I’m the guy who always brings stuffing for Thanksgiving. It’s usually pretty classic: dried out french bread, celery, onions, sage, and some yawns. Not this year, family. What we have here is a totally unique and crazy-delicious stuffing (dressing?) that is both sweet and savory.

This recipe has all the classic savory holiday flavors you’d want from stuffing, but made from a cornbread base with a drizzle of maple syrup that makes it slightly reminiscent of a Mexican sweet corn cake. The way these flavors work so well together is indescribable… I may never be able to look at stuffing the same way ever again.

Makes 6-8 servings

Ingredients: 9×13 pan of cornbread (below)

4 celery stalks

1 medium white onion

1 cup sweet corn

3 tablespoons diced fresh sage 1 tablespoon thyme

2+ tablespoons maple syrup

1 1/2 cups vegetable broth

1/2 cup soy milk

sea salt & black pepper

Step One

Make a 9×13 pan of cornbread. I used Isa’s Vegan Cornbread Recipe from the Post Punk Kitchen. It’s so easy and came out absolutely perfect. When the cornbread is finished cooking, loosely dice it into 1/2 inch cubes. Add these cubes to a baking tray and return to a 375º F oven to become more dry and crispy.

Step Two

While the cornbread is becoming crispy, chop the onions and celery and get them sautéing in a pan with a splash of water. After they become soft (3-5 minutes), add 1 cup of frozen sweet corn, sage, thyme, 1 tablespoon of maple syrup, and salt/pepper to taste. Let these sauté for 5-8 more minutes.

Step Three

Remove the cornbread cubes from the oven after about 12-15 minutes, they should be fairly dry and even more golden. Add these to a very large mixing bowl and toss in the vegetable/corn mixture.

Step Four

In a separate bowl, combine the vegetable broth and soy milk – we’re adding a little soy milk to the broth because it adds a wonderful level of creaminess. Slowly drizzle this mixture over the top of the stuffing, continuously stirring so that the cornbread is evenly coated.

The amount of broth needed will be a little different every time. Start with the amounts listed here and feel free to add more if needed. You want the cornbread to be moist but not completely soggy.

Step Five

Add the stuffing to a large casserole dish and bake at 375º F, uncovered, for about 20-25 minutes until just crispy and golden brown on top.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! 🙂