Cornbread Stuffing with Caramelized Leeks and Chestnuts
This cornbread stuffing with caramelized leeks and chestnuts is a twist on the classic holiday favorite. Honey-sweetened cornbread is married with the savory richness of caramelized leeks, aromatic herbs, and earthy chestnuts. The stuffing is moistened with vegetable broth and eggs to ensure a crisp top and tender inside texture. Enjoy this cornbread stuffing as a hearty side dish for any fall gathering or holiday meal!
Hey there, and welcome back, friends.
You are in for a savory treat!
There’s something so comforting about enjoying stuffing during the holidays, especially on Thanksgiving. The moment it starts baking and that warm, savory aroma fills the kitchen, I’m instantly reminded that the holidays have truly arrived, and I can’t help but feel a little giddy with excitement.
This is the first stuffing recipe I have shared on the blog, and it’s truly amazing!
This stuffing is made with homemade cornbread, not just any cornbread. It’s the star of this dish. It’s tender and slightly sweet and easy to make, and this time of year, if you’re hosting Thanksgiving, you need easy dishes!
Then you have savory components, such as caramelized leeks, celery, and chestnuts, which add a little texture to this dish. Using leeks instead of onions is a fun switch-up, and it works perfectly with the cornbread.
Rosemary, sage, and thyme tie this dish together and make every bite feel like Thanksgiving.
The cornbread and the caramelized leek, herb, and chestnut mixture can both be prepared up to two days in advance and stored separately. I share directions for how to make the stuffing ahead in the recipe card.
This dish has everything you want in a stuffing: a crispy top, tender and moist filling, texture, and plenty of flavor!
I can’t wait to serve this dish over Thanksgiving for my family to enjoy. It’s the perfect combination of comfort food and holiday magic!
Ingredients
- medium grind cornmeal
- all-purpose flour
- sea salt
- baking soda & baking powder
- some honey
- cultured low-fat buttermilk
- a few large eggs
- unsalted butter
- olive oil
- a few large leeks & celery
- a few cloves of garlic
- finely chopped rosemary, sage, & thyme
- low-sodium vegetable broth or chicken broth
- chestnuts
How to Make Cornbread Stuffing
Make cornbread the day before. Preheat the oven and lightly grease a 9-inch baking pan, then line it with parchment, leaving an overhang (this will make it easier to remove the cornbread later on).
Whisk the cornmeal, flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder until combined.
Add the honey, buttermilk, and egg, and whisk until combined and there are no pockets of dry ingredients remaining.
Drizzle the melted butter over the top and whisk it in until no streaks of butter remain.
Pour the cornbread batter into the prepared pan. Bake it in the preheated oven until the top is lightly golden and the edges are pulling away from the sides of the pan.
Cool the cornbread in the pan overnight without covering it up.
When you’re ready to make the stuffing, preheat the oven again. Use the parchment to lift the cornbread out of the pan, then cut it into cubes that are about 1 inch in size.
Place the cut cornbread on an unlined baking sheet. Bake it in the preheated oven for until dry to the touch, about 10-15 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside for now.
Increase the oven temperature to 375 degrees and grease a baking dish with butter or cooking spray.
Add the butter and olive oil to a large pan or skillet set over medium heat. When the butter is fully melted, add the sliced and cleaned leeks along with a pinch of salt.
Cook, stirring every few minutes, until the leeks are caramelized and have turned golden brown, about 15-20 minutes.
Add the celery and cook until just softened, about 3-4 minutes.
Add the garlic and chopped herbs and cook for a minute, stirring regularly.
Then remove the pan from the heat and mix in the chestnuts.
Add this mixture to a large bowl along with the dried-out cornbread cubes and toss gently to combine.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs with some broth and some salt.
Pour half of this over the stuffing, toss gently, then pour the rest over and toss again.
The cornbread should look very moist but not overly saturated. If it looks dry, add some more broth; about ¼ cup to ½ cup should be enough.
Dump the stuffing into the greased baking dish and spread it into an even layer.
Bake in the preheated oven on the middle rack until golden brown on top, about 30-40 minutes. Serve warm.
How to Store
Store the leftover stuffing either in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Reheat the stuffing in the oven until warmed.
More Fall Side Dishes
- Root Vegetable Gratin
- Butternut Squash Tart
- Thyme Cheddar Biscuits
- Browned Butter Roasted Carrots
- Roasted Hasselback Butternut Squash
What do you think of this savory cornbread stuffing recipe? What would you serve as a main to go with this dish? Let me know in the comment section below.
