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Classic Black Folks Cornbread Dressing with Sage – Best Ever

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This classic Black folks cornbread dressing with sage is rich, savory, and tastes like Sunday dinner at your grandmother’s house. Made from scratch with simple ingredients, it’s the perfect comfort food for holidays and family gatherings.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 cups yellow cornmeal
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil or melted butter
  • 6 cups crumbled cornbread
  • 2 cups stale white bread cubes
  • 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks)
  • 2 cups finely diced yellow onion (about 2 medium onions)
  • 1 1/2 cups finely diced celery (about 4–5 stalks)
  • 1/2 cup finely diced green bell pepper (optional)
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons dried sage
  • 1 tablespoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning
  • 4 cups chicken or turkey stock
  • 3 large eggs, beaten
  • 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Instructions

  1. Make the cornbread: Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Grease a 9×13 baking dish. Whisk together cornmeal, flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. In a separate bowl, beat eggs, then add buttermilk and oil. Pour wet into dry and stir until just combined. Pour into prepared dish and bake 20-25 minutes until golden and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely.
  2. Prepare the bread cubes: Tear white bread into 1/2-inch cubes. Spread on a baking sheet and let dry overnight, or toast at 300°F (150°C) for 10-15 minutes until dry but not browned.
  3. Sauté the vegetables: In a large skillet or Dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat. Add onions, celery, and bell pepper (if using). Cook 8-10 minutes until soft and translucent. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more. Remove from heat and cool slightly.
  4. Crumble the cornbread: Break cooled cornbread into large chunks in a large mixing bowl. Use hands to crumble into fine pieces with some larger bits. Add dried bread cubes and toss to combine.
  5. Combine everything: Pour sautéed vegetables and butter over cornbread mixture. Add sage, thyme, black pepper, salt, and poultry seasoning. Toss until evenly distributed.
  6. Add broth and eggs: In a separate bowl, beat eggs. Slowly pour chicken stock into beaten eggs while whisking constantly. Pour this liquid over the cornbread mixture and stir gently until very wet, like thick oatmeal. Add more stock if needed.
  7. Bake the dressing: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Transfer mixture to a greased 9×13 baking dish. Cover with foil and bake 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake 15-20 minutes more until top is golden and edges crispy. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

Make cornbread a day ahead for best texture. The dressing mixture should look very wet before baking. Cover with foil for first 30 minutes to keep moist. Let rest 10 minutes after baking for easier slicing. Leftovers keep 4 days in fridge or freeze up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Keywords: cornbread dressing, sage dressing, soul food dressing, Thanksgiving dressing, Southern dressing, Black folks dressing, holiday side dish

Find it online: https://evabake.com/classic-black-folks-cornbread-dressing-with-sage-best-ever/