1box Jiffy corn muffin mix, make as directed, see note
2tablespoonsneutral oil
13ouncesandouille sausage, cut into coins and quartered, see note
1poundmild breakfast sausage
4tablespoonsbutter
1large yellow onion, diced
2ribs celery, diced
1medium green bell pepper, diced
1medium red bell pepper, diced, optional
2stalks green onion, chopped thin
2-3clovesgarlic, minced
½teaspoonsalt, see note on Cajun seasoning
¼teaspoonground black pepper
½teaspoononion powder
½teaspoongarlic powder
½teaspoonsmoked paprika
¼teaspoonground cayenne
¼teaspoondried oregano
1tablespoonfinely chopped fresh sage
1teaspoonfinely chopped fresh thyme
¼cupchopped freshly parsley
3cupschicken stock, see note
2large eggs, at room temperature
Directions
Unless you’re using premade cornbread cubes, I recommend starting this a day or two ahead of making the Cajun sausage and bread dressing.
Prepare Bread Cubes:
Start by making cornbread for the dressing. Follow your recipe or the instructions on the boxed mix. If you are doing the Jiffy mix, you will dump the box into a mixing bowl, add one egg and ⅓ cup of milk. Whisk together and pour into an 8x8 baking pan. Bake at 400°F / 200°C for 18-22 minutes and allow to cool completely when finished baking.
Once cooled completely, cut the cornbread into roughly ½-inch cubes. It will likely crumble as you make these, and that’s fine, just save the crumbles along with the cubes. Cut about half the loaf of potato bread into small ½-inch cubes as well. From here you can leave them partially covered and sit out overnight. I prefer to toast them instead, which will dry the bread out and help it hold its shape.
Preheat the oven again to 350°F / 180°C. Spread the cornbread cubes and crumbles over a baking sheet and the potato bread cubes over another baking sheet. Bake until toasted, for about 14-18 minutes. Halfway through, shake and toss the cubes and rotate the pans for more even toasting. Once toasted, set aside to cool.
Cook Meat & Vegetables:
Cut the andouille sausage into coins, then stack a few at a time and cut twice more into quarters. Dice the large yellow onion, 2 ribs of celery, medium green bell pepper, medium red bell pepper (if using) chop 2 stalks of green onions (green parts only), and mince 2-3 cloves of garlic. Finely chop the fresh sage to about 1 tablespoon, 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme, and chop fresh parsley to about a ¼ cup worth, but leave the parsley separate.
If the oven is off or you’re doing this the next day, preheat the oven again to 350°F / 180°C. Butter a 13x9 baking dish or spray with cooking spray and set aside.
In a Dutch-oven or stock pot, heat a bit of oil over medium heat. Add 1-pound mild breakfast sausage and cook it, breaking it up into small pieces, until it starts to brown, about 2-3 minutes. Now add the sliced andouille sausage and continue cooking until both sausages are well browned and the breakfast sausage is in small pieces, about 10-12 minutes longer. Once browned, remove the sausage and set aside, leaving any drippings behind.
In the same pan, add 4 tablespoons of butter and melt it. Add the diced onion, celery, green pepper, and a pinch of salt and black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion begins to turn translucent but not browned, for about 7-10 minutes.
Now add the minced garlic, green onion, and Cajun seasoning (all seasonings from the salt to the oregano in the ingredients list). Continue cooking, stirring frequently, for another 1-2 minutes.
Finally, add half the turkey or chicken stock and the fresh thyme and sage. Bring it to a simmer for 3-5 minutes. Taste and adjust for seasoning then remove it from the heat to cool slightly and stir in the cooked sausages.
Combine & Bake Dressing:
In a mixing bowl, whisk 2 large eggs together with the remaining stock and the reserved parsley. Add the bread cubes to the sausage and veggie mixture, then pour the egg mixture over top of it.
Gently stir and fold everything until well combined and pour into the prepared 13x9 baking dish. Cover with foil and bake for 35-40 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking, uncovered, for another 15-20 minutes to reduce the liquid and brown the top.
The total cooking time is usually around 50-60 minutes, depending on your preference. If you like wetter dressing, cook covered for longer. If you like it slightly drier and well-browned, increase the time spent uncovered. Whichever way you prefer it, it should be cooked to about 160-165°F before removing it from the oven and resting.
Once cooked to your preference, remove from the oven, and let it rest at least 10-15 minutes before serving. Top with some finely shredded parsley if you like.
1) Cornbread – I use Jiffy here because it’s inexpensive and available everywhere. Feel free to use another mix you prefer or make homemade cornbread you love. Read in the post above for more information on cornbread options.2) Sausage – Andouille sausage is a staple in Cajun recipes. I list it as 13oz because national brands typically come in 12-14oz options. If you can get andouille sold as 1-pound, that is fine as well. If you find andouille too spicy for your liking, you can swap it out with smoked sausage. I used country mild breakfast sausage here, but you can also switch that for any style you prefer, like original, spicy, sage, etc.3) Cajun Seasoning – I prefer to make my own Cajun/Creole seasoning in most of my recipes since you can tailor it to what you’re making and how you like it. If you have a Cajun seasoning you prefer, you can use that instead by replacing every ingredient listed from the salt down to the dried oregano.4) Stock – If you have homemade turkey stock or chicken stock, use that. Alternatively, if you go with a store-bought version, I recommend finding a no salt added or low-sodium version. If for some reason you can only find or use regular stock/broth that has salt, omit the salt called for here and taste test during the simmering part of the recipe (before the egg mixture and breading is added). Add more salt and pepper to taste if needed.