Paula Deen Cornbread Dressing Recipe

Paula Deen Cornbread Dressing is a classic Southern side dish that combines crumbled homemade cornbread with savory herbs and sautéed vegetables. This buttery holiday staple uses cream of chicken soup and chicken broth to keep the interior incredibly moist.

If you do nothing else, let your cornbread sit out and get slightly stale before you start. That’s the difference between a dressing that holds its shape and a soggy bowl of mush. When the bread is a day or two old, it’s dry enough to soak up all that rich chicken stock without falling apart into a paste.

The hard-boiled eggs are doing more work than you’d think here. Most people find them a bit strange if they aren’t from the South, but they give the dressing a much richer texture. Without them, you lose that traditional weight that makes this specific version feel like a proper holiday meal.

Paula Deen Cornbread Dressing Ingredients

For the Cornbread

• 1 cup (150g) yellow cornmeal
• 3/4 cup (95g) all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons (10g) baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon (3g) salt
• 1 cup (240ml) buttermilk
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 cup (55g) butter, melted

For the Dressing

• 6 cups (approx. 800g) crumbled cornbread
• 4 slices white bread, toasted and crumbled
• 1 cup (225g) butter
• 2 cups (300g) celery, chopped
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 teaspoon (2g) dried sage
• 1/2 teaspoon (1g) dried thyme
• 7 cups (1.6L) chicken broth
• 1 can (10.5oz) cream of chicken soup
• 4 large hard-boiled eggs, chopped
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon (6g) salt
• 1 teaspoon (2g) black pepper

How To Make Paula Deen Cornbread Dressing

• 1. Bake the cornbread: Stir the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, salt, buttermilk, egg, and melted butter together until just combined. Pour into a greased pan and bake at 200°C (400°F) for about 20 minutes until the edges are golden brown.
• 2. Prep the bread: Crumble the cooled cornbread into a very large mixing bowl. Add the crumbled pieces of toasted white bread to the bowl and toss them together so the different textures are evenly mixed.
• 3. Sauté the vegetables: Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat and add the chopped celery and onion. Cook them until they’re soft and see-through, which usually takes about eight to ten minutes.
• 4. Season the base: Stir the sage and thyme into the butter and vegetables for one minute to release their scent. Pour this buttery mixture over the bread crumbs and give everything a good stir.
• 5. Add the liquids: Pour in the chicken broth and the cream of chicken soup. The mixture is going to look very wet, almost like a thick soup, but don’t worry because the bread will absorb it all in the oven.
• 6. Fold in the eggs: Gently mix in the chopped hard-boiled eggs and the lightly beaten raw eggs. The beaten eggs act as a binder to help the dressing set up firmly as it bakes.
• 7. Season and pan: Add the salt and pepper, then taste a tiny bit of the liquid to make sure it’s seasoned enough. Transfer the whole mixture into a large greased 9×13 inch baking dish.
• 8. Final bake: Place the dish in a 175°C (350°F) oven and bake for about 45 to 55 minutes. You’ll know it’s done when the top is firm to the touch and the edges have turned a deep golden color.

If the top starts browning too fast before the center feels set, just lay a piece of foil loosely over the pan. This lets the middle finish cooking through without burning the crispy bits on the surface.

Recipe Tips

• Use real butter. This recipe relies on the flavor of the butter to carry the herbs, so don’t try to swap it for margarine. The fat is what keeps the cornbread from tasting grainy.
• Chop vegetables small. Make sure your celery and onion pieces are about the same size as a pea. If they’re too big, they won’t soften properly and you’ll end up with crunchy spots in your soft dressing.
• Watch the salt. Since both the chicken broth and the cream of chicken soup have salt, be careful when adding extra. Taste the mixture before you add the raw eggs to see if it actually needs the full teaspoon.
• Crumble by hand. Don’t use a food processor to break up the bread or you’ll turn it into fine dust. You want various sizes of crumbs to give the finished dish a better mouthfeel.
• Don’t skimp on broth. If the mixture looks dry before it goes into the oven, add another half cup of broth. It should look quite sloppy at the start because cornbread is like a sponge for liquid.
• Toast the white bread. Even if you’re using leftovers, toast the white bread slices until they’re quite dark. This extra hit of toasted flavor helps balance the sweetness of the cornmeal.

What To Serve With Cornbread Dressing

Roasted turkey with a big ladle of giblet gravy is the most obvious pairing here. The savory gravy soaks into the cornbread and makes the whole plate feel much more cohesive.

Sweet potato souffle or a tart cranberry sauce also works well to balance the salty herbs. A side of collard greens is another great way to round out a Southern-style holiday menu.

How To Store Cornbread Dressing

• Fridge: Put any leftovers in a shallow container and cover it tightly with plastic wrap. It’ll stay good for up to four days, and the flavors actually get a bit deeper after the first night.
• Reheat: The oven is the best way to get the edges crispy again. Put it in at 160°C (325°F) with a tiny splash of broth on top to keep it from drying out.
• Freeze: This freezes very well if you wrap it in double layers of foil. You can keep it for three months, but let it thaw in the fridge overnight before you try to reheat it.

Paula Deen Cornbread Dressing Nutrition Facts

• Calories: 410 kcal
• Protein: 9g
• Fat: 28g
• Carbohydrates: 31g
• Sugar: 4g
• Sodium: 1150mg

FAQs

Can I make the Paula Deen Cornbread Dressing ahead of time?

Yes, you can assemble the entire dish the day before and keep it covered in the fridge. Just wait to bake it until you’re ready to eat, though you might need to add ten extra minutes to the bake time.

Why is my dressing so dry?

This usually happens if you didn’t add enough chicken broth or if you overbaked it. If the cornbread was particularly thick, it might have soaked up the liquid faster than expected.

Can I use store-bought cornbread for Paula Deen Cornbread Dressing?

You can use a pre-made version if you’re short on time, but make sure it isn’t the very sweet, cake-like kind. If the bread is too sugary, it will clash with the sage and onions.

What can I use instead of dried sage?

If you have fresh sage, use about one tablespoon of finely chopped leaves. The fresh herb is a bit milder than the dried stuff, so you need a slightly larger amount to get the same punch.

Can I cook this inside the turkey?

It’s better to bake this in a separate dish to make sure the eggs cook through properly. Cooking it in a pan also gives you those crispy golden edges that everyone fights over at the table.

Would you like me to find a recipe for a homemade giblet gravy to go with this?

Try More Paula Deen Recipes:

• Paula Deen Chicken And Dumplings
• Paula Deen Breakfast Casserole
• Paula Deen Sweet Potato Biscuits