Skillet Cornbread Dressing

Name: Skillet Cornbread Dressing
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 85 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Southern American
Ingredients: 2 cups stone-ground yellow cornmeal; 1 cup all-purpose flour; 1 tbsp baking powder; 1/2 tsp baking soda; 2 tsp granulated sugar; 1.5 cups buttermilk; 2 large eggs, beaten; 8 tbsp unsalted butter; 4 celery stalks, diced; 1 large yellow onion, diced; 4 garlic cloves, minced; 2 tsp dried rubbed sage; 1 tsp dried thyme; 3 cups vegetable broth; 1 tsp salt; 1/2 tsp black pepper, freshly ground

A savory Southern holiday dressing built on crumbled homemade skillet cornbread, celery, onion, and sage, all soaked in rich vegetable broth and baked until set on the outside and custardy within.

85 minMediumServes 8320 cal/serving

Southern AmericanSideOvenVegetarianLow-SodiumAlcohol-Free

Ingredients

2 cups stone-ground yellow cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp granulated sugar
1.5 cups buttermilk
2 large eggs, beaten
8 tbsp unsalted butter
4 celery stalks, diced
1 large yellow onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp dried rubbed sage
1 tsp dried thyme
3 cups vegetable broth
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper, freshly ground

Instructions

1

Make the skillet cornbread: Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Melt half the 8 tbsp unsalted butter in a 10-inch cast iron skillet in the oven for 5 minutes. In a bowl, whisk together 2 cups stone-ground yellow cornmeal, 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1 tbsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 2 tsp granulated sugar, and half the 1 tsp salt.
2

Whisk 1.5 cups buttermilk and half the 2 beaten large eggs together, then stir into the dry ingredients along with the melted butter from the skillet. Pour the batter back into the hot skillet and bake until golden and a toothpick comes out clean, about 20-22 minutes. Let cool completely.
3

Reduce oven temperature to 375°F (190°C). Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish. Crumble the cooled cornbread into a very large bowl.
4

In a skillet, melt the remaining butter over medium heat. Add 1 large diced yellow onion and 4 diced celery stalks and cook until softened, about 6 minutes. Add 4 minced garlic cloves, 2 tsp dried rubbed sage, and 1 tsp dried thyme and cook 1 minute more. Season with the remaining salt and 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper.
5

Add the cooked vegetables to the crumbled cornbread. Pour in 3 cups vegetable broth and stir in the remaining eggs. The mixture should be very moist - similar to a thick batter.
6

Transfer to the prepared baking dish. Bake at 375°F (190°C) until the top is golden brown and the center is just set, 30-35 minutes.
7

Let rest 10 minutes before serving.

Questions

Can I make Skillet Cornbread Dressing dairy-free?

Yes. The dairy in this entry is 1.5 cups buttermilk, 8 tbsp unsalted butter. Swap the buttermilk for plant milk soured with a teaspoon of vinegar per cup; the butter for olive oil where it melts, or a plant-based block butter where it is creamed. The richness shifts slightly, but the method does not change.

Can I make Skillet Cornbread Dressing gluten-free?

Yes. The gluten in this entry is 1 cup all-purpose flour. Swap the flour for a 1-to-1 gluten-free baking blend (where it only thickens a sauce, half as much cornstarch also works). Everything else proceeds as written.

Can I make Skillet Cornbread Dressing ahead?

Yes, it takes well to being made ahead. Refrigerate leftovers within two hours and eat them within three days. Reheat covered in a 300 F oven until warmed through.

Can I halve or double Skillet Cornbread Dressing?

Yes. As written it serves 8. Every ingredient in this entry carries precomputed half and double quantities, and the app's batch dial rewrites them inside each step. Doubled, split it across two pans and rotate them halfway; one crowded pan bakes unevenly.

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