Juicy Chorizo Cornbread Stuffing

Here is my favorite chorizo cornbread stuffing recipe, with spicy chorizo sausage, crumbled cornbread, fresh herbs, and chicken broth that brings everything together perfectly.

This stuffing has become our go-to side dish for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner. My kids actually ask for seconds, which never happens with regular stuffing. Sometimes I make extra just so we can have it with scrambled eggs the next morning.

What Kind of Chorizo Should I Use?

For this stuffing recipe, you’ll want to use Mexican chorizo, which is a fresh, uncooked sausage that comes in casings or loose in plastic packaging. This is different from Spanish chorizo, which is already cured and ready to eat. Mexican chorizo has a softer texture and releases flavorful oils when cooked, which is exactly what you want to infuse into your cornbread stuffing. You can find it in the refrigerated meat section of most grocery stores, and it usually comes in tubes or links that you’ll need to remove from the casing before cooking. If you can’t find Mexican chorizo, you can substitute with another spicy fresh sausage, but the flavor won’t be quite the same.

Options for Substitutions

This stuffing recipe is pretty forgiving when it comes to swaps and substitutions:

• Mexican chorizo: If you can’t find Mexican chorizo, try Italian sausage (remove from casings) or Portuguese linguiça. Spanish chorizo works too, but dice it finely since it’s firmer. For a lighter option, use turkey sausage with a pinch of smoked paprika.
• Fresh herbs: Don’t have fresh herbs? Use dried versions instead – just cut the amounts by half. So that’s 1½ teaspoons dried sage, 1½ teaspoons dried rosemary, and 1 teaspoon dried thyme.
• Cornbread: Store-bought cornbread from the bakery section works great if you don’t want to make your own. You can also use day-old cornbread muffins – just crumble them up. Avoid substituting regular bread here since cornbread’s texture and slight sweetness are key to this recipe.
• Chicken stock: Vegetable stock works perfectly for a lighter flavor, or you can use turkey stock if you have it on hand. In a pinch, chicken or vegetable bouillon mixed with water will do the job.
• Celery: If celery isn’t your thing, try diced bell peppers or fennel for that nice crunch and flavor base.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake when making chorizo cornbread stuffing is not properly draining the chorizo fat, which can make your stuffing greasy and heavy – be sure to remove excess grease with a spoon, but leave about 2 tablespoons to cook your vegetables in for extra flavor.

Another common error is using fresh, moist cornbread instead of day-old dried cornbread, so if your cornbread is fresh, cube it and let it sit out for a few hours or toast it lightly in the oven to remove moisture.

Don’t rush the vegetable cooking process either – take time to properly soften your onions and celery until they’re translucent, as undercooked vegetables will give you an unpleasant crunch in the final dish.

Finally, be careful not to oversoak the cornbread with stock, as it can turn mushy; add the liquid gradually and stop when the mixture holds together but isn’t soggy.

What to Serve With Chorizo Cornbread Stuffing?

This stuffing is packed with bold chorizo flavors, so it pairs beautifully with roasted turkey, chicken, or even pork tenderloin for your holiday spread. The spicy, savory notes from the chorizo make it a natural match for simple roasted vegetables like Brussels sprouts, carrots, or green beans that won’t compete with all those great flavors. I love serving it alongside cranberry sauce because the sweet-tart flavor balances out the richness of the chorizo perfectly. For a complete meal, add some mashed potatoes or roasted sweet potatoes to round out the plate.

Storage Instructions

Refrigerate: This chorizo cornbread stuffing keeps really well in the fridge for up to 4 days when stored in an airtight container. I actually think it tastes even better the next day because all those flavors have time to meld together. Just cover it tightly with foil or plastic wrap if you’re keeping it in the baking dish.

Freeze: You can absolutely freeze this stuffing for up to 3 months! Let it cool completely first, then wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil, or store it in freezer-safe containers. This is great for making ahead during the holidays when you want to prep as much as possible.

Warm Up: To reheat from the fridge, cover with foil and bake at 350°F for about 20-25 minutes until heated through. From frozen, thaw it overnight in the fridge first, then reheat the same way. You might want to add a splash of extra chicken stock if it seems a bit dry after reheating.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 2500-2700
• Protein: 75-85 g
• Fat: 145-160 g
• Carbohydrates: 225-245 g

Ingredients

For preparing the casserole dish:

• 1 tbsp unsalted butter (for greasing)

For the stuffing:

• 14 oz mexican chorizo
• 1 medium onion, finely diced
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced (about 1 1/2 tsp)
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh sage leaves (8 to 10 leaves)
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
• 2 tsp chopped fresh thyme leaves
• 1 1/2 cups chicken stock or vegetable stock
• 1 large egg
• 8 1/2 cups coarse cornbread pieces (from a 15 oz box mix)

Step 1: Prepare the Casserole Dish and Preheat Oven

• 1 tbsp unsalted butter (for greasing)

Preheat your oven to 350°F.

Grease the inside of a large casserole dish with unsalted butter, making sure to coat all sides to prevent sticking.

Set the greased dish aside for use later.

Step 2: Cook the Chorizo

• 14 oz Mexican chorizo

Place a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.

Add the Mexican chorizo and crumble it with a spatula.

Cook until the chorizo is browned and fully cooked, which should take about 5 minutes.

Once browned, you can use a slotted spoon to transfer the chorizo to a plate if you want to remove some fat, but keep it in the skillet for the next step if you like it extra flavorful.

I usually keep it all in for maximum taste!

Step 3: Sauté Vegetables and Herbs with Chorizo

• 1 medium onion, finely diced
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced (about 1 1/2 tsp)
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh sage leaves (8 to 10 leaves)
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
• 2 tsp chopped fresh thyme leaves

To the browned chorizo (from Step 2), add the finely diced onion, chopped celery, minced garlic, chopped sage leaves, chopped rosemary, and chopped thyme leaves.

Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes until the vegetables are fragrant and begin to soften.

Remove the skillet from heat when finished.

Step 4: Prepare the Liquid Mixture

• 1 1/2 cups chicken stock or vegetable stock
• 1 large egg

In a medium bowl, combine the chicken stock and large egg.

Whisk well until the mixture is fully combined and smooth.

This will help bind the stuffing and keep it moist during baking.

Step 5: Combine Cornbread, Chorizo, and Vegetables

• 8 1/2 cups coarse cornbread pieces (from a 15 oz box mix)
• chorizo and vegetable mixture from Step 3

Add the coarse cornbread pieces and the chorizo-vegetable mixture (from Step 3) to the prepared, greased casserole dish (from Step 1).

Gently toss everything together to evenly distribute the ingredients without breaking up the cornbread too much.

Step 6: Add Liquid and Bake the Stuffing

• chicken stock and egg mixture from Step 4

Pour the chicken stock and egg mixture (from Step 4) evenly over the cornbread stuffing in the dish, ensuring it soaks through all the layers.

Place the casserole dish in the preheated oven and bake for 25 minutes, or until the top is golden and the center is cooked through.

For an extra boost of flavor, I sometimes sprinkle a bit more fresh herbs on top before serving!