Black Folks Cornbread Dressing Recipe

When it comes to Southern soul food cooking, it’s not Thanksgiving without Black folks cornbread dressing! 

This Southern staple is a fluffy mix of cornbread, fresh herbs, and veggies cooked in plenty of butter, broth, and egg. Mixed together to create a wonderfully moist and crunchy side dish that’s expected to be on the table for a soul food Thanksgiving menu, Black folks Christmas dinner, or for a New Year’s feast.

The oven-baked fresh cornbread is full of flavor and so easy to prepare. This Southern stuffing recipe will deliver a hearty and satisfying taste with just the right amount of crunchiness you crave.

In addition to being an excellent recipe for the holidays, this is a fantastic side dish for any occasion! 

Cornbread stuffing is also a great way to use up any leftover cornbread you might have “lying around.” Also, making homemade cornbread dressing is a great way to create warm, nostalgic memories when cooking for the holidays.

The first step is to make a batch of cornbread. You can prepare cornbread using many ingredients that are probably already in your kitchen cabinet. 

How do you make Black folks cornbread dressing?

People also ask what is Black dressing made of? And what’s the easiest way to make cornbread dressing?

This old-fashioned Southern cornbread dressing recipe is as simple as sautéing the herbs and broth mixture and letting it cool. 

Then, mix the cornbread with the herbs mixture (that includes butter, celery, onion, thyme, rosemary, sage, parsley, egg, and broth). Then bake until golden brown! 

Homemade cornbread or cornbread mix?

Can you use Jiffy cornbread? 

Yes! You can go for a cornbread mix if you’re short on time. And you won’t even have to worry about any compromise to the Southern soul food flavors your family has come to expect!

If you prefer making your cornbread from scratch, check out this Black folks skillet cornbread recipe HERE!

What size baking dish do you use for the cornbread?

To cook the cornbread, an 8″ medium-sized skillet works best.

For baking the dressing, use a 8″ or similar size baking dish.

Serve this easy cornbread dressing warm, and watch the smiles as your family enjoys!

Black folks Southern cornbread dressing recipe

Have you ever tried making your own? This soul food Thanksgiving dressing recipe is easy to make and will help you get your taste buds ready for Thanksgiving dinner. 

Just bake the bread, then sauté and mix all the ingredients to create the perfect holiday side dish. You’ll be more than satisfied with the results. It’s that simple. 

Pro tip: A common question when making cornbread dressing is:

“Why is my cornbread dressing mushy?”

When combining the ingredients with the cubed cornbread, try to fold in the ingredients instead of stirring. You want to avoid overworking the cornbread so it doesn’t break down, yielding dressing with a mushy texture.

You can bake this dish and eat it separately or stuff it inside the turkey for a traditional Thanksgiving stuffing meal. 

So, let’s get cooking! 

Kitchen equipment for Black folks cornbread dressing

• 8″ cast-iron skillet
• 8″ baking dish
• Instant Pot pressure cooker (optional)
• Instant Pot Omni Plus oven (optional)

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Ingredients for the soul food cornbread

• 8.5 oz. box of Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix
• ¼ cup of granulated sugar (*can be omitted if you don’t prefer cornbread sweet)
• 4 tablespoons of unsalted butter
• 3 oz. whipped cream cheese
• 4 oz. heavy whipping cream

You can make homemade cornbread from scratch:

Instructions for the cornbread

1. Preheat the conventional oven or Instant Pot Omni Plus oven to bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes (although you may not use all of this time for melting the butter). 
2. Place the 4 tablespoons of butter in an 8-inch skillet and melt in the oven for approximately 5 minutes.
3. While the butter is melting, combine the Jiffy cornbread mix, sugar, cream cheese, and heavy cream in a medium-sized mixing bowl.
4. Pour the melted butter from the skillet into the mixing bowl and mix all the ingredients. 
5. Pour the cornbread mixture into the skillet.
6. Bake at 350 degrees F. In the conventional oven for 25-30 minutes. Instant Pot Omni Plus oven for 23-25 minutes.
7. When baking has finished, allow the cornbread to cool for approximately 10 minutes.
8. Cut the bread lengthwise and then across into 1-inch bread cubes and set aside.

