until heated through.
Reheat on the Stovetop: Transfer the stuffing to a skillet over medium heat, drizzling with some chicken broth to keep it from drying out, and stirring frequently until heated through.
Technically, the difference between stuffing and dressing is where it is cooked; by definition, stuffing is cooked inside the cavity of the turkey, and dressing is cooked in a separate baking dish.
In most of the US, stuffing and dressing are used interchangeably (though dressing is more commonly used in the South), since most food safety experts recommend cooking any stuffing or dressing recipe separately, rather than in the turkey.
Cornbread stuffing is a versatile side dish, and we love to serve it alongside ham, roasted chicken, pork roast, or cornish hens.
What to Serve with Cornbread Stuffing
Our favorite pairings for this cornbread stuffing include our herb-roasted turkey, glazed ham, Southern-style green beans, and roasted Brussels sprouts.
Cornbread Stuffing with Bacon
Ingredients
- 1 batch Easy Homemade Cornbread, cut into 1-inch cubes (see notes)
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1/4 lb thick-cut bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup onion, chopped
- 1 cup celery, chopped
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1-1/4 to 2 cups low-sodium chicken, or turkey broth
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a shallow baking pan with parchment paper. Generously butter a round 2-quart casserole dish.
- Arrange the cornbread cubes in a single layer on the prepared pan and toast lightly for 6 to 8 minutes tossing the cubes once after about 3 minutes for even toasting. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and set aside to cool.
- Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon until crisp and transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
- Drain all but 2 tablespoons of the bacon drippings from the pan, add the butter and heat over medium heat.
- Add the onion and sauté until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the celery and sauté for another 3 to 4 minutes, then add the garlic. Continue cooking, stirring often, until the mixture is pale golden in color, 2 to 3 minutes longer.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper, then stir in 1-1/4 cups of the chicken broth and add the thyme leaves.
- Add the vegetable-broth mixture to the cornbread and combine gently. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed, then add the eggs and reserved bacon and combine well.
- If at this point the stuffing seems a little dry, add extra chicken broth in 1/4 cup increments until the mixture is moist but not soggy.
- Transfer the stuffing to the prepared casserole, drizzle 2 or 3 more tablespoons of the chicken broth over the top, cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and return to the oven for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the edges and top are lightly browned.
This really is a nice change from regular bread stuffing. It was only my husband and me for Thanksgiving so I made a roast chicken along with your southern green beans and some store-bought coleslaw. It was a perfect dinner for just the two of us and I have leftovers. Thanks!
Hi Nancy,
We’re glad to hear you liked the stuffing. The cornbread version is a little different and makes a nice change for sure. We always make the Southern Green Beans too! Great minds think alike.