No holiday is complete without this Cajun dressing in our house!
I grew up on the border of Texas and Louisiana in a small town called Orange, TX. My parents, from Texas and New Orleans, instilled a love of soul food spices as well as the unique Texas flavors…. and they make quite the epic combo!
Looking back, I remember the year my mom and dad were creating this Cajun cornbread dressing recipe.
Not knowing much difference, I thought everyone enjoyed a similar recipe on Thanksgiving Day.
But after years of bringing this to multiple Friendsgivings and potlucks, I realized this was a Cajun dressing recipe unlike any other.
What makes it different?
It’s all about layering the bold, Louisiana flavor in EVERY component. You’ve got the spicy andouille sausage, the holy trinity medley of bell peppers, onion, and celery…
But the real kicker? A hefty dose of Cajun seasoning!
I grew up in the same area! Mauriceville. You are correct about the food there, the mixture is like no other. This is a wonderful recipe!
– Lala
Ingredients and Substitutions
For the exact measurements and detailed instructions, please see the recipe card below.
- Cornbread mix. You need a 16–20-ounce package in order to have enough cornbread to fit a 9×13-inch baking dish. Jiffy cornbread muffin boxes are 8.5 ounces, so grab two of those if that’s easiest! If the instructions call for a 9×9 or 8×8 pan, reduce the baking time by 5 minutes since you’re using a 9×13 dish. Also, I’ve had great success using gluten-free cornbread packages (no one can ever tell the difference!)
- Sausage. Be sure to opt for LINKS, not ground sausage. You want a brand with a good casing, as well. Andouille is the best for that authentic Louisiana flavor. If needed, you can use homemade venison sausage. A few of my favorite brnads include: Aidell’s Cajun Style Andouille, Applegate Andouille Chicken Sausage, or Hillshire Farms or Johnsonville link sausage (use these if you prefer your dressing on the milder side!)
- Broth. Regular sodium chicken broth is used in the recipe, but you can sub in vegetable broth or reduced sodium if needed.
- Cajun seasoning recipe. I like to make my own so I can control the heat (I use this recipe here.) But Slap Ya Mama or even Tony Chachere’s are great store-bought alternatives! (Just make note of how much sodium are in these mixes and adjust the salt to taste!)
Step-by-Step Instructions
Please see the recipe card below for the full instructions, ingredient amounts, and a printable recipe.
Cook and crumble the cornbread.
Follow the instructions on the box to make the cornbread. Remember to adjust the cooking time because you are using a 9×13 pan. Pay attention! You don’t want to overcook the cornbread at this step.
Once it’s cooled enough to the touch, you can either crumble it with your hands or use a fork. Just make sure there are no large clumps bigger than a quarter remaining.
Cook the sausage and veggies.
Slice the sausage links down the middle vertically and then cut into ½-inch pieces. Cook in a large skillet for about 10 minutes and then remove to drain.
Cook the bell peppers, onions, and celery (aka- the holy trinity!) in the pan with a bit of oil and garlic until tender.
Pro Tip: To get a nice char on the sausage, leave them in the skillet, undisturbed, for a few minutes before flipping.
Mix it all up and bake!
Mix the cooked veggies and sausage with the Cajun seasoning and the crumbled cornbread. Pour in the broth (add at LEAST 3 cups!) Much of the broth will evaporate as it cooks.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, uncovered. If you like your side a little more crisp, bake it a few minutes longer. Like it more on the soggy side? Bake it around 30 minutes.
Pro Tip: Uncovered is VERY important. A large majority of the broth will evaporate and allow the dish to get crispy on the top.
FAQs
It’s all in the broth! And luckily, the cartons come with 4 cups so you’ve got a little wiggly room. If your dressing is too soggy, simply pop it back into the oven, uncovered, and bake for another 5-10 minutes. Too dry? Add more broth, 1/4 cup at a time, until it’s to your desired consistency.
I’d say this is about a 3 out of 10 on the spicy scale. If you’d like less spice, simply reduce the amount of Cajun seasoning you add. Want more? Add a dash more to the mix or let people sprinkle it on to taste! (Just know that you may need to adjust the amount of salt you use, accordingly.)
