Recipe

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This classic cornbread dressing with sausage is the one side dish I make sure is on my Thanksgiving table. Make the cornbread with the included recipe or from a box, that's up to you!

This is my mother-in-law's recipe and the combination of cooked sausage and buttery cornbread makes it a total holiday favorite.

close up view of cornbread dressing with sausage inside a white baking dish

Sausage Dressing Recipe

I learned how to make this cornbread dressing with sausage from my mother-in-law, who had a newspaper clipping in her recipe box from the 70s. Now, it’s one of those non-negotiable Thanksgiving recipes I make every year.

What I love most is that this recipe is reliable, makes enough for a gathering, and can be made ahead. The day of, you simply heat it up and it’s good to go.

Cornbread Dressing Ingredients

The recipe card lists the amounts. Here is an overview of the ingredients used:

Cornbread: make it from scratch with the recipe below or use a 1 box of cornbread mix.
Italian sausage: casings removed.
Aromatics: chopped celery and onion add flavor.
Herbs: parsley and poultry seasoning for the classic earthy flavor.
Chicken broth: to moisten the cornbread mixture. Buy it or use homemade chicken broth or stock.
Egg: used to bind the dressing ingredients.

recipe collage for making cornbread dressing with sausage. top left is cooked cornbread in a baking dish. top right are the ingredients needed for this recipe, bottom left is the crumbled cornbread in a bowl and bottom right is the cooked sausage and herbs in a bowl

How to Make Cornbread Dressing with Sausage

I typically make and toast the cornbread ahead since it needs to be fully cooled before making this recipe. Other tips in the steps include:

Make the cornbread and once cooled, crumble it up on a sheet pan. Better yet, let it sit out overnight.
Toast the cumbled cornbread in the oven and then let it cool completely.
Brown the sausage in a large pan, then sauté the celery and onion. Leave the drippings in the pan.
Combine the cooked sausage, toasted cornbread, and seasonings in a large bowl. Then, once they’re mixed, pour the chicken broth and beaten egg and combine again.
Transfer the cornbread and sausage mixture into a baking dish and bake it covered with foil for most of the time. Then, remove the foil to let the top brown.
Remove it from the oven and serve it warm.

close up view of a serving spoon lifting the cornbread dressing with sausage inside a white baking dish

More Thanksgiving Sides

Other unforgettable sides we make here in New Orleans include these Southern mashed potatoes and this sweet potato casserole. My orange juice cranberry sauce is a must-make, and this cranberry quinoa salad is always a hit.

Cornbread Dressing with Sausage

Servings: 12

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 1 35

This classic cornbread dressing with sausage is the one side dish I make sure is on my Thanksgiving table. Make the cornbread with the included recipe or from a box, that's up to you!

5 from 42 votes

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Watch how it’s made:

Ingredients

For the Cornbread

1 cup cornmeal
¾ cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 ½ cups milk
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus butter for baking dish

For the Dressing

4 cups cornbread, or 1 box cooked and cooled
1 lb Italian sausage, casings removed
2 cups celery, chopped
1 cup onion, finely chopped
¼ cup fresh chopped parsley, 2 tablespoons dried
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning, or 1 teaspoon thyme
1 cup chicken broth
1 egg, beaten

Instructions

Homemade cornbread:

Preheat the oven to 425F. Lightly grease a square baking dish.
In a large bowl, mix together the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
In a separate bowl, mix together the eggs, milk, and butter. Pour the liquid mixture into the cornmeal mixture and fold together until there are no dry spots (the batter will still be lumpy). Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish.
Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the middle is puffy. Remove the cornbread from the oven and let it cool for 10 minutes.

Toast the crumbled cornbread:

Preheat oven to 400F.
Remove the cooked cornbread from the square baking dish on a baking sheet. Use your hands to crumble it, leaving some crumbles bigger than others, and spread it out. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until they appear toasted and light brown. Remove it from the oven and set aside. This helps remove the moisture/dry out the cornbread before you make the dressing.

For the dressing:

Reduce oven temperature to 325F. Grease a 9×13 baking dish or a 3-quart dish of any shape.
In a large pan, cook the sausage, celery, and onion for 10 minutes, using a spatula to break up the sausage as it cooks. Use a slotted spoon to remove this into a large mixing bowl, leaving any oil behind.
In the large bowl with the cooked sausage, add the toasted and crumbled cornbread, chopped parsley, and poultry seasoning. Toss to combine. Then, pour the chicken broth and the beaten egg over the top and combine well.
Transfer the mixture into the prepared baking dish and cover with foil.
Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 45 minutes. In the final 10 minutes, remove the foil to brown the top.
Remove it from the oven and cover with foil to keep it warm.