Old-Fashioned Holiday Dressing Recipe (Cornbread Stuffing with Sausage & Turkey)

Some of my earliest memories of cooking were of making ginormous pans of dressing for us and others. Mama had a certain way of making it and it never changed, she had gotten the recipe from her parents; a recipe that was passed down for generations. The scent of homemade cornbread, sausage, turkey dressing filled our home with an indelible memory stamped deeply in my brain. It seems like the smell enveloped the air, my hair, my clothes and everything in between as it hit me long before it ever reached the table.

Golden cornbread, seasoned sausage, tender turkey, and Christmas herbs, as I came to call them, create a dish that tastes like every perfect meal you’ve ever had. None of these quintessential flavors, served for generations and stirred with care can replicate how good it really is. Warm, savory, and deeply comforting, this dressing is like having a five star restaurant right at your fingertips. It is of love, and family and joy during the holidays.

For as long as I can remember, this dressing has been the centerpiece of every holiday meal. All of us anticipated it for days, knowing what was ahead, right around the bend, and then when she was started, there was that smell of turkey stock simmering forever on the stove.

Then, vegetables and sausage were browned with butter in the giant cast-iron skillet, swamping the kitchen with a magical promise of raviging every bite, while the turkey was chopped into tender pieces, then that fold seamlessly into the mixture. Herbs like sage and thyme added their unmistakable signature.

And tucked quietly into the tradition is my own little secret-since my college years, I added one box of Stove Top dressing to every big pan. Back then it was because I wanted the flavor without all the steps, but over time I grew to love that bit of stickiness it gave the dressing, and it became my signature touch. It’s my delicious secret… so shhh.

What makes this dish truly special is not just its flavor but its story. Our family can trace this dressing back through grandparents and further. I grew up watching it come together in the largest mixing bowl on the planet, hearing mama’s instructions, repeated year after year, all part of its legacy. And of course, there’s my secret Stove Top addition, which now lives quietly among those traditions, blending in as if it had always been there.

And then there’s the part of the tradition that makes me the happiest, it’s the giving. Every holiday season, we prepare not just one pan but five extra pans of this treasured dressing. The kitchen hums with purpose as trays are lined, filled, and baked. Then they’re wrapped, delivered, and shared with others.

When all the pans are baked and the deliveries made, our family gathers round the holiday table with a sense of gratitude that’s hard to describe. The dressing sits proudly in the center, rich with turkey, cornbread, sausage, and just a whisper of my secret addition. Every bite reminds me of the past and for continued blessings to others in the present, and for a future, long after all of us are gone. This is for you.

Let me know what you think of this holiday dressing recipe!

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Holiday Dressing Recipe

Recipe By: Karen Hand Allen (www.karenhandallen.com) 

This cornbread, sausage, turkey dressing is rich, hearty, and deeply flavorful, blending classic stuffing mixes with toasted Hawaiian rolls for a soft, slightly sweet base. Savory breakfast sausage, bites of turkey or chicken, and aromatic sautéed vegetables creates depth that tastes like the holidays in every bite. Fresh sage, black pepper, and plenty of butter add to its perfect richness. This centerpiece side dish for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any special family meal will steal the show! And don’t think this is too much, you’ll have friends and neighbors asking for a “to go bag,” so go big or go home!

Servings: 14-18

Prep Time: 25 mins | Cooking Time: 50 mins | Rest Time: - | Total Time: About 1 hr 15 mins

Ingredients:  • 1 (12-oz) package Pepperidge Farm Cornbread Stuffing Mix • 1 (12-oz) package Pepperidge Farm Herb Stuffing Mix • 1 (6-oz) box Stove Top Stuffing Mix (Turkey or Chicken) • 1 package Hawaiian rolls, cubed and toasted (about 12 rolls / 14 oz) • 1 lb. breakfast sausage • 2 cups salted butter • 2 yellow onions, chopped • 5 stalks celery, chopped • 2 cloves garlic, minced • ¾ cup chopped cooked turkey or chicken thighs • 2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste, if desired • 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage • 4–5 cups chicken or turkey stock, or more as needed (homemade or store bought)

Instructions: Prepare the bread-preheat oven to 350°F.  Cube the Hawaiian rolls into ¾ inch cubes and toast them on a baking sheet for 10–12 minutes, stirring once. Add to a large mixing bowl along with cornbread stuffing mix, herb stuffing mix, and Stove Top stuffing. Cook the sausage-brown 1 lb. breakfast sausage in a large skillet. Add the crumbled sausage to the bowl of stuffing mixes. Add the ¾ cup chopped turkey or chicken thighs to the bowl. Sauté the vegetables in the same skillet, melt 2 cups salted butter. Add chopped onions and celery; sauté for 10–12 minutes until softened. Add the minced garlic and cook 1 minute more. Stir in the sage, kosher salt, and black pepper. Pour all sautéed vegetables and butter into the large mixing bowl. Add turkey or chicken stock & combine-start with 4 cups of turkey or chicken stock. Gently mix to moisten the dressing, adding more stock as needed, (up to 5 cups total) until the dressing holds together when lightly pressed but is not wet. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Spread dressing evenly into a 13 × 10 × 2-inch baking pan. Cover with foil and bake at 350°F for 35 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 15 minutes until golden on top.