Southern Sausage, Apple, and Sage Cornbread Dressing

If you’re looking for a new dressing to serve alongside the turkey this year, I hope you’ll give this Southern sausage, apple, and sage cornbread dressing a try.

If you’ve been following here on the blog for a while, then you know I publish a new dressing or stuffing recipe each year. Well, this year is no different and I really love the flavors in this simple recipe. I know that you will too!

It has everything I love about a holiday side dish: savory sausage, tender cornbread, little bites of apple, and those golden bits around the edges that I’m always tempted to pick at before it reaches the table.

Serve it with roasted turkey and gravy for the holidays, or alongside chicken for a comforting Sunday supper. There’s no need to wait until Thanksgiving to enjoy a good pan of dressing!

Why You’ll Love This Southern Cornbread Dressing

• Classic Southern comfort with a little something extra. Savory breakfast sausage, little bites of Honeycrisp apple, and fragrant sage bring delicious flavor to a familiar holiday favorite.
• Moist and tender with a golden top. Butter, stock, and cream of celery soup help keep the dressing moist, while the top and edges get those lovely toasted bits.
• Made with good ol’ unsweetened cornbread. The apple adds just enough natural sweetness. Save the sugar for dessert, honey!
• Perfect for Thanksgiving or Sunday supper. Serve it alongside turkey, chicken, or ham—with a little gravy, of course.
• You can get a head start. Bake your cornbread a day or two ahead so there’s one less thing to do when it’s time to prepare your meal.

Ingredients for Sausage, Apple, and Sage Cornbread Dressing

• Cornbread – use savory cornbread for cornbread dressing, never ever use sweet cornbread. I used the White Lily Buttermilk Cornmeal Mix for this recipe and followed the recipe on the bag, omitting the sugar. Make the cornbread a couple days ahead to save time.
• Southern Breakfast Sausage – a country style or sage breakfast sausage. I used Jimmy Dean regular for this recipe. Your favorite breakfast sausage should work just fine.
• Butter
• Fresh Sage Leaves – optional, but recommended, to infuse that butter with fresh sage flavor.
• Onion
• Celery
• Honeycrisp Apple
• Cream of Celery Condensed Soup
• Eggs
• Chicken Stock – or turkey stock, and you can use broth instead if that is what you have on hand.
• Kosher Salt
• Cracked Black Pepper
• Ground Sage
• Poultry Seasoning 

How to Make Sausage and Apple Cornbread Dressing

Let’s put this dressing recipe together, y’all! Begin by crumbling up that cornbread that you made a day or two ago into a large mixing bowl, and set it aside.

If you’d like a little extra texture on top, reserve a small amount of the cornbread and cooked sausage before combining the dressing. Sprinkle those reserved pieces over the mixture before baking.

Next, heat a skillet over medium heat, then add the breakfast sausage to the skillet breaking it apart as it cooks until brown and cooked through. Transfer the sausage and the drippings to the bowl with the crumbled cornbread.

Place the skillet back on the burner and melt one stick of butter. Add the fresh sage leaves to the butter and stir to infuse the butter with the flavor of fresh sage.

Next, add the diced celery and onion and sauté until tender and translucent. This will take about five minutes. Fish out those sage leaves and discard, then transfer the veggies and that butter to the mixing bowl with the cornbread mixture.

Dice up your apple into petite pieces. I usually wait to do this step until just before I need to add it so that the apple doesn’t brown. Once you have it all diced up, add it to the cornbread mixture.

The next step is to add the cream of celery, eggs, and chicken stock. Use a spatula or wooden spoon to stir the cornbread mixture together and see how things are looking. If it seems too dry for you then add a little more stock.

Finally, add the salt, pepper, ground sage, and poultry seasoning and give the mixture another stir to combine everything together. Ahhh, it already smells so good and we haven’t even cooked it yet.

Transfer the sausage apple cornbread dressing mixture to a greased baking dish, 9×13 or similar size. My dish just happens to be oval, but a rectangle will work fine too.

Bake in a preheated 350°F (175°C) oven for approximately 45 minutes, or until golden brown on top, set in the center, and the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C).

Tips for Moist Cornbread Dressing

Nobody wants a scoop of dry dressing on their holiday plate! Here are a few simple tips to help yours bake up tender and moist, with those golden bits we all love on top.

1. Let your cornbread sit a spell. Bake it a day or two ahead. Slightly dry cornbread soaks up the stock and all that savory flavor beautifully. I highly recommend baking the cornbread ahead for a time saver if nothing else.
2. Check the mixture before baking. Start with the 2 cups of stock in the recipe, then take a look. Since a cake of cornbread can yield anywhere from 6 to 8 cups of crumbs, you may need a little extra stock. The mixture should be very moist and easy to stir, without liquid pooling in the bowl.
3. Keep all that buttery goodness. Scrape the melted butter and cooked vegetables into your mixing bowl. That butter brings flavor and richness to every spoonful.
4. Use the cream of celery soup straight from the can. It goes in undiluted to help give the dressing its creamy, tender texture.
5. Don’t overbake it. Start checking around the 45-minute mark. The center should be set and reach 165°F, but you don’t need to keep baking until the middle looks dry.
6. Cover it if the top browns too quickly. A loose piece of foil will protect those toasted bits while the center finishes cooking.

And remember, gravy is a lovely finishing touch, but moist dressing ought to be delicious all on its own!

