Andouille Sausage Cornbread Stuffing

This sausage-packed, herbed cornbread stuffing just happens to be gluten-free.

Andoulle Sausage Cornbread Stuffing from Food52
Andoulle Sausage Cornbread Stuffing from Food52

Too often, cornbread stuffings are too sweet. That's why we'll be making this gluten-free cornbread stuffing a new holiday tradition. The sausage and herbs keep the whole dish grounded, and the toasted top is a perfect match for the tender insides. It's also extremely easy to make: simply cook your sausage with some other good stuff (onions, apples, and spices), toss it with your bread crumbs, and bake.

>>RELATED: 12 Vegetarian Thanksgiving Dishes to Make Omnivores Jealous

This is a stuffing that could stand on its own for a weeknight dinner (with a crisp green salad to cut the richness), or as a savory side to any meal. We'll be making it this Thanksgiving, and then all winter long, when Thanksgiving is long behind us.

Andouille Sausage Cornbread Stuffing by carbonarasuz

Serves 6 to 8

Stuffing

6 tablespoons butter, divided, plus more for baking dish
2 large onions, diced
3 large celery stalks, diced
2 apples, cored and diced
1 pound andouille sausage, removed from casing
1/2 cup apple cider
1 cup cranberries, fresh or frozen
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
1 recipe Cast-Iron Skillet Cornbread (below), or 1 10-inch cornbread, cut in 1 1/2-inch cubes
1 large egg, beaten
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup chicken stock

1. Place corn bread cubes on a baking sheet and leave out over night to dry. Or, toast the cubes in a 350 F degree oven for 10 minutes.

2. Preheat oven to 375 F degrees. Butter a 9X13-inch baking dish. Melt 4 tablespoons of the butter in a large (12-inch) skillet over medium heat. Add the onions, celery and apples and sauté until softened, about 7-9 minutes. Add the sausage, crumbling it into small bits, and sauté, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes, until cooked and browned. Add the cider, cranberries, rosemary, and sage and cook until the cranberries soften, about 5 minutes. Scrape up the brown bits with a wooden spoon.

3. Place mixture in a large bowl and add the corn bread, egg, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, and enough chicken stock just to moisten the mixture. Stir well. Pour stuffing into prepared dish. Dot with remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Bake until stuffing is heated through and top is golden, 35 to 45 minutes.

Cast-Iron Skillet Cornbread

1 1/2 cup coarse yellow cornmeal (if making this gluten-free, make sure this is from a gluten-free source)
3/4 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cup plain drinkable yogurt, kefir, or buttermilk
1 1/2 tablespoon maple syrup or honey
4 tablespoons unsalted butter

1. Preheat an oven to 425 F degrees. Heat a 10-inch seasoned cast-iron skillet in the oven for 10 minutes, until it's very hot.

2. Combine the cornmeal, baking soda and salt in a small bowl. Whisk together the eggs, yogurt and maple syrup in a large bowl.

3. Remove the hot skillet from the oven and add the butter, swirling it until it's melted (it's OK if it slightly browns). Working quickly, pour the hot, melted butter into the egg and yogurt mixture, and whisk until combined. Add the dry ingredients and whisk until just combined. Pour the batter into the hot skillet and and bake until golden, about 20-25 minutes. Allow cornbread to slightly cool before cutting.

Save and print the full recipe on Food52.

Photos by James Ransom

This recipe originally appeared on Food52.com: Andouille Sausage and Cornbread Stuffing