If you share across social media, make sure to tag #aclassictwist, so I can see your beautiful creation come to life!
Happy Fall baking, friends!
Cornbread Stuffing Recipe
Cornbread Stuffing with Caramelized Leeks and Chestnuts
This cornbread stuffing with caramelized leeks and chestnuts is a twist on the classic holiday favorite. Honey-sweetened cornbread is married with the savory richness of caramelized leeks, aromatic herbs, and earthy chestnuts.
Ingredients
For the cornbread:
- 1 cup medium grind cornmeal
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 4 tablespoons honey
- 1 cup cultured low-fat buttermilk, at room temperature
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
For the stuffing:
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 large leeks – cut in half lengthwise, thinly sliced crosswise, and rinsed well to remove grit
- Sea salt, to taste
- 3 ribs celery, finely chopped
- 2 large cloves garlic, minced
- 1 ½ tablespoons finely chopped rosemary
- 1 ½ tablespoons finely chopped sage
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped thyme
- 2 large eggs
- 1 ½ - 2 cups low sodium vegetable broth or chicken broth
- 1 ½ cups cooked and peeled chestnuts, quartered
Instructions
- Make cornbread the day before. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease a 9-inch baking pan, then line it with parchment, leaving an overhang (this will make it easier to remove the cornbread later on). Whisk the cornmeal, flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder until combined. Add the honey, buttermilk, and egg, and whisk until combined and there are no pockets of dry ingredients remaining. Drizzle the melted butter over the top and whisk it in until no streaks of butter remain. Pour the cornbread batter into the prepared pan. Bake it in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until the top is lightly golden and the edges are pulling away from the sides of the pan. Cool the cornbread in the pan overnight without covering it up.
- When you’re ready to make the stuffing, preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Use the parchment to lift the cornbread out of the pan, then cut it into 1-inch cubes. Place the cut cornbread on an unlined baking sheet. Bake it in the preheated oven for 10-15 minutes or until dry to the touch. Remove from the oven and set aside for now.
- Increase the oven temperature to 375 degrees and grease a 9x13 baking dish with butter or cooking spray. Add the butter and olive oil to a large pan or skillet set over medium heat. When the butter is fully melted, add the sliced and cleaned leeks along with a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring every 1-2 minutes, until the leeks are caramelized and have turned golden brown. This will take 15-20 minutes. Add the celery and cook until just softened, about 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic and chopped herbs and cook for 1 minute, stirring regularly, then remove the pan from the heat and mix in the chestnuts. Add this mixture to a large bowl along with the dried-out cornbread cubes and toss gently to combine.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs with 1 ½ cups of broth and 1 scant teaspoon of salt. Pour half of this over the stuffing, toss gently, then pour the rest over and toss again. The cornbread should look very moist but not overly saturated. If it looks dry, add another ¼ to ½ cup of broth.
- Dump the stuffing into the greased baking dish and spread it into an even layer. Bake in the preheated oven on the middle rack for 30-40 minutes, uncovered, until golden brown on top. Serve warm.
Notes
- If you can only find small/medium leeks, you’ll need 4 total.
- Once you’ve sliced your leeks, make sure to rinse them well as they have a tendency to have grit in between some of the outer layers.
- Cooked and peeled chestnuts are typically sold in packages on the international food aisle in well-stocked stores and are much more commonly available during the holidays.
Recipe Tips
- Make sure to remove the rosemary, sage, and thyme leaves from their stems, then finely chop the leaves. Measure them for the recipe once they’re finely chopped.
- To make the most of your time so you’re not standing around waiting to stir the leeks, use the time while they are caramelizing to chop the celery, garlic, and herbs.
- Making the cornbread the night before and leaving it out to cool uncovered allows it time to dry out a little. You can make it the day of, but it still needs to be cooled completely first. You’ll need to dry the cornbread cubes out in the oven a little longer before making the stuffing, about 20-30 minutes total.
- The cornbread and the caramelized leek, herb, and chestnut mixture can both be prepared up to 2 days in advance and stored separately. Keep the cornbread out at room temperature and the leek mixture in the refrigerator. On the day you’re ready to bake the stuffing, cut the cornbread into cubes and dry it out in the oven as instructed, then skip to the step of combining the cornbread cubes with the cooked leek mixture.
- The drier the cornbread, the more stock you’ll need. Start with 1 ½ cups, then go from there. You’re looking for the cornbread to be very moist but not overly saturated.
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