Q and A About This Recipe

Can You Make Cornbread Dressing Ahead of Time?

You sure can! Getting a little work done ahead makes holiday cooking so much easier—and leaves you more time to enjoy your company.

My favorite way to get started is to bake the cornbread a day or two ahead. You can also brown the sausage and sauté the onion and celery the day before, then refrigerate them in a covered container. When you’re ready to make the dressing, all that’s left is dicing the apple, mixing everything together, and filling your baking dish.

You can also assemble the dressing up to one day before baking. Let the cooked sausage and vegetables cool, combine everything, then cover the dish and refrigerate promptly. If the cornbread has soaked up the stock and the mixture looks a little dry the next day, gently stir in another splash before baking.

A chilled dish of dressing will take longer to bake than one you’ve just mixed, so allow a little extra time. Bake until the center is set and reaches 165°F, loosely covering the top with foil if it starts getting too brown. And if you’re using a glass baking dish, follow the manufacturer’s instructions for moving it from the refrigerator to the oven.

What to Serve with Cornbread Dressing

This sausage, apple, and sage cornbread dressing fits right in with a Thanksgiving feast, but it’s just as delicious alongside a simple Sunday supper. Here are a few of my favorite ways to fill out the plate:

• Roasted turkey or chicken: Either one pairs beautifully with the savory sausage, apple, and sage. Y’all give my air fryer turkey breast tenderloin a try! It is a family favorite.
• Baked ham: A wonderful choice for Christmas dinner or a family gathering.

• Giblet gravy or turkey gravy: Spoon a little over the dressing for that classic holiday combination.

• Cranberry sauce: Its sweet-tart flavor is a lovely complement to the rich dressing. Although I make a wonderful homemade cranberry sauce, my family loves that jiggly jelly roll stuff from the can.  

• Green beans or collard greens: Add a favorite green vegetable to round out the meal. Y’all, I have a lot of green bean recipes on the website, but folks really love my canned green beans recipe and you will too!
• Sweet potato casserole: A holiday favorite that’s always welcome next to a generous scoop of dressing. 
• Homemade macaroni and cheese: Because there’s usually somebody at the table who expects a little mac and cheese! Yes, the baked mac and cheese is a Thanksgiving side where I am from in South Carolina.
• Dinner rolls or Biscuits: Perfect for getting that last little bit of gravy off your plate.

Y’all, don’t forget the sweet tea to wash it all down! 

More Southern Cornbread Dressing Variations To Try

I love a classic pan of cornbread dressing, but it’s fun to change things up, too! Whether you’re planning your holiday menu or putting together a comforting family supper, here are a few more of my dressing and stuffing recipes to try:

• Southern Cornbread Dressing – My tried-and-true classic and a longtime family holiday favorite. This is the one I serve for our Thanksgiving meal – I might be run out of town if I didn’t.
• Sage Sausage Cranberry Pecan Cornbread Dressing – Savory sausage, sweet-tart cranberries, and a little crunch from pecans make this one perfect for the holiday table. This version is a personal favorite, y’all! It’s so good!
• Aunt Betty’s Famous Ham Dressing – A family favorite featuring ham for another delicious take on cornbread dressing.
• Smoked Oyster Seafood Dressing – Smoked oysters and crab bring a taste of the coast to this savory dressing.
• Cornbread Squash Dressing – An old-fashioned variation that’s just as welcome at Sunday supper as it is at a holiday meal.
• Easy Crock Pot Cornbread Dressing – A handy slow cooker version when oven space is spoken for.
• Thanksgiving Stuffing with Sausage – A hearty sausage stuffing to try when you’re in the mood for something beyond cornbread dressing.
• Stuffin’ Muffins – Easy individual portions made with boxed stuffing mix—a nice option for smaller gatherings.

How to Store and Reheat Leftover Dressing

A little leftover dressing is something to look forward to! It makes a wonderful side for another meal, and a splash of stock helps keep it moist when you warm it up.

To refrigerate: Transfer leftovers to shallow, airtight containers and refrigerate within two hours of serving. Store in the refrigerator for 3–4 days.

To freeze: Divide the dressing into portions and pack in freezer-safe containers or bags. Label with the date and freeze for up to 3 months for the best quality. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

To reheat in the oven: Place the dressing in an oven-safe baking dish and drizzle a little chicken or turkey stock over it. Cover with foil and warm at 350°F until heated through, allowing about 20–30 minutes for a small dish and longer for larger portions. Uncover toward the end if you’d like to crisp up the top.

To reheat in the microwave: Put an individual serving on a microwave-safe plate, add a small splash of stock, and cover loosely with a microwave-safe lid. Heat in short intervals until hot throughout.

Whichever method you use, leftovers should reach 165°F (74°C) in the center. Warm just what you plan to serve so the rest stays tucked away in the refrigerator for another meal.

Printable Recipe Card

Below, you will find the printable recipe card with all of the details to prepare this delicious Southern sausage, apple, and sage cornbread dressing to enjoy at your own dinner table.

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Southern Sausage, Apple, and Sage Cornbread Dressing

I hope you’ll enjoy this sausage, apple, and sage cornbread dressing at your next family gathering. It’s a delicious way to change things up while keeping that familiar Southern comfort we love.

Thanks for spending a little time in my kitchen! If you try this recipe, leave a comment and let me know how it turned out. I’d love to hear what you served alongside it.

Love and Happy Cooking!

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