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silver spoon scooping sausage stuffing out of white casserole dish
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Meaningful Eats

Gluten-Free Cornbread Sausage Stuffing

12 people
This cornbread stuffing is a crowd-pleasing side for any holiday. With toasted cornbread cubes, vegetables, herbs and sausage it has unbelievable texture and flavor.
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Resting Time: 30 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 30 minutes

Ingredients

For the Cornbread:

  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 1-1/2 cups gluten-free 1:1 baking flour
  • 1-1/2 cups cornmeal be sure it's gluten-free, I like Arrowhead Mills
  • 3 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons baking powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 stick 1/2 cup, melted

For the Stuffing:

  • 2 lbs bulk pork sausage I use breakfast sausage
  • 1 large onion or 2 medium , diced
  • 4 celery ribs diced
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
  • 4 garlic cloves chopped
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh herb blend I use equal parts thyme, rosemary and sage
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Instructions

For the Cornbread:

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking pan with cooking spray.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk until evenly combined. Set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
  • Add the milk mixture and the melted butter to the dry ingredients stir smooth. Working quickly, spread the batter into the prepared pan. It is normal for the batter to puff up from the baking powder activating.
  • Bake until lightly golden around the edges and set, about 30 minutes. Cool in the pan until cool enough to handle, 20 to 30 minutes.
  • Preheat the oven to 250F. Turn out the cornbread onto a cutting board. Slice into 1-inch cubes. Line a baking sheet with a baking mat and spread the cubes on the sheet evenly. bake until lightly toasted, about 1 hour. You can start on the sausage mixture during this time. Cool the cornbread on the baking sheet, about 15 minutes.

While the cornbread toasts, make the sausage mixture...

  • In a large pan over medium-high heat, cook the sausage. Stir and break apart with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink, about 5-10 minutes.
  • Reduce the heat to medium and add the onions, celery, and 3 tablespoons of the butter to the pan. Cook the vegetable mixture until completely softened, 10-12 minutes. Add the garlic and herbs and cook 1 minute more.
  • Whisk together the stock and cornstarch and pour into the pan. Cook for 3-5 minutes until simmering. Transfer the vegetable mixture to the bowl with the sausage and mix to combine.

Mix it all together then bake...

  • In another measuring cup or bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk and salt. Add the dried cornbread cubes to the sausage and vegetable mixture. Pour over the milk/egg mixture then fold the mixture together with a large rubber spatula, being careful not to break up the cornbread too much. Let the mixture sit for 10 minutes, carefully stirring every 3-4 minutes.
  • Preheat the oven to 350°F and set an oven rack in the middle position. Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan with butter or nonstick cooking spray. Transfer the soaked cornbread mixture to the prepared pan. Dot the top of the stuffing with the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter. Bake until golden brown and crisp, about 35 minutes. Serve warm and enjoy!

Video

Notes

VARIATION IDEA: You can use a small loaf of gluten-free bread in place of half the cornbread for a stuffing with a lighter texture. 
Ingredient Notes
  • Cornmeal: Be sure to use certified gluten-free cornmeal. I like Bob’s Red Mill Cornmeal.
  • Gluten-Free Flour: I like to use a high-quality 1:1 gluten-free baking flour. This is my favorite brand
  • Milk/Butter: You can easily swap in almond milk and vegan butter to keep this dish dairy-free.
  • Sausage: You can use any kind of bulk pork sausage. I usually use breakfast sausage. You can even use hot sausage.
  • Butter: For the stuffing - you’ll use 1/2 in the sausage mixture and half to dot the top of the casserole before baking so it turns golden brown.
  • Herbs: I like to use a combination of fresh thyme, rosemary and sage. Any fresh herbs will work.
Make-Ahead Instructions
  • The cornbread can be made and 1-2 days in advance. Instead of toasting in the oven, cut the cornbread into cubes and let it dry out on the countertop overnight.
  • The sausage/stock mixture can also be made in advance and refrigerated before mixing with the cornbread cubes. You’ll want to reheat the mixture in the microwave for 1-2 minutes so it is warm before mixing with the cornbread.

Nutrition

Calories: 417kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 169mg | Sodium: 939mg | Potassium: 523mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 442IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 142mg | Iron: 2mg