Southern Cornbread Dressing is a must-have for Thanksgiving and Christmas. At least it is at our house!
This cornbread dressing is rich with all of the traditional herbs and spices along with lots of veggies. It is so flavorful and hearty. Serve it along with some gravy and cranberry sauce and you will have a meal fit for any holiday feast!
Growing up in the south during the holidays, although the turkey was in the center of the dining room table, for me the most looked-forward-to part of our family’s Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner, besides dessert, was cornbread dressing. My Uncle Bernie (God rest his soul) could make a delicious cornbread dressing. Of course, it was not vegan, loaded with sage sausage. I would pile my plate up with mostly cornbread dressing with plenty of gravy and cranberry sauce. So when I transitioned to a Whole Food Plant-Based lifestyle 7 years ago, I was eager to learn how to make cornbread dressing just as flavorful as my Uncle Bernie’s, but vegan.
I quickly learned that it was all about spices and herbs. As far as the “meaty” texture, loading the cornbread with veggies like mushrooms, onions, and celery, I didn’t miss the addition of meat. My husband, who also grew up in the south, gave the dressing 2 thumbs up. Our kiddos labeled it the best cornbread dressing they have ever had.
I love to pour a healthy drizzle of Millet Gravy on my dressing along with a hefty serving of Chunky Cranberry Sauce. Oh my word, now that’s a meal worth gracing any table during the holidays.
So, if you are looking to add a vegan dish to your holiday spread, make this amazing Vegan Southern Cornbread Dressing. It will be the perfect addition to your holiday spread.
Watch the “How To” Video:
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Southern Cornbread Dressing (Vegan, Oil, & Gluten Free
Ingredients
Savory Herbed Cornbread
- 1 cup Plant-Based Milk, unsweetened (I used Soy Milk)
- 1 ½ Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1 cup Rolled Oats
- 1 cup Yellow Corn Meal, medium grind
- 1 tsp Baking Soda
- 1 tsp Baking Powder
- 2 Tbsp Rubbed Sage
- 2 tsp Bragg 24 Herbs & Spice (or Poulty Seasoning)
- 1 tsp Onion Powder, unsalted
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder, unsalted
- 1 tsp Dried Parsley
- 2 Tbsp Date Sugar (or Maple Syrup)
- 1 tsp Hickory Smoked Torula Yeast (optional)
- ½ cup Applesauce, unsweetened
Hearty Vegetable Filling
- 1 lb Baby Bella Mushrooms, roughly chopped (may use White Mushrooms)
- 2 cups Chopped Yellow Onions
- 4 stalks Celery, chopped
- 1 Tbsp Garlic Powder, unsalted
- 1 Tbsp Ms. Dash Garlic & Herb
- 2 tsp Crushed Rosemary
- 2 tsp Dried Thyme
- 1/4 tsp Chipotle Pepper
- 2 Tbsp Sumac
- 2 cups Kale, destemmed and chopped into bite sizes
Broth
- ¼ cup Rice Vinegar Natural
- 1 cup Vegetable Stock, unsalted
- 1 Tbsp Hickory Liquid Smoke
- 1 Tbsp Date Sugar
- 1/8 – 1/4 tsp Crushed Red Pepper (optional for a little added spicy heat)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 °F.
Prepare Savory Herbed Cornbread
- Make vegan Buttermilk – Add Plant Milk and Apple Cider Vinegar to a small glass bowl. Whisk together and set aside for 5 minutes.
- Combine the Flour – Add Oats to a blender and blend for 15-20 seconds. Transfer the Oat flour to a large mixing bowl and add the corn meal.
- Add the Baking Powder, Baking Soda, all of the Herbs & Spices, and Date Sugar to the flour mixture. Whisk all of the ingredients until well combined. NOTE: if using Maple Syrup as a sweetner, add with the wet ingredients.
- Add the Buttermilk and the Applesauce to the bowl with flour mixture. Use a spatula and mix all ingredients until well combined. Do Not over mix.
- Transfer batter to a parchment-lined 4×4 or 8' round baking pan.
- Bake at 350F for 35 minutes. Allow the cornbread to cool for 10 minutes. Then transfer the cooling rack and continue to cool for at least an additional 20 minutes before preparing the dressing.
Prepare Vegetable Filling
- Add the chopped Mushrooms, Celery, and Onions to a heated non-stick pan. Cover with a lid and allow the vegetable to cook for 5 minutes on high heat. No need to add oil because the heat from the pan will pull the water out of the veggies to keep them from sticking. After 5 minutes, remove the lid and add the Garlic Powder, Garlic & Herb, Crushed Rosemary, Dried Thyme, and Chipotle Pepper. Give a quick stir thru and allow the veggies to continue to cook until all of the water has evaporated and the veggies begin to stick to the pan (about an additional 3 – 5 minutes). Remove the pan from the heat. (Do not bother adding any liquid to pan to keep the veggies from sticking. The broth that will be added in the next step will remove all of that carmelized goodness)
- Add the Sumac, chopped Kale, and all of the Broth ingredients. Give a quick stir.
Final Step
- Be sure the oven is preheated to 350 °F
- Get a large mixing bowl. Crumble the cooled Savory Herbed Cornbread into bite-size pieces.
- Pour the cooked veggie filling and broth over the crumbled cornbread. Gently stir until all of the liquid has been absorbed and the veggies are well incorporated. Transfer the dressing to a 9×9 or 11×9 casserole dish. Cover with parchment paper, then some aluminum foil.
- Bake covered for 30 minutes. If you prefer a dryer dressing, then uncover and bake for an additional 5 minutes.Remove from oven and allow to cool for 15-20 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
