Cornbread Dressing with Pecans

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Classic Thanksgiving flavors meet classic Southern ingredients in this festive cornbread dressing.

By Edna Lewis
and
Scott Peacock
Scott Peacock
Scott Peacock is a James Beard Award-winning chef from Alabama. One of the foremost authorities on American Southern cuisine, he is best known for his work at Watershed restaurant in Decatur, Georgia, and his partnership with culinary icon Edna Lewis.
Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines
Updated on November 1, 2024
Cornbread-Pecan Dressing
Photo:

Food & Wine / Photo by Rachel Marek / Food Styling by Holly Dreesman / Props Styling by Gabriel Greco
Active Time:
45 mins
Total Time:
10 hrs
Servings:
12

For a taste of the holidays in the South, enjoy this cornbread dressing with pecans from Edna Lewis and Scott Peacock. Aromatic vegetables are softened in butter and bacon drippings, then added to festive sage, thyme, and toasted pecans in an egg custard. Homemade cornbread brings all the savory, smoky, sweet flavors together while absorbing the herbal, vegetal flavors.

Enjoy this smoky, nutty cornbread for all the special meals this holiday season. 

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Why should you cook the dressing separate from the turkey?

    Baking the dressing outside the bird reduces the risk of overcooking the turkey while attempting to fully cook the dressing. 

  • Should you baste your dressing while it bakes?

    Whether you baste the dressing during baking or not is up to you, depending on how crisped or softened you prefer. In this recipe, we baste the dressing a few times to let the cornbread fully soak up the flavorful stock.

Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen

Use the freshest pecans you can find. They will have the sweetest flavor and enhance your dressing's flavor.

Also, be sure to dry your cornbread overnight. You want it fully dried out and ready to soak up the delicious drippings and stock as it cooks.

Make ahead

The recipe can be prepared through Step 2 up to 1 day ahead.

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Ingredients

  • Southern Cornbread

  • 3 cups pecan halves (11 ounces)

  • 8 thick slices of slab bacon

  • 10 tablespoons unsalted butter (5 ounces), divided (4 tablespoons melted), plus more for baking dish

  • 3 cups coarsely chopped onions

  • 3 cups coarsely chopped celery

  • 3 large shallots, minced

  • 1 1/2 tablespoons rubbed sage

  • 1 tablespoon dried thyme

  • 6 large eggs, beaten

  • 1 3/4 cups chicken stock or canned low-sodium broth, divided

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

  1. Break the cornbread into large pieces, scatter on a baking sheet, and let dry overnight, about 8 hours.

  2. Preheat the oven to 400°F. On a rimmed baking sheet, toast the pecans for about 10 minutes or until nicely browned and fragrant. Transfer to a plate to cool. Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F.

  3. In a large skillet, cook the bacon in 6 tablespoons of the butter until very crisp, about 10 minutes. Reserve the cooked bacon for another use. Add the onions, celery, shallots, sage, and thyme to the drippings mixture in the skillet, and cook over low heat until the vegetables are tender, about 25 minutes.

  4. Tear the cornbread into 1 1/2-inch pieces, and place in a large bowl. Top with the cooked vegetable mixture and the pecans, and toss well. Stir in the 4 tablespoons melted butter, the eggs, and 1 cup of the chicken stock. Stir in the salt and pepper.

  5. Butter a large shallow baking dish, and add the cornbread dressing. Cover with foil, and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and baste the dressing with 6 tablespoons of the remaining stock. Bake for 10 minutes longer, then baste with the remaining 6 tablespoons stock. Bake for 20 minutes longer or until golden brown on top and heated through.

Originally appeared: November 1998