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Kid-Approved Brown Butter Sage Cornbread Dressing

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This brown butter sage cornbread dressing is a kid-approved, budget-friendly side dish that’s perfect for holidays or weeknight dinners. The nutty, caramelized brown butter and aromatic sage elevate simple ingredients into a comforting, crowd-pleasing recipe that can be made ahead and freezes beautifully.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 ½ cups yellow cornmeal (stone-ground preferred)
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 ½ cups buttermilk
  • 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted (for the cornbread)
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • ½ cup unsalted butter (for browning)
  • 2 tablespoons fresh sage leaves, finely chopped (or 1 tablespoon dried)
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced (about 1 ½ cups)
  • 3 celery stalks, diced (about 1 cup)
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 ½ cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
  • 2 large eggs, beaten
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon dried thyme
  • ¼ teaspoon poultry seasoning (optional)
  • Salt to taste (start with ½ teaspoon)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Grease an 8-inch square baking pan or cast-iron skillet.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together cornmeal, flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda.
  3. In a separate bowl, combine buttermilk, beaten eggs, melted butter, and honey.
  4. Pour wet ingredients into dry and stir until just combined (a few lumps are fine). Pour into prepared pan and bake for 20-25 minutes until golden and a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool completely on a rack.
  5. While cornbread cools, brown the butter: Place ½ cup unsalted butter in a light-colored skillet over medium heat. Stir constantly until butter melts, foams, and turns golden with brown specks. Remove from heat immediately when it smells nutty. Stir in chopped sage and let sizzle 30 seconds. Set aside.
  6. In the same skillet, add diced onion and celery. Cook over medium heat 5-7 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic and cook 1 minute more. Remove from heat.
  7. Once cornbread is completely cool, crumble it into a large mixing bowl (mix of fine crumbs and ½-inch chunks). Add sautéed vegetables.
  8. In a separate bowl, whisk together broth, beaten eggs, black pepper, dried thyme, poultry seasoning (if using), and salt.
  9. Pour broth mixture over cornbread and vegetables. Drizzle brown butter sage mixture over everything. Gently fold until all cornbread is moistened.
  10. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Transfer dressing to a greased 9×13-inch baking dish and spread evenly.
  11. Bake for 35-40 minutes until top is golden brown and edges are slightly crispy. For softer dressing, cover with foil for first 25 minutes, then uncover for last 10-15 minutes.
  12. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

Don’t rush the cornbread cooling—warm cornbread makes dressing soggy. Watch the butter closely when browning; it goes from golden to burnt quickly. Use low-sodium broth to control salt level. Do the squeeze test before baking: a handful should hold together without dripping. For dry dressing, drizzle warm broth over before reheating. Can be assembled a day ahead and refrigerated. Freezes well for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Keywords: cornbread dressing, brown butter sage, Thanksgiving side, kid-friendly dressing, holiday side dish, make-ahead dressing, budget-friendly side

Find it online: https://ariaappetite.com/kid-approved-brown-butter-sage-cornbread-dressing/