Ingredients for Black folks cornbread dressing

• ¼ cup of unsalted butter 
• 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter
• 1 cup of yellow onion, diced
• 1 cup of celery, diced
• 1 tablespoon of thyme, fresh or dried
• 1 tablespoon of rosemary, fresh or dried
• 1 teaspoon of sage, ground 
• ¼ cup of parsley, finely chopped
• ½ cup of chicken stock (or chicken broth – use vegetable broth to make this dish vegetarian)
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• ½ a teaspoon of black pepper
• 1 large egg

Instructions for Black folks cornbread dressing

1. Grease an 8″ or similar-sized baking dish, transfer the set-aside cornbread cubes to the pre-greased dish, and then set aside the cornbread cubes.
2. Remove the lid from the Instant Pot and turn on the sauté setting for 8 minutes.
3. With the lid off, melt ¼ cup of butter. 
4. Add the chopped onion, celery, thyme, rosemary, and sage. 
5. Stir to coat the vegetables in the herbs and melted butter and then sauté until they soften and slightly brown.
6. Add the chicken stock, salt, and pepper to the inner pot’s simmer, and stir to combine.
7. Remove the herb mixture from heat and set aside. 
8. Allow the mixture to cool to the touch so that it can be mixed with the egg. (You don’t want the egg to cook from the residual heat and scramble!)
9. While the herbs are cooling off, beat the egg with the parsley in a medium-sized bowl.
10. Pour the egg and parsley mixture over the cubed cornbread in the set-aside baking dish, and gently fold in the mixture evenly with the bread cubes. 
11. Then, pour the cooled herb mixture into the cornbread and egg mixture, evenly distributing with your pour.
12. Cut the 1 tablespoon of butter into small pats and place them all around on top of the dressing.
13. Cover the baking dish with foil and bake at 350 degrees F for 35 minutes in the conventional oven. Bake for 30 minutes if using the Omni Plus oven.
14. Uncover and bake until golden, 10-15 more minutes (conventional oven) or 10 minutes (Omni Plus oven).
15. Serve this Black folks cornbread dressing recipe warm, and enjoy! Optional – serve with gravy on top.

Does your family have a dressing or stuffing recipe that passes down from one generational table to the next?

🎙 Listen to The Soul Food Pod episode: Black Folks Cornbread Dressing Recipe

What do you eat with cornbread stuffing?

There are many Southern soul food Thanksgiving dishes that you’ll always find on the table to pair with this Southern cornbread dressing recipe.

Check out my list of favorite African-American Thanksgiving side dishes.

Black folks cornbread dressing and the soul food sides it’s traditionally paired with are all so delicious!

You could also choose to only serve non-meat dishes for a vegetarian Thanksgiving dinner.

Do cornbread stuffing and cornbread dressing differ in any way?

Stuffing and dressing are terms for a dish made with bread, usually cornbread, in the Southern United States.

What do Southerners call dressing?

Southerners refer to American stuffing served on the side outside the bird as ‘dressing.’

What is stuffing?

Stuffing is baked inside the bird during the cooking process, while dressing is baked in a dish outside the bird’s body to serve as the side.

Cornbread stuffing is a dish that consists of a warm, moist mixture of cornbread, vegetables, and herbs that is placed inside the turkey before roasting it. 

What is dressing?

On the other hand, Southern cornbread dressing is typically made with crumbled cornbread mixed with egg, herbs, and veggies, cooked in butter, and then baked in a casserole dish.

Cornbread dressing variations

A cornbread stuffing recipe is a staple for many Southern soul food holiday meals.

I’ve shared some of my favorite, easy-to-make cornbread dressing recipes that will liven up any dinner table this holiday season.

