Gluten-Free Cornbread Dressing with Bacon and Sage for Holiday Meals

• 1 pound applewood-smoked bacon, diced
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter or dairy-free butter, divided
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 3 stalks celery, diced
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 8 cups day-old gluten-free cornbread, crumbled
• 2 tablespoons fresh sage, roughly chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh thyme, roughly chopped
• 1 teaspoon kosher or fine sea salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 6 large eggs
• 4 cups turkey stock, plus more if needed
• ½ cup chopped Italian parsley

• Preheat the oven to 400°F. Arrange the diced bacon in a large 12-inch cast iron skillet and cook over medium-low heat, stirring often, until the bacon is crisp and the fat has rendered, about 8–10 minutes. Keep the drippings in the pan.
• Increase heat to medium, add 3 tablespoons butter, the diced onion, and diced celery. Cook until the vegetables are softened, 6–8 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the crumbled cornbread and sauté gently until it’s lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and fold in the chopped sage, chopped thyme, salt, and pepper.
• In a large bowl, beat the eggs until smooth. Whisk in the turkey stock and chopped parsley. Fold this liquid mixture into the cornbread mixture in the skillet until evenly combined. Dot the top with the remaining butter. Bake until the dressing is set and golden brown, about 45 minutes. Let the dressing rest for at least 10 minutes before serving.

Nutrition