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Easy Slow Cooker Cornbread Dressing with Sausage & Sage

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This easy slow cooker cornbread dressing with sage and sausage is the weeknight hero you didn’t know you needed. It saves every Thanksgiving when your oven is packed with a turkey and three different casseroles.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 6 cups crumbled cornbread (homemade or from a 9x13 pan of boxed mix)
  • 1 cup chicken broth (low-sodium preferred, up to 1.5 cups if needed)
  • 2 large eggs (room temperature)
  • 1 pound breakfast sausage (mild or spicy)
  • 1 medium yellow onion (diced, about 1 cup)
  • 3 celery stalks (diced, about 1 cup)
  • 3 cloves garlic (minced)
  • 2 tablespoons fresh sage (chopped) or 1 tablespoon dried sage
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter (melted)

Instructions

  1. Prepare the cornbread: If making from scratch, do it the day before. Bake in a 9×13 pan according to your favorite recipe or box mix instructions. Let cool completely, then cover and leave on the counter overnight. The next day, crumble into a large bowl using your hands, aiming for irregular pieces.
  2. Brown the sausage: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and break it apart with a wooden spoon. Cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until browned and cooked through. Leave about a tablespoon of fat in the pan. Use a slotted spoon to transfer sausage to a plate and set aside.
  3. Sauté the aromatics: In the same skillet with the remaining sausage fat, add diced onion and celery. Cook over medium heat for 5-6 minutes until onion is translucent and celery has softened. Add minced garlic and cook for one more minute until fragrant. Scrape mixture into the bowl with crumbled cornbread.
  4. Combine the wet ingredients: In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together chicken broth, eggs, melted butter, sage, thyme, salt, and pepper until fully incorporated.
  5. Mix everything together: Add cooked sausage and broth mixture to the bowl with cornbread and vegetables. Use a large spoon or your hands to gently fold together until uniformly moist but not soupy. If dry, add an extra 1/4 cup broth.
  6. Transfer to the slow cooker: Spray a 6-quart slow cooker insert with non-stick spray. Pour dressing mixture into the slow cooker and spread into an even layer. Do not pack down. Cover with lid.
  7. Cook on low: Set slow cooker to low and cook for 3 hours. Do not lift the lid during the first 2 hours. After 2.5 hours, check if done: edges golden brown, center set (not jiggly), and a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.
  8. Rest before serving: Turn off slow cooker and let rest for 10 minutes with lid on. Serve straight from the slow cooker or transfer to a serving dish.

Notes

For best texture, use day-old cornbread. Brown sausage first for depth of flavor. Do not overmix. If doubling, layer ingredients in slow cooker. Use a liner for easy cleanup. Low and slow is non-negotiable.

Nutrition

Keywords: slow cooker cornbread dressing, sausage sage dressing, easy holiday side, cornbread dressing recipe, Thanksgiving dressing

Find it online: https://goldensimmer.com/easy-slow-cooker-cornbread-dressing-with-sausage-and-sage/