Healthy Make Ahead Cornbread Stuffing with Cranberries & Cashews
by Ed
You need to try this make ahead cornbread stuffing!
I grew up loving the stuffing/dressing part of big holiday meals. I always wondered why we didn’t have stuffing with other meals; it’s so good – why just a couple of times a year? Let’s start stuffing ALL the foods!
So, when I started making holiday meals, there was no question I was going to include stuffing. And if I was going to make stuffing – there was going to a lot and it was going to be awesome.
This recipe checks off both boxes – it yields enough to feed the whole family for a big dinner and it’s CORNBREAD Stuffing which is inherently awesome!
Robin has already shared her delicious Healthy Skillet Cornbread recipe that we’ve been making for years – and I knew it could be made into a fabulous stuffing. This skillet cornbread dressing has great texture and flavour. Since I developed this make ahead cornbread stuffing I haven’t made anything else since. And I’m guessing you won’t either – it’s that good.
This pan is my absolute favourite! It’s a perfect size and completely non-stick (and a great price on the day we published this.)
Healthy Make Ahead Cornbread Stuffing with Cranberries & Cashews
It is a little more work to bake your own cornbread, but maybe ten minutes – and the payoff is sooo worth it!
Dice the bread into cubes.
Add remaining ingredients gradually, turning to coat all of the cornbread in the seasonings before adding more. Remove from heat.
The stuffing can be stored in the fridge till ready to use or stuffed directly into whatever lucky meat you are preparing.
Spray a pan with cooking oil, scoop in the stuffing and cover it with foil.
Reheat it at 325 for 25 minutes or put it in the oven during the final 20-30 minutes of the main course cooking.
You can add 1/3 cup of chicken stock or drippings from the meat pan from the turkey/meat to moisten it somewhat.
Or eat it as-is – it is good no matter what.
Make Ahead Healthy Skillet Cornbread Stuffing
Ingredients
- 1 batch of our Healthy Skillet Cornbread, cubed
- 2 cups of finely chopped onions
- 1 cup of yellow, red and/or green pepper
- 2 Tbsp canola oil
- 2 cloves of garlic, diced
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- ½ tsp dried sage
- 1 tsp dried parsley
- ¾ cup dried cranberries
- ¾ cup cashews
Instructions
- In a large frying pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Cook onions and peppers until the onions are soft and translucent
- Reduce heat to medium-low. Add garlic, and other seasonings.
- Gradually add the cubed cornbread, cranberries and cashews. Toss to coat and evenly distribute seasonings between each addition of more cornbread. If your frying pan is too small, transfer to a large mixing bowl for the final addition/mixing.
- Stuff your turkey/pork (if desired), packaging leftover stuffing in a foil-covered baking dish. Reheat at 325F for 30 minutes to serve alongside main course.
It’s a showstopper and tastes wonderful!
There are so many fabulous things to feed our families during the Holidays! Check out more of our holiday recipe ideas:
- 20+ Absolutely Delicious Non-Pumpkin Thanksgiving Desserts and Treats
- 20+ Unique Christmas Cookies for Cookie Exchange this Year
- Christmas Cranberry Apple Cobbler in the Slow Cooker (a decadent breakfast idea!)
- 20+ Holiday Crockpot Side Dishes
- 20 + Holiday Instant Pot Side Dishes
- Stuffed Turkey Breast Wrapped in Bacon
- Creamy Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
And fabulous Holiday things to make and do, too:
- Easy Prep Christmas Countdown Activities
- Dollar Store Christmas Crafts
- Holiday Free Printables for Gallery Wall
- Easy, Natural Holiday Nut Wreath
Robin and Ed are a DIY-loving couple with over 25 years of design and build experience. Also, Robin is a Nutritionist and former Registered Dietitian and Ed is an award-winning Business Educator. We share strategies for living a rich life on a DIY budget: creative money-savvy ideas for a stylish home, healthy meals and family fun. Our work has been published in the pages of Do It Yourself, Farmhouse Style and Better Homes & Gardens magazines.
