This cornbread stuffing recipe featuring dates, cranberries, and sausage is a tasty alternative to traditional sage stuffing. The cranberries and dates add a little sweetness, and the sausage makes it hearty.
This simple cornbread stuffing is a welcome addition to a Thanksgiving or Christmas meal. It's not too sweet and not too tart and has just the right amount of seasoning.
This stuffing would also work well with a rolled and stuffed flank steak. I can't wait to try it again. If you're feeling adventurous, try other fruits or nuts for your version of a unique stuffing recipe.
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Equipment
You need a knife, cutting board, mixing bowl, measuring cups and spoons, and a roasting pan.
We love, love, love our Le Creuset Roasting Pan. We think you will, too. If you are buying one, I suggest you buy a whole set of these pans. You won't be sorry.
Cornbread Stuffing Recipe With Pepperidge Farm Mix
Most families use the traditional sage stuffing cooked inside the turkey, but I encourage you to give this cornbread dressing a try.
Ingredients
- ¾ cup pitted and chopped dates
- ¾ cup dried cranberries
- ½ cup white grape juice
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- 1-½ cup diced onions
- 1 cup diced celery
- 12 ounces turkey sausage
- 1-½ tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves
- 3 tablespoons pine nuts
- 1 14-ounce package cornbread stuffing mix from Pepperidge Farm
- 1-½ cups chicken stock
- 1 beaten egg
Directions
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If you are using this as stuffing in a turkey or other fowl, follow the cooking instructions for your bird.
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When baking the stuffing as a side dish, butter or oil a 9 by 13 (or equivalent sized) casserole dish and set aside, preheat the oven to 325F degrees.
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Place the dates, cranberries, and grape juice in a small saucepan, bring to a boil, and simmer for a couple of minutes. Set aside.
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Melt the butter in a large skillet (you need enough room for everything but the cornbread, egg, and chicken stock).
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Sauté the onions and celery until soft - about 5 minutes.
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Add the sausage in small bits. Cook, stirring all the while. Until the sausage is browned - about 10 minutes or so.
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Add the cranberry/date mixture and stir.
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Toss in the rosemary and pine nuts and cook for a couple more minutes.
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Place the cornbread stuffing in a large bowl and add the beaten egg and chicken stock. Mix well. Add the sausage mixture from the skillet and again blend it all. Be sure to scrape all the brown bits that might have stuck to the skillet into the bowl.
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Either let it cool to the touch and stuff a fowl. Bake according to your poultry instructions. Or place the stuffing in the casserole dish and bake for 45 minutes if making it as a side dish.
Notes
Substitutions
If you're missing an ingredient, don't be afraid to improvise. Here are some ideas:
- Dates & cranberries - you can swap these out with dried figs, cherries, or raisins
- Grape juice - use apple cider vinegar or pear juice
- Sausage- the turkey sausage can be replaced with Italian chicken sausage
- Vegetarian - believe it or not, with a few tweaks you can make this stuffing vegetarian: just replace the chicken stock with veggie broth and the turkey sausage with a plant-based sausage, such as these Beyond Meat Sausage Links.
Convenience tip
Stuffing is not just for holiday dinners. Add this delicious stuffing to your monthly dinner rotation, and make it easy on yourself: mix up the stuffing, and put it into a Le Creuset roaster. Then place a chicken breast rubbed with olive oil, salt, and pepper on top of the stuffing and you got yourself a mouthwatering, yet easy dinner.
Cornbread Stuffing Recipe FAQ
Absolutely! You can either make parts of it (like sauteeing the onions and celery) the day before and just assemble it the day of your feast, or cook it completely and store it in the fridge. Then, stick it in the oven or the air fryer for 30 minutes or so to crisp it up again.
Most people refer to stuffing when you stuff the mixture into your bird and then cook it together. Dressing is referred to when you cook it as a side dish rather than inside your fowl.
Cornbread Stuffing Recipe With Pepperidge Farm Mix
Author: Recipe Idea Shop
Ingredients
- ¾ cup pitted and chopped dates
- ¾ cup dried cranberries
- ½ cup white grape juice
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- 1-½ cup diced onions
- 1 cup diced celery
- 12 ounces turkey sausage
- 1-½ tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves
- 3 tablespoons pine nuts
- 1 14-ounce package corn bread stuffing mix Pepperidge Farm
- 1-½ cups chicken stock
- 1 beaten egg
Instructions
- If you are using this as stuffing in a turkey or other fowl, follow the cooking instructions for your bird.
- When you are baking the stuffing as a side dish, butter or oil a 9 by 13 (or equivalent sized) casserole dish and set aside. Preheat the oven to 325F degrees.
- Place the dates, cranberries, and grape juice in a small sauce pan, bring to a boil and simmer for a couple of minutes. Set aside.
- Melt the butter in a large skillet (you need enough room for everything but the corn bread, egg, and chicken stock).
- Sauté the onions and celery until soft - about 5 minutes.
- Add the sausage in small bits. Cook, stirring all the while. until the sausage is browned - about 10 minutes or so.
- Add the cranberry/date mixture and stir.
- Toss in the rosemary and pine nuts and cook for a couple more minutes.
- Place the cornbread stuffing in a large bowl and add the beaten egg and chicken stock. Mix well. Add the sausage mixture from the skillet and again blend it all together. Be sure to scrape all the brown bits that might have stuck to the skillet into the bowl.
- Either let it cool to the touch and stuff a fowl. Bake according to your poultry instructions. Or place the stuffing in the casserole dish and bake for 45 minutes if making it as a side dish.
Notes
You May Also Like These Recipes
- How to Make a Turkey
- Traditional Sage Stuffing
- Homemade Jellied Cranberry Sauce
- Southern Green Bean Casserole
- Northern Green Bean Casserole
- Roasted Pumpkin Pie
Kathy acquired the blog, Recipe Idea Shop in 2024. She was raised on a farm in Arkansas where having a big garden and good food to eat was the norm. She shares recipes for homemade comfort food and new trending dishes.
Kathy began her blogging journey in 2011 when she founded PetticoatJunktion.com, a home décor blog focused on repurposing and upcycling furniture, and thrift store finds.
