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a spoonful of cornbread dressing in a white baking dish
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4.82 from 11 votes

Classic African American Cornbread Dressing

This Classic African American Cornbread Dressing is made the traditional way and is the version prepared and served by most Black families. It's baked with the Holy Trinity ingredients, green pepper, onions, celery, and sage. Serve this soul food side dish for Sunday dinners, Christmas, or Thanksgiving.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings 10 servings
Calories 289kcal
Author Brandi Crawford

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 cup finely chopped white onion
  • 1 cup finely chopped celery
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped green peppers
  • 4 garlic cloves Minced
  • 2 teaspoons ground sage Adjust to taste. 5 leaves if using fresh
  • 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 14 oz cream of chicken or celery soup I use homemade linked here.
  • 2-3 cups chicken broth 2 cups for firm dressing, 3 cups for really moist dressing.
  • 2 eggs Beaten

Instructions

  • You will need cooked cornbread for this recipe. You can use this Southern Homemade Cornbread recipe or Jiffy Cornbread Recipe here. After preparing the cornbread, store it in the fridge overnight and prep the dressing using day-old cornbread.
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Heat a skillet on medium-high heat. When hot, add the olive oil, celery, onions, garlic, and green peppers.
  • Saute until the onions are translucent and fragrant. Ensure the vegetables are soft. Remove the vegetables from the pan. Set aside to cool. Prep the remaining ingredients.
  • Place the cooked cornbread in a large mixing bowl. Use a large spoon and/or your hands to break down the cornbread. You want to fully crumble it.
  • Add in the cooked vegetables, ground sage, poultry seasoning, salt, and pepper. Mix well. Stop and taste the mixture here. Before adding eggs always taste the dressing and additional spices if necessary.
  • Add in the eggs and cream of chicken soup. Stir.
  • Slowly pour in the chicken broth. The chicken broth quantity noted above is a guide. You have to really monitor the dressing as you prepare it to determine how much broth you will need and if you will need more or less.
  • Start with a little chicken broth and then stir until the dressing is thick. Add more when needed. You should get the consistency of thick oatmeal.
  • Pour the dressing mixture into a 9x13 baking dish and spread it throughout the bottom of the pan.
  • Bake for 40-45 minutes uncovered on 350 degrees until a toothpick returns clean.

Notes

You can add chicken using 8 ounces of cooked, shredded chicken breasts to the dressing. Layer it in by adding half of the dressing mixture to your baking dish, followed by the chicken, and then cover it with the remaining dressing.
If you are using Jiffy or a boxed cornbread mix you’ll need 2 cups, which is about 16-17 ounces.
If you like really moist dressing, cover it with foil while it bakes.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 289kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 9g