Cornbread Stuffing with Sausage and Apples

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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.

Cornbread stuffing with sausage and apple on a white plate.

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

photo of jimmy dean sausage and jiffy corn muffin mix.

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.

process shots showing how to make recipe including prepping the bread and cooing the celery and onions.

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.

Cornbread Stuffing in a large white casserole dish.

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.

Should stuffing be covered when baking?

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.

What is cornbread stuffing?

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.

overhead photo of cornbread stuffing on a white plate.

More Delicious Holiday Recipes

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