Absolutely loaded with sweet yellow squash, green bell pepper, onion and celery, Cornbread Squash Dressing is chock full of delicious, savory flavor! An old fashioned version of southern cornbread dressing, it is served as a holiday side dish, for Sunday dinners and in mid to late summer when all that delicious squash comes in.
Squash Dressing is an old fashioned recipe that combines the goodness of southern cornbread dressing and squash casserole. Does it really work? Yes, squash and corn grow and ripen during the same season, so you know they go together!
While the mild flavor of yellow squash doesn’t take over the dish, the moistness it brings to the cornbread will certainly cause you to sit up and take notice. Then there’s there’s the whole host of support vegetables, like green bell pepper, onion and celery that add rich layers of real savory flavor.
This is absolutely delicious! It is very similar to my grandmother’s cornbread dressing that I’ve made for years, but the squash and other veggies really add a yummy twist!
-Carolyn
And I’ve got to tell you, there is just something about a good pan of Cornbread & Squash Dressing that surpasses all other versions and varieties of dressing. This is the recipe that my family (extended too) almost exclusivelyasks for at the holidays.
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And side dish? I jest. In the South, good cornbread dressing is no side dish. It’s serious tradition. A well-guarded secret. The whole darn holiday show.
And every legitimate Southern cook better have a good cornbread dressing recipe in his or her wheel house. Non-negotiable if you plan to reach the pinnacle of what Southern cooking is all about.
And like most important recipes, it should be one that has been passed down over time. Cornbread Squash Dressing is one I learned to make in the kitchen with my mom and my mamaw when all the fresh squash came in from the garden.
It was a highly anticipated cooking event, prepared with both fanfare and reverence. There was something almost sacred about the way they would roll up their sleeves and use their hands to gently mix, coax and finally transform that cornbread into that delicious golden casserole we’d been waiting for all year.
What To Know Before Getting Started
I’ll walk through an overview of ingredients & steps in these next sections along with helpful tips!
Look for specifics at the end of the post in the recipe card.
yellow cornbread mix
buttermilk
green bell pepper
yellow squash
onion
celery
butter
eggs
cream of chicken soup
chicken broth
poultry seasoning (This is a common spice blend that includes SAGE, thyme, rosemary, marjoram and other spices. It is easily found on the spice aisle of your grocery store.)
RECIPE VARIATIONS/SUBSTITUTIONS: You can either fully substitute the yellow squash with zucchini or use half zucchini and half yellow squash in this recipe for an equally fantastic pan of squash dressing.
You can make your own cream of chicken soup, if you like.
How To Make Cornbread Squash Dressing
This dressing starts off like any good cornbread should- in a sizzling hot cast iron skillet. I put a little oil in my skillet and stick it in the oven as it preheats.
You know you’ve got it right when you hear that sizzle and pop as soon as your batter hits the pan. This is what puts that great crisp on your cornbread so that it will cook up nice and fluffy like it should!
I also go ahead and just cook all those vegetables right into the cornbread instead of sautéing or cooking them down first. This has a couple of benefits.
It saves time.
All the moisture and flavor packed in those veggies goes right into your cornbread instead of being wasted in a sauté pan or boiler of water.
After the cornbread cools enough to work with, we break it back down. Pull it from the pan. Break it into small, but not fine, pieces. Now, add butter, soup, broth, eggs and seasonings to your crumbled cornbread.
Now it’s time to roll up your sleeves and mix with your hands. You have to work those flavors into that cornbread, and no fork or wooden spoon does it quite the same or can create a consistent texture every time. If you really don’t like how that feels on your hands, use gloves.
When everything is mixed, put your cornbread mixture into a casserole dish and put it back into the oven. What goes in as cornbread, comes back out as Cornbread Dressing!
Storing and Reheating
Leftovers can be stored in an air tight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. To reheat individual portions, just use the microwave.
To reheat the whole pan, use a spoon to break apart the dressing. Pour in just a bit of broth. Fold the broth and the pieces of dressing together. (Doesn’t have to be completely mixed.) Cover with aluminum foil or lid and bake at 350° F until warmed through.
Making Ahead of Time & Freezing
Cornbread Squash Dressing is perfect for making ahead of time & freezing. Simply put the dish together, but do not bake. Cover tightly and freeze for up to 3 months or simply cover tightly and store in the fridge overnight.
Allow to defrost in the fridge and bake according to recipe instructions. If made a day before, simply remove dish from fridge and bake as usual!
1stickbutter (this is ½ cup butter)room temperature
2largeeggsroom temperature, beaten
½ teaspoonpoultry seasoning(this blend includes SAGE)
½ teaspoonpepper
1tablespoonvegetable oil(for baking the cornbread)
Get Recipe Ingredients
Instructions
Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Add 1 tablespoon oil to your skillet. Place in oven while it is preheating.
Prepare cornbread in a mixing bowl as instructed in package directions. Use buttermilk as a substitute for the water or milk designated on the mix. Use the same measurement for the buttermilk as designated on the mix for the other liquids.
Stir in the squash, celery, bell pepper and onion. There should be just enough batter to hold the vegetables together.
Pour batter and vegetables into heated skillet. Bake in preheated oven for the time designated on the mix package. You may have to bake a few minutes longer to compensate for the moisture the squash releases into the cornbread as it bakes.
Remove cornbread from oven after baking. Allow to cool, but not completely. Turn oven temperature down to 350 degrees.
While cornbread is still warm, remove from skillet and break into pieces in large bowl. Add butter and mix together, breaking down the cornbread.
Add soup, broth, eggs and seasonings to crumbled cornbread mixture. Mix ingredients together until all are well-incorporated. Cornbread will look almost like a batter again.
Spoon cornbread dressing into 9×13 casserole dish. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 30- 40 minutes or until dressing is golden brown and set in the middle.
Notes
This is a moist dressing that doesn’t need a gravy!This dressing can also be made ahead of time and frozen. Allow to thaw for 24 hrs and allow dish to come to room temperature before baking. If made a day before, store in fridge, then bring to room temperature before baking.
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This is absolutely delicious! It is very similar to my grandmother’s cornbread dressing that I’ve made for years, but the squash and other veggies really add a yummy twist!
Hi, Carolyn! I am thrilled you made this dressing! When all that fresh squash starts coming in, it is absolutely one of our favorite summer dishes! Thank you.
Carolyn Rogers
This is absolutely delicious! It is very similar to my grandmother’s cornbread dressing that I’ve made for years, but the squash and other veggies really add a yummy twist!
Hi, Carolyn! I am thrilled you made this dressing! When all that fresh squash starts coming in, it is absolutely one of our favorite summer dishes! Thank you.
Mimi
II haven’t tried this but could.i use cornmeal instead of the cornbread mix ? Trying to cut down on sodium
Hi, Mimi! If you used to cornmeal to create your own cornbread batter, then yes. But not just cornmeal alone. I hope you make and enjoy!