Savory Cornbread Dressing with Sausage, Apples, and Pecans

Savory Cornbread Dressing with Sausage, Apples, and Pecans – easy to make homestyle cornbread dressing with savory Italian sausage, fresh apples, toasty pecans, and fresh herbs.

Cornbread Dressing with Sausage, Apples, and Pecans

We have a classic Thanksgiving stuffing, technically a dressing since it’s not cooked in a turkey, that I use every year but I’ve always wanted to add a cornbread variation to the mix! This cornbread dresssing is so good, I’m looking forward to adding it to out Thanksgiving menu this year. I use my favorite cornbread mix to bake up a fresh batch of cornbread, then combine it with savory itailain sausage, fresh apples, crunchy pecans, and fresh herbs. I cube the cornbread into bigger pieces and combine it with dried cubed stuffing for the best texture. Then toss it with melted butter, chicken broth, and apple cider for a fresh combination and just a touch of sweetness.

Cornbread Dressing Ingredients

• Cornbread – see notes below for cornbread recommendations
• Olive Oil – for sautéing vegetables
• Onion
• Celery
• Italian Sausage – mild, hot, or even breakfast sausage would be great.
• Butter – melted
• Cubed Stuffing – I used Pepperidge farms Herb Seasoned Cubed Stuffing
• Apples – two small apples diced or one large apple. I used Honey Crispy. Golden Delicious would be a good option too.
• Pecans
• Apple Cider
• Low-Sodium Chicken Broth – or Turkey Broth, if avaliable. The grocery store sometimes has turkey broth available around Thanksgiving.
• Eggs – to bind the dressing
• Fresh Herbs – I used a blend of thyme, rosemary, and sage, plus fresh parsley. Right before Thanksgiving you can usually find a fresh Thanksgiving herb blend that includes thyme, rosemary, and sage.

Cornbread Recommendations

I think using a good cornbread mix is the happy medium between store bought cornbread and homemade cornbread especially on Thanksgiving when there are so many dishes to make. I really like the Fleischmann’s Simply Homemade Baking Mix, we use it often for weeknight dinners. You add your own milk, butter, and egg to the mix so the results are consistent and delicious.

Tips for Making the Cornbread

1. Use a good quality cornbread mix to save time and get consistent results.
2. Bake the cornbread the day before assembly to save time.
3. Line the baking pan with parchment paper so you can remove it from the pan easily and cut it into cubes.
4. If baking the cornbread the same day, make sure its cooled completely before cutting.

How to Make Cornbread Dressing

1. Dice cornbread into large cubes and spread out on a baking sheet to dry out slightly while preparing other ingredients.
2. Chop onions and celery and sauté until softened but not browned.
3. Add sausage, breaking up as it cooks followed by apples, pecans and fresh herbs.
4. In a large bow, toss sausage mixture with cubed stuffing, melted butter, chicken broth, and apple cider and mix until well combined.
5. Gently mix in cornbread cubes to keep them breaking down.
6. Bake uncovered until golden brown and center of casserole reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees.

Make-Ahead Cornbread Dressing

I try to make all my Thanksgiving sides at least one day ahead. Technically you can assemble this up to three days ahead, however any leftovers will have a shorter window of freshness. To make-ahead, assemble the day ahead and baked according to recipes instructions. Let dish sit out at least one hour before baking to take the chill of the refrigerator off the dressing. This ensures even baking.

My Favorite Thanksgiving Recipes

• Ultimate Slow Cooker Mac and Cheese
• Garlic Herb Butter Thanksgiving Turkey Recipe 
• Homemade Green Bean Casserole with Crispy Fried Onions
• Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes