Southern Living says cornbread stuffing is the most popular Thanksgiving side dish amongst its readers. We would have to agree that this bread based casserole sits high on our holiday favorites list. Even if you aren’t a fan of traditional stuffing, this recipe using homemade cornbread will change your mind.

We begin this recipe by making a basic cornbread recipe, cooling it and then crumbling it. In comparison to traditional stuffing that is cubed stale bread, the fresh cornbread in this recipe really helps keep it moist and fluffy. You could also easily make this recipe dairy free by substituting the cow’s milk with your favorite dairy-free alternative.

You could stuff this recipe inside of your bird, or bake it in a baking dish. We personally recommend baking on its own in a separate dish to get a great, crunchy top. 

Ingredients:

For the cornbread:

• 2 cup yellow cornmeal
• 1 cup of all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 4 eggs
• 3 cups milk
• 6 tbsp O-Live everyday olive oil

For the stuffing:

• 4 + 2 tbsp O-Live everyday olive oil
• 1 large onion
• 3 ribs celery
• 5 cloves of garlic
• 3 tbsp chopped sage
• 1 tbsp fresh thyme
• 3/4 cup fresh chopped parsley
• Crumbled cornbread
• 1/2 cup milk

Prepare the cornbread

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Grease two 9 inch square pans, or one 9 by 13 baking dish with olive oil.
3. In a large bowl add cornmeal, flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.
4. In a separate bowl, mix the eggs, milk and olive oil then mix into the dry ingredients.
5. Split the batter between the prepared pans and bake for 30-40 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through.
6. Set aside to cool.

Prepare the stuffing

1. Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil over med-high heat in a large skillet.
2. Add the chopped onion and cook until soft.
3. Add minced garlic, cook until fragrant.
4. Add the remaining ingredients (reserve milk until the end), combine well. Add milk until moist but not soggy. It is okay to not use it all.
5. Transfer everything to the cavity of your turkey, or to a 2-quart baking dish.
6. Drizzle with olive oil.
7. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes at 325F.