Southern Soul Food Cornbread Dressing
I come from a long line of great southern cooks hailing from Alabama and Louisiana. And even though this recipe may seem a little lengthy, I guarantee you, it's well worth it. If you're looking for the best traditional cornbread dressing you've ever had...you've come to the right place. How do I know? Because soul food is made with LOVE!!! ENJOY!!!!
I come from a long line of great southern cooks hailing from Alabama and Louisiana. And even though this recipe may seem a little lengthy, I guarantee you, it's well worth it. If you're looking for the best traditional cornbread dressing you've ever had...you've come to the right place. How do I know? Because soul food is made with LOVE!!! ENJOY!!!!
- 1 cup of flour
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp sage
- 2 tsp. of baking powder
- 1 tsp. of salt
- 1 cup of white cornmeal
- 1 cup of milk
- 0.25 cup of vegetable oil
- 1 tsp. butter melted
- 0.5 tsp. ground black pepper
- 0.25 cup of unsalted butter
- 1 cup of onion chopped
- 1 cup of celery chopped
- 0.25 cup of bell pepper chopped
- 2 tsp. cajun seasoning
- 0.5 tsp. onion powder
- 0.5 tsp. garlic salt
- 0.5 tsp. ground black pepper
- 0.5 tsp. fresh thyme
- 1.5 cups chicken stock (preferably homemade)
- 1 can campbell's cream of chicken soup
- 2 large eggs beaten lightly
- 4 hard boiled eggs (chopped)
- Carbohydrate 18.6238060937496 g
- Cholesterol 142.255642359755 mg
- Fat 4.211966162683 g
- Fiber 1.37483490365247 g
- Protein 6.18164878471686 g
- Saturated Fat 1.36826397016221 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (77g)
- Sodium 77.916093746368 mg
- Sugar 17.2489711900972 g
- Trans Fat 0.693775433991975 g
- Calories 137 calories
Step-by-step
- Heat oven to 425 degrees
- In a large mixing bowl sift flour, salt, and baking powder.
- Stir in the cornmeal slowly and make sure it's mixed well.
- In another bowl, beat the eggs lightly and gradually add the milk and oil until it's well blended.
- Add this to your cornmeal mixture and stir until it's moistened. Don't over mix, you'll ruin it.
- Pour batter into a 9 X 9 baking pan and bake for about 20-25 minutes.
- After cornbread is completed, remove from oven and let it cool then crumble into a large bowl
- Combine chicken stock, , onion powder, garlic salt and Campbell's soup and bring to a simmer
- Chop hard boiled eggs and set aside
- Melt butter in a large skillet over medium high heat and saute onions, celery, and bell pepper until all vegetables are softened or 10-12 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and stir in sage, Cajun seasoning, pepper, poultry seasoning, and thyme.
- Combine cornbread with broth mixture, vegetables, and eggs (all 6) and pour into a lightly greased 2 qt. casserole dish
- Bake at 325 degrees for approx 35-40 minutes
When working within a strict one-hour timeline, skipping the crucial cooling period for freshly baked cornbread is the single fastest way to turn this traditional southern side dish into a dense, pasty mortar. Hot crumbs instantly melt added eggs and seize starches, transforming a light casserole into a heavy mass. Proper execution requires baking the initial base at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 to 25 minutes, then allowing it to cool completely before crumbling.
The culinary tradition of combining baked cornmeal with seasoned stock, aromatics, and eggs dates back generations across Alabama and Louisiana, designed historically to stretch leftover bread into hearty holiday centerpieces. Achieving the correct internal moisture level depends on simmering the chicken stock and cream of soup base before incorporating it with the vegetables. Sauteing the chopped onions, celery, and bell pepper in unsalted butter for 10 to 12 minutes breaks down their cellular walls entirely, which prevents crunchy pockets from forming within the baked dish. Folding in both chopped hard-boiled eggs and lightly beaten raw eggs creates dual binding textures, ensuring the final casserole sets firmly at 325 degrees Fahrenheit during its 35 to 40 minute bake time without drying out.
Leftovers keep safely in the refrigerator for up to three days when covered tightly, though reheating requires adding a splash of extra chicken stock to restore the lost moisture.
