Herby Cornbread Stuffing

Simple, creamy, and deeply satisfying, this cornbread stuffing is comfort food at its best, and perfect for your Thanksgiving table! Cornbread gives this stuffing just a hint of sweetness and a beautiful golden color.

This recipe uses about half of the cornbread yield in our Classic Cornbread Recipe leaving the remainder for immediate consumption!

Yield: a 3 quart baking dish, about 10 servings

Total Time: 2 hours

Ingredients

• 12 ounces crusty wheat bread cut into ½-inch cubes (about 9 cups)
• 12 ounces cornbread, cut into ½-inch cubes (about 5 cups or half of an 8-inch skillet)
• ¾ cup (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter
• ½ cup chopped assorted herbs such as sage, rosemary, and thyme
• 1 ½ tablespoons fennel seeds
• 2 teaspoons salt-free poultry seasoning
• 1 teaspoon ground sage
• ¼ teaspoon ground cayenne
  
• 1 bunch finely chopped green onion 
• 3 celery stalks, finely diced
• 3 cups whole milk
• 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan Cheese (or another cheese of your choice)
• salt and black pepper to taste
  
  

Instructions

1. Spread out the wheat bread and cornbread cubes on a sheet pan and bake at 300F for 15-20 minutes until thoroughly dried. Cool completely on the pan.
2. Raise the oven temperature to 375F and butter a 3 quart baking dish such as a 9x13-inch pan. 
3. Brown the butter: melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the milk solids at the bottom of the pan have started to turn brown and give off a nutty aroma.
4. Add only the white and light green parts of the green onion, season generously with salt and pepper and cook until the onion begins to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the chopped herbs, fennel seeds, poultry seasoning, sage, and cayenne to the onion and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, 30 to 60 seconds. Stir in the celery and continue cooking for 2 minutes. Stir in the milk and heat until steaming. Taste and adjust for salt and pepper. 
5. Transfer the toasted bread cubes to a large bowl. Add the dark green parts of the green onion and the shredded parmesan. Toss to combine. Pour the hot milk mixture over the bread and gently toss until the bread is thoroughly soaked. Add more milk if needed. Spread the stuffing in a buttered, 3 quart baking dish and cover with foil. Bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake until the top is crispy and a little darker in color, about 20 minutes. Scatter with fresh herbs and serve.