Print

Crowd-Pleasing Slow Cooker Cornbread Dressing

slow cooker cornbread dressing - featured image
Print Recipe

This slow cooker cornbread dressing with sage and sausage is moist, savory, and packed with flavor—everything you never thought dressing could be. Perfect for stress-free hosting, it frees up your oven and lets you enjoy the party.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 boxes (about 15 ounces each) cornbread mix (e.g., Jiffy or Marie Callender’s)
  • 2 large eggs (room temperature)
  • 1 cup whole milk (or 2%)
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 pound bulk breakfast sausage (e.g., Jimmy Dean sage variety)
  • 1 large yellow onion, diced (about 1.5 cups)
  • 3 celery stalks, diced (about 1 cup)
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons fresh sage, chopped (or 1 tablespoon dried sage)
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
  • 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 large egg, beaten
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Instructions

  1. Bake the cornbread: Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Grease a 9×13 baking dish. In a large bowl, whisk together cornbread mix, 2 eggs, and milk until just combined. Stir in melted butter. Pour into prepared dish and bake 15-18 minutes until golden and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely, then crumble into a large bowl.
  2. Cook the sausage and vegetables: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook sausage, breaking it apart, until browned (6-8 minutes). Transfer to a plate, leaving 2 tablespoons drippings. Reduce heat to medium. Add onion and celery; cook until softened (about 5 minutes). Add garlic, sage, thyme, pepper, and salt; cook 1 minute until fragrant. Remove from heat.
  3. Combine the dressing mixture: In a medium bowl, whisk together chicken broth and beaten egg. To the crumbled cornbread, add cooked sausage and vegetable mixture; toss gently. Pour broth mixture over and stir until all cornbread is moistened (add extra broth if too dry).
  4. Load the slow cooker: Grease a 6-quart slow cooker. Transfer dressing mixture and spread evenly. Dot top with butter pieces.
  5. Cook low and slow: Cover and cook on LOW for 4 hours or HIGH for 2 hours. For a crispy top, uncover last 15-20 minutes.
  6. Serve: Switch to WARM and let rest 10 minutes before serving. Spoon directly or transfer to a serving dish.

Notes

The dressing will continue to thicken as it sits. If holding for a while, add a splash of warm broth before serving. For a vegetarian version, swap sausage for 1.5 cups cooked lentils or 8 oz finely chopped mushrooms and use vegetable broth. For gluten-free, use gluten-free cornbread mix and check sausage label. Leftovers keep in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Keywords: slow cooker cornbread dressing, cornbread dressing with sausage, sage dressing, Thanksgiving dressing, holiday side dish, easy dressing recipe

Find it online: https://dahliadishes.com/crowd-pleasing-slow-cooker-cornbread-dressing/