Best Cornbread Dressing
A big bayou hello to everyone!
If you’ve been searching for just the right cornbread dressing recipe, search no more. It has been tried and proven in our family for over ten years.
Because our family is all now spread out, I’m pleased to say that at least two of my children will also be preparing this as part of their Thanksgiving meal.
However, I cannot take credit for this recipe. It comes from Geraldine Fletcher of Colfax, Louisiana, who readily shared it with me, a veritable stranger, many years ago. Geraldine may no longer be with us, but her legacy continues in our family with this delicious addition to the Thanksgiving Day table.
Warning, this is NOT your traditional, boring dressing. It has flavors with a real punch that have made it our family favorite.
I hope you’ll give it a try, and that your family will love it as well. Let us all be thankful for even the smallest of blessings in these precarious times.
Happy Thanksgiving from the Bayou!
BW
The Best Old Fashioned Cornbread Dressing Recipe
- 2 Sticks of Butter
- 2 Medium Onions Chopped
- 6-8 Stalks Celery Chopped
- 2 Bell Peppers Chopped
- 1/4 Cup Fresh Parsley Chopped
- 1 Bunch Green Onions Chopped-separated
- 2 Pans of Cornbread (Crumbled)
- 1 Quart Chicken Stock (Moist – not soupy)
- 1 tbsp Tony Chachere's Seasoning
- 1 tbsp Season All
- 1/2 tsp Poultry Seasoning (optional – my family doesn’ care for sage flavor)
- 1 tsp Salt (optional-to taste)
- 1 tsp Black pepper
- 6 Eggs (Beaten)
- Melt butter in sauté pan and add the finely chopped onions, celery, bell pepper, let them simmer on low, stirring occasionally while you continue.
- Chop parsley and green onions and set aside – keep the dark green tops of the green onion separate from the white parts.
- Assemble and bake 2 pans of cornbread, cool, and crumble into a large bowl. (Put oven on 400 after removing cornbread if you plan to bake the dressing right away. See Notes)
- Add parsley and bulbous white part of the green onion to the sauté pan
Add chicken stock to the cornbread in the bowl. (If you made stock ahead of time, you must re-heat it before adding)
- Add all the seasoning (and taste for needed salt)
- Add the vegetables to the cornbread mixture
- Add green onion tops to the cornbread mixture
- Mix eggs well and fold into cornbread mixture
- Bake in a 400 degree oven to “set” which takes about 30 minutes. Then lower the oven to 350 and continue baking for another 30 minutes or so. Dressing is done when golden-colored and knife comes out clean. So, check it often!
After everything is mixed together, you can cover and let this rest in the refrigerator overnight, which really enhances all the flavors, you can freeze it for future use, or you can bake right away. You will need about three or four baking dishes, as this makes a LOT of dressing. I used shallow glass baking dishes. Corning Ware works okay, but the edges are more prone to over-browning. Feel free to cut the recipe in half for smaller families.
NOTE: Can serve up to 12 people depending on serving size.
Got my dressing finished up today. I’ll just need to pop it in the oven tomorrow.
Hope y’a Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
I know the food will be tasty and plentiful!
Just finished putting mine together and in the fridge for overnight. Oh, and a green bean casserole! Just the middle son and his wife and of course, Miah, will be here. Happy Thanksgiving to you and all the family!
Got my dressing made and ready for oven in the am. Have tray of deviled eggs, cranberry/jalapeno relish and a box of condiments, napkins, plates and misc. already in trunk of car.
4 of the grandkids and several great grands won’t make it this year but, we do have a new addition and he’s a 9 mo old wanting to race in his walker. So it will be watch out for your toes time.
Son is either deep frying or air frying the turkey this year. He is now the Thanksgiving host. I can’t do the hosting any more. Covid left me with severe health problems and I’m the sole caretaker of hubby who is now legally blind in left eye and was just diagnosed with several mini strokes..And they are wreaking havoc on his dementia. He finally admitted he can’t drive anymore and sold his beloved pickup in August or September.
I hope the last bouts with hurricanes didn’t tear up your properties. I watched a video a young lady made and I could have sworn she said “that’s where Wendy lives”. It reminded me of your house. I prayed it wasn’t.
Still sounds like you’re going to have the big Thanksgiving, minus a few! I’m so sorry to hear about the health issues. I hope y’all have a blessed Thanksgiving and be sure to watch out for racing baby!
I only make this for Thanksgiving and/or Christmas because I live on this dressing until it’s all gone! I do leave out the poultry seasoning and bell pepper. That way it is exactly how Mom made it. Really takes me back in time to being with Grandmother and Mom.
Love and hugs to all y’all down there Cuzzy. <3