Well, no, of course not. But it is HIGHLY recommended. This type of sausage already inherently has a TON of bold Cajun flavor which goes great with the dish. If you can’t find it, opt for a regular link sausage and add a little more Cajun seasoning to make up for it.
You’re darn tootin’ it is! 😉 Well, at least I can attest that we really do love it down here in the South!
You can make this dish up to a day ahead, which makes it perfect for Thanksgiving prep. Simply bake the cornbread, cook the sausage, sauté the veggies, and mix everything together with half the broth in your baking dish. On the day of serving, let it sit at room temperature for about an hour, add the remaining broth, and bake according to the recipe.
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Cajun Cornbread Dressing Recipe
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Ingredients
- 1 (20-ounce) package cornbread mix gluten-free if needed, cooked in a 9 x 13 inch pan according to package directions
- 1 (13-ounce) package andouille link sausage cut into ½ inch pieces
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 green bell pepper finely diced
- 4 celery stalks finely diced
- 1 small sweet onion finely diced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt divided, to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 3 to 4 cups chicken broth regular sodium
- 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
- Parsley optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Prepare the cornbread according to the package directions. Once cool enough to touch, crumble using your hands, or a fork, until there are no large clumps bigger than a quarter remaining.1 (20-ounce) package cornbread mix
- Cook the sausage over medium heat for 10-15 minutes, stirring every few minutes, or until the sausage is browned. Remove from the pan and set aside on a paper towel-lined plate to drain.1 (13-ounce) package andouille link sausage
- Add 2 tablespoons of oil to the remaining sausage grease in the skillet along with the bell pepper, onion, celery, ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Cook the vegetables over medium heat for 8-10 minutes, or until the onions begin to caramelize. Add garlic and continue cooking for 2 minutes, or until fragrant. While the vegetables are cooking, whisk together the Cajun seasoning recipe if you're making your own at home.2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 green bell pepper, 4 celery stalks, 1 small sweet onion, 2 garlic cloves, 1 ½ teaspoons salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Combine the sausage, vegetables, seasoning mix, remaining ½ to 1 teaspoon salt, and cornbread in the baking dish. Toss to mix thoroughly. Pour 3 to 3 ½ cups of chicken broth into cornbread mixture. (This may seem like a lot at first, but remember, you will be baking this and a lot of the moisture will evaporate!)1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning, 3 to 4 cups chicken broth
- Bake, uncovered, for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the top begins to get crispy. Add more chicken broth as needed. Let sit for 10 minutes before serving. Top with finely chopped parsley, if desired.Parsley
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Video
Notes
- Cajun seasoning mix: I like to make my own so I can control the heat (I use this recipe here.) But Slap Ya Mama or even Tony Chachere’s are great store-bought alternatives! (Just make note of how much sodium are in these mixes and adjust the salt to taste!)
- Cooking the sausage: To get a nice char on the sausage, leave them in the skillet, undisturbed, for a few minutes before flipping.
- Get the topping crispy: Avoid covering with foil while baking so the edges get nice and crisy!
- Make ahead: Let the dressing sit at room temperature for 30-60 minutes before baking.
- Storage: Once cooked, keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 to 5 days. You can also seal in an airtight freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
More Thanksgiving Side Dish Recipes
If you want to know what else my family loads up onto their holiday plates, here are a few more of my must-make Thanksgiving sides!
Hi!! If making ahead of time, could you follow steps 1-5 and refrigerate about 4 hours? Or would it get too soggy from the broth and you should wait to add it?
Hi Lori! You can definitely make it ahead of time. Simply cover and refrigerate until you’re ready to bake. Hope you like it!
I grew up in the same area! Mauriceville. You are correct about the food there, the mixture is like no other. This is a wonderful recipe!
Yay! So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe! Small world! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment!
I have never made a cornbread flavoured stuffing before.. what a delicious recipe, this is definitely something I need to try!
Hi Thalia! Yes, it is definitely quite a bit different, and so worth a try! Hope you enjoy it!
This was so freakin’ good! My parents are doing the Paleo diet (mostly) and would really appreciate this recipe for Thanksgiving. I’ll be sure to share it! Thanks for another great post; the photos look excellent too by the way!
Thanks so much sista! You know we Cajuns have to stick together 🙂