Traditional Cornbread Stuffing with Sausage and Apples is an easy to make recipe with simple ingredients. Perfect for Thanksgiving, this is a great make-ahead recipe for cornbread dressing.
Guaranteed that this will become your new favorite stuffing recipe. This simple dish is made with easy to find ingredients and can be assembled ahead of time, key for a stress-free Thanksgiving Dinner!
The sweetness from the apples mixed with flavors from the sausage and fresh sage will make you want to have this dish on hand year round. Pair this with my Slow Cooker Ham with Brown Sugar Glaze or my Slow Cooker Turkey Breast and you’ll two easy recipes done in no time! And for guaranteed creamy potatoes, don’t miss this recipe for Ricotta Mashed Potatoes!
If you love make-ahead holiday meals, be sure to try my favorite Panettone French Toast Casserole with brown sugar glaze. Guaranteed to be your new family tradition!
Why You Need to Make this Recipe!
Cornbread Stuffing with Sausage and Apples is a delicious take on traditional cornbread and certain to become your family’s favorite!
I have been making this stuffing for years and it’s always the star of my holiday table. Stuffing is, after all, the one dish that most people look forward to eating at Thanksgiving!
What makes this recipe so special is that it uses fresh made cornbread from Jiffy cornbread mix. Combined with the flavors of Jimmy Dean Pork Sausage, and you have a delicious and flavorful cornbread stuffing in no time.
Cornbread gives stuffing such a delightful and unique texture that you just don’t get from traditional bread stuffing. Plus, you can prepare this recipe ahead of time for an easy less stress Thanksgiving dinner.
The apple are another key ingredients to delicious cornbread stuffing. Add in the fresh sage, and you have a winning recipe every time!
Ingredients
To make Cornbread Stuffing you need: Jiffy cornbread mix, Jimmy Dean Sausage, butter, celery, onion, apple, and fresh sage.
- Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix: you could make cornbread from scratch, but why bother when this mix is so delicious and simple to use.
- Jimmy Dean Pork Sausage: I always use this sausage in my stuffing because of the ease of use and flavorings in it. To me this sausage is necessary for Thanksgiving stuffing.
- Apple: the sweetness of the apple in the cornbread stuffing just can’t be beat. Use whatever apple you have on hand.
- Fresh Sage: fresh sage is always a necessary component of my stuffing recipe. I prefer it over dried sage, which could always be used in a pinch.
How to Make Cornbread Stuffing with Sausage and Apples
This cornbread stuffing has been tested and perfected! See how easy it is to make and follow the easy prep ahead instructions to have less stress on Thanksgiving day.
Step 1: make the cornbread. You could use bagged stuffing mix, but I highly recommend making it yourself. It’s cheaper and yields much tastier results!
For this recipe, use two boxes of Jiffy Corn Mix and follow the package directions, adding two eggs and ⅔ cup of milk. Pour into a greased baking 9 x 13 inch baking pan and bake for 20-25 minutes at 400 degrees. Set aside and let cool completely.
(The cornbread can be made up to three days in advance.)
Step 2: prep the sausage and filling. In a large skillet over medium high heat, cook the Jimmy Dean’s Sausage until cooked through and no longer pink. While cooking, break up the sausage chunks. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside.
Add the butter and celery to the pan and cook for 4-5 minutes until softened. Add in the onion, apple, chopped sage, and seasoning and cook for another 5 minutes; set aside.
Step 3: Cube the cornbread and place in a large mixing bowl. Add in the sausage and veggies. If making ahead, refrigerate this portion until ready to bake. (Don’t add the chicken broth and egg to mixture until right before baking).
Step 4: When ready to bake, preheat oven and grease a 9 x 13 baking dish or casserole dish. Add the chicken broth and egg to the cornbread stuffing and toss to combine. Pour into pan and bake, covered, removing the foil for the last 10 minutes of cooking.
Tips for Making Cornbread Stuffing
- Make sure you let the cornbread cool completely before cutting it. It’s even better if the cornbread is made a day or two in advance.
- I use the regular Jimmy Dean’s Pork Sausage in this recipe but you could change it up with their other varieties like spicy or maple.
