Meaty crawfish tails, smoked sausage, buttermilk cornbread, and veggies come together to create this comforting crawfish cornbread dressing. Flavored with just the right amount of Cajun spice, this flavor-packed dressing will be the star of Thanksgiving dinner!
Cornbread dressing is the dish I look forward to most each Thanksgiving and this crawfish dressing is one of my favorite ways to have it. If you love Southern Cajun flavors, you're about to fall in love with this ultimate comfort food side dish!
For more comforting Thanksgiving recipes, check out our Southern sweet potato casserole, herby pumpkin dinner rolls, and Southern chicken and dressing!
Table of Contents
Important Ingredient Notes
The detailed ingredient list with measurements is in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Smoked sausage. Spicy smoked sausage adds a delicious smoky, salty flavor that complements the other ingredients beautifully. See how smoked sausage flavors our creamy cajun potato soup!
- Onions. I love sweet Vidalia onions for this recipe but white onions also work great.
- Bell pepper. Sweet red bell peppers taste great in this dressing and add beautiful color. Green bell peppers also work great.
- Crawfish. Meaty crawfish tails are the main star of this dish. Frozen crawfish tails (recommended) are available year-round and come cleaned and cooked. Love crawfish? Check out our cajun crawfish etouffee next!
- Cajun seasoning. Our homemade Cajun seasoning adds the perfect amount of heat and flavor without being overpowering or overly salty. Store-bought Cajun or Creole seasoning will also work.
- Buttermilk cornbread. Our perfectly crumbly and tender homemade buttermilk cornbread (without the added honey) is the perfect base for this crawfish dressing. Do not use jiffy cornbread mix for this recipe! It is too sweet. If you need to use store-bought cornbread or a mix, use one with very little to no sugar.
- Chicken broth. Low-sodium chicken broth adds moisture and flavor to the dressing, preventing an overly dry texture.
- Poultry seasoning. This all-purpose seasoning includes sage, thyme, and marjoram and has a distinct flavor, perfect for cornbread dressing.
Variations and Substitutions
- Switch up the flavors by substituting shredded chicken, shredded turkey, or ground sausage for smoked sausage.
- Not a fan of crawfish? Try using shrimp, crab, or scallops instead. Try this seafood cornbread dressing!
- Add even more flavor with fresh herbs like sage leaves, rosemary, parsley, or thyme.
- Swap some of the cornbread for cubed Italian bread or stuffing mix for added texture.
How to Make This Recipe
Step 1. Brown the smoked sausage in 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat and set aside.
Step 2. Add 2 tablespoons of butter and chopped veggies to the same skillet and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until softened.
Step 3. Add the garlic, crawfish, and 2 teaspoons of Cajun seasoning and cook for 2 to 3 more minutes until crawfish are heated through.
Step 4. Add the cornbread, crawfish mixture, sausage, seasonings, and 3 cups of chicken broth to a large mixing bowl. Gently mix and add more broth until desired texture is reached.
Step 5. Transfer the dressing to a buttered 9 x 13 baking dish and bake at 375°F covered for 35 minutes, then uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes.
Step 6. Allow dressing to cool for about 15 minutes then garnish with fresh chopped parsley.
Recipe FAQs
Crawfish are freshwater crustaceans with meaty-textured tails and a mild, sweet, slightly mineral flavor.
Eggs are used as a binder to give the stressing structure and a sturdy texture. You can make dressing without eggs but it will have a looser texture.
If your dressing turns out dry you may not have added enough broth. A wet but sturdy texture is what you are looking for while mixing, similar to thick oatmeal. Overbaking the dressing can also make it dry. Bake the dressing just until the center no longer jiggles and the edges are browned.
Make-Ahead and Storing Instructions
Crawfish cornbread dressing can be assembled the night before, stored in the refrigerator wrapped in plastic wrap, and baked the following day. Leftover crawfish dressing can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
More Thanksgiving Recipes You Will Love!
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📖 Recipe
Crawfish Cornbread Dressing
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 6 to 8 ounces smoked sausage - about 2 links, andouille, turkey, chicken, or beef
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter - plus more for greasing dish, divided use
- 2 medium sweet yellow onions - chopped
- 1 red bell pepper - seeded and chopped
- 2 stalks celery - chopped
- 3 cloves garlic - minced
- 1 pound frozen crawfish tails - thawed
- 4 teaspoons homemade Cajun seasoning - or store-bought, divided use
- 2 batches of homemade buttermilk cornbread - without the added honey, cooled and coarsely crumbled
- 4 - 5 cups low-sodium chicken broth - or more as needed
- 2 stalks green onions - chopped
- 1 - 2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
- Salt and cracked black pepper - to taste
- 2 large eggs - lightly beaten
- Freshly chopped parsley - for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F. Butter a 9 x 13 baking dish and set it aside.
- In a 10-inch nonstick or cast-iron skillet, brown the smoked sausage in 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat and set aside.
- Add 2 tablespoons of butter, onions, bell pepper, and celery to the same skillet and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until softened. Add the crawfish, garlic, and 2 teaspoons of Cajun seasoning and cook for 2 to 3 more minutes until crawfish are heated.
- Transfer the cornbread, crawfish mixture, browned sausage, remaining Cajun seasoning, poultry seasoning, salt and pepper, and 3 cups of chicken broth to a large mixing bowl. Gently mix and add more broth until desired texture is reached. The dressing should have the texture of thick oatmeal, wet but not soupy.
- Transfer the dressing to the buttered baking dish, smooth into an even layer, and top with the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, sliced into thin slivers.
- Bake the dressing, covered, for 35 minutes then uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes until the center is no longer giggly and the edges are browned. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley.
Notes
- mise en place (prep work to do beforehand, not included in recipe prep time) - bake and cool cornbread, rinse and chop vegetables.
- Switch up the flavors by substituting shredded chicken, shredded turkey, or ground sausage for the smoked sausage.
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- Tony Chachere's Cajun or Creole seasoning are great store-bought seasoning options.
- If your dressing turns out dry you may not have added enough broth. A wet but sturdy texture is what you are looking for while mixing, similar to thick oatmeal. Overbaking the dressing can also make it dry. Bake the dressing just until the center no longer jiggles and the edges are browned.
- Crawfish cornbread dressing can be assembled the night before, stored in the refrigerator wrapped in plastic wrap, and baked the following day. Leftover crawfish dressing can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Nicole
This is the best crawfish dressing I've ever had! So much flavor and the perfect texture.