This is a 10/10, no-notes type situation. Truly, I wouldn’t publish this Pecan & Sage Gluten Free Cornbread Dressing if I didn’t think it was the absolute best.
When it comes to holiday dinner sides, I’m here to WIN. The classic fall flavors of cornbread, sage, thyme and pecans make this one of the most nostalgic and delicious bites of food you can set on your holiday table.
And bonus points awarded because we’ve also cracked the code on delicious, naturally gluten-free cornbread. High-fives!
Ingredient Substitutions
- No butter? Cook the bacon first and use the rendered fat.
- No cane syrup? You can use date sugar, honey or any other unrefined sugar
- No buttermilk? You can use plain yogurt
- Vegetarian? Amp up the sage and sub dried cranberries or currants for the bacon. Swap out the chicken stock for veggie stock.
- No red onion? Leeks, yellow onions or shallots all work well.
- No cornbread? You can substitute a gluten-free loaf of sandwich bread or soft dinner rolls.
Recipe Tips & FAQs
- The key to making good gluten-free cornbread without using any hard to pronounce ingredients is to find some extra-fine and medium grind cornmeal. The combination mimics the crumb that you’re used to.
- Extra-fine corn meal is available at Dekalb Farmers Market in Decatur, Georgia. For out-of-towners, it’s available online here.
- You can also find cane syrup at Dekalb Farmers Market, or online here.
- No matter what kind of dressing you make, it’s better to tear your bread than to cut it. This method was popularized by Alison Roman over the last few years. Tearing creates a bunch of craggy edges that create a better crust and alchemize the final texture.
Serving Suggestions
- Serve on your holiday table along with
- Serve it with this Pork Tenderloin in Parchment or Pan Roasted Chicken Thighs
Storage and Shelf Life
Make Ahead:
- Recipe works best with slightly dried out leftover cornbread.
- Make the dressing a day ahead of time, and bake right before serving to keep it moist in the middle and crunchy on the top.
Refrigerate: Holds well for up to a week in an airtight container.
Freezer: For best results, store in a vacuum-sealed container for up to 3 months.
Reheat Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Place the desired amount of dressing in an oven-safe dish and reheat until an internal temperature of 165˚F is reached.
Times will vary depending on the amount reheated. The entire recipe will take about 45 minutes to reheat.
Final Thoughts
I’m so excited to share this Pecan & Sage Gluten Free Cornbread Dressing recipe with you. It felt like such a breakthrough when I found a way to make great gluten-free cornbread. The holidays didn’t feel complete without a serving of this on my plate!
The key is to blend extra-fine cornmeal, which is close in texture to all-purpose flour, and medium grind cornmeal. The combo gives your cornbread that perfect bite without any weird gums or hard to pronounce ingredients.
I love it when I go to adapt a recipe to be gluten free, and it seems to make more sense once I change it. Doesn’t it seem logical that cornbread should be made with all corn flour?
Have you made this recipe? Let us know what you thought in the comments below. Can’t tell you how exciting it is when I see you’ve tried my recipe!
Pecan & Sage Gluten Free Cornbread
Special Equipment
- 8 inch cast iron skillet
- 10 x 13-inch oven-safe casserole dish
Ingredients
- For the Cornbread:
- 2 tablespoons melted butter + 1 tablespoon butter divided
- 1 cup extra-fine cornmeal
- 1 cup medium cornmeal
- 1 tablespoon cane syrup or unrefined sugar see ingredient substitutions if needed
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 2 eggs
- ⅔ cup buttermilk
- ⅔ cup water
- For the Stuffing:
- 1 cup bacon sliced (see ingredient substitutions if vegetarian)
- 1 cup red onion small diced (about 1 onion)
- ½ cup celery small diced
- 1 tablespoon garlic minced (about 2 cloves)
- 1 teaspoon fresh sage minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh parsley minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme minced
- 1 loaf cornbread torn into bite-sized pieces
- 2 cups chicken bone broth
- 2 whole eggs
- ¼ cup roasted pecans chopped
Instructions
- Bake the Cornbread: Preheat the oven to 375˚F.
- Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large cast iron skillet.
- Next mix 1 cup extra fine cornmeal, 1 cup medium grind cornmeal, 1 tablespoon cane syrup, 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder and 1 teaspoon sea salt in a bowl.
- Now whisk in 2 eggs, then ⅔ cup buttermilk and ⅔ cup water, and the 2 tablespoons of melted butter. Whisk well to combine.
- Heat a 8 or 10 inch cast iron skillet, add the remaining tablespoon of butter, once melted and hot, add the cornbread batter.
- Bake in the oven until firm in the center, about 15 minutes. Remove from the pan and place on a cooling rack and let it cool completely before making the dressing.
- Prepare the Dressing: Preheat the oven to 375˚F.
- Place 1 cup of sliced bacon into the cast iron skillet. Turn the heat to medium, and let the bacon cook until it starts to become crispy, about 10 minutes.
- Next turn the heat to medium-low and add 1 cup of diced onion and ½ cup of celery. Cook until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.
- Add 1 tablespoon of minced garlic, and 1 teaspoon each chopped sage, parsley, and thyme. Cook for 30 seconds, then add the torn loaf of cornbread, 2 cups of chicken bone broth and 2 whisked eggs, and ¼ cup chopped roasted pecans. Season with salt and pepper to taste and mix until just combined.
- Bake the Dressing: Load the dressing into a 10 x 13-inch oven-safe casserole dish and cover with foil. Bake for 35 minutes, then remove the cover and bake until lightly browned and crunchy on top, about 20 minutes. Serve hot.
Hi, I’m Julia.
I’m a chef and wellness advocate passionate about helping others live well through nourishing food. I trained at the Culinary Institute of America and now work as a personal chef and community food advocate in Atlanta.
Want to know what inspired me to start Everyday Alchemy? Click the link icon below to read more.
I tried this for Thanksgiving and it was so great I made it for Friendsgiving too! Loved it. I’ve never been able to make a reliable dressing before and this is a staple for me now.