African American cornbread dressing recipes

Remember, you can always make this Southern cornbread dressing recipe your own!

For example, some African-American households add smoked sausage, liver, poultry seasoning, diced bell pepper, and even chopped boiled eggs to this recipe. 

What if you want to add oysters?

I’ve had this same recipe with the addition of cooked oysters. You’d add the oysters during the step where you’re combining the cornbread and the herb mixture. Then you’d call this recipe oyster dressing!

Old fashioned oyster dressing is one of my favorite Southern recipes!

You can also make this recipe with the addition of chicken or chicken gizzards.

Is it okay to use Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix?

This year, you can make your own homemade cornbread dressing with a bit of help from a favorite mix (Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix). Or you can make it all on your own by preparing cornbread from scratch. 

Can this be made in individual muffins in a muffin pan?

A cornbread dressing made with a muffin pan? 

Yes, it’s possible! 

Does your family include picky eaters?

Problem solved! Because the best part about making this dish in individual muffins instead of a large pan is that you can customize the toppings for each person. Clever!

What temperature is the oven for the dressing?

If you use a conventional oven, cover with foil and preheat to 350°F. Bake for 35 minutes, then uncover and continue baking until golden brown, another 10-15 minutes. 

Should you cover your dressing when baking?

Cover with foil and bake for 30-35 minutes. Then remove the foil and bake until golden for an additional 10 minutes.

Can dressing be made ahead of time?

People often ask if they can make this recipe the night before and bake the next day? Especially for Thanksgiving?

And yes, it’s okay to assemble the cornbread dressing ahead of time, cover the dish with foil, and store it in the refrigerator for up to 8 hours before baking.

Can you freeze this cornbread dressing recipe?

To freeze your cornbread dressing before cooking, ensure the dish has been cooled completely. Then, transfer it into a freezer-safe container or bag, tightly seal it, label it with the date and contents, and place it in the freezer for up to 90 days.

Black folks cornbread dressing recipe FAQs

What size cast iron skillet do you recommend for the cornbread?

An 8″ baking dish or cast-iron skillet works best for baking the cornbread for this Southern dressing recipe.

If you’re using box cornbread, how many boxes do you use?

One Jiffy cornbread mix is all you’ll need – 8.5 ounces, which is just a little more than 1 cup.

How much cornbread should you use in terms of cups?

The ingredients added to this cornbread recipe will comfortably fill an 8″ skillet, about 2 to 2 ½ cups, without overflow when baking.

Can you use Pepperidge Farm cornbread classic stuffing in the bag?

Homemade cornbread or cornbread stuffing mix?

Yes, you could use a stuffing mix. However, you’ll compromise the homemade Southern soul food flavoring. The taste will not be like baking fresh cornbread to make this cornbread dressing recipe.

Do you have to soften the onion and celery?

The onion and celery will soften when cooked in the sauté mixture when making the herb and vegetable mix.

How wet should the dressing be before baking?

People often ask how you keep cornbread dressing from being watery or gummy? And why is your cornbread dressing gummy?

Before it’s baked, the dressing should be moist but not watery or gummy. If your stuffing is too wet, add a few slices of cubed honey wheat bread to soak up the extra liquid.

How do you fix dry stuffing?

Think your dressing is overcooked? 

No worries! You can fix dry stuffing with a few tablespoons of melted butter, chicken stock, or broth.

Remember, try not to overwork the stuffing when adding ingredients and mixing. You don’t want to break down the cornbread, which will cause the dressing to have a mushy texture.

How do you make this dish vegetarian?

To make this dish vegetarian, use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.

What did you think of this Southern soul food recipe?

It’ll leave everyone happy at any dinner table. The step-by-step instructions make it super easy to make – a big win, especially during the busy holiday season!

Don’t hesitate to give this Sunday soul food/Southern Thanksgiving recipe a try!

And if you like this recipe, you’ll love these best soul food cornbread recipe ideas HERE!

Have you had it?

Would you make it? 

Comment below and lemme know. 

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