Paula Deen’s Southern Cornbread Dressing
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Paula Deen’s Southern Cornbread Dressing is a tasty dish you can make for your next family meal. This recipe takes about 20 minutes to prep and cook. You’ll love how the crispy cornbread mixes with the soft veggies and savory herbs.
The recipe uses simple items like cornmeal, flour, and eggs to make the cornbread base. Then you add celery, onions, and spices to create a flavorful dressing. It’s easy to put together and bakes up golden brown in the oven. Your family will ask for seconds!
Exact Ingredients List
Here’s what you’ll need to make Paula Deen’s Southern Cornbread Dressing:
For the Cornbread:
- 1 cup self-rising cornmeal
- 1/2 cup self-rising flour
- 3/4 cup buttermilk
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
For the Dressing:
- 7 slices oven-dried white bread
- 1 sleeve saltine crackers
- 8 tablespoons butter
- 2 cups chopped celery
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 7 cups chicken stock
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Black pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon sage (optional)
- 1 tablespoon poultry seasoning (optional)
- 5 eggs, beaten
Make sure you have all these ingredients ready before you start cooking. The cornbread is best made a day ahead, so plan accordingly. This recipe serves 10 people and takes about 20 minutes to prep and cook.
Remember, you can adjust the seasonings to your taste. The sage and poultry seasoning are optional, but they add a nice flavor to the dish. Happy cooking!
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 350°F and grease a shallow baking dish with butter. This helps prevent sticking.
Mix the cornbread ingredients in a large bowl. Whisk cornmeal, flour, buttermilk, 2 eggs, and oil until smooth. Pour into the greased dish and bake for 20-25 minutes.
Let the cornbread cool completely. Overnight is best for the best texture.
When ready to make the dressing, preheat your oven again to 350°F. Grease 3 deep 9×13-inch baking dishes.
Crumble the cooled cornbread, white bread, and crackers in a big bowl. Mix well.
Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add celery and onions, cooking 5-10 minutes until soft.
Pour the cooked veggies over your bread mix. Add chicken stock, salt, pepper, and seasonings if using.
Beat 5 eggs lightly and add to the bowl. Mix everything until well coated.
Spread the dressing into your greased dishes. Bake for 45-60 minutes until golden brown on top.
Let it rest for 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy your homemade dressing!
Possible Substitutes List
Want to switch things up? Here are some tasty swaps you can try in Paula Deen’s Southern Cornbread Dressing:
- Cornmeal: Use polenta or grits instead
- Buttermilk: Try regular milk with a splash of lemon juice
- White bread: Swap for whole wheat or sourdough
- Saltine crackers: Use oyster crackers or crushed croutons
- Butter: Olive oil works as a healthier option
- Celery: Fennel can add a similar crunch
- Onion: Shallots or leeks make good stand-ins
- Chicken stock: Veggie broth for a vegetarian twist
For herbs and seasonings:
- Sage: Rosemary or thyme
- Poultry seasoning: Make your own blend with dried herbs
Can’t have eggs? Try using mashed bananas or applesauce as a binder. These swaps let you tweak the recipe to fit your taste or diet needs.
Remember, changing ingredients may affect the final texture and flavor. Start with small amounts and adjust as needed.
How To Make It Diabetes-Friendly
To make Paula Deen’s Southern Cornbread Dressing more diabetes-friendly, you can try these simple swaps:
- Use whole grain cornmeal instead of self-rising cornmeal.
- Replace white bread with whole wheat bread.
- Skip the saltine crackers or use whole grain crackers.
You can also cut down on carbs by using less bread overall. Try reducing the amount of bread by half.
For the fats:
• Use olive oil instead of vegetable oil
• Replace half the butter with unsweetened applesauce
To lower the sodium:
• Use low-sodium chicken stock
• Cut the added salt in half
For extra fiber and nutrients, add some veggies:
• 1 cup diced bell peppers
• 1 cup chopped mushrooms
Mix these in with the celery and onions when cooking. The extra veggies will bulk up the dish without adding many carbs.
Remember to watch your portion sizes. A smaller serving can still be tasty and satisfying.
Tips, Tricks & Storing
Make sure to dry out your bread before using it in the dressing. This helps it soak up all the tasty flavors. You can leave sliced bread out overnight or pop it in a low oven for 30-60 minutes.
For extra flavor, try adding some crumbled sausage or chopped bacon to the mix. About 1/2 pound should do the trick.
Don’t overmix the dressing. Gently fold ingredients together until just combined to keep a nice texture.
You can prep parts of this recipe ahead of time. Make the cornbread and chop veggies a day or two before. Store them separately in the fridge.
Got leftovers? Keep them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat, pop in a 350°F oven for 20-30 minutes.
Freeze extra dressing for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
For a crispy top, remove the foil for the last 15 minutes of baking. Keep an eye on it so it doesn’t burn.
Add some dried cranberries or chopped apples for a sweet twist. About 1/2 cup should be plenty.