Gluten-Free Southern Cornbread Dressing (Stuffing)

This is a treasured family recipe that has been redone to be gluten-free. It’s just simply not Thanksgiving without our cornbread dressing! Now, we call it “dressing” because it sits beside the turkey, and is not “stuffing” because it doesn’t get baked inside the turkey. Call it whatever you will, but just make it, because it’s simply not to be missed.

The recipe calls for using our basic gluten-free cornbread, which you can make the day before, or an hour before, it doesn’t matter. You could also use a store-bought organic gluten free cornbread mix. I used a store bought, rice-flour based gluten-free bread, but you could use a homemade loaf as well. Sourdough gluten-free bread would be delicious too. The key is that the bread needs to be somewhat dry (like it would be for French toast), so you can tear it up the night before if you want.

This dressing can be prepared up until just before baking,  a day ahead and kept covered in the fridge.  Let it come up to  room temperature before baking.

GlutenFree Southern Cornbread Dressing (Stuffing)
by Amy Love, Real Food Whole Health

Ingredients:
3 TBL organic, grass-fed butter
1 ½  cup chopped organic onion (about one large onion)
1 ½  cup chopped organic celery (around 4-5 stalks)
3-4 leaves fresh sage, chopped
3-4 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves removed from stem
1 TBL Simply Organic all-purpose seasoning blend (could use poultry seasoning blend)
3 cloves garlic, peeled, smashed and minced
1 1/2 tsp unrefined sea salt
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 8×8 pan prepared basic cornbread, crumbled to pea-sized
About 8 slices gluten-free bread (I used a rice flour-based bread), crumbled to pea-sized
2+ cups homemade chicken stock (bone broth)
Dash cayenne pepper
4 pastured eggs, beaten

Directions:
First, prepare gluten-free basic cornbread.

Preheat oven to 325.

In a medium sauté pan over medium heat, melt butter. Add onion and celery and cook until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add sage, thyme, all-purpose or poultry seasoning blend, garlic, salt and pepper. Stir well to combine and continue to cook until veggies are soft and wilted, about 5 more minutes. Set aside to cool slightly.

In a large glass bowl, add crumbled cornbread and gluten-free bread, about equal parts of each. This was about 8 slices of bread for us, but could vary slightly based upon what bread you are using. Gluten-free bread should be slightly dry, so if it’s very moist, leave it out, uncovered for a few hours.

Add veggie/herb mix and stir to combine. Add chicken broth slowly, starting with 1-2 cups and then adding a little at a time until a slightly soupy consistency is reached. You want it slushy, not with standing liquid. If there is not enough liquid, the finished dressing will be dry; if there is too much liquid, it will be mushy. So aim for slightly soupy and you’ll be set.

Add a dash (or two) of cayenne. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Add eggs and mix well.

Pour into a buttered 9×13 casserole dish, and bake, covered with foil, for about 40 minutes.  Remove foil and continue to bake, uncovered for another 15-20 minutes, or until top is golden brown and a butter knife comes out clean when inserted in the middle of the dressing.

Remove from oven and let rest for a few minutes before serving.

Enjoy!