- If you are making this in advance, refrigerate the stuffing without the egg and broth. Then, when ready to bake, toss in the egg and broth and bake as instructed.
- Once you have added the broth to the cornbread mixture, bake immediately. The cornbread has a tendency to fall apart if it sits in the liquid too long.
Cover stuffing with foil when baking until it is warmed through and reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees. During the last five minutes of cooking, uncover the stuffing so it has a change to get crispy on top.
Cornbread stuffing is like traditional Thanksgiving stuffing but made with cornbread instead of bread. For best results, use cornbread that is a couple of days old so that it doesn’t break apart and does a better job of absorbing the liquids.
More Delicious Holiday Recipes
Cornbread Stuffing with Sausage and Apple
Ingredients
Cornbread
- 2 8.5 ounce packages Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix
- 2 large eggs
- ⅔ cup milk
Stuffing Mix
- 16 ounce tube regular pork sausage such as Jimmy Dean’s
- ¼ cup unsalted butter half a stick
- 1 cup celery, diced
- ½ cup onion, diced
- 1 apple, peeled and diced any apple works
- 1 tablespoon fresh sage leaves, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 2 14.5 ounce cans low sodium chicken broth
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 9 x 13 inch baking pan with cooking spray. In a large bowl, whisk together the corn bread mix, 2 eggs, and milk. Pour into baking pan and bake for 20-25 minutes. Set aside to cool. Cut up cornbread into 2 inch cubes and place in a large mixing bowl.
- To make the stuffing, heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the pork sausage and use a spoon to break it up while cooking. Cook for about 5-6 minutes, until cooked through. Add to the cornbread mixture.
- Return the skillet to the stove and add in the butter and celery, cooking until celery starts to soften, about 4 minutes. Add in the onion, apple, sage, thyme, and salt and cook for another 5 minutes until onion and apple soften. Add to the cornbread mixture. Toss together the ingredients. (If making ahead, refrigerate this mixture and proceed to next step when ready to bake.)
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Add in the beaten egg and broth and toss gently to combine. Pour into 9 x 13 inch baking pan. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake for another 10 minutes until top is lightly browned.
Video
Notes
- Make sure you let the cornbread cool completely before cutting it. It’s even better if the cornbread is made a day or two in advance.
- I use the regular Jimmy Dean’s Pork Sausage in this recipe but you could change it up with their other varieties like spicy or maple.
- If you are making this in advance, refrigerate the stuffing without the egg and broth. Then, when ready to bake, toss in the egg and broth and bake as instructed.
- Once you have added the broth to the cornbread mixture, bake immediately. The cornbread has a tendency to fall apart if it sits in the liquid too long.
Holly Pennington
My first time making corn bread stuffing for Thanksgiving and I tried this recipe. It was a hit with everyone and everyone asked me to make sure I save the recipe so we can have this every year! Thank you for sharing this recipe. It will be a staple at ourThanksgiving table for years to come!
angelakallison
I’m so happy you loved it! Thanks for the comment. Happy Holidays!
Kara
I love cornbread stuffing. And apple and sausage is such a good combination with the sweet-savory cornbread. Perfect for Thanksgiving!
Shanna
I love all the simple ingredients that you used on this. The sausage and apples are a great pairing that makes this so moist.
Bhawana
The first time I came across this recipe, but reading it and with picture, it surely makes a party dish. A must-try recipe for sure.
Pavani
That is such a delicious and easy to make cornbread stuffing. Can’t wait to try it out for my family. Thanks for this recipe.
Emily
Jiffy mix is where it’s at! My Grandma used to always use that mix in her recipes and I always loved it as a child. This cornbread stuffing is so delicious!
Debbie Collins
Hi! Isn’t the jiffy cornbread mix sweet cornbread? Or does it matter for this recipe? I have all the ingredients for this recipe and I can’t wait to try it. 🙂 I’ve never made my own stuffing before, and I’ve always heard to use ‘non-sweetened’ cornbread mix, so I thought I’d double check with you before I tried!!! Thanks so much. 🙂
angelakallison
Hi Debbie. You just want to use the standard 8.5 ounce Jiffy corn muffin mix. I can’t wait for you try this recipe! Please let me know how you love it! 🙂