Is stuffing the fussy part of your Thanksgiving prep? Make this easy and gluten-free Ultimate Cornbread Stuffing, made with fresh cornbread, gluten-free cracker crumbs, crumbled sausage, and tender-crisp veggies. Perfect for stuffing your bird or baking in a dish – you decide!
Stuffing is inherently made with bread, which can be hard for us gluten-free folks. Unless you understand the struggle firsthand, almost all stuffing recipes call for day-old bread or breadcrumbs.
One saving grace to traditional stuffing is the use of cornbread. Cornbread is made with cornmeal or corn flour (be sure to check the ingredients!) and many recipes are gluten-free.
Save a batch of cornbread this Thanksgiving with the Ultimate Cornbread Stuffing! This stuffing is so good, all of your guests will love it! Even wheat-lovers will find this stuffing irresistible. Perfect for filling your bird or baking in a casserole.
The Secret Ingredient to Stuffing
Many folks have their family traditional stuffing recipe, which is not likely to be gluten-free. Instead, blow that recipe out of the water with a dressing that contains sausage, cornbread, and cream cheese. Yes – cream cheese!
This stuffing is inspired by the recipe that I use to traditionally stuff mushrooms, zucchini, or any other stuffed vegetable. Stuffed mushroom filling generally consists of:
- Gluten-free breadcrumbs
- Fresh sausage
- Cream cheese
So, I incorporate all of these elements into some crumbled cornbread, eggs, and turkey stock to create the Ultimate Cornbread Stuffing! Creamy and delicious, this will be your new go-to turkey dressing.
Ingredients in Ultimate Cornbread Stuffing
Like most Thanksgiving dishes, this recipe needs these ingredients to make it perfect.
- 4 tbsp butter, divided
- 1 lb. raw breakfast or sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 large carrots, diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 2 tbsp fresh sage, chopped
- Pinch of nutmeg
- 8 oz. softened cream cheese
- 1 batch cornbread, prepared per package directions, crumbled into small pieces
- 1 box gluten-free crackers, blitzed into crumbs with a food processor.
- 3 large eggs
- 2 cups turkey broth
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
How to Make Ultimate Cornbread Stuffing
Begin by melting 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
Add the sausage to the pan, breaking it up with a wooden spoon. Allow to brown and cook all the way through, stirring frequently.
Next, add the onions, carrots, and celery to the pan and cook, stirring frequently, until the veggies start to soften, about 8 minutes. Turn down the heat if the vegetables are browning too quickly.
Once the onions start to become translucent, add the fresh sage, nutmeg, and cream cheese. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir to combine the cream cheese with the meat. Set it aside.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Crumble your cornbread with your hands and add it to a bowl. Also, add the cracker crumbs.
Whisk the eggs in a large bowl, breaking up the yolks. Add the turkey broth and mix until everything is homogenous. Season with salt and pepper.
Combine the cooked sausage, vegetables, and the cream cheese mixture with the cornbread. Mix until everything is moistened and combined.
Place in a buttered or greased casserole dish.
Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Pour over the top of the stuffing.
Bake in a preheated oven for 60 minutes or until the top is browned and the stuffing is set.
Allow to cool 5-10 minutes before serving.
*Alternatively, you can stuff this dressing inside your bird and bake as per the size of your turkey.
Ultimate Cornbread Stuffing
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp butter, divided
- 1 lb. raw breakfast or sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 large carrots, diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 2 tbsp fresh sage, chopped
- 1 pinch nutmeg
- 8 oz. softened cream cheese
- 1 batch cornbread, prepared per package directions, crumbled
- 1 box gluten-free crackers, blitzed into crumbs
- 3 large eggs
- 2 cups turkey broth
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
Instructions
- Begin by melting 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add the sausage to the pan, breaking it up with a wooden spoon. Allow to brown and cook all the way through, stirring frequently.
- Next, add the onions, carrots, and celery to the pan and cook, stirring frequently, until the veggies start to soften, about 8 minutes. Turn down the heat if the vegetables are browning too quickly.
- Once the onions start to become translucent, add the fresh sage, nutmeg and cream cheese. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir to combine the cream cheese with the meat. Set it aside.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Crumble your cornbread with your hands and add it to a bowl. Also, add the cracker crumbs.
- Whisk the eggs in a large bowl, breaking up the yolks. Add the turkey broth and mix until everything is homogenous. Season with salt and pepper.
- Combine the cooked sausage, vegetables, and the cream cheese mixture with the cornbread. Mix until everything is moistened and combined
- Place in a buttered or greased casserole dish.
- Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Pour over the top of the stuffing.
- Bake in a preheated oven for 60 minutes or until the top is browned and the stuffing is set.
- Allow to cool 5-10 minutes before serving.
