This vegetarian cornbread stuffing is the best side dish to have at Thanksgiving! Easy to make vegan and gluten-free, this savory recipe will easily become one of your favorites.
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The time has come to dive head first into Thanksgiving recipes!
For a long time my simple vegetarian stuffing was the only stuffing recipe on my site because it really doesn’t get much better than that. I know some people like options though, so I wanted to give it a spin by adding delicious cornbread to the mix!
Whether you call it stuffing or dressing, I think you’ll love how easy and delicious this vegetarian cornbread stuffing recipe is. It’s loaded with herbs like thyme and sage, which pair so beautifully with the savory homemade cornbread.
What makes this the best cornbread stuffing
I adapted my moist and fluffy cornbread recipe to work better with dressing, then tossed it with some cooked veggies, vegetable broth, and nuts. A lot of stuffing recipes call for eggs, but I wanted to keep things easy and customizable, so we’re not using any eggs!
The result is soft in the middle and crisp on the edges. It’s like a great slice of cornbread only better!
Vegetarian cornbread stuffing ingredients
- Flour
- Cornmeal
- Sugar
- Baking powder
- Milk
- Vegetable oil
- Eggs
- Butter
- Onion
- Celery
- Salt & pepper
- Garlic
- Sage
- Thyme
- Vegetable stock
- Pecans
How to make cornbread stuffing
- Make the cornbread and let rest 1-3 days.
- Break three fourths of the cornbread up into bite size pieces and arrange them in a single layer on a large, rimmed baking sheet. Toast in the oven at 300ºF for 20 minutes.
- Heat butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add the onion and celery and season with salt and pepper. Cook until slightly softened, 5-7 minutes.
- Add the garlic, sage, and thyme, and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
- Add the vegetable stock and remove from the heat.
- Pour the vegetable stock mixture into a large mixing bowl with the toasted cornbread and pecans. Stir to combine.
- Transfer the stuffing mixture to a greased 9×13 inch baking dish and spread out evenly. Bake at 375ºF for 30-40 minutes or until the edges are crispy and everything is hot.
Top tips and questions
What kind of cornmeal to use
I like the medium grind cornmeal (affiliate link) from Bob’s Red Mill, but any medium or fine ground cornmeal will work in this vegetarian cornbread stuffing recipe.
Can I use a box mix cornbread for this recipe?
Yes, if you don’t want to make your cornbread completely from scratch, you could use a box mix or any other recipe for cornbread. What’s important is that it makes more than a 9×9 pan and you’re able to fill a half sheet pan (or two smaller ones) with crumbled cornbread when it comes time to toast it.
How to prepare cooked cornbread for dressing
You could cut your cornbread into cubes, but I like the texture you get from breaking it up with your hands. It makes it feel like a rustic, homestyle casserole.
Crumble it into pieces no larger than 1 ½ inches before toasting. Toasting the cornbread will ensure it soaks up all the vegetable stock and flavor without getting soggy once you put it all together.
What to do with extra cornbread
This recipe only uses about ¾ of a 9×13 inch pan of cornbread. The remaining ¼ can be used to make cornbread croutons, enjoyed on it’s own with honey or butter (better yet, honey butter) as a snack, or as part of a meal.
Can I prepare cornbread stuffing ahead of time?
Yes, you can prepare this recipe up to one day ahead. Keep the cornbread and vegetable stock mixture separate and store the stock mixture in the refrigerator until ready to bake, or bake completely and reheat in the oven until warm.
To freeze, bake it completely, cool, and cover tightly with a few layers of plastic wrap before storing in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then warm in the oven before serving.
Tips for customizing
- Make gluten-free cornbread stuffing by using a gluten-free cornbread recipe
- Make vegan cornbread stuffing by using a vegan cornbread recipe and substituting vegan butter for the butter in this recipe
- Swap the celery for leeks
- Swap the pecans for walnuts, or omit entirely if you can’t enjoy nuts
- Flavor your cornbread with cheese, jalapeños, or other seasonings for an easy twist
- For extra decadence, drizzle the stuffing with 2 tablespoons melted butter after baking
More vegetarian Thanksgiving recipes
- Vegetarian Stuffing
- Lentil Meatloaf Muffins
- Cheesy Cranberry Stuffed Rolls
- Cheesy Crockpot Mashed Potatoes
- Mashed Potato Bake with Red Wine Balsamic Reduction
- Balsamic Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Garlic
- Spaghetti Squash Casserole
- Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars
- Pecan Pie Bars
If you make this recipe, be sure to rate it, leave a comment, or tag #theliveinkitchen on Instagram!
Cornbread Stuffing
Ingredients
Homemade cornbread
- 2 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups cornmeal
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
- 2 ¼ cups milk, I used 2%
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 2 eggs, beaten
Cornbread stuffing
- ¼ cup butter
- 1 large onion, diced
- 3 celery stalks, diced
- Coarse kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh chopped sage
- 2 tablespoons fresh chopped thyme
- 1 ½ cups vegetable stock
- ½ cup chopped pecans
Instructions
Prepare the cornbread
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Coat a 9×13 baking pan with cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
- Add the milk, vegetable oil, and eggs, and fold to combine, being sure not to overmix. There should still be a few small lumps.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smooth out the top, and bake 25-30 minutes or until the edges are beginning to brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Allow the cornbread to cool completely, preferably overnight.
Toast the cornbread
- Preheat the oven to 300ºF.
- Using your hands, break the cornbread up into bite size pieces and arrange them in a single layer on a half sheet baking pan. If you don’t have a half sheet, you can use two smaller pans, just be sure to crumble about ¾ of the cornbread.
- Bake for 20 minutes, stirring once, or until toasted.
- After removing from the oven, allow to cool enough to handle and transfer to a large bowl.
Prepare the stuffing
- Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Coat a 9×13 baking pan with cooking spray and set aside.
- Heat butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add the onion and celery and season with salt and pepper. Cook until slightly softened, 5-7 minutes.
- Add the garlic, sage, and thyme, and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
- Add the vegetable stock and remove from the heat.
- Pour the vegetable stock mixture into the bowl with the cornbread and add the pecans. Stir to combine.
- Transfer the stuffing mixture to the prepared pan and spread out evenly. Bake 30-40 minutes or until the edges are crispy and everything is hot.
Notes
Tips for customizing
- Make gluten-free cornbread stuffing by using a gluten-free cornbread recipe.
- Make vegan cornbread stuffing by using a vegan cornbread recipe and substituting vegan butter for the butter in this recipe.
- Swap the celery for leeks
- Swap the pecans for walnuts, or omit entirely if you can’t enjoy nuts
- Flavor your cornbread with cheese, jalapeños, or other seasonings for an easy twist
- For extra decadence, drizzle the stuffing with 2 tablespoons melted butter after baking
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