Amazing Bacon Cornbread Stuffing Recipe

Prep Time: 40

Cook Time: 1

Total Time: 1 40

Servings:

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US Customary - Metric

Ingredients

Cornbread Recipe

1 ⅓ cups milk
¼ cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt

Cornbread Dressing/Stuffing

8x8 pan cornbread from above, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
8 slices white sandwich bread, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
6 slices bacon chopped
2 stalks celery finely diced
1 small yellow onion finely diced
2 cloves garlic minced
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh sage leaves or 1 teaspoon dried
2 eggs lightly beaten
2 ¾ cups reduced sodium chicken broth
½ cup chopped fresh parsley
1 ½ teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon pepper

Instructions

Cornbread

Preheat oven to 375°F/190°C.
In a bowl, whisk together the milk, vegetable oil, and eggs. In another bowl, mix the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, and salt. Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and whisk until smooth. Pour into a greased 8x8-inch pan and bake at 350°F (175°C) for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Let it cool before cutting into cubes.

Stuffing

Dry the Bread Cubes: Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Spread the cornbread and sandwich bread cubes on baking sheets and bake until dry and lightly golden, about 15 minutes.
Cook Bacon and Vegetables: In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon until crisp. Remove the bacon and set aside, leaving the rendered fat in the skillet. Add the celery, onion, and garlic to the skillet, cooking until softened, about 4 minutes. Stir in the chopped sage.
Mix Stuffing Ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the toasted bread cubes, cooked bacon, and sautéed vegetables. Add the beaten eggs, chicken broth, parsley, salt, and pepper. Toss well to combine, ensuring the mixture is evenly moist. Let it sit for 5 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
Bake the Stuffing: Transfer the mixture to a greased 9x13-inch baking dish. Cover with foil and bake at 375°F (190°C) for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes or until the top is golden brown and slightly crispy.
Air Fryer Option: If using an air fryer, divide the mixture into two batches. Place the mixture in an air fryer-safe dish and cook at 350°F (175°C) for 15-20 minutes per batch or until heated through and golden on top.
For stuffing: Reserve 4 1/2 cups for turkey, then spoon remaining stuffing into a 9x9 baking dish. Bake until top is golden brown, about 25-30 minutes.

Notes

The baked cornbread can be left in its pan at room temperature overnight or up to 2 days before making the stuffing, instead of oven drying (in step 3). You can skip the white bread and do all cornbread if you want, just double the cornbread recipe and bake it in a 9x13 for the same amount of time.

Nutrition