Vegetarian Southern Cornbread Stuffing

Total time9 hr 5 min

Prep time20 min

Cook time45 min

This is comfort food at its finest — cubes of day-old cornbread and white bread, dried out overnight so they soak up flavor without turning mushy, then tossed with butter-softened onion, celery, and garlic. Fresh sage and thyme bring that classic holiday-table aroma, while a rich custard of beaten eggs and milk binds everything into a tender, cohesive bake. A final drizzle of melted butter over the top helps it crisp into a deep golden crust while the inside stays soft and custardy. It's a satisfying, from-scratch side that works beautifully for a vegetarian holiday spread, with real textural contrast between the crackly top and the pillowy center. Baked until set and golden, it's the kind of stuffing people come back for seconds on.

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Ingredients

8 servings

For the stuffing base

6 cups crumbled day-old cornbread (about one 9-inch pan)
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3 cups cubed day-old white bread, cut into ½-inch pieces
4 tbsp unsalted butter
1 large yellow onion, finely diced
4 stalks celery, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp fresh sage, finely chopped
1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
½ tsp dried rubbed sage
½ tsp black pepper
1 tsp salt

For the custard

2 large eggs, beaten
2 ½ cups low-sodium chicken broth
Chef's tip
Use the same amount of low-sodium vegetable broth. The dish will be a little lighter in flavor than with chicken broth.
½ cup whole milk

For the top

2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted, for the top

Instructions

1
The night before (or at least 8 hours ahead), spread the crumbled cornbread and cubed white bread in a single layer on two large rimmed baking sheets. Leave uncovered at room temperature until completely dried out and stale — the pieces should feel firm and dry to the touch with no soft spots.
2
When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Butter a 9x13-inch baking dish and set aside.

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