Vegetarian-Friendly Cornbread Stuffing Recipe

If you're a fan of cornbread stuffing but have only tried the boxed stuff, you will love the texture and depth of flavor of a homemade version. And if you've only had stuffing made from regular bread before, trying a cornbread version will expand your stuffing world in the best way possible. Cornbread, with its unique, slightly sweet flavor and crumbly texture, does a fantastic job as the protagonist of homemade stuffing.

Recipe developer Michelle Bottalico has created a cornbread stuffing recipe featuring homemade cornbread that's vegetarian friendly, unlike many stuffing recipes that incorporate chicken stock or some sort of meat. The cornbread portion of this recipe is deliberately a little drier and less sweet than normal, which perhaps isn't the best on its own, but it works oh so well for stuffing. Using fresh bread is a stuffing mistake to avoid, so remember that the cornbread is meant to be made a day ahead so it can dry out. The cornbread is combined with garlic, onion, celery, fennel, apples, vegetable broth, and fresh herbs, all of which is richly flavored with butter. This stuffing is easy to personalize with additional seasonal ingredients such as dried cranberries or pecan halves if desired. Once mixed together, the top bakes to crispy perfection while moist and crumby pieces await below. The result is a decadent, comforting, savory treat fit for a Thanksgiving feast.

The first part of this recipe is making the cornbread itself, and you will need milk, white vinegar, yellow cornmeal, all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, unsalted butter, honey, and eggs. You can use a commercial cornbread mix in a pinch, but it will be a little sweeter. We don't recommend store-bought cornbread, which is generally much too sweet and contains preservatives that prevent it from drying out.

For the rest of the stuffing, have the following vegetables on hand: garlic, onion, celery, and fennel. Grab a couple of apples too for sweetness and fresh sage and parsley for flavor. Finally, make sure to gather unsalted butter, vegetable broth, salt, and pepper.

Preheat the oven to 375 F.

Begin the cornbread: Place the milk and vinegar in a medium bowl, stir well, and set the bowl aside to rest for 5 minutes.

Place the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl and stir well.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a small pan.

Add the melted butter, honey, and eggs to the milk mixture and whisk well to combine.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir well to mix. Stop stirring as soon as the dry ingredients are moistened. Do not overmix.

Transfer the batter into a greased 9x9-inch baking dish and smooth out the top with a spatula.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the top is firm and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Remove the cornbread from the oven and place it uncovered on a cooling rack to cool overnight or for 8 hours.

Once the cornbread has cooled overnight, preheat the oven to 325 F.

Use a spatula to carefully remove the cornbread from the pan and slice it into 1-inch cubes.

Place the cubes in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes until dry and browned. Turn the cubes and bake for 5 more minutes, then remove the cubes from the oven and set aside to cool completely.

Raise the oven temperature to 350 F.

Melt 6 tablespoons butter in a large skillet on medium heat.

Add the garlic, onion, celery, and fennel and saute for 5 to 6 minutes, until softened.

Add the apples and half of the sage and saute for 2 to 3 more minutes.

Pour in the broth, add the salt and pepper, and cook for 2 to 3 more minutes. Remove the pan from the heat.

Arrange the cornbread cubes in a 9x13-inch baking dish.

Sprinkle the parsley and the other half of the sage on top of the cornbread.

Using a ladle, evenly distribute the broth and vegetable mixture over the cornbread, using a spoon to gently mix everything together until the cornbread is evenly moistened.

Bake, uncovered, for 50 to 55 minutes until the vegetables are tender and the top is browned but the center retains some moisture.

Serve hot or warm.

Whether you're trying to plan the perfect Thanksgiving dinner on your own or just cooking a single dish to bring as a contribution, it's nice to be able to make at least part of a dish ahead of time to make the process easier. This cornbread stuffing recipe can be made ahead. In fact, the cornbread itself is meant to be made the day before so it can cool and dry out overnight. It's then cubed and baked in the oven to dry out further. Another option is to make the cornbread 2 days ahead and cut it into cubes as soon as it's cool. Spread the cubes out on an uncovered baking sheet and let them dry until you're ready to make the stuffing (you can omit the re-baking step this way). If you try to use fresh, hot cornbread, the stuffing will be soggy and mushy because the bread won't absorb much of the broth. Cornbread also freezes well if it's more convenient to make it more than a couple of days ahead.

To save some time, you can chop all the vegetables ahead and store them in the refrigerator until ready to use. Or, you can make the entire recipe ahead of time, just don't bake it until you're about to serve. Refrigerate the dish for a day or two before bringing it to room temperature, then bake and serve. The stuffing will actually develop more flavor that way, so those who like to plan ahead will certainly benefit from this method.

The traditional way to serve Thanksgiving stuffing is with turkey, and turkey goes very well with cornbread stuffing or any other kind. If you're planning a vegetarian-friendly meal, you can consider alternative main dishes such as stuffed butternut squash, chickpea patties, chickpea pot pie or roasted root vegetable pot pie, a whole roasted cauliflower, vegetarian stuffed peppers, or a plant-based meatloaf made with lentils.

Thanksgiving side dish options are only limited by your imagination. Some options can directly complement the ingredients in this cornbread stuffing recipe. Roasted fennel is a side dish with a stronger fennel flavor than the subtle notes present in the stuffing. If you opt to personalize your stuffing with dried cranberries or pecans, this cranberry-pecan Thanksgiving slaw recipe will be a good addition to your table. Balsamic roasted brussels sprouts are another sweet and savory dish that would pair well.

Other side dish options provide a good contrast to the stuffing. For example, cranberry sauce or simple candied yams will add sweetness and au gratin potatoes with gruyere will add decadent creaminess to your plate to offset the crispy toasted top and mostly savory flavor of the cornbread stuffing. Last but not least, don't forget to serve gravy, which definitely isn't just for turkey. Pour it on some creamy garlic red mashed potatoes, on rice, or on your stuffing. To keep the meal vegetarian, give this vegan Thanksgiving gravy